High Voltage Software
High Voltage Software is an independent U.S. game development studio founded in 1993 that builds games on contract for major entertainment publishers including Epic Games, Warner Bros., Deep Silver, and Skydance Interactive, shipping across consoles, PC, mobile, and VR.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1993
- HeadquartersHoffman Estates, United States
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What High Voltage Software does
High Voltage Software is an independent video game development studio founded in 1993 in Hoffman Estates, Illinois, by Kerry J. Ganofsky, who continues to serve as CEO. The studio operates a B2B contract development model, building games on behalf of major entertainment publishers rather than publishing under its own brand. Its customer base is concentrated in the interactive entertainment industry and includes Epic Games, Warner Bros., Deep Silver/Volition, Funcom, Skydance Interactive, Activision, SEGA, Ubisoft, EA/PopCap, and Oculus. The company maintains a second studio in New Orleans, Louisiana (opened in 2015), and self-describes as the "most prolific independent game developer in America," claiming nearly 100 shipped titles across its history.
The studio's core capability is multi-platform game development spanning first-person shooters, fighting games, platformers, collectible card games, open-world action, children's entertainment, mobile games, and VR experiences. It is authorized to develop for PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, and the Epic Games Store, and has shipped titles on every major platform since the Atari Jaguar. Notable credits include Lego Racers (1999), Hunter: the Reckoning (2002), The Conduit (Wii, 2009), Mortal Kombat X (PC port), Saints Row IV: Re-Elected, The Amazing Spider-Man 2 (3DS), Plants vs. Zombies 2 (Android), Fortnite seasonal content and Save the World updates for Epic Games, and The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners VR for Skydance Interactive. The company runs its own design, art, audio, and engineering functions end-to-end.
High Voltage makes money through professional services contracts priced per project scope rather than via published, disclosed pricing. Each engagement consists of full game or content development delivered against publisher-defined milestones, with the publisher retaining IP and distribution. The company holds no external institutional investment and is founder-owned; key executives are Kerry J. Ganofsky (CEO & Founder), Jake Fitch (CFO), and Anthony Glueck (CTO). Revenue figures are not publicly disclosed. Headcount is reported in the 51–100 range across two U.S. studios.
High Voltage Software firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- High Voltage Software
- Legal name
- High Voltage Software
- Website
- https://high-voltage.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1993
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- High Voltage Software is an independent U.S. game development studio founded in 1993 that builds games on contract for major entertainment publishers including Epic Games, Warner Bros., Deep Silver, and Skydance Interactive, shipping across consoles, PC, mobile, and VR.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
High Voltage Software industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Video Game Development Services
- NAICS
- Software Publishers (513210)
- SIC
- Services-Prepackaged Software (7372)
- akta.pro primary industry
- AAA & Premium Game Studios (PC/Console) (MPAFAAAA)
Keywords
Where High Voltage Software is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Hoffman Estates
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
High Voltage Software business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Game Development Services: Contract development work for major entertainment companies, creating games based on leading brands as well as original Intellectual Properties across all major platforms. Work with industry publishers including Epic Games, Warner Bros., Deep Silver, Funcom, Activision, SEGA, Ubisoft, and others.
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels5 records
High Voltage Software product offering
Product offeringCore offering
High Voltage Software is an independent game development studio that provides contract development services for major entertainment publishers, creating games based on leading brands as well as original intellectual properties across all major platforms including PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, PC, and VR headsets. The studio handles every aspect of game development including design, art, audio, engineering, cutscenes, gameplay, analytics, and leaderboards, with a portfolio spanning nearly 100 shipped titles across genres such as first-person shooters, fighting games, collectible card games, VR experiences, children's entertainment, and mobile games.
