HB Studios

What HB Studios does

HB Studios is an independent video game developer founded in 2000 by Jeremy Wellard and headquartered in Lunenburg, Nova Scotia, with a second development studio in Halifax opened in 2016. The studio specializes in sports video games for console (PlayStation, Xbox), PC, and iOS platforms, with a catalog of 52 shipped titles and more than 29 million units sold over its history, including Cricket 2002 for EA Sports and contributions to 22 other titles. Since its 2021 acquisition by Take-Two Interactive, HB Studios has operated as part of the 2K family of development studios, with the PGA 2K Golf franchise — including PGA TOUR 2K23 (October 2022) and PGA TOUR 2K25 — serving as its flagship product line. Revenue is generated through one-time license sales of these titles, distributed globally via 2K Publishing's retail and digital storefronts. The studio employs approximately 100 people across its two Nova Scotia locations and is led by Studio Head and President James Seaboyer, following founder Jeremy Wellard's retirement in February 2015.

Name

HB Studios

Legal name

HB Studios

Website

https://hb-studios.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2000

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

HB Studios is a Canadian video game developer, founded in 2000 and owned by Take-Two Interactive since 2021, that creates sports video games—primarily the PGA 2K Golf franchise—for console, PC, and iOS, distributed globally via the 2K publishing label.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Video Game Development

NAICS

Software Publishers (513210), Software Publishers (51321), Software Publishers (5132)

akta.pro primary industry

Sports/Racing Game Studios (MPAFAAAJ)

akta.pro secondary industry

AAA & Premium Game Studios (PC/Console) (MPAFAAAA)

Keywords

• Video game development
• Sports video games
• Golf simulation
• Console games
• PC games

Headquarters

HQ city

Lunenburg

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Software

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Video Game Sales: HB Studios generates revenue through the sale of video game titles across console and PC platforms. As a developer studio under 2K Publishing (Take-Two Interactive), the company creates sports games including the PGA 2K Golf franchise that are sold as one-time purchases at retail and digital storefronts.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels2 records

Core offering

HB Studios is a video game development studio that creates and sells sports video games, with its core offering being the PGA 2K Golf franchise (including PGA TOUR 2K23 and PGA TOUR 2K25). The studio develops games for console (PlayStation, Xbox), PC, and iOS platforms under Take-Two Interactive's 2K publishing label, having shipped 52 titles with 29+ million units sold over more than 20 years.

Product overview

HB Studios is a video game development studio that creates sports video games, primarily specializing in console and PC platforms. The company's core product portfolio centers on the PGA 2K Golf franchise, which includes PGA TOUR 2K23 and PGA TOUR 2K25. Prior to focusing on golf titles, HB Studios developed Cricket 2002 for EA Sports and contributed to numerous other sports game titles totaling over 52 shipped titles and 29 million units sold. HB Studios operates as a studio under Take-Two Interactive's 2K publishing label following its 2021 acquisition.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• PGA 2K Golf Franchise

Quantifiable outcome

• Cricket 2002 became #1 holiday release in Australia and #4 in UK

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Take-Two Interactive / 2KcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021In 2021, HB Studios was acquired by Take-Two Interactive and became part of the 2K family of development studios. With the full might of 2K Publishing teams behind them, the partnership has helped catapult the PGA 2K Golf franchise to the next level. Take-Two is listed on NASDAQ (TTWO).
• EA SportsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHB Studios' first release was Cricket 2002 for EA Sports on PlayStation 2, released in December 2001. The game became the #1 holiday release in Australia and #4 in the UK.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Sports Interactive: Sports Interactive develops the Football Manager franchise, a leading sports simulation title owned by Sega. Comparable to HB Studios as a developer of a deeply authentic, niche sports simulation product with a loyal annual-release customer base.
• Psyonix: Psyonix developed Rocket League, one of the most successful sports-genre video games of the past decade, and is now part of Epic Games. It is comparable as a developer of a hit sports simulation franchise with a recurring competitive community.
• Visual Concepts: Visual Concepts is the 2K sibling studio that develops NBA 2K, WWE 2K, and other sports simulations. It is the most directly comparable peer because it shares HB Studios' parent publisher (Take-Two/2K), operates a similar studio model, and creates premium licensed sports video games for console and PC.
• Codemasters: Codemasters is a UK-based sports/racing game developer (F1, DiRT, GRID) now owned by EA. It is comparable to HB Studios as a mid-sized studio specializing in licensed sports and racing simulations for console and PC.
• Milestone S.r.l. Milestone is an Italian developer of racing and sports simulations (MotoGP, MXGP, Monster Energy Supercross). Comparable to HB Studios as a mid-sized European/North-American peer focused exclusively on licensed motorsports/sports simulation titles.
• EA Tiburon: EA Tiburon (part of EA Sports) develops Madden NFL, EA Sports College Football, NHL, and EA Sports PGA Tour — the latter being a direct head-to-head competitor to HB Studios' PGA 2K franchise. Same product category, same target customers, similar business model.

Broad incumbents

• Firaxis Games: Firaxis is a 2K/Take-Two studio developing Civilization and other strategy titles. Comparable as a sibling studio under the 2K publishing umbrella with similar operational footprint, although its genre focus (strategy) differs from HB Studios' sports focus.
• Sumo Digital: Sumo Digital is a UK-based developer of multi-genre games including sports titles, acquired by Tencent. Comparable as a mid-sized co-development and full-development studio that has worked across sports and other genres for major publishers.
• Konami Digital Entertainment: Konami develops eFootball (formerly PES), a direct sports simulation franchise competing in the same category as EA Sports FC and PGA 2K. Comparable as a major publisher-developer of recurring sports simulation video games with a global footprint.
• Hangar 13: Hangar 13 is another 2K/Take-Two studio, developer of the Mafia franchise. It is comparable as a sibling studio under the same corporate parent, sharing infrastructure and operational practices, though focused on action-adventure rather than sports.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/hb_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 HB Studios