Hope in the City Gets Worldwide Co-Publishing Deal With NAGA
Toronto-based Lofty Sky Entertainment and Paris-based co-publisher NAGA have announced a worldwide co-publishing partnership for Hope in the City, the studio’s stylized narrative mystery game about a teenage artist searching for her missing parents.
The deal will see NAGA finance and execute the game’s global go-to-market plan, while Lofty Sky Entertainment retains ownership of the intellectual property. Both companies are also continuing to seek regional publishing and distribution partners, with a particular focus on Asia as the studio heads into Gamescom Dev this week.
For Lofty Sky, this partnership marks a major step forward as Hope in the City continues to gain momentum across international festivals and industry showcases.
Hope in the City Gains Global Publishing Support
Under the new agreement, NAGA will help bring Hope in the City to a wider global audience while supporting its marketing and launch strategy.
This is especially important for a narrative-driven indie game with international appeal. Hope in the City is already in production with Simplified Chinese and Korean localizations, signaling Lofty Sky’s interest in reaching players across Asian markets.
The partnership also allows Lofty Sky to maintain creative control and IP ownership, which is important for a project built around a personal and culturally specific story.
A Narrative Mystery About Family, Art, and Disappearance
Hope in the City follows a teenage artist searching for her missing parents in the Chinese city of Shenyang.
The game invites players to explore city streets, back alleys, and hidden spaces while uncovering the darker mystery beneath the city’s peaceful surface. The playable demo features the first act of the game, giving players an early look at its visual style, story tone, and mystery-driven exploration.
The premise gives Hope in the City a strong emotional foundation. It is not just about solving a case. It is about a young person trying to understand what happened to her family while moving through a world filled with secrets.
Lofty Sky Says NAGA Is the Right Fit
Lofty Sky founder and CEO Jason Loftus said the partnership was built around finding a publisher that understood the importance of the project.
“Hope in the City is a truly unique project that our team is deeply passionate about, so it was essential that we found a partner who shares our vision. We're thrilled to be partnering with NAGA; their commitment to the game, in resources, expertise, and energy, makes them a perfect fit,” said Loftus.
He also emphasized that the agreement gives the studio global reach while allowing Lofty Sky to keep creative control.
“This collaboration gives us the global reach we need while allowing us to maintain the creative control and IP ownership that are central to such a personal story. As we move forward with this co-publishing model, we’re also excited to be actively seeking the right regional partners here at gamescom dev.”
NAGA Praises the Game’s Storytelling and Visuals
NAGA co-founder and CEO Ewan Charlot said the game immediately stood out to the publisher.
“Hope in the City instantly surprised us with the storytelling, the visuals, and the level of quality that matches the top games in the genre,” said Charlot. “We’re convinced that the talented team at Lofty Sky Entertainment is crafting an unforgettable experience, and it’s our duty as both marketers and passionate indie gamers to bring it to as many players as possible.”
That support should help Hope in the City reach more players as it moves toward launch and continues building awareness at major international events.
Three Gamescom Dev Awards Nominations
The announcement comes as Hope in the City heads into Gamescom Dev with three nominations at the 2026 Gamescom Dev Awards.
The game is nominated for:
- Most Innovative Game
- Best Sound Design
- Most Promising Game
For an indie narrative mystery from a Toronto studio, this is a strong signal that Hope in the City is already catching attention from international audiences and industry juries.
Festival Momentum Continues
Hope in the City has been building momentum across several events and showcases.
Recent placements include:
- Telltale’s Choices Matter Festival, where Hope in the City was a Spotlight game and launched its Steam demo
- Busan Indie Connect Festival 2026, where it was an official selection and finalist for Excellence in Narrative and Excellence in Social Impact
- Games4Diversity showcase, hosted by Courage Cologne
- Gamescom Dev Indie Expo
- The Mix Cologne
This run of festival appearances gives Hope in the City visibility across North America, Europe, and Asia, which fits the game’s growing global publishing strategy.
Playable Demo Now Available on Steam
The playable demo for Hope in the City is now available on Steam.
The demo introduces players to the first act of the game, letting them explore Shenyang, meet its atmosphere, and begin uncovering the disappearance at the center of the story.
For players interested in narrative mysteries, emotional storytelling, and stylized indie games, the demo offers an early look at why Hope in the City is gaining attention on the festival circuit.
A Major Step for a Toronto Indie Studio
This co-publishing deal is a meaningful moment for Lofty Sky Entertainment.
Hope in the City is already being positioned as a project with international reach, thanks to its festival recognition, localization plans, and new publishing support from NAGA. At the same time, Lofty Sky keeping IP ownership shows that the studio is protecting the creative identity of the project.
That balance matters. For independent studios, global reach can be difficult to achieve without giving up too much control. This partnership appears designed to support the game’s growth while keeping the story in the hands of its creators.
Final Thoughts
Hope in the City continues to look like one of the Canadian indie games to watch.
With a worldwide co-publishing deal now in place, three Gamescom Dev Awards nominations, a Steam demo available, and growing festival recognition across multiple regions, Lofty Sky Entertainment is building strong momentum for its stylized narrative mystery.
The partnership with NAGA gives the game a stronger path to global players while allowing Lofty Sky to preserve the creative control and personal storytelling at the heart of the project.
For fans of narrative mysteries and story-driven indie games, Hope in the City is becoming harder to ignore.
