A Thinking Ape
A Thinking Ape is a Vancouver-based mobile game studio (owned by Embracer Group since 2020) that develops and operates six freemium social mobile games — including Casino X, Kingdoms at War, and Party in My Dorm — distributed globally via the Apple App Store and Google Play Store to millions of consumer players.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2010
- HeadquartersVancouver, Canada
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingSoftware
What A Thinking Ape does
A Thinking Ape Entertainment Ltd. is a Vancouver, British Columbia-based mobile game studio founded in 2010, operating as a private limited company and wholly owned by Embracer Group following its 2020 acquisition. The studio develops and operates a portfolio of six freemium mobile games distributed globally through the Apple App Store and Google Play Store: Casino X (social casino with slots and live daily tournaments), Party in My Dorm (college life simulation), Kingdoms at War (hardcore PvP kingdom-building), Kingdoms of Heckfire (real-time strategy MMO with dragons), Single City (strategy/march game), and Witch Arcana: Magic School (magic school RPG). All titles are built around social and community-centric gameplay mechanics, with explicit emphasis on alliances, live events, tournaments, and multiplayer co-play. The company brands itself as a community builder rather than a traditional game studio.
The business model is freemium: games are free to download and play, with revenue generated from optional in-app purchases including virtual currency, cosmetic items, and gameplay enhancements, particularly within social casino and PvP strategy titles. Go-to-market is consumer-direct via app-store marketplaces, with no enterprise or B2B distribution layer, and marketing is concentrated on app-store optimization, in-game live operations, and organic social/community engagement. The company positions itself as remote-first, with employees distributed across Canada, and has earned repeated Great Place to Work certifications between 2019 and 2023. Co-founders Kenshi Arasaki and Eric Diep remain associated with the business; Tayber Voyer was appointed CEO in March 2023. The studio maintains a strategic talent-pipeline partnership with Vancouver Film School via the Women in Game Design scholarship.
A Thinking Ape firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- A Thinking Ape
- Legal name
- A Thinking Ape Entertainment Ltd.
- Website
- https://athinkingape.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2010
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- A Thinking Ape is a Vancouver-based mobile game studio (owned by Embracer Group since 2020) that develops and operates six freemium social mobile games — including Casino X, Kingdoms at War, and Party in My Dorm — distributed globally via the Apple App Store and Google Play Store to millions of consumer players.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
A Thinking Ape industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Mobile Gaming
- NAICS
- Amusement, Gambling, and Recreation Industries (713)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Mobile & F2P Game Studios (MPAFAAAB)
Keywords
Where A Thinking Ape is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Vancouver
- HQ country
- Canada
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
A Thinking Ape business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations
Revenue model
- Free-to-Play Mobile Gaming: Games available for free download with in-game purchases and virtual currency. Revenue generated through microtransactions, cosmetic items, and gameplay advantages. Social casino games like Casino X operate on this model with slots gameplay and tournaments.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Pay-as-you-go | Free-to-play with optional in-game purchases |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels3 records
A Thinking Ape product offering
Product offeringCore offering
A Thinking Ape is a Vancouver-based mobile game studio that develops and operates free-to-play social mobile games across multiple genres, including social casino, party simulation, strategy MMOs, and RPGs. The company builds and maintains a portfolio of six live mobile games emphasizing community-driven gameplay, social interaction, and live events. Revenue is generated through in-game purchases of virtual currency, cosmetic items, and gameplay advantages distributed via the Apple App Store and Google Play Store.
Product overview
A Thinking Ape is a mobile game developer offering a portfolio of six social and community-focused games across multiple genres including social casino, party simulation, strategy, and RPG. Their portfolio includes Casino X (social slots), Party in My Dorm (college life simulation), Kingdoms at War and Kingdoms of Heckfire (strategy MMOs), Single City (strategy march game), and Witch Arcana: Magic School (magic school RPG). All games emphasize social interaction and community building among players.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Casino X A social casino mobile game where players hit massive jackpots and compete in live daily tournaments while playing with friends on iOS and Android.
- Party in My Dorm An online college life simulation game where players customize avatars from hundreds of options, decorate dorm rooms, and party with friends from around the world on iOS and Android.
- Kingdoms at War A hardcore PvP kingdom-building game where players rule over their kingdom, gather armies, forge alliances, collect magical artifacts, and conquer other kingdoms on iOS and Android.
- Kingdoms of Heckfire A real-time strategy mobile MMO where players build kingdoms, train dragons, and battle enemies including goblins and skeletons on iOS and Android.
