Blind Squirrel Games
Blind Squirrel Games is a private, founder-controlled independent video game development studio providing co-development, port/remaster, and full-cycle development services to major publishers including 2K, Amazon Games, TiMi, and Undead Labs, with studios in California, Texas, Colombia, and New Zealand and an expanding original-IP business led by Cosmorons.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2010
- HeadquartersIrvine, United States
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Blind Squirrel Games does
Blind Squirrel Games (legal entity Blind Squirrel Entertainment, Inc.) is a private, founder-controlled independent video game development studio founded in 2010 by CEO Brad Hendricks and headquartered in Irvine, California. The studio operates four locations—California, Austin (Texas), Manizales (Colombia), and Auckland (New Zealand)—with employees in 18 US states and three countries, and operates primarily on the Unreal Engine.
The company's revenue is generated through three professional service lines delivered to game publishers and IP holders: (1) co-development on AAA titles (Amazon New World and New World: Aeternum, TiMi/Team Jade's Delta Force: Hawk Ops, Undead Labs' State of Decay 3, 2K's BioShock: The Collection and XCOM 2 Console, Firaxis XCOM, Insomniac Sunset Overdrive, Trion Trove, Disney Infinity); (2) ports and remasters across console, PC, and mobile (including Warframe Mobile, Mass Effect Legendary Edition); and (3) full-cycle development including original IP such as Cosmorons (a co-op retro sci-fi arcade shooter with custom gravity, procedural generation, P2P multiplayer, and optional Epic Online Services crossplay, targeting 2025 release across Steam, Xbox, PlayStation 5, and Nintendo Switch) and the earlier Drifters Loot the Galaxy. Notable proprietary technical assets include a custom gravity engine modification, a P2P networking architecture, a procedural universe generation system, and a proprietary AI tool for Unreal Engine. Pricing is project-based and per-engagement for services, with a one-time license/self-publishing model for original IP through consumer storefronts.
The go-to-market is relationship-led B2B selling: VP of Business Development Brian Waddle and VP Charles Villano drive outreach through direct publisher relationships, industry conferences (GDC, DICE, NZGDC), and proven delivery track record. The company maintains 15 years of operating history, has scaled from 4 to 100+ engineers at peak, ran a single disclosed $5M funding round in 2019, and is privately held with no institutional investor ownership on record.
Blind Squirrel Games firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Blind Squirrel Games
- Legal name
- Blind Squirrel Entertainment, Inc.
- Website
- https://blindsquirrelentertainment.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2010
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- Blind Squirrel Games is a private, founder-controlled independent video game development studio providing co-development, port/remaster, and full-cycle development services to major publishers including 2K, Amazon Games, TiMi, and Undead Labs, with studios in California, Texas, Colombia, and New Zealand and an expanding original-IP business led by Cosmorons.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Blind Squirrel Games industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Game Development Services
- NAICS
- Software Publishers (5132)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Full-Service Game Publishers (1st/2nd/3rd-Party Publishing) (MPAFABAA)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Indie Game Studios (MPAFAAAC)
Keywords
Where Blind Squirrel Games is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Irvine
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices4 records
Markets served
Blind Squirrel Games business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Co-Development Services: Blind Squirrel partners with leading publishers and studios to deliver complex co-development projects. They provide full design and implementation services, earning fees for development work on titles like New World, Delta Force: Hawk Ops, and State of Decay 3.
- Full Development Services: Full-cycle development support across console, PC, and mobile, including original IP creation and publishing negotiations. Projects like Bioshock: The Collection and Mass Effect Legendary Edition demonstrate full development capabilities.
- Ports and Remasters: Ports games to new platforms and remasters existing titles for updated hardware, requiring discipline, tools, and engineering expertise across hardware constraints. Revenue generated through service contracts with IP holders.
- Original IP / Self-Publishing: Development and self-publishing of original intellectual property like Cosmorons. The studio seeks publishing partners to bring original titles to market across PC, Xbox, PlayStation, and Nintendo Switch platforms.
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels6 records
Marketing channels8 records
Blind Squirrel Games product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Blind Squirrel Games is a B2B video game development studio that partners with leading publishers and studios to deliver co-development, ports, remasters, and full-cycle development support across console, PC, and mobile platforms. The studio also creates and self-publishes original intellectual property, including the co-op arcade shooter Cosmorons and the hero action shooter Drifters Loot the Galaxy.
Product overview
Blind Squirrel Games is a full-service independent video game development studio providing three distinct service lines: Co-Development Services (partnering with publishers on AAA titles), Ports and Remasters (bringing games to new platforms), and Full Development Services (complete game creation including original IP). The company has developed original IP including Cosmorons (co-op futuristic arcade shooter) and Drifters Loot the Galaxy (5v5 hero action shooter). Notable co-development projects include BioShock: The Collection, Mass Effect Legendary Edition, XCOM 2 Console, New World, New World: Aeternum, Delta Force: Hawk Ops, State of Decay 3, Warframe Mobile, and The Dragon Prince: Xadia.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Cosmorons: Original IP co-op futuristic arcade shooter about comedic robots conquering the cosmos with outlandish weapons. Features gravity-defying gameplay across procedurally generated planetoids for 1-4 players.
Products and services
- Co-Development Services Partnership engagements with leading publishers and studios to deliver complex co-development work on AAA titles, providing full design and implementation support across console, PC, and mobile platforms.
- Ports and Remasters Services Porting existing games to new platforms and remastering classic titles with updated graphics, requiring tools and engineering expertise across hardware constraints. Revenue is generated through service contracts with IP holders.
- Full Development Services Complete game development from concept through final release, including original IP creation and support for self-publishing negotiations across console, PC, and mobile.
