Nekki
Nekki is a Cyprus-headquartered, privately held game developer and self-publisher founded in 2002, best known for the Shadow Fight fighting franchise (cumulative 1B+ downloads) and additional titles including Vector, SPINE, Shades, and Fight Me!, distributed globally across mobile, PC, and consoles, with the proprietary AI-assisted animation tool Cascadeur.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2002
- HeadquartersLimassol, Cyprus
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingSoftware
What Nekki does
Nekki is a Cyprus-incorporated (Nekki Limited), privately held game developer and publisher founded in 2002 and headquartered in Limassol, with a distributed remote workforce of 11–50 employees. The company develops and self-publishes multi-platform games across iOS, Android, PC (Steam), PlayStation, and Nintendo Switch, anchored by the Shadow Fight franchise — Shadow Fight 2 (400M+ players on mobile/PC/Switch), Shadow Fight 3 (250M installs), and Shadow Fight 4: Arena (70M+ downloads, 4.7 average rating). The portfolio also includes Vector (parkour runner), Shades (RPG fighting sequel to SF2), SPINE (a new single-player gun-fu action game for PC/console built on Unreal Engine 5), and Fight Me! (a browser-based play-to-own fighting game). Distribution runs through Google Play, Apple App Store, Steam, and PlayStation Store, supported by dedicated per-title websites, community management (Discord, X, Steam, Reddit), short-form video content, and performance marketing tied to install and retention KPIs.
Technically, Nekki ships titles on Unreal Engine 5 (SPINE, SF4 console) and Unity (mobile), with two proprietary technology assets: Cascadeur, an AI-assisted keyframe animation tool that produces realistic humanoid animation without motion capture and is offered as a standalone product at cascadeur.com; and a proprietary rollback netcode plus PBR rendering pipeline that enables console-quality visuals and low-latency real-time 3v3 PvP in Shadow Fight 4.
Commercially, Nekki operates a free-to-play, self-funded model with in-game purchases (virtual currency, weapons, armor, subscriptions, premium licenses) processed through platform payment rails and mediation partners (Tapjoy, ironSource, Unity Ads), supported by infrastructure vendors (Amazon AWS, Akamai) and Helpshift for customer support. End customers are individual mobile, PC, and console gamers, with the largest monetized base concentrated in Shadow Fight mobile titles. Cloud costs, customer support, and UA/mediation are the principal third-party dependencies disclosed under GDPR-compliant data processing contracts.
Nekki firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Nekki
- Legal name
- Nekki Limited
- Website
- https://nekki.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2002
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- Nekki is a Cyprus-headquartered, privately held game developer and self-publisher founded in 2002, best known for the Shadow Fight fighting franchise (cumulative 1B+ downloads) and additional titles including Vector, SPINE, Shades, and Fight Me!, distributed globally across mobile, PC, and consoles, with the proprietary AI-assisted animation tool Cascadeur.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Nekki industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Action & Fighting Games
- NAICS
- Doll, Toy, and Game Manufacturing (33993)
- SIC
- Services-Computer Programming Services (7371), Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Web3/Blockchain Game Studios (MPAFAAAO)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Game Engine & Creation Platforms (UGC/Modding) (BPAMAKAE), Play-to-Earn & Reward Platforms (questing, loyalty, airdrop mechanics) (FSAPAGAH), On-Chain Game Engines & Developer Tooling (SDKs, APIs, Unity/Unreal plugins) (FSAPAGAB)
Keywords
Where Nekki is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Limassol
- HQ country
- Cyprus
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices2 records
Markets served
Nekki business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Operations
Revenue model
- In-game purchases (freemium): Free-to-play model with Rights to non-activated data and commands purchased via in-game store. Includes virtual currency, weapons, armor, subscriptions, and other gameplay enhancements. Payments processed through platform payment systems (Google Play, App Store) and third-party processors (Tapjoy, ironSource, Unity Ads).
- Premium game sales: Some games are premium and require paid license for right to use. The amount is determined unilaterally by Nekki and indicated in the in-game store.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Pay-as-you-go | Free-to-play base game with optional in-game purchases |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels4 records
Nekki product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Nekki develops and publishes free-to-play and premium games across mobile, PC, and console platforms, centered on the Shadow Fight fighting franchise (Shadow Fight 2, 3, 4: Arena), the new SPINE action game, the parkour runner Vector, the browser-based fighting game Fight Me!, and the RPG fighting game Shades. Beyond games, Nekki sells Cascadeur, its proprietary AI-assisted keyframe animation software for 3D character animation, as a standalone product.
Product overview
Nekki is a game development studio and publisher offering a portfolio of distinct games across mobile, PC, and console platforms, alongside a proprietary AI-assisted animation tool. The core portfolio centers on the Shadow Fight franchise (Shadow Fight 2, Shadow Fight 3, Shadow Fight 4: Arena), the newer SPINE franchise, the parkour runner Vector, the browser-based fighting game Fight Me!, and the RPG fighting game Shades. Beyond games, Nekki has developed Cascadeur, an AI-assisted keyframe animation software used internally and offered as a standalone product. Collectively, Nekki's games have been downloaded over a billion times.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Shadow Fight: Fighting game franchise including Shadow Fight 2, Shadow Fight 3, and Shadow Fight 4: Arena
- SPINE
- Vector
- Fight Me!
