Pretty Simple
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2010
- HeadquartersParis, France
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingSoftware
Pretty Simple firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Pretty Simple
- Legal name
- Pretty Simple SAS
- Website
- https://prettysimplegames.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2010
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Pretty Simple industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Mobile Social Gaming
- NAICS
- Software Publishers (5132)
- SIC
- Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Mobile Game Publishing & App Game Stores (BPAMAKAB)
Keywords
Where Pretty Simple is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Paris
- HQ country
- France
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Pretty Simple business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- In-app purchases (Virtual Currency and Virtual Goods): Players purchase virtual currency (coins, gems) and virtual goods within games. Purchases are non-refundable and non-transferable. Third-party payment providers handle transactions.
- Subscriptions: In-game paid subscriptions for Virtual Goods. Subscribers receive ongoing benefits with billing on a recurring basis.
- Advertising: Interest-based advertising within games using device identifiers and user behavior data. Partners include Applovin, Facebook Audience Network, Google Ads, and Unity Ads.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Pay-as-you-go | Free gameplay with optional purchases |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels4 records
Pretty Simple product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Pretty Simple develops and publishes free-to-play mobile and social games, with its flagship being the Criminal Case franchise, a hidden-object detective game series that has reached 100M+ players worldwide. The company also produces additional titles such as Sorcery School (a magical puzzle adventure) and My Shops (a business simulation), distributed across iOS, Android, Facebook, Amazon, and Microsoft platforms under a freemium model monetized via in-app purchases, subscriptions, and advertising.
Product overview
Pretty Simple is a mobile game studio offering a portfolio of games centered around its flagship franchise Criminal Case, a hidden-object detective game that has spawned nine sequels/spinoffs across different themes (Pacific Bay, Save the World, Mysteries of the Past, The Conspiracy, Travel in Time, Supernatural Investigations, and Paris). The company also offers Sorcery School, a magical puzzle adventure game positioned as their best game yet. Additional titles include My Shops (simulation) and Magical Ride (action adventure). The Criminal Case franchise forms the core offering, with games available on iOS and Android platforms, reaching over 100 million players worldwide.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Criminal Case Flagship hidden-object detective game where players investigate crime scenes, find hidden objects, gather clues, and bring killers to justice. Available on iOS, Android, and Facebook. Grew to 100M+ players worldwide.
- Sorcery School Magical puzzle adventure game where players step into a world of mystery and magic, solve enchanting puzzles, and uncover secrets hidden within the halls of Sorcery School. Available on iOS and Android.
- Criminal Case: Pacific Bay Standalone sequel to Criminal Case set along the Pacific Bay coastline, featuring sun, surf, and sinister secrets in a thrilling detective adventure. Available on iOS and Android.
- Criminal Case: Save the World Standalone Criminal Case installment in which players travel across six continents to stop a criminal organization threatening world peace. Available on iOS and Android.
- Criminal Case: Mysteries of the Past Standalone historical detective game set in the 19th century Victorian era, featuring gas lamps, horse-drawn carriages, and dangerous secrets. Available on iOS and Android.
- Criminal Case: The Conspiracy Standalone conspiracy-themed detective game returning to Grimsborough, where players uncover a conspiracy threatening the entire city. Available on iOS and Android.
- Criminal Case: Travel in Time Standalone time-travel detective adventure where players journey through history from Ancient Egypt to the far future to solve crimes across different eras. Available on iOS and Android.
- Criminal Case: Supernatural Investigations Standalone supernatural crime investigation game featuring vampires, werewolves, and other supernatural entities. Available on iOS and Android.
- Criminal Case: Paris Standalone detective game set in Paris, France, spanning locations from the Eiffel Tower to Montmartre to investigate mysteries in the City of Light. Available on iOS and Android.
- My Shops Business simulation game where players design and manage unique boutiques, delight customers, and grow their business into a thriving retail destination.
Quantifiable outcome
- 100M+ players worldwide across games
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Pretty Simple
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments1 record
Ideal customer profiles1 record
Pretty Simple technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration9 records
Pretty Simple partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators5 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Pretty Simple competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Wooga: Berlin-based mobile casual/story-driven game studio (founded 2008) known for hidden-object and narrative games like June's Journey. Closest European peer to Pretty Simple in size, genre, and freemium mobile storytelling.
- Rovio Entertainment (SEGA): Finnish mobile game studio (Angry Birds franchise) acquired by SEGA. European mid-sized casual mobile studio with a comparable freemium, multi-platform, franchise-driven playbook.
- Jam City: Mobile game developer/publisher with story-driven titles like Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery and Disney Emoji Blitz. Similar freemium, narrative-led mobile portfolio targeting casual audiences.
- East Side Games Group: Vancouver-based free-to-play mobile and social game developer (It Girl, Trailer Park Boys). Comparable freemium social/mobile publisher with franchise and IP-driven titles.
- Peak Games (Zynga): Istanbul-based casual and social mobile game studio (Toon Blast, Toy Blast) acquired by Zynga. Direct comparable in casual mobile puzzle genre and freemium monetization.
- Outfit7: Slovenia-based mobile game developer behind Talking Tom Gold Run and My Talking Tom Friends. Comparable European casual mobile studio with global, multi-platform freemium reach.
Broad incumbents
- Playtika: Large public mobile and social casino/casual gaming operator (Monopoly GO, Slotomania). Operates at much greater scale than Pretty Simple but shares the social-mobile, freemium, multi-platform model.
- King (Activision Blizzard / Microsoft): Mobile casual/puzzle giant behind Candy Crush. Dominant incumbent in casual mobile puzzle and hidden-object-adjacent formats, competing for the same player wallet as Pretty Simple.
- Zynga (Take-Two Interactive): One of the largest social and mobile game publishers (Words With Friends, Zynga Poker, CSR Racing). Pioneered the Facebook-to-mobile transition that Pretty Simple also traversed.
- Scopely: Mobile game publisher with hits like MONOPOLY GO! and Stumble Guys. Comparable freemium, multi-platform mobile model with broader portfolio reach than Pretty Simple.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Pretty Simple social profiles
Digital presencePretty Simple financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Pretty Simple leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Pretty Simple funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds2 records
Investors1 record
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Pretty Simple 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 Pretty Simple
What does Pretty Simple do?
Pretty Simple develops and publishes free-to-play mobile and social games, with its flagship being the Criminal Case franchise, a hidden-object detective game series that has reached 100M+ players worldwide. The company also produces additional titles such as Sorcery School (a magical puzzle adventure) and My Shops (a business simulation), distributed across iOS, Android, Facebook, Amazon, and Microsoft platforms under a freemium model monetized via in-app purchases, subscriptions, and advertising.
Is Pretty Simple a public or private company?
Pretty Simple is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was Pretty Simple founded?
Pretty Simple was founded in 2010. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is Pretty Simple based?
Pretty Simple is headquartered in Paris, France, in the Europe region.
How does Pretty Simple make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. In-app purchases (Virtual Currency and Virtual Goods) is the primary driver. The others are subscriptions and advertising.
Who are Pretty Simple's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Wooga, Rovio Entertainment (SEGA), Jam City, East Side Games Group, Peak Games (Zynga) and Outfit7. Broad incumbents are Playtika, King (Activision Blizzard / Microsoft), Zynga (Take-Two Interactive) and Scopely.
Does Pretty Simple have an API?
No public API is recorded for Pretty Simple.
What industry is Pretty Simple in?
Pretty Simple's product category is Mobile Social Gaming. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAMAKAB, Mobile Game Publishing & App Game Stores. Its NAICS code is 5132 and its SIC code is 7990.