Steer Studios

What Steer Studios does

Steer Studios (legally registered as Electronic Game Development Company) is a mobile game development studio headquartered in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, operating as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Savvy Games Group, the gaming portfolio of Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF). The studio was established to develop video games and serve as a regional hub for game development in the MENA region, with an explicit mission of innovation and inclusivity in game design. Its product portfolio currently comprises two mobile titles: Grunt Rush, a free offline top-down tactical battle game launched globally on iOS and Android in 2024, and Tom & Jerry: Blast, a mobile game developed under a licensing agreement with Warner Bros. Discovery. The company is also developing local talent through an Elite Internship Program and has signaled plans to launch a console gaming division.

The studio operates a freemium business model, distributing games through Apple App Store and Google Play Store and generating revenue primarily from in-app purchases of virtual items, points, power-ups, customizations, gift cards, and third-party offerings. Payment processing is handled through credit/debit cards and PayPal, with billing executed via the app store platforms. Its go-to-market approach is product-led, leveraging free downloads and community engagement across LinkedIn, YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, and Discord to drive top-of-funnel awareness. The company uses standard mobile-game analytics and attribution tooling (Appsflyer, Firebase, Amplitude, Ajust, DevtoDev) and a third-party customer support platform (Helpshift). Leadership comprises CEO Yannick Theler, VP Operations Eric Pepin, and VP Marketing Gil Grandjean. No external funding rounds, headcount figures, or revenue figures are publicly disclosed.

Name

Steer Studios

Legal name

Electronic Game Development Company

Website

https://steerstudios.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2022

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Steer Studios is a Riyadh-based mobile game development studio and wholly-owned subsidiary of Savvy Games Group (PIF), developing freemium mobile games including Grunt Rush and Tom & Jerry: Blast for global consumers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Mobile Gaming

NAICS

Doll, Toy, and Game Manufacturing (339930)

SIC

Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)

akta.pro primary industry

Mobile & F2P Game Studios (MPAFAAAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Strategy/4X/Management Game Studios (MPAFAAAK), Mobile Game Publishing & App Game Stores (BPAMAKAB)

Keywords

• Mobile game development
• Casual mobile gaming
• Freemium games
• Tactical battle games
• Licensed IP games

Headquarters

HQ city

Riyadh

HQ country

Saudi Arabia

HQ region

Middle East

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Software

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. In-Game Virtual Items and Purchases: The company generates revenue through the sale of virtual items, points, in-game resources, items, power-ups, boosts, customizations, and unlockable content within their mobile games. Players can purchase these virtual items through the Games using various payment methods including credit card, debit card, or PayPal.
2. Third-Party Offerings: The company also offers products and services of third parties through their platform, generating revenue through transaction fees and commissions on these offerings sold via their Services.
3. Gift Cards: The company offers tangible and digital gift cards containing stored money value that can be redeemed for Offerings within their Services.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Steer Studios develops and publishes free-to-play mobile games for iOS and Android, monetized through optional in-game virtual item purchases, gift cards, and commissions on third-party offerings surfaced via its Services. Its current portfolio includes the debut tactical battle title Grunt Rush and the Warner Bros.-licensed Tom & Jerry: Blast, distributed globally through the Apple App Store and Google Play Store.

Product overview

Steer Studios is a game development studio operating under Electronic Game Development Company, part of Savvy Games Group. The company develops mobile games with a portfolio that includes its debut title Grunt Rush, a free offline tactical battle game, and Tom & Jerry: Blast developed under Warner Bros. Discovery license. The studio's services include virtual items and gift cards for in-game purchases through mobile platforms.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Grunt Rush: The debut game of Steer Studios - a free offline mobile game offering casual top-down tactical battle experience where players lead massive armies to navigate and engage in epic battles.

Products and services

• Grunt Rush Free offline mobile tactical battle game where players lead massive armies through treacherous gates to engage in epic top-down combat, annihilate enemies, and conquer battlefields. Distributed globally via Google Play Store and Apple App Store for casual mobile gamers.
• Tom & Jerry: Blast Mobile game developed under a Warner Bros. Discovery license featuring the iconic Tom & Jerry cartoon franchise characters, targeted at fans of the IP on mobile platforms.
• Virtual Items Virtual assets, points, in-game resources, items, power-ups, boosts, customizations, and unlockable content available within Steer Studios' mobile games that users can collect, earn, or purchase via credit card, debit card, or PayPal through the Services.
• Gift Cards

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration15 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Warner BroscoreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerSteer Studios has secured a licensing agreement with Warner Bros to develop a new Tom and Jerry mobile game. This is a significant partnership enabling the studio to create games based on the iconic Tom and Jerry intellectual property.
• Savvy Games GroupcoreOthersSteer Studios is a subsidiary of Savvy Games Group, the gaming portfolio of the Public Investment Fund (PIF) of Saudi Arabia. The parent company provides strategic direction and support for the studio's operations and growth.

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Outfit7: Mobile game studio behind Talking Tom Gold Run and other F2P titles distributed globally on iOS and Android. Highly comparable business model including licensed-IP-adjacent character-driven mobile games.
• Peak Games: Mobile game studio focused on casual and social games, originally founded in Turkey with strong MENA presence before acquisition by Zynga. Comparable as a regional-origins mobile studio scaling globally through F2P mechanics.
• Scopely: Mobile-first game developer/publisher behind titles like Monopoly GO and Stumble Guys. Directly comparable as a mobile F2P studio with global app store distribution and live-ops expertise; also a portfolio company of Savvy Games Group, making it the closest structural and operational peer.
• Socialpoint: Mobile game developer (Dragon City, Monster Legends), acquired by Take-Two. Comparable as a mid-sized mobile F2P studio with globally distributed titles and IAP-driven monetization.
• Jam City: Mobile game developer and publisher with licensed-IP mobile titles (e.g., Disney, Harry Potter). Comparable in building mobile games on third-party entertainment IP with global distribution.
• Rovio Entertainment: Mobile F2P studio best known for Angry Birds; acquired by SEGA. Directly comparable as a mobile-first game studio with a flagship character IP and global app store monetization.
• Miniclip: Swiss-based mobile and online game developer/publisher (8 Ball Pool, Agar.io). Comparable as a mid-sized global mobile F2P studio with cross-platform titles and app-store-first distribution.
• Playrix: Mobile F2P game studio behind Homescapes and Gardenscapes, with comparable global app store distribution, IAP-driven monetization, and portfolio approach to mobile titles.

Regional players

• Tamatem Games: MENA-focused mobile game publisher and developer based in Jordan; the leading Arabic mobile gaming publisher. Comparable as a regional mobile game company operating in the same MENA ecosystem and serving Arabic-speaking gamers.

Broad incumbents

• King Digital Entertainment: Mobile F2P giant behind Candy Crush and a wholly-owned subsidiary of Activision Blizzard (Microsoft). Comparable as an incumbent mobile F2P studio but at substantially greater scale, providing a benchmark for what scaled mobile F2P success looks like.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@SteerStudios
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/steer-studios

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Steer Studios