Red Barrels
Red Barrels is an independent Montreal-based video game studio developing the Outlast horror franchise across PC and console platforms. Founded in 2011 by AAA veterans, the self-funded studio earns revenue through game sales and live-service microtransactions in The Outlast Trials.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2011
- HeadquartersMontréal, Canada
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingSoftware
What Red Barrels does
Red Barrels is a privately held, independent video game studio founded in 2011 in Montreal, Canada, by three AAA-industry veterans: Philippe Morin (Prince of Persia: Sands of Time, Assassin's Creed, Uncharted: Drake's Fortune), David Chateauneuf (Lead Level Designer on Prince of Persia, Assassin's Creed, Splinter Cell: Conviction), and Hugo Dallaire (Art Director on Splinter Cell, Army of Two). The studio operates without external publisher backing or institutional investment, self-funding and self-publishing its entire product portfolio. With 51–100 employees, Red Barrels develops first-person horror games built on proprietary technology emphasizing immersive audiovisual design, survival horror mechanics, and multiplayer co-op functionality, supported by an external composer engagement (Tom Salta) for its musical score.
The company's core product is the Outlast franchise, comprising four main titles: the original Outlast (September 2013), Outlast: Whistleblower DLC (May 2014), Outlast 2 (April 2017), and The Outlast Trials (Early Access May 2023, full release March 2024) — the studio's first co-op multiplayer title and pivot into a games-as-a-service (GaaS) model. Red Barrels distributes its games across all major digital platforms (Steam, Epic Games Store, PlayStation Store, Xbox Store, Nintendo Switch eShop, Humble Bundle), with physical collector editions through Limited Run Games, branded merchandise through its own storefront (store.redbarrelsgames.com), soundtrack releases, and a transmedia comic book series (The Murkoff Collections and The Murkoff Account) that expands the franchise lore across games and print.
Revenue is generated through a hybrid model combining one-time license sales of legacy single-player titles with ongoing microtransactions for cosmetic content within The Outlast Trials, where players purchase Murkoff Coins via seasonal Deluxe Catalogs. The Outlast Trials operates as the studio's live-service flagship, with continuous seasonal updates (most recently Season 6: Project Judas in March 2026), limited-time events (Prime Time, May 2026), Twitch Drops campaigns (launched October 2025), and a PvP Invasion mode that sustains player engagement. Red Barrels targets horror gaming enthusiasts across both single-player narrative and co-op multiplayer segments, with the franchise reaching more than 15–37 million players worldwide depending on source.
Red Barrels firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Red Barrels
- Legal name
- Red Barrels Inc.
- Website
- https://redbarrelsgames.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2011
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- Red Barrels is an independent Montreal-based video game studio developing the Outlast horror franchise across PC and console platforms. Founded in 2011 by AAA veterans, the self-funded studio earns revenue through game sales and live-service microtransactions in The Outlast Trials.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Where Red Barrels is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Montréal
- HQ country
- Canada
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Red Barrels business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations
Revenue model
- Game Sales: Direct sales of Outlast franchise titles (Outlast, Outlast 2, Outlast: Whistleblower DLC, The Outlast Trials) through digital distribution platforms including Steam, Epic Games Store, PlayStation Store, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, and Humble Bundle. Initial game purchases generate primary revenue.
- In-Game Cosmetics and Catalogs: The Outlast Trials operates as a games-as-a-service title with seasonal Deluxe Catalogs offering exclusive cosmetic items (outfits, customization items) purchasable with Murkoff Coins. Revenue generated through microtransactions for cosmetic content.
- Physical Media and Collectibles: Physical editions of games sold through Limited Run Games for Nintendo Switch. Includes collector editions like the Murkoff Briefcase Edition. Also includes merchandise sold through the official Red Barrels merch store.
- Soundtrack Sales: Game soundtracks sold through platforms like Spotify, YouTube, Apple Music, and physical vinyl releases through Laced Records.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels7 records
Marketing channels5 records
Red Barrels product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Red Barrels is an independent Montreal-based video game studio that develops and self-publishes the Outlast horror franchise. Its catalog includes single-player survival horror titles (Outlast, Outlast 2, Outlast: Whistleblower) and a co-op multiplayer experience (The Outlast Trials), distributed globally on PC, PlayStation, Xbox, and Nintendo Switch platforms with ongoing seasonal content updates and in-game cosmetic monetization.
Product overview
Red Barrels is an independent Montreal-based game studio that has developed the Outlast franchise, a horror series that has terrified over 37 million players worldwide. The portfolio consists of four main games: the original Outlast (2013) and its expansion Outlast: Whistleblower (2014) — both single-player first-person horror games set at Mount Massive Asylum; Outlast 2 (2017) — a standalone survival-horror sequel following investigative journalist Blake Langermann in the Arizona desert; and The Outlast Trials (2023-2024) — a co-op multiplayer horror experience where players undergo psychological conditioning as test subjects for the fictional Murkoff Corporation. The studio also produces supplementary comic book content called The Murkoff Collections and The Murkoff Account that expand the franchise's narrative universe.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- The Outlast Franchise: The horror game franchise including Outlast (2013), Outlast: Whistleblower (2014), Outlast 2 (2017), and The Outlast Trials (2023-present).
