Zakazane
Zakazane Studio P.S.A. is an independent Warsaw-based video game development studio founded in 2022, creating narrative-driven single-player RPGs for mature global audiences and distributing through a publishing partnership with Neowiz.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2022
- HeadquartersWarsaw, Poland
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingSoftware
What Zakazane does
Zakazane Studio P.S.A. is an independent video game development studio headquartered in Warsaw, Poland, founded in 2022 and operating with 11–50 employees. The studio's debut product is an unnamed single-player RPG set in a post-mining mountain town, in which the player assumes the role of a new sheriff investigating local mysteries and making choices that determine the community's future and the player's own definition of justice. Zakazane explicitly targets mature gaming audiences and positions itself around creating games with a "distinct, unapologetic identity," with the studio name itself meaning "forbidden" in Polish. The studio's public-facing presence is minimal, limited to a corporate website and a LinkedIn profile.
Zakazane operates a partnership-driven go-to-market model rather than direct-to-consumer distribution. In 2025, the studio signed an $8 million publishing agreement with South Korean publisher Neowiz, under which Neowiz handles global distribution, marketing, and commercial release of Zakazane's titles. The studio had previously raised $1 million in seed funding from The Games Fund in September 2023. Revenue mechanics are structured around milestone-based publishing advances tied to development progress, with retail pricing and end-customer monetization controlled by Neowiz rather than the studio. Source material further indicates the studio is developing multiple PC and console titles under this publishing arrangement.
Zakazane's underlying technology stack is not disclosed in available sources, and the studio holds no patents, registered trademarks, or proprietary AI/ML assets. Differentiation is positioned entirely on creative identity, narrative design, and thematic maturity rather than on technology. The studio has no public APIs, SDKs, or third-party integrations, and its competitive advantage is currently framed as brand and creative identity with explicitly weak existing brand recognition given its 2022 founding.
Zakazane firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Zakazane
- Legal name
- Zakazane Studio P.S.A.
- Website
- https://zakazane.studio
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2022
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Zakazane Studio P.S.A. is an independent Warsaw-based video game development studio founded in 2022, creating narrative-driven single-player RPGs for mature global audiences and distributing through a publishing partnership with Neowiz.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Zakazane industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Video Games
- NAICS
- Motion Picture and Video Production (512110)
- SIC
- Services-Motion Picture & Video Tape Production (7812)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Narrative/Adventure & RPG Game Studios (MPAFAAAL)
Keywords
Where Zakazane is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Warsaw
- HQ country
- Poland
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Zakazane business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Publishing Deal: Zakazane receives funding from publishing partners in exchange for development of games. Neowiz signed an $8 million publishing deal with Zakazane, providing capital for game development in exchange for publishing rights.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels1 record
Zakazane product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Zakazane is an independent video game development studio that designs and builds narrative-driven single-player role-playing games for mature audiences. The studio's debut project is a single-player RPG set in a post-mining mountain town where players assume the role of a sheriff whose choices shape the community's future and define their own sense of justice. Distribution and commercialization are handled through a publishing partnership with Neowiz rather than direct-to-consumer channels.
Product overview
Zakazane is a video game development studio founded in 2022 in Warsaw, Poland. The company is currently developing its debut single-player RPG — an unnamed project set in a post-mining mountain town where players act as a sheriff investigating local mysteries and making justice-defining choices. This debut title represents the studio's first product offering.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Unnamed Debut Single-Player RPG A single-player narrative-driven RPG set in a mountain town recovering from a mining bust. Players ride into town as the new sheriff and navigate local mysteries and clashing agendas; the future of the entire community and the player's definition of justice depend on the choices they make. Developed for PC and console platforms, targeting mature gaming audiences and distributed via publishing partner Neowiz.