Product overview
High Voltage Software is an independent video game development studio that operates as a contract developer creating games for various publishers and platforms. The company develops games across multiple genres including first-person shooters, platformers, fighting games, collectible card games, children's entertainment titles, VR experiences, and mobile games. Their portfolio spans nearly 100 games released from 1995 to 2020 across platforms including PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo, PC, and VR headsets. Notable titles include Fortnite content for Epic Games, VR titles like Damaged Core and The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners, licensed properties like Mortal Kombat X and Saints Row, and original IPs like The Conduit. The company does not publish games directly but works with publishers including Epic Games, Warner Bros., Deep Silver, Funcom, and Skydance Interactive. High Voltage operates studios in Hoffman Estates, Illinois and New Orleans, Louisiana.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- FORTNITE: Chapter 2, Season 3 A battle royale game season update developed by High Voltage Software and published by Epic Games for PC, Xbox One, and PS4.
- FORTNITE: Chapter 2, Season 2 A battle royale game season update developed by High Voltage Software and published by Epic Games for PC, Xbox One, and PS4.
- THE WALKING DEAD: SAINTS & SINNERS A close-quarters zombie action VR game developed by High Voltage Software and published by Skydance Interactive for PC VR, PSVR, and Quest platforms, set in New Orleans.
- Fortnite: Save the World Epic Games' co-op sandbox survival video game where players fight off zombies, developed by High Voltage Software.
- Mutant Year Zero: Road to Eden A tactical game published by Funcom combining strategic combat in the vein of Xcom with post-human Earth mutants, developed by High Voltage Software.
- Damaged Core A VR game for Oculus Rift where players take control of an intelligent computer virus to help save mankind from a renegade AI, developed by High Voltage Software.
- Dragon Front A collectible card game set in VR for Oculus Rift and GearVR featuring faction battles for control of Terrene Gall, developed by High Voltage Software.
- Mortal Kombat X A fighting game published by Warner Bros. for PC where players defend Earthrealm from the Netherrealm, with development work by High Voltage Software.
- Saints Row IV: Re-Elected A definitive edition of Saints Row IV published by Deep Silver/Volition for PS4 and Xbox One, including all DLC, developed by High Voltage Software.
- The Conduit An award-winning first-person shooter published by Sega for Wii where players uncover a global conspiracy and alien invasion, developed by High Voltage Software.
- Lego Racers A cart racing game published by Lego Media for N64, PSX, and PC, developed by High Voltage Software.
- Injustice: Gods Among Us A fighting game for Xbox 360, PS3, and PC set in a world where Superman has gone bad, with development work by High Voltage Software.
- Kinect Star Wars A game published by Microsoft Game Studios for Xbox 360 Kinect featuring force powers, light saber combat, and X-wing flying, developed by High Voltage Software.
- The Amazing Spider-Man 2 A game published by Activision for 3DS where Peter Parker battles iconic villains, developed by High Voltage Software.
- Hunter: The Reckoning A classic hack-and-slash game allowing up to 4 players to hunt supernatural enemies, developed by High Voltage Software.
- They Live to Destroy! A VR game published by Oculus for GearVR where players construct a secret island lair and conquer foes in a homage to kaiju films, developed by High Voltage Software.
Companies that use High Voltage Software
Customer profileNamed customers8 records
Segments1 record
Ideal customer profiles2 records
High Voltage Software technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
High Voltage Software partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Epic GamescoreTrusted development partner for Fortnite, contributing to multiple seasons including Chapter 2 content and Save the World mode. Partnership spans multiple years of ongoing collaboration.
- Skydance InteractivecoreDevelopment partner for The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners, a VR zombie action game.
- FuncomminorDevelopment partner for Mutant Year Zero: Road to Eden, a tactical game.
- Warner Bros.coreDevelopment partner for Mortal Kombat X.
- Deep Silver / VolitioncoreDevelopment partner for Saints Row IV: Re-Elected and Saints Row: Gat out of Hell.
- ActivisioncoreDevelopment partner for The Amazing Spider-Man 2 on 3DS.
