The name Artex may ring a bell with industry experts. From 1997 to 1999, Artex Software developed video games, including the humorous adventure game Ankh: The Tales of Mystery, which received a remake in 2005. Artex Software was also the predecessor of the internationally successful Frankfurt-based publisher Deck13, which emerged from the core team of Artex Software in 2001, initially under the name TriggerLab, and took off as Deck13 in 2002.
“Back then, we developed games under the name Artex. More than a quarter of a century later, we want to discover and support young studios and start-ups in particular, because we see an incredible amount of creative potential here”, explains Jan Klose, co-founder of Deck13 and the indie publishing label Deck 13 Spotlight, now co-founder of Artex. "Additionally, fair conditions and supporting business development are extremely important to us when working with others. With Artex, we are starting a whole new chapter."
The new publisher's first projects will already be shown at Gamescom 2025 at the State of Hesse joint booth in Hall 4.1, Booth 060g. In partnership with Indie developer Pithead Studio — founded by Piranha Bytes veterans Jenny and Björn Pankratz — Artex is launching the console version of the dungeon crawler RPG Cralon, where players must escape a mine shaft labyrinth that is inhabited by a terrifying demon.
Artex is also entering a publishing partnership with:
- German Computer Game (DCP) newcomer award winner Blob the Klex from Sigma Unit.
- Couch co-op title American Cooking Simulator from Freedom Burger Games.
- Point & click adventure Venice after Dark from Weltenwandler Designagentur and Sebastian Grünwald.
- Roguelike deckbuilder Wyrm Saga from Borb Games