Tarsier
Tarsier Studios is an independent Swedish game developer founded in 2004 and based in Malmö, employing ~70 people. It builds atmospheric horror-adventure and co-op games, including the Little Nightmares franchise and REANIMAL, published globally via Bandai Namco, Nintendo, and THQ Nordic.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2004
- HeadquartersMalmö, Sweden
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingSoftware
What Tarsier does
Tarsier Studios is an independent game development studio founded in 2004 and headquartered in Malmö, Sweden, with approximately 70 employees. The studio develops and co-develops original and licensed IPs across PC (Steam, GOG, Epic Games Store, Windows Store), PlayStation 5, Xbox Series S/X, Nintendo Switch, and Nintendo Switch 2, with prior experience in PlayStation VR (Statik) and PlayStation 4 platform titles (Tearaway Unfolded, in collaboration with Media Molecule). Its core products are atmospheric horror-adventure games, most notably the Little Nightmares franchise (3+ million copies sold, 4+ million players) and the upcoming REANIMAL (released February 13, 2026), which introduces couch, online, and cross-platform co-op with a free Friend's Pass.
The studio's technology and creative capability centers on atmospheric horror adventure design, environmental storytelling, and cross-platform cooperative gameplay. Its proprietary features include domain specialization in dark fantasy and psychological horror aesthetics, and interoperability features such as cross-play and the Friend's Pass invitation system in REANIMAL.
Tarsier generates revenue primarily through one-time game sales across digital storefronts and through publisher-led retail and digital distribution. Pricing is set at the title level (e.g., REANIMAL standard edition at $39, with a Collector's Edition SKU), supplemented by DLC chapters (three announced for REANIMAL). Publishing partnerships and revenue-sharing arrangements are central to monetization: Bandai Namco publishes the Little Nightmares franchise, Nintendo published The Stretchers, and THQ Nordic/Embracer Group serves as the parent publisher for REANIMAL and other current titles. Since its acquisition by Embracer Group on December 20, 2019, Tarsier has operated as a subsidiary within the THQ Nordic group while maintaining creative independence. End customers are individual PC and console gamers globally, with no disclosed B2B or subscription revenue streams.
Tarsier firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Tarsier
- Legal name
- Tarsier Studios AB
- Website
- https://tarsier.se
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2004
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- Tarsier Studios is an independent Swedish game developer founded in 2004 and based in Malmö, employing ~70 people. It builds atmospheric horror-adventure and co-op games, including the Little Nightmares franchise and REANIMAL, published globally via Bandai Namco, Nintendo, and THQ Nordic.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Tarsier industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Indie Video Game Development
- NAICS
- Software Publishers (513210), Software Publishers (5132), Software Publishers (51321)
- SIC
- Services-Motion Picture & Video Tape Production (7812), Services-Allied To Motion Picture Production (7819)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Strategy/4X/Management Game Studios (MPAFAAAK)
Keywords
Where Tarsier is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Malmö
- HQ country
- Sweden
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Tarsier business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Game Sales: One-time purchase revenue from full game releases across multiple digital storefronts and retail channels. Games like Little Nightmares, Little Nightmares II, The Stretchers, and REANIMAL are sold as one-time purchases with no subscription required.
- DLC Expansions: Downloadable content chapters that expand the base game experience, such as the three DLC chapters announced for REANIMAL.
- Publishing Partnerships: Revenue sharing arrangements with publishers including Bandai Namco (Little Nightmares), Nintendo (The Stretchers), and THQ Nordic (REANIMAL and other titles).
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | REANIMAL Standard Edition |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels10 records
Marketing channels11 records
Tarsier product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Tarsier Studios is an independent game development studio that creates and sells original horror adventure video games across multiple platforms (PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series S/X, Nintendo Switch). The studio develops its own IPs (notably the Little Nightmares franchise and REANIMAL) and distributes them through major digital storefronts and publishing partners including THQ Nordic, Bandai Namco, and Nintendo.
Product overview
Tarsier is an independent Swedish game development studio based in Malmö, currently employing around 70 people. The company develops original IPs and has worked on the LittleBigPlanet franchise. Their portfolio includes horror adventure games (Little Nightmares franchise, REANIMAL), puzzle games (Statik, The Stretchers), and platform titles (Tearaway Unfolded). REANIMAL is their latest original IP, released February 13, 2026, serving as a spiritual successor to the Little Nightmares series with enhanced environmental design and cooperative gameplay. The studio has been part of THQ Nordic and Embracer Group since 2019.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- REANIMAL Co-op horror adventure game where players control a brother and sister rescuing missing friends on a hellish island. Supports couch co-op, online co-op with cross-play, and a Friend's Pass system. Available on Nintendo Switch 2, PC, PS5, Xbox Series S/X, Steam, GOG, and Epic Games Store.
- Little Nightmares II Dark fantasy horror adventure game featuring protagonists Mono and Six navigating a distorted world corrupted by a signal tower. Published by Bandai Namco.
