Gabriel Knight writer opens new studio based on community publishing

Jane Jensen, writer for such adventure games as Gray Matter and Gabriel Knights, has founded a new gaming studio with her partner, composer Robert Holmes. Called Pinkerton Road, the company will be based out of the couple’s Pennsylvania farm and will use a publishing model they call “community-supported gaming.” Based on community-supported agriculture, the model allows developers to circumvent big-name publishers by appealing directly to consumers for funding. Instead of receiving a fresh basket of produce each week, subscribers of Pinkerton Road will get exclusive goodies and access to dev diaries, beta tests and other materials, including trips to the farm for the big donors.

I’ve wanted to return to adventure game development for years, and now is exactly the right time. The casual game market is ready for meatier fare and the hardcore audience is nostalgic for games like these. Plus, tablet use is exploding, which gives us access to a brand new audience of e-book readers — an ideal target for story-based games. Forming Pinkerton Road means retaining control of my ideas and ensuring my games’ quality all the way through development. At this point in my career, this level of involvement is very important to me, and I know it will enable me to get my best work out to my fans.

- Jane Jensen

Pinkerton Road’s first campaign will be funded through Kickstarter, an increasingly popular fundraising service that gives supporters unique gifts based on their level of donation. The studio plans to release three adventure games in their 2012-2013 season.