Publisher 505 Games’ secret to success: ‘true collaboration’ with developers

Ian Howe doesn’t have the chops to be a game designer. While he’s had hundreds of ideas, someone always shoots them down.

But that’s not a problem for the 25-year industry veteran. As the cofounder and president of 505 Games, Howe is happy helping other creators bring their games to life. The company has been quietly redefining the traditional role of a video game publisher. In the mid-2000s, it scored a surprise hit when it released the Nintendo DS game Cooking Mama in Europe. It followed the success of the charming cooking simulator with other multi-million selling games, including Zumba Fitness, Terraria, and the popular Payday franchise.