- Little Nightmares Original horror adventure game where child protagonist Six searches for hope on The Maw, a distorted place between dreams and reality. Published by Bandai Namco and has sold over 3 million copies worldwide.
- The Stretchers Comedic puzzle co-op game where players team up to rescue Dizzies using an ambulance. Published by Nintendo for Nintendo Switch.
- Statik PSVR-exclusive puzzle game featuring brain-bending puzzles and an offbeat narrative set at the Statik Institute of Retention. One of Tarsier's first original IPs marking their foray into virtual reality.
- Tearaway Unfolded PlayStation 4 game developed in collaboration with Media Molecule that expands the papery world of Tearaway for a new audience on PS4.
Quantifiable outcome
- Little Nightmares franchise has sold over 3 million copies
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Tarsier
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles1 record
Tarsier technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature2 records
Tarsier partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Bandai Namco EntertainmentcoreBandai Namco Entertainment serves as the publisher for the Little Nightmares franchise, handling distribution and publishing of both Little Nightmares and Little Nightmares II on various platforms.
- NintendocoreNintendo published The Stretchers, a comedic puzzle co-op game for Nintendo Switch. Nintendo also serves as a distribution partner for Tearaway Unfolded on PlayStation 4.
- Media MoleculeminorTarsier Studios collaborated with Media Molecule to help expand the remarkable papery world of Tearaway for PlayStation 4, creating Tearaway Unfolded for a whole new audience.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Tarsier competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Supermassive Games: UK-based studio behind Until Dawn, The Dark Pictures Anthology, and The Quarry — horror narrative adventure games directly comparable in genre, audience, and release cadence to Tarsier's Little Nightmares and REANIMAL.
- Playdead: Danish studio that developed Limbo and Inside — atmospheric puzzle-adventure games with similar minimalist horror-adjacent aesthetics and similar indie-AA scale and quality positioning.
- Frictional Games: Swedish studio behind Amnesia: The Dark Descent, A Machine for Pigs, and SOMA — a closely matching horror-adventure developer based in the same Nordics region with comparable studio size and atmospheric horror focus.
- Bloober Team: Polish studio that developed Layers of Fear, Observer, The Medium, and the Silent Hill 2 remake — directly comparable atmospheric horror developer operating in the same horror-adventure product category.
- Quantic Dream: French studio behind Heavy Rain, Beyond: Two Souls, and Detroit: Become Human — narrative-driven adventure games with comparable production scale, atmospheric focus, and publisher-supported model.
- Kinetic Games: UK-based independent studio that developed Phasmophobia — a horror title with comparable atmospheric design and a similar indie-AA studio size profile to Tarsier.
- Dontnod Entertainment: French studio behind Life is Strange, Vampyr, and Tell Me Why — narrative-driven adventure games targeting a comparable emotionally-led, story-focused audience segment as Tarsier.
Broad incumbents
- Remedy Entertainment: Finnish studio behind Alan Wake, Control, and Quantum Break — atmospheric narrative-driven action games with overlapping aesthetic DNA to Little Nightmares, though operating at a larger scale with a broader portfolio.
Emerging players
- Red Thread Games: Norwegian studio that developed Draugen and Dreamfall Chapters — narrative adventure games in a similar atmospheric vein, though at a smaller scale and narrower release history than Tarsier.
Others
- Media Molecule: UK-based studio behind LittleBigPlanet and Dreams — Tarsier's co-development partner on Tearaway Unfolded, representing an adjacent creator-focused developer within the broader Sony/Tarsier relationship ecosystem.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Tarsier social profiles
Digital presenceTarsier financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Tarsier leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Tarsier funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Tarsier 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 Tarsier
What does Tarsier do?
Tarsier Studios is an independent game development studio that creates and sells original horror adventure video games across multiple platforms (PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series S/X, Nintendo Switch). The studio develops its own IPs (notably the Little Nightmares franchise and REANIMAL) and distributes them through major digital storefronts and publishing partners including THQ Nordic, Bandai Namco, and Nintendo.
Is Tarsier a public or private company?
Tarsier is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was Tarsier founded?
Tarsier was founded in 2004. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Tarsier based?
Tarsier is headquartered in Malmö, Sweden, in the Europe region.
How does Tarsier make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Game Sales are the primary driver. The others are DLC Expansions and publishing Partnerships.
Who are Tarsier's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Supermassive Games, Playdead, Frictional Games, Bloober Team, Quantic Dream, Kinetic Games and Dontnod Entertainment. Remedy Entertainment is listed as a broad incumbent. Red Thread Games is listed as an emerging player. Media Molecule is listed as an others.
Does Tarsier have an API?
No public API is recorded for Tarsier.
What industry is Tarsier in?
Tarsier's product category is Indie Video Game Development. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAFAAAK, Strategy/4X/Management Game Studios. Its NAICS code is 513210 and its SIC code is 7812.