- Cosmorons Original IP co-op futuristic arcade shooter where players control comedic robot Drudges conquering procedurally generated planets with gravity-defying mechanics. Supports 1-4 players with peer-to-peer networking and optional crossplay via Epic Online Services.
- Drifters Loot the Galaxy
Quantifiable outcome
- Passed all 14 SKUs in Bioshock: The Collection on first try
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Blind Squirrel Games
Customer profileNamed customers9 records
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Blind Squirrel Games technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration1 record
Feature6 records
Blind Squirrel Games partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core, secondary and minor.
- Distributed Development (now BSG Colombia)coreAcquired Colombian game studio Distributed Development to enhance global presence and drive cost-efficient AAA game development. Studio located in Manizales, Colombia, initially focusing on co-development with plans to grow to 25-30 employees by 2025.
- TiMi / Team JadecoreCollaborated closely with TiMi and Team Jade to deliver full development services for the single-player campaign of Delta Force: Hawk Ops, a game inspired by the 1993 Black Hawk Down incident during the Battle of Mogadishu.
- Undead LabscoreNamed co-development partner for State of Decay 3, partnering with Undead Labs on the latest installment in the zombie survival franchise.
- Amazon GamescoreIntegrated live services partner for Amazon Games on New World MMORPG, responsible for full design and implementation of additional ambient and enemy creatures. Also partnered on New World: Aeternum console release for Xbox and PlayStation.
- 2K GamescorePrimary partner for multiple AAA projects including Bioshock: The Collection, XCOM 2 console development, and Mass Effect Legendary Edition. BSG passed all 14 SKUs in Bioshock: The Collection on first try.
- Firaxis GamescoreInitial polish support for XCOM: Enemy Unknown, then took over XCOM 2 console development entirely when asked. Also helped develop the expansion pack with Firaxis.
- Insomniac GamessecondaryCo-development partnership on Sunset Overdrive alongside the primary Insomniac team.
- DisneysecondaryDisney Infinity Windows 8 port requiring graphics pipeline modernization from DirectX9 to DirectX11. Successfully delivered port became stepping stone to more complex projects.
- Trion WorldssecondaryCo-development partnership on Trove with Trion Worlds.
- NZ On AirminorNew Zealand government funding body providing support through the New Zealand Game Development Sector Rebate for Cosmorons development.
Scale indicators8 records
Recent moves9 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Blind Squirrel Games competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Sperasoft: Game co-development and engineering services provider serving AAA publishers. Direct comparable to BSG's services model with global delivery capability.
- Virtuos Games: Largest independent game co-development, art, and engineering services partner globally. Direct competitor to BSG in co-development, porting, and remastering services for AAA publishers, with a much larger global footprint.
- Keywords Studios: Publicly listed game services platform offering co-development, porting, QA, localization, and art services. Highly comparable to BSG's full-service co-development and port/remaster offering for AAA publishers.
- Room 8 Group: Global co-development, art, and game services partner with studios across US, Europe, and Eastern Europe. Competes head-to-head with BSG on AAA co-development, porting, and full-cycle development services.
- QLOC: Specialist porting and remastering studio with deep co-development expertise. Closely comparable to BSG's port/remaster practice (BioShock: The Collection, Mass Effect Legendary Edition).
- Sumo Digital: UK-based co-development and original IP studio acquired by Tencent. Operates a comparable mix of co-development work-for-hire alongside original IP — closely matching BSG's hybrid business model.
- Aspyr Media: Specialist in porting and remastering PC/console games. Highly comparable to BSG's port and remaster services line, including work on major franchise remasters.
- Certain Affinity: Austin-based co-development studio working with major publishers (Microsoft, Bethesda, 343 Industries). Comparable in size and AAA co-development positioning to BSG.
- Tic Toc Games: Independent game studio offering co-development, porting, and engineering services to AAA publishers. Direct comparable in scale and service mix to BSG.
Broad incumbents
- Telltale Games: Established narrative-focused game developer with strong publisher relationships. Brian Waddle's prior tenure at Telltale provides a peer reference point for BSG's BD leadership pedigree and AAA publisher access.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Blind Squirrel Games social profiles
Digital presenceBlind Squirrel Games financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Blind Squirrel Games leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles10 records
Blind Squirrel Games subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries2 records
Blind Squirrel Games funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Blind Squirrel Games M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A1 record
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Blind Squirrel Games
What does Blind Squirrel Games do?
Blind Squirrel Games is a B2B video game development studio that partners with leading publishers and studios to deliver co-development, ports, remasters, and full-cycle development support across console, PC, and mobile platforms. The studio also creates and self-publishes original intellectual property, including the co-op arcade shooter Cosmorons and the hero action shooter Drifters Loot the Galaxy.
Is Blind Squirrel Games a public or private company?
Blind Squirrel Games is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Blind Squirrel Games founded?
Blind Squirrel Games was founded in 2010. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Blind Squirrel Games based?
Blind Squirrel Games is headquartered in Irvine, United States, in the North America region.
How does Blind Squirrel Games make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Co-Development Services are the primary driver. The others are full Development Services, ports and Remasters and original IP / Self-Publishing.
Who are Blind Squirrel Games's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Sperasoft, Virtuos Games, Keywords Studios, Room 8 Group, QLOC, Sumo Digital, Aspyr Media, Certain Affinity and Tic Toc Games. Telltale Games is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does Blind Squirrel Games have an API?
No public API is recorded for Blind Squirrel Games.
What industry is Blind Squirrel Games in?
Blind Squirrel Games's product category is Game Development Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAFABAA, Full-Service Game Publishers (1st/2nd/3rd-Party Publishing), with a secondary code of MPAFAAAC, Indie Game Studios. Its NAICS code is 5132.