- Shades
- Cascadeur
Products and services
- SPINE A single-player story-rich action game focused on intense close-quarters gun fights with Gun Fu aesthetics, built with Unreal Engine 5 and Cascadeur, targeting PC and consoles.
- Shadow Fight 4: Arena A multiplatform real-time PvP fighting game featuring 3v3 battles with classic Shadow Fight controls, dozens of heroes with unique abilities, and high-quality graphics.
- Shadow Fight 3 A story-driven fighting game with RPG elements set in a unique Shadow World setting, offering exciting battles and a huge variety of equipment.
- Shadow Fight 2 Nekki's landmark fighting-RPG project released across mobile, PC, and Nintendo Switch, featuring lethal weapons, armor, and martial arts techniques.
- Fight Me! A play-to-own and compete-to-earn fighting browser game accessible on any device, blending battler and collectible card game genres with unique 2D art style.
- Vector A parkour-themed runner game where players become urban ninjas, hiding from pursuers and breaking free, available as a remastered version on Android, iOS, and Steam.
- Shades
Quantifiable outcome
- Shadow Fight 4 achieved 70 million downloads with 4.7 average rating
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Nekki
Customer profileNamed customers6 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Nekki technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Nekki partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Four partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- Amazon AWScorePrimary cloud infrastructure provider for Nekki's services. Provides EC2 virtual servers, Postgres RDS databases, and EC2 load balancers. Processes user data in accordance with GDPR-compliant contracts.
- AkamaicoreCDN (Content Delivery Network) provider for Nekki's game services. Processes personal data as a data processor under GDPR compliance requirements.
- Helpshift Inc.coreCustomer support platform provider for user support service. Handles ticket submission and user identification via email for game support inquiries.
- Selectel Ltd.coreInfrastructure services provider mentioned in Privacy Policy as a data processor under GDPR-compliant contractual arrangements.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Nekki competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Halfbrick Studios: Independent mobile and cross-platform game studio behind Fruit Ninja and Jetpack Joyride. Comparable to Nekki as a privately held, multi-title indie studio with a long-running franchise catalog and small core team.
- ZeptoLab: Independent studio behind Cut the Rope and King of Thieves with hundreds of millions of downloads. Comparable to Nekki in scale, indie structure, and focus on a single anchor franchise extended across sequels and spinoffs.
- Rovio Entertainment: Mobile game studio known for Angry Birds franchise with billions of downloads. Comparable to Nekki as a mobile-first studio that monetizes a flagship IP across sequels, spinoffs, and licensed extensions.
- Playrix: Mobile game studio behind Homescapes and Gardenscapes, generating nine-figure revenue. Comparable to Nekki in operating as a privately held mobile studio with strong franchise IP and self-funded growth model.
- Moon Active: Mobile game studio behind Coin Master, one of the top-grossing mobile games. Comparable to Nekki as a privately held mobile-first studio with a single dominant franchise driving the majority of revenue.
- Wildlife Studios: Mobile and cross-platform game studio behind Tennis Clash and Zooba. Comparable to Nekki as a privately held mobile studio with PvP-focused titles and significant cumulative downloads.
Broad incumbents
- Supercell: Mobile game leader behind Clash of Clans and Brawl Stars with multi-billion dollar revenue. Comparable to Nekki as a top-tier mobile fighting/strategy studio with franchise-driven monetization, though at much larger scale.
- NetherRealm Studios: Developer of Mortal Kombat and Injustice fighting franchises, owned by Warner Bros. Comparable to Nekki as a fighting-game specialist, though operating at AAA console scale rather than mobile-first.
Emerging players
- DeepMotion: AI-driven motion capture and animation platform for game developers and animators. Comparable to Nekki's Cascadeur product as an AI-assisted 3D character animation tool targeting game studios.
- Galaxy Fight Club / Shotgun King: Web3-native play-to-own fighting and chess games. Comparable to Nekki's Fight Me! as an early Web3 fighting-game title using play-to-own and earn mechanics.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Nekki social profiles
Digital presenceNekki financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Nekki leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Nekki subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
Nekki funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Nekki 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 Nekki
What does Nekki do?
Nekki develops and publishes free-to-play and premium games across mobile, PC, and console platforms, centered on the Shadow Fight fighting franchise (Shadow Fight 2, 3, 4: Arena), the new SPINE action game, the parkour runner Vector, the browser-based fighting game Fight Me!, and the RPG fighting game Shades. Beyond games, Nekki sells Cascadeur, its proprietary AI-assisted keyframe animation software for 3D character animation, as a standalone product.
Is Nekki a public or private company?
Nekki is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Nekki founded?
Nekki was founded in 2002. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is Nekki based?
Nekki is headquartered in Limassol, Cyprus, in the Europe region.
How does Nekki make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. In-game purchases (freemium) is the primary driver. The others are premium game sales.
Who are Nekki's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Halfbrick Studios, ZeptoLab, Rovio Entertainment, Playrix, Moon Active and Wildlife Studios. Broad incumbents are Supercell and NetherRealm Studios. Emerging players are DeepMotion and Galaxy Fight Club / Shotgun King.
Does Nekki have an API?
No public API is recorded for Nekki.
What industry is Nekki in?
Nekki's product category is Action & Fighting Games. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAFAAAO, Web3/Blockchain Game Studios, with a secondary code of BPAMAKAE, Game Engine & Creation Platforms (UGC/Modding). Its NAICS code is 33993 and its SIC code is 7371.