Companies that use Zakazane
Customer profileSegments1 record
Ideal customer profiles1 record
Zakazane technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Zakazane partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- NeowizcoreNeowiz signed an $8 million publishing deal with Zakazane for their debut single-player RPG. Neowiz is also investing in Zakazane's parent ecosystem, having invested $17 million in Polish developer Blank Game Studios and partnered with WolfEye Studios and Shadowlight. Zakazane is developing multiple PC and console titles under this publishing arrangement.
Scale indicators2 records
Recent moves3 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Zakazane competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Spiders: Mid-sized French developer of narrative-driven action-RPGs (GreedFall, Steelrising). Comparable in product category, team scale, and reliance on a larger publisher for distribution.
- WolfEye Studios: Veteran-led indie studio (founded by Raphael Colantonio) building narrative, single-player games. Explicitly named alongside Zakazane as a Neowiz external publishing partner, making it the closest comparable on team profile, scope, and publisher relationship.
- ZA/UM: Studio behind Disco Elysium, a narrative-heavy single-player RPG for mature audiences. Closest conceptual comparable in terms of tone, target demographic, and product shape, despite operating at a larger post-hit scale.
- Shadowlight: Neowiz-partnered Polish developer also operating in the Warsaw/Poland indie ecosystem. Shares the same publisher channel and likely overlapping talent market, making it a tight comparable for Zakazane's go-to-market dynamics.
- Blank Game Studios: Poland-based indie game developer that received $17M of investment from Neowiz. Same country, same publisher ecosystem, similar stage, and similar product profile of narrative-driven PC/console titles.
- inXile Entertainment: Specialist narrative-RPG studio (Wasteland, Torment). Similar product category, mature-audience focus, and team-scale indie profile make it a useful peer for Zakazane's commercial and creative trajectory.
Broad incumbents
- Larian Studios: Developer of Baldur's Gate 3 and the Divinity series; the dominant player in mature, choice-driven narrative RPGs. Comparable product category and target audience, though at vastly greater scale and budget.
- CD Projekt Red: Poland's flagship narrative-RPG developer (The Witcher, Cyberpunk). Not a direct competitor at indie scale, but defines the regional talent pool and creative benchmark against which any Polish narrative-RPG studio is judged.
- Obsidian Entertainment: Long-established narrative-RPG developer (Pentiment, Avowed, The Outer Worlds). Comparable in targeting mature players who prioritize choice-driven storytelling on PC and console.
Regional players
- 11 bit studios: Polish game developer and publisher (Frostpunk, This War of Mine) operating out of Warsaw. Same regional ecosystem and overlapping talent pool; not a direct product competitor, but a useful regional benchmark for Polish indie-to-mid-tier studios.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat2 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights5 records
Customer concentration
Zakazane social profiles
Digital presenceZakazane financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Zakazane leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Zakazane funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors1 record
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Zakazane 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 Zakazane
What does Zakazane do?
Zakazane is an independent video game development studio that designs and builds narrative-driven single-player role-playing games for mature audiences. The studio's debut project is a single-player RPG set in a post-mining mountain town where players assume the role of a sheriff whose choices shape the community's future and define their own sense of justice. Distribution and commercialization are handled through a publishing partnership with Neowiz rather than direct-to-consumer channels.
Is Zakazane a public or private company?
Zakazane is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was Zakazane founded?
Zakazane was founded in 2022. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Zakazane based?
Zakazane is headquartered in Warsaw, Poland, in the Europe region.
How does Zakazane make money?
One revenue line is on record: publishing Deal.
Who are Zakazane's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Spiders, WolfEye Studios, ZA/UM, Shadowlight, Blank Game Studios and inXile Entertainment. Broad incumbents are Larian Studios, CD Projekt Red and Obsidian Entertainment. 11 bit studios is listed as a regional player.
Does Zakazane have an API?
No public API is recorded for Zakazane.
What industry is Zakazane in?
Zakazane's product category is Video Games. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAFAAAL, Narrative/Adventure & RPG Game Studios. Its NAICS code is 512110 and its SIC code is 7812.