Developer thatgamecompany was bankrupt when it shipped ‘Journey’

Indie developer thatgamecompany is well known for delivering interesting, emotional titles on downloadable marketplaces. Even with a solid reputation and impressive game library, the company was bankrupt when it shipped last year’s Journey.

Main man Jenova Chen broke this news during a presentation at DICE, where he discussed his philosophy on game design and some facts about his team’s games. One particularly interesting slide centered on a letter from a 15-year-old player whose time with the PSN-exclusive title changed her life. Trust me, you should read it.

Looks like Journey shipped just in time to save the company, as well as affect a wide-range of people who needed a boost.

Did you get a chance to experience this game? Are you surprised that the developer was struggling so much? Let us know what you think by leaving a comment below!