Video games in Sweden
 | This articleneeds additional citations forverification.(March 2020) |
The first 20 years of video game developing in Sweden was mostly done by separate individuals. Developing costs increased and industry structure became more complex over time. Mapping the business of Swedish game developing history has been relatively problematic because individuals were spread all over the country working with different platforms in PDP, C64,VIC-20,Amiga,andIBM PC compatibles.Home computers became the focus for the creativity among often self learned youths who got access during the 1980s.[1]
In 2018, the Swedish games industry generated €1.8 billion and it employed almost 8,000 people.[2] For 2017, there were 4.2 million gamers in Sweden who spent $411.7 million.[3]
1980-1989[edit]
The colour-graphicalVIC-20home computer was released in 1981. The home computerCommodore 64was released 1983. The gameSpace Action(1983) was developed by Arne Fernlund and published by Handic Software.[4]
After 20 years game development shifted towards project groups of game developers.[1]
List of Swedish video game companies[edit]
| Name | Description | Most Famous For | Games | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Embracer Group | Embracer Group AB(formerlyNordic Games Publishing ABandTHQ Nordic AB) is a Swedish video gameholding companybased inKarlstad.The company was established under the name Nordic Games in December 2008, forming thevideo game publishingsubsidiary of game retailer Game Outlet Europe. | PC, Console | Darksiders | Red Faction,Titan Quest |
| Mojang | Mojang ABis a Swedishvideo game developerand a studio ofXbox Game Studiosbased inStockholm.The studio was founded byMarkus Perssonin 2009 asMojang Specifications,inheriting the name from aventure of the same namehe left two years prior. | PC,Console,Mobile,VR | Minecraft | Scrolls,Cobalt |
| King (Midasplayer) | King.com Limited,trading asKingand also known asKing Digital Entertainment,is avideo game developerbased inSt. Julian's,Malta,that specialises in the creation ofsocial games. | Mobile | Candy Crush Saga | Bubble Witch Saga |
| EA Digital Illusions CE | EA Digital Illusions CE AB(DICE) is a Swedishvideo game developerbased inStockholm.The company was founded in 1992 and has been a subsidiary ofElectronic Artssince 2006. | PC, Console, Tech | Battlefield | Mirror's Edge,Star Wars Battlefront |
| Paradox Interactive | Paradox Interactive AB(frequently abbreviatedPDX) is a Swedishvideo game publisherbased inStockholm. | PC | Europa Universalis | Cities: Skylines,Hearts of Iron |
| Avalanche Studios | Fatalist Development AB,doing business asAvalanche Studios,is a Swedishvideo game developerbased inStockholm.Founded by Linus Blomberg and Christofer Sundberg in March 2003, Avalanche Studios focuses on developingopen worldprojects and bases them on their proprietary Apex game engine (formerly known as Avalanche Engine). | PC, Console, Tech | Just Cause | Rage 2,Mad Max,Generation Zero |
| Ubisoft Entertainment Sweden (Massive) | Massive Entertainmentis a Swedishvideo game developerand a studio ofUbisoftbased inMalmö.The company has been fully owned byUbisoftsince 2008. | PC, Console, Tech, Mobile | Tom Clancy's The Division | Tom Clancy's The Division 2,Just Dance Now |
| Starbreeze | Starbreeze Studios ABis a Swedishvideo game developerandpublisherbased inStockholm.Notable games developed includeThe Chronicles of Riddick: Escape from Butcher Bay,Payday 2andBrothers: A Tale of Two Sons. | PC, Console, Mobile, VR, Tech | Payday Series | The Chronicles of Riddick: Escape from Butcher Bay,Syndicate |
| MAG Interactive | Mobile, Facebook | Ruzzle | Word Brain | |
| Fatshark | Fatsharkis anindependentvideo gamedevelopmentstudio based inStockholm,Sweden. | PC, Console, Mobile | Warhammer Series | Warhammer: Vermintide 2,Escape Dead Island,War of the Vikings |
| Hazelight Studios AB | PC, Console | A Way Out (video game) | Brothers - A Tale of Two Sons | |
| (Axolot Games) | PC | Scrap Mechanic | Raft | |
| Toca Boca | Toca Bocais a Swedish app development studio focused on child-friendlyapplicationsfortabletsandsmartphones. | Mobile | Toca Series | Paint my wings |
| MachineGames Sweden | MachineGamesagreed withBethesda Softworksto develop a new instalment in theWolfenstein series,and was acquired by Bethesda's parent company,ZeniMax Media.[5] | PC, Console | Wolfenstein Series | Quake: Dimension of the Past |
| GamersGate | GamersGate is a Sweden-based onlinevideo gamestore offering electronicstrategy guidesand games for Windows, OS X, and Linux viadirect download. | Distribution, PC,Mac | Fallout 4 | Borderlands,Skyrim,BioShock 2 |
| Donya labs (Simplygon) | Technology | |||
