The next games will be built on the same engine and gameplay mechanics of D:OS, DRM free, Windows, Mac and Linux. In the topic
So where is that Linux version anyway? the extra work and time required for the Linux version was justified specifically because Larian didn't want to compromise on making a native port of the engine "...such that our future offerings will also include Linux support."
Dragon Commander and D:OS were self published. Larian is in the process of opening a couple new offices and hiring more people, so whatever financial backing Focus is providing, I don't think it is acting as a publisher, with the usual control that involves. D:OS also had financial backers and loans involved, with some money from advances from distributors for the retail version, who handled the localizations and guaranteed a minimum number of sales. Some of those distributing deals were with publishers.