- The Murkoff Collections
Products and services
- Outlast The original single-player survival horror game in which players control investigative journalist Miles Upshur who infiltrates Mount Massive Asylum in Colorado to uncover its dark secrets. Released for PC and consoles.
- Outlast: Whistleblower A DLC expansion and prequel to Outlast in which players control Waylon Park, a software engineer and whistleblower who witnesses the events behind the Mount Massive Asylum outbreak.
- Outlast 2 A standalone survival-horror sequel in which players control Blake Langermann, an investigative journalist investigating the murder of a pregnant woman in the Arizona desert.
- The Outlast Trials A co-op multiplayer survival horror experience set during the Cold War era in which players act as test subjects (Reagents) recruited by the fictional Murkoff Corporation to undergo psychological conditioning trials. Includes seasonal content updates, Deluxe Catalogs of cosmetic items purchasable with Murkoff Coins, and a competitive PvP Invasion mode.
Companies that use Red Barrels
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Red Barrels technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration2 records
Feature1 record
Red Barrels partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Two partnerships are on record, tiered moderate and minor.
- TwitchmoderateTwitch Drops campaign partnership allowing The Outlast Trials players to earn exclusive in-game rewards by watching streams on Twitch. First campaign ran from October 21, 2025 to November 18, 2025, with any channel streaming in The Outlast Trials category eligible.
- Limited Run GamesminorPartnership for physical distribution of Outlast franchise titles on Nintendo Switch. Limited Run Games released limited edition physical versions including the Murkoff Briefcase Edition collector's set for Outlast: Bundle of Terror and Outlast 2.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Red Barrels competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Frictional Games: Swedish independent developer of Amnesia: The Dark Descent, SOMA, and Amnesia: Rebirth — pioneering narrative-driven psychological first-person horror. Closest analog in genre specialization and indie self-publishing approach.
- Behaviour Interactive: Montreal-based independent studio behind Dead by Daylight, an asymmetric multiplayer horror experience. Most directly comparable to Red Barrels as an indie horror studio in the same city with a sustained live-service multiplayer horror product.
- Bloober Team: Polish indie horror studio behind Layers of Fear, Observer, Blair Witch, and the Silent Hill 2 remake. Comparable as an indie studio specializing in psychological horror with AAA production values.
- Kinetic Games: UK indie studio behind Phasmophobia, a co-op multiplayer horror title with continuous content updates. Comparable in scale (small indie team), live-service horror model, and 4-player cooperative gameplay loop that mirrors The Outlast Trials.
- Endnight Games: Canadian indie studio behind The Forest and Sons of the Forest, survival horror titles with co-op multiplayer emphasis. Comparable in independent structure, survival horror genre, and multiplayer-horror hybrid positioning.
- Tango Gameworks: Studio behind The Evil Within franchise (founded by Shinji Mikami) and Ghostwire: Tokyo. Comparable as a studio focused on atmospheric survival horror with strong auteur creative direction.
- Supermassive Games: UK studio behind Until Dawn and The Dark Pictures Anthology. Comparable as a narrative-driven horror specialist with cinematic, immersive first-person/third-person experiences targeted at the same enthusiast audience.
- Red Candle Games: Taiwanese indie studio behind Detention and Devotion. Comparable as a small independent developer focused on atmospheric, narrative-driven psychological horror with strong cultural identity.
Broad incumbents
- Konami: Owner of the Silent Hill franchise, a cornerstone of psychological horror gaming. Comparable as a holder of a marquee horror IP, though operating across a much broader entertainment portfolio.
- Capcom: Owner of the Resident Evil franchise, the dominant survival horror IP globally. Comparable in core horror genre but operates as a major publisher across multiple franchises with substantially greater scale.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Red Barrels social profiles
Digital presenceRed Barrels financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Red Barrels leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
Red Barrels funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Red Barrels 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 Red Barrels
What does Red Barrels do?
Red Barrels is an independent Montreal-based video game studio that develops and self-publishes the Outlast horror franchise. Its catalog includes single-player survival horror titles (Outlast, Outlast 2, Outlast: Whistleblower) and a co-op multiplayer experience (The Outlast Trials), distributed globally on PC, PlayStation, Xbox, and Nintendo Switch platforms with ongoing seasonal content updates and in-game cosmetic monetization.
Is Red Barrels a public or private company?
Red Barrels is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Red Barrels founded?
Red Barrels was founded in 2011. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Red Barrels based?
Red Barrels is headquartered in Montréal, Canada, in the North America region.
How does Red Barrels make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Game Sales are the primary driver. The others are in-Game Cosmetics and Catalogs, physical Media and Collectibles and soundtrack Sales.
Who are Red Barrels's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Frictional Games, Behaviour Interactive, Bloober Team, Kinetic Games, Endnight Games, Tango Gameworks, Supermassive Games and Red Candle Games. Broad incumbents are Konami and Capcom.
Does Red Barrels have an API?
No public API is recorded for Red Barrels.