| Arrowhead Game Studios | Arrowhead Game Studios AB is an independentSwedishvideo game developer,established in 2008 by a group ofLuleå University of Technologystudents. | PC, Console, Mac | Magicka | Helldivers,Helldivers 2,The Showdown Effect |
| MindArk | MindArk is aSwedishsoftware companylocated inGothenburg. | PC, Mobile, VR | Entropia Universe | |
| Tarsier Studios | PC, Console, VR,Handheld | Little Big Planet Series | Little Nightmares,Tearaway Unfolded | |
| Image & Form International | PC, Console, Mobile, Handheld | Steamworld Series | Anthill | |
| Frictional Games | PC | Amnesia | SOMA,Penumbra Series | |
| Raw Fury | Raw Fury is a Swedishvideo game publisher,specialising in the publication ofindie games,based inStockholm. | PC, Mac, Console | Kingdom: Two Crowns | Mosaic |
| Illusion Labs | Mobile, Mac | Touchgrind | Way of the Turtle | |
| Illwinter Game Design | PC, Mac | Dominions Series | Erövring av Elysium | |
| Zoink | Zoink AB was founded in 2001 by Klaus Lyngeled, who acts as its CEO. | PC, Console, VR, Mobile, Mac | Fe | Flipping Death |
| Power Challenge | Online, Service | ManagerZone | Power Soccer | |
| Sector3 Studios | Console | WTCC, ADAC GT Masters | ||
| Simogo | Mobile, Console, Service | Year Walk | Device 6 | |
| Code Club(Onetoofree) | PC, Mac | Wurm Online | Wurm Unlimited | |
| Defold | Tech | |||
| Might and Delight | Might and Delightis aSwedishvideo game development studio and publisher based inStockholm.The studio was established in 2010 and is best known for theShelterseries. | PC, Mac, Console | Shelter | PID |
| Creative Vault AB | Console, VR | Wipeout™ VR | Hustle Kings VR, Crash Commando | |
| Poppermost Productions | Poppermost Productions is a small independent game developer based in Stockholm, Sweden. | PC, Console | Snow | |
| Grapefrukt | Mobile, Console, PC, Web, Tablet | Rymdkapsel | twofold inc., gran chorizo | |
| Legendo Entertainment | Legendo Entertainmentis aSweden-basedentertainment company, led by CEOBjörn Larsson.Founded under the name "Iridon Interactive," in 1998, the company adopted its current title of “Legendo Entertainment,” in 2004. | PC, Mac, Mobile, Console, Handheld, AR, Service, Tablet | Serpents in the Mist | FCB Pinball, Fortune Winds |
| Oxeye Game Studio | Cobaltis anactionside-scrolling video gamedeveloped by Oxeye Game Studio and published byMojang. | PC, Console, Mac | Cobalt | Strategist, Harvest: Massive Encounter |
| White Wolf Entertainment (defunct) | PC, Console | The Chronicles of Darkness | Exalted, World of Darkness | |
| Thunderful Publishing | Thunderful ABis a Swedish video gameholding companybased inGothenburg.It was founded in December 2017 by Brjánn Sigurgeirsson and Klaus Lyngeled, in conjunction withBergsala Holding,as theparent companyfor their Gothenburg-based game development studios, Image & Form and Zoink. | PC, Console, Mobile, Steam, VR, Mac | Ghost Giant,Curious Expedition | |
| IO Interactive AB | IO Interactive A/S(often shortened asIOI) is a Danishvideo game developerbased inCopenhagen,best known for creating and developing theHitmanfranchise. | PC, Console, Mac | Hitman (franchise) | Kane & Lynch 2: Dog Days,Mini Ninjas |
| Ghost Games | Subsidiary ofElectronic Arts | PC, Console | Need for Speed | Need for Speed Heat,Need for Speed Payback |
| Atod | Atod AB/LG Software AB(also known as 42-Bit AB) was avideo game developerlocated inHelsingborg,Sweden. | Console | Hot Weels Extreme Racing | |
| Dennaton Games | Dennaton Gamesis an independentSwedishvideo game developerfounded byprogrammerJonatan Söderströmand artist Dennis Wedin. | PC, Mac, Mobile | Hotline Miami | Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number |
| Nifflas | Nicklas Nygren,better known by the handleNifflas,is an independent Swedishvideo game developer. | Console, Handheld, Mac, PC | Knytt | Within A Deep Forest,FiNCK,NightSky |
| Overkill Software | Overkill Softwareis a Swedishvideo game developerbased and founded in Stockholm in 2009 byUlf Andersson,Bo Andersson andSimon Viklund,the founders and owners of now defunct game developerGrin. | PC, Mobile, Console | Overkill's The Walking Dead',Payday: The Heist,Payday 2 | |
| The Sleeping Machine | The Sleeping Machine AB,formerlyCockroach Inc.till 2011, is an independent Swedishvideo game developerdesign &animation studioestablished in 2007 by Anders Gustafsson and Erik Zaring. | Mac, PC,Browser game | The Dream Machine | Gateway,The Gateway Trilogy |
References[edit]
- ^ab"Slutrapport svensk dataspelsutveckling 1960-1995"(PDF).
- ^"Swedish games industry generated €1.87bn in 2018, employs almost 8,000 people".GamesIndustry.biz.
- ^"The Swedish Gamer | 2017".
- ^"Svensk dataspelsutveckling, 1960-1995"(PDF).
- ^"Developer MachineGames on TheStadiaDB".TheStadiaDB.Retrieved2020-08-11.
See also[edit]
- List of video game companies of Sweden(Check this for possible extra details of relevant companies & their pages)