- Single City A strategy march game where influence is the ultimate goal, featuring flirting, causing drama for rivals, and gathering followers in the big city on iOS and Android.
- Witch Arcana: Magic School A magic school RPG where players grow their academy, battle monsters and rival schools, and join clubs to meet fellow magicians on iOS and Android.
Companies that use A Thinking Ape
Customer profileNamed customers7 records
Segments1 record
Ideal customer profiles1 record
A Thinking Ape technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature1 record
A Thinking Ape partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Two partnerships are on record, tiered minor.
- Vancouver Film SchoolminorContinued partnership with Vancouver Film School for Women in Game Design Scholarship 2024
- Vancouver Film SchoolminorATA collaborated with Vancouver Film School for the Women in Game Design scholarship, offering mentoring and paid internship opportunities to students.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights4 records
A Thinking Ape competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Wooga (Playtika): Mobile casual/story game studio (June's Journey, Pearl's Peril). Comparable to ATA as a focused mobile studio with strong community-driven live-ops and multi-year title lifecycles.
- Zynga (Take-Two Interactive): One of the largest mobile F2P social game publishers (Words With Friends, Zynga Poker). Directly comparable to ATA as a mobile-first, F2P, social/community-driven game studio operating at scale across multiple genres.
- Playtika: Market leader in social casino mobile games (Slotomania, House of Fun). Closest direct competitor to ATA's Casino X given overlapping social casino mechanics, live-ops focus, and F2P with in-app purchase model.
- Scopely: Mobile F2P studio with a portfolio spanning social, strategy, and casual games (MONOPOLY GO, Stumble Guys). Comparable to ATA's multi-genre, community-driven mobile approach and its scale as a multi-title operation.
- SciPlay: Mobile and social casino game developer (Jackpot World, Quick Hit Slots). Closely comparable to ATA's social casino product line, with overlapping monetization model and player demographic.
- Product Madness: Aristocrat-owned social casino studio (Lightning Link, Heart of Vegas). Direct competitor to ATA's Casino X in the social slots and tournament-based mobile casino category.
- Big Fish Games: Long-running mobile and social casino/casual game studio. Comparable multi-title portfolio strategy and similar reliance on F2P with in-app purchase monetization in social casino and casual genres.
- Storm8 (SGN / Jam City): Mobile social game studio with a portfolio of community-driven F2P titles. Comparable to ATA in leveraging social mechanics and live events to retain players across multiple games.
- Jam City: Mobile F2P studio with branded and original social games (Cookie Jam, Disney Mirrorverse). Comparable multi-title mobile portfolio with similar reliance on social/community loops and live operations.
- Rovio Entertainment (Sega): Mobile F2P game studio best known for the Angry Birds franchise. Comparable to ATA as a multi-title mobile game operator that has scaled through both internal IP development and franchise-style community engagement.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
A Thinking Ape social profiles
Digital presenceA Thinking Ape financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
A Thinking Ape leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles9 records
A Thinking Ape funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors1 record
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
A Thinking Ape 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 A Thinking Ape
What does A Thinking Ape do?
A Thinking Ape is a Vancouver-based mobile game studio that develops and operates free-to-play social mobile games across multiple genres, including social casino, party simulation, strategy MMOs, and RPGs. The company builds and maintains a portfolio of six live mobile games emphasizing community-driven gameplay, social interaction, and live events. Revenue is generated through in-game purchases of virtual currency, cosmetic items, and gameplay advantages distributed via the Apple App Store and Google Play Store.
Is A Thinking Ape a public or private company?
A Thinking Ape is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was A Thinking Ape founded?
A Thinking Ape was founded in 2010. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is A Thinking Ape based?
A Thinking Ape is headquartered in Vancouver, Canada, in the North America region.
How does A Thinking Ape make money?
One revenue line is on record: free-to-Play Mobile Gaming.
Who are A Thinking Ape's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Wooga (Playtika), Zynga (Take-Two Interactive), Playtika, Scopely, SciPlay, Product Madness, Big Fish Games, Storm8 (SGN / Jam City), Jam City and Rovio Entertainment (Sega).
Does A Thinking Ape have an API?
No public API is recorded for A Thinking Ape.
What industry is A Thinking Ape in?
A Thinking Ape's product category is Mobile Gaming. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAFAAAB, Mobile & F2P Game Studios. Its NAICS code is 713.