Secret Mode

Secret Mode is a British video game publisher headquartered in Leamington Spa, England, founded in 2020 as a publishing subsidiary of Sumo Group. The label was created to publish indie and AA games outside Sumo Group’s own development output. In March 2025, Sumo Group sold Secret Mode to financial investor Emona Capital, and the label now operates independently. Secret Mode won the Ukie Best UK Publisher award in 2024.

Publishing Approach

Secret Mode positions itself as a publisher for games that need support but not interference, working with independent developers across PC and console platforms. Their catalog spans puzzle games, simulation titles, horror adventures, and platformers, with a focus on smaller and mid-size projects that benefit from publishing support without requiring the scale of a major label. The name was chosen to reflect the sense of discovery the team wanted players to feel.

Notable Published Games

A Little to the Left, developed by Max Inferno and released in November 2022, is Secret Mode’s most celebrated release, a cozy puzzle game about organizing household objects that sold over one million copies and received positive reviews from critics and players. Loddlenaut, developed by Moon Lagoon, is an open-water adventure about cleaning up an ocean planet. Parcel Corps, developed by Billy Goat Entertainment, is an open-world action adventure delivery game set in a fictional city. Escape the Backrooms, developed by Fancy Games, is a cooperative horror adventure based on the Backrooms internet phenomenon that received console ports on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S. Instruments of Destruction, developed by Radiangames, is a vehicle physics destruction game. Little Orpheus, developed by The Chinese Room, is a side-scrolling adventure. Critter Cafe, developed by Sumo Newcastle, is a cozy cafe management game.

Sumo Group and Emona Capital

Secret Mode operated as a Sumo Group subsidiary for its first four years, benefiting from the parent company’s infrastructure while maintaining a distinct publishing identity. Sumo Group sold the label to Emona Capital in March 2025, separating it from the broader Sumo organization. The sale allowed Secret Mode to continue operating as an independent publisher while Sumo Group refocused on its development studios.