The former Playdemic pair will not be pressed to produce their next successful game hastily.

ForthStar, the new game studio founded by Playdemic’s previous founders, Paul Gouge and Alex Rigby, has been backed with $10m (£8m) in funding from Griffin Gaming Partners. The two entrepreneurs have a history of success with the creation and sales of BattleMail, Rockpool Games, and Playdemic, which was acquired by Electronic Arts for a record-breaking $1.4bn. ForthStar’s first product is highly anticipated, but Gouge and Rigby stand firm in their decision not to rush the launch, highlighting that it won’t be released until at least 2025 and that sentimentality won’t dictate their launch strategy. The founders wrote a manifesto to guide ForthStar’s approach, emphasizing the importance of decision-making and killing ideas when necessary. Gouge’s goal is to create products that will resonate with the mass market and millions of gamers worldwide. In addition to Golf Clash, their previous free-to-play hits include Village Life and Gourmet Ranch, which attracted more than 1 million players each. Despite leaving Playdemic in 2021, the duo began planning their return one year later, as they knew building their own game company was their passion.