USC Games is becoming an academic publisher for video games

The University of California's games program, USC Games, is going to try its hand at being a publisher, starting with games made by its own students.

The division's ambitions are getting press today thanks to a Wired feature, and they're intriguing in part because it seems USC Games is trying to apply the print industry's tried-and-true academic publishing model (e.g. MIT Press or Oxford University Press) to the realm of video game publishing. 

According to program chief Tracy Fullerton, USC Games Publishing is not intended to turn a profit. Rather, it's intended to help new developers get their work in front of more people.

"There’s a tremendous amount of content available for people to find, and yet it’s very difficult to find. One of the ways that … this label that we’re establishing can participate is by curating important voices, really innovative work, and putting it out there under our publishing label,” Fullerton told Wired. “We hope that what we reap from this is cultural recognition of this form."

Inaugural USC Games Publishing titles include USC-backed projects Chambara (pictured, IGF award nominee this year) Night Journey and The Cat and the Coup, though the label aims to expand beyond USC projects in the future.