- EA / PopCapminorDevelopment partner for Plants vs. Zombies 2 on Android.
- OculuscoreDevelopment partner for Damaged Core (defining VR title for the platform) and Dragon Front (first cross-platform Oculus Rift and GearVR title).
- Sony Interactive EntertainmentcoreAuthorized developer for PlayStation platforms including PS5, PS4, and legacy systems.
- Microsoft XboxcoreAuthorized developer for Xbox platforms including Xbox One.
- NintendocoreAuthorized developer for Nintendo platforms including Nintendo Switch.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
High Voltage Software competitors and assessment
Company assessmentEmerging players
- Camouflaj: Independent studio ( République, Batman: Arkham VR) with a comparable size and full-service development profile, addressing similar publisher and platform-holder co-development opportunities as High Voltage Software.
Direct peers
- Beenox: Activision-owned co-development studio that has supported Call of Duty, Spider-Man, and Tony Hawk titles — a near-perfect analog to High Voltage Software's publisher-services work.
- Virtuos: Large global co-development and art outsourcing studio with studios in Asia, Europe, and North America, competing for the same AAA co-development and content-production contracts that High Voltage Software bids on.
- Raven Software: Long-running co-development studio (now within Activision) with a similar history of supporting major publisher franchises, including Call of Duty, comparable in operating model to High Voltage Software.
- Sumo Digital: UK-based independent co-development studio that has worked with publishers including Sega, Microsoft, and Sony on titles comparable in size and scope to High Voltage Software's work-for-hire engagements.
- Certain Affinity: Austin-based independent co-development studio known for Halo and Call of Duty support work, offering the same publisher-facing co-development services as High Voltage Software across AAA franchises.
- Demiurge Studios: US-based independent co-development studio acquired by SEGA, with a similar track record of publisher support work, comparable in size and operating model to High Voltage Software.
- High Moon Studios: Activision-owned co-development studio responsible for Call of Duty support and original titles — directly comparable to High Voltage Software in publisher-facing co-development services.
- Toys for Bob: Independent co-development studio (formerly Activision) with a long track record on Skylanders and Crash Bandicoot, operating in a similar services-to-publishers model as High Voltage Software.
Broad incumbents
- Keywords Studios: Publicly listed global games services platform offering co-development, QA, localization, and art services — overlapping with High Voltage Software in the co-development and content-production segments of its broader portfolio.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
High Voltage Software social profiles
Digital presenceHigh Voltage Software financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
High Voltage Software leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
High Voltage Software funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
High Voltage Software 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 High Voltage Software
What does High Voltage Software do?
High Voltage Software is an independent game development studio that provides contract development services for major entertainment publishers, creating games based on leading brands as well as original intellectual properties across all major platforms including PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, PC, and VR headsets. The studio handles every aspect of game development including design, art, audio, engineering, cutscenes, gameplay, analytics, and leaderboards, with a portfolio spanning nearly 100 shipped titles across genres such as first-person shooters, fighting games, collectible card games, VR experiences, children's entertainment, and mobile games.
Is High Voltage Software a public or private company?
High Voltage Software is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was High Voltage Software founded?
High Voltage Software was founded in 1993. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is High Voltage Software based?
High Voltage Software is headquartered in Hoffman Estates, United States, in the North America region.
How does High Voltage Software make money?
One revenue line is on record: game Development Services.
Who are High Voltage Software's main competitors?
Camouflaj is listed as an emerging player. Direct peers are Beenox, Virtuos, Raven Software, Sumo Digital, Certain Affinity, Demiurge Studios, High Moon Studios and Toys for Bob. Keywords Studios is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does High Voltage Software have an API?
No public API is recorded for High Voltage Software.
What industry is High Voltage Software in?
High Voltage Software's product category is Video Game Development Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAFAAAA, AAA & Premium Game Studios (PC/Console). Its NAICS code is 513210 and its SIC code is 7372.