The Game Band
The Game Band is a fully remote, founder-led independent game studio of approximately 13 people that develops original titles including Where Cards Fall, Blaseball, and Dead Man's Party. Its games are distributed via Apple Arcade, Netflix Games, Steam, Epic Games Store, Nintendo Switch, and Apple Vision Pro.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2015
- HeadquartersLos Angeles, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingSoftware
What The Game Band does
The Game Band is an independent game development studio founded in 2015 by CEO and Creative Director Sam Rosenthal, headquartered in Los Angeles and operating as a fully remote team of approximately 13 people. The studio builds original games for mobile, PC, console, and emerging spatial computing platforms, distributing through Apple Arcade, Netflix Games, Steam, Epic Games Store, Nintendo Switch, and Apple Vision Pro. Its portfolio spans three distinct titles: Blaseball, a community-driven social baseball simulation with horror elements whose live browser run has concluded; Where Cards Fall, a 50-puzzle dialogue-free coming-of-age game originally released as an Apple Arcade launch title in September 2019; and Dead Man's Party: A Knives Out Game, a social deduction party game based on the Lionsgate film franchise and announced for Netflix Games in November 2025. The studio also has a San Francisco legal address per its Terms of Service.
The studio's technology stack centers on Unity (evidenced by Unity Awards recognition for Where Cards Fall) with integrations into Apple ecosystem services including iCloud save and Game Center achievements. Differentiation is driven by novel gameplay architecture rather than technology: Blaseball's community-voted weekly mechanics created emergent storytelling, and Where Cards Fall pioneered dialogue-free narrative delivery through environmental design. Where Cards Fall is published by Toronto-based Snowman on Apple Arcade, Steam, Epic Games Store, and Nintendo Switch, with Snowman handling distribution and customer support for those channels. The studio has accumulated an unusually dense set of creative-industry accolades relative to its size, including an Apple Design Award (2020), IGF Nuovo Award, Hugo and Nebula Award nominations for Blaseball, and Unity Awards Best Mobile Game for Where Cards Fall.
Revenue is generated through a hybrid model. Apple Arcade and Netflix Games provide recurring subscription revenue share based on engagement and time-on-platform metrics, while Where Cards Fall is sold as a one-time premium purchase on Steam, Epic Games Store, and Nintendo Switch. The studio's sole disclosed funding event is a $3 million seed round closed in May 2021, led by Makers Fund with participation from 1UP Ventures and Matthew Ball, with additional disclosed investors including Valhalla Ventures, NetEase Games, and individual investors Jason Bergsman and Tiffany Li. The company is privately held with no parent entity, founder-led, and operates at sub-$10M revenue scale implied by its headcount and funding history.
The Game Band firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- The Game Band
- Legal name
- The Game Band
- Website
- https://thegameband.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2015
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- The Game Band is a fully remote, founder-led independent game studio of approximately 13 people that develops original titles including Where Cards Fall, Blaseball, and Dead Man's Party. Its games are distributed via Apple Arcade, Netflix Games, Steam, Epic Games Store, Nintendo Switch, and Apple Vision Pro.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
The Game Band industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Independent Video Games
- NAICS
- Doll, Toy, and Game Manufacturing (339930)
- SIC
- Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990), Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Indie Game Studios (MPAFAAAC)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Full-Service Game Publishers (1st/2nd/3rd-Party Publishing) (MPAFABAA), Mobile Game Publishing & App Game Stores (BPAMAKAB)
Keywords
Where The Game Band is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Los Angeles
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
The Game Band business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations
Revenue model
- Apple Arcade Subscription Revenue: Where Cards Fall and Dead Man's Party available through Apple Arcade subscription service, generating revenue based on player time and engagement metrics through Apple's subscription model.
- Netflix Games Revenue: Dead Man's Party available on Netflix Games platform, generating revenue through Netflix's gaming subscription model.
- Premium Game Sales: Where Cards Fall sold as premium title on Steam and Epic Games Store for PC/Nintendo Switch platforms.
- Mobile Platform Development: Seed funding secured to develop and launch Blaseball mobile version, expanding to mobile gaming platforms.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Monthly | Apple Arcade subscription access |
| Subscription | Monthly | Netflix Games subscription access |
| One time/ perpetual license | One time/ perpetual license | Premium PC/Switch purchase |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels6 records
Marketing channels7 records
The Game Band product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The Game Band is an independent video game studio that designs, develops, and publishes original games for mobile, PC, console, and emerging spatial computing platforms. Its portfolio includes the community-driven baseball simulation Blaseball, the dialogue-free spatial puzzle game Where Cards Fall, and the multiplayer social deduction party game Dead Man's Party: A Knives Out Game, distributed via Apple Arcade, Netflix Games, Steam, Epic Games Store, Nintendo Switch, and Apple Vision Pro.
Product overview
The Game Band is an independent game studio that develops and publishes original games across multiple platforms. Their portfolio consists of three distinct titles: Blaseball (a community-driven social baseball simulation with horror elements), Where Cards Fall (a dialogue-free puzzle game about memory and adolescence), and Dead Man's Party (a social deduction party game based on the Knives Out franchise). The company operates as a fully remote studio and distributes games through platforms including Apple Arcade, Netflix Games, Steam, Epic Games Store, and Nintendo Switch.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Blaseball A social baseball simulation game featuring a horror-tinged surrealist sports league shaped by community fan votes, where players influence game rules weekly through voting to create emergent storytelling with elements like forbidden books, peanut gods, and player incineration. Targeted at community-driven gaming enthusiasts.
- Where Cards Fall A slice-of-life puzzle game with 50 challenging spatial puzzles where players build houses of cards to navigate dreamlike environments representing formative memories and emotions of adolescence and young adulthood, delivered through a dialogue-free narrative. Targeted at mobile, PC, console, and spatial computing players seeking artistic, introspective gameplay.
- Dead Man's Party: A Knives Out Game A multiplayer social deduction party game based on the Knives Out film franchise in which players accuse friends and uncover truths in a murder mystery setting, performing and using instincts to identify or cover the killer. Targeted at friends and groups playing socially on Netflix Games.
Quantifiable outcome
- Apple Design Award 2020 for Where Cards Fall
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use The Game Band
Customer profileNamed customers2 records
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
The Game Band technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration2 records
Feature3 records
The Game Band partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- SnowmancorePublisher for Where Cards Fall. Snowman is a Toronto-based studio that published the game on Apple Arcade, Steam, Epic Games Store, and Nintendo Switch. Handles customer support for Where Cards Fall.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights5 records
The Game Band competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Playdead: Danish indie studio behind Limbo and Inside. Comparable small-studio model producing atmospheric, narrative-driven puzzle-platformers across console, PC, and Apple Arcade, with similar premium positioning and design-led reputation.
- ustwo games: London-based indie studio behind Monument Valley, Assemble with Care, and Alba. Closely comparable as a small studio creating premium, design-led puzzle games distributed via Apple Arcade and other platforms, with award-winning creative output.
- KO_OP: Montreal-based small indie studio (GNOG, Goodbye Volcano High). Comparable scale and creative positioning as a small, design-led developer publishing on Apple Arcade and other platforms.
- Finji: Michigan-based indie developer/publisher (Night in the Woods, Overland, Chicory). Comparable small studio publishing distinctive, design-led titles across PC and console with multi-platform distribution.
- thatgamecompany: US indie studio behind Journey, Flower, and Sky: Children of the Light. Closely aligned mission of making emotionally resonant games 'that welcome people who don't usually play', with multi-platform reach and award-winning design.
- Snowman: Toronto-based indie developer/publisher of premium artistic games (Alto's Adventure, Patterned, Where Cards Fall as publisher). Directly comparable small-studio model with similar aesthetic, platform-agnostic distribution, and the existing publisher relationship with The Game Band.
- Giant Sparrow: LA-based indie studio behind What Remains of Edith Finch. Directly connected through Sam Rosenthal's prior work there and shares the model of a small team producing high-craft, narrative-driven premium games.
- Simogo: Swedish two-person indie studio (Year Walk, Device 6, Sayonara Wild Hearts). Comparable as a small, highly artistic mobile/console developer with award-recognized titles, dialogue-light narrative delivery, and multi-platform distribution.
- The Fullbright Company: Small Portland-based narrative indie studio (Gone Home, Open Roads, Tacoma). Comparable small-team, narrative-first developer with premium positioning and multi-platform releases.
Broad incumbents
- Annapurna Interactive: Major publisher of premium artistic indie games (Edith Finch, Outer Wilds, Stray). Comparable in the segment they serve and connected through Giant Sparrow, but operates as a broader publisher rather than a single creative studio.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
The Game Band social profiles
Digital presenceThe Game Band financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
The Game Band leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles12 records
The Game Band funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors2 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
The Game Band M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about The Game Band
What does The Game Band do?
The Game Band is an independent video game studio that designs, develops, and publishes original games for mobile, PC, console, and emerging spatial computing platforms. Its portfolio includes the community-driven baseball simulation Blaseball, the dialogue-free spatial puzzle game Where Cards Fall, and the multiplayer social deduction party game Dead Man's Party: A Knives Out Game, distributed via Apple Arcade, Netflix Games, Steam, Epic Games Store, Nintendo Switch, and Apple Vision Pro.
Is The Game Band a public or private company?
The Game Band is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was The Game Band founded?
The Game Band was founded in 2015. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is The Game Band based?
The Game Band is headquartered in Los Angeles, United States, in the North America region.
How does The Game Band make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Apple Arcade Subscription Revenue is the primary driver. The others are netflix Games Revenue, premium Game Sales and mobile Platform Development.
Who are The Game Band's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Playdead, ustwo games, KO_OP, Finji, thatgamecompany, Snowman, Giant Sparrow, Simogo and The Fullbright Company. Annapurna Interactive is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does The Game Band have an API?
No public API is recorded for The Game Band.
What industry is The Game Band in?
The Game Band's product category is Independent Video Games. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAFAAAC, Indie Game Studios, with a secondary code of MPAFABAA, Full-Service Game Publishers (1st/2nd/3rd-Party Publishing). Its NAICS code is 339930 and its SIC code is 7990.