Red Hook Studios
Red Hook Studios is a Vancouver-based independent videogame developer (founded 2013) that builds and publishes Darkest Dungeon, a turn-based roguelike dungeon crawler with stress and permadeath mechanics, serving hardcore gaming enthusiasts globally via digital storefronts. Now operates as a subsidiary of Behaviour Interactive following its September 2024 acquisition.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2013
- HeadquartersVancouver, Canada
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingSoftware
What Red Hook Studios does
Red Hook Studios is an independent videogame developer founded in 2013 and headquartered in Vancouver, Canada, operating with a small team of 1–10 employees. The studio's entire commercial output centers on Darkest Dungeon, a turn-based roguelike dungeon crawler distinguished by psychological stress management, punishing permadeath mechanics, and a gothic art style. The flagship product is sold as a one-time purchase through major digital distribution platforms across PC and consoles, with no recurring subscription or live-service component disclosed. The studio's primary customer segment is hardcore video game enthusiasts — players seeking high-stakes, permanent-consequence gameplay and tactical turn-based combat — reached via community-driven growth, official franchise websites, and press/earned-media relations rather than paid performance marketing.
From a business model perspective, Redest Hook Studios generates revenue through direct digital sales of Darkest Dungeon and its sequels, supplemented historically by DLC expansions and an attempted expansion into board games via a Kickstarter with Mythic Games that raised $5.6 million. Pricing is not publicly disclosed and the studio does not maintain a direct e-commerce presence; distribution occurs entirely through third-party digital storefronts. In September 2024 the studio was acquired by Behaviour Interactive (the developer of Dead by Daylight), making it a subsidiary within Behaviour's portfolio of horror-themed gaming IP. Following this acquisition the studio continues to operate as a development entity, though its tabletop licensing channel was effectively terminated when partner Mythic Games entered compulsory liquidation in December 2025.
Red Hook Studios firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Red Hook Studios
- Legal name
- Red Hook Studios
- Website
- https://redhookgames.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2013
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Red Hook Studios is a Vancouver-based independent videogame developer (founded 2013) that builds and publishes Darkest Dungeon, a turn-based roguelike dungeon crawler with stress and permadeath mechanics, serving hardcore gaming enthusiasts globally via digital storefronts. Now operates as a subsidiary of Behaviour Interactive following its September 2024 acquisition.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Red Hook Studios industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Video Games
- NAICS
- Software Publishers (513210)
- SIC
- Services-Prepackaged Software (7372)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Narrative/Adventure & RPG Game Studios (MPAFAAAL)
Keywords
Where Red Hook Studios is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Vancouver
- HQ country
- Canada
- HQ region
- North America
Markets served
Red Hook Studios business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations
Revenue model
- Video game sales: Red Hook Studios generates revenue through direct sales of Darkest Dungeon and its sequels as downloadable video games. The game follows a one-time purchase model with potential for downloadable content expansions.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels2 records
Red Hook Studios product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Red Hook Studios develops and publishes Darkest Dungeon, a challenging turn-based roguelike dungeon crawler that emphasizes psychological stress management, tactical combat, and permanent character death mechanics. The game is sold as a one-time-purchase digital title through major gaming platforms to individual consumers.
Product overview
Red Hook Studios is a video game development studio that operates as a single-product company focused on Darkest Dungeon, its critically acclaimed turn-based roguelike game. The studio develops and publishes its game independently, with Darkest Dungeon serving as its primary and only named product offering.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Darkest Dungeon A challenging turn-based roguelike dungeon crawler that emphasizes psychological stress management, tactical combat, and permanent character death mechanics, sold as a one-time-purchase digital game to individual video game enthusiasts on PC and console platforms.
Companies that use Red Hook Studios
Customer profileSegments1 record
Ideal customer profiles1 record
Red Hook Studios technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature2 records
Red Hook Studios partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- Mythic GamesminorMythic Games was a Luxembourg-based board game publisher that ran a Kickstarter campaign for Darkest Dungeon: The Board Game, raising $5.6 million. However, Mythic Games was compulsorily liquidated in December 2025, failing to deliver millions of dollars-worth of crowdfunding projects including Darkest Dungeon board game products. Red Hook Studios was identified as a collateral victim of Mythic's failure.
Scale indicators1 record
Recent moves4 records
Expansion highlights3 records
Red Hook Studios competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Klei Entertainment: Developer of Don't Starve, Mark of the Ninja, and other stylistically distinctive games with challenging mechanics. Comparable as a small-to-mid indie studio with strong art direction, a cult following, and a portfolio of distinct IPs.
- Supergiant Games: Independent studio behind Hades, Bastion, and other critically acclaimed narrative/action-RPG titles. Directly comparable as a small, narrative-driven indie developer with strong community affinity and a single-IP focus, similar in size and identity to Red Hook.
- Harebrained Schemes: Developer of Shadowrun Returns, BattleTech, and other turn-based tactical RPGs with strong narrative and character-management systems. Closely matches Red Hook's tactical, party-based, permadeath-friendly design DNA.
- The Fun Pimps: Developer of 7 Days to Die, acquired by Behaviour Interactive before Red Hook. Direct structural parallel as a sister studio now under the same corporate parent, with a similarly hardcore, community-driven game.
- Motion Twin: Developer of Dead Cells, a flagship roguelike action game. Highly comparable as an indie studio whose flagship product is a punishing, mechanically distinctive roguelike with a strong community — directly paralleling Red Hook's positioning.
- Subset Games: Developer of FTL and Into the Breach, both turn-based/tactical games with roguelike and punishing-difficulty elements. Closely mirrors Red Hook's tactical, permadeath, and high-stakes design philosophy at a similar indie scale.
Emerging players
- Image & Form (Thunderful): Developer of the SteamWorld series, now part of Thunderful. Comparable as a small/indie studio that has built a recognizable franchise through distinctive art and mechanics, similar in scope and community engagement to Red Hook.
- Iron Tower Studio: Small indie developer of tactical, party-based CRPGs such as Age of Decadence. Comparable as a niche, hardcore cRPG studio with a similarly tight headcount and dedicated cult following.
Broad incumbents
- Larian Studios: Developer of Baldur's Gate 3 and the Divinity series. Operates in the same narrative/RPG/dungeon-crawler category as Red Hook but at significantly larger scale and budget; a broad incumbent in the cRPG space.
- Obsidian Entertainment: Developer of Pillars of Eternity, Disco Elysium, and other narrative RPGs. Comparable in genre focus (narrative RPGs) and as a previously independent studio acquired by a larger strategic owner (Microsoft) — a useful structural parallel.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat2 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights5 records
Customer concentration
Red Hook Studios social profiles
Digital presenceRed Hook Studios financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Red Hook Studios leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Red Hook Studios funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Red Hook Studios 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 Red Hook Studios
What does Red Hook Studios do?
Red Hook Studios develops and publishes Darkest Dungeon, a challenging turn-based roguelike dungeon crawler that emphasizes psychological stress management, tactical combat, and permanent character death mechanics. The game is sold as a one-time-purchase digital title through major gaming platforms to individual consumers.
Is Red Hook Studios a public or private company?
Red Hook Studios is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was Red Hook Studios founded?
Red Hook Studios was founded in 2013. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Red Hook Studios based?
Red Hook Studios is headquartered in Vancouver, Canada, in the North America region.
How does Red Hook Studios make money?
One revenue line is on record: video game sales.
Who are Red Hook Studios's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Klei Entertainment, Supergiant Games, Harebrained Schemes, The Fun Pimps, Motion Twin and Subset Games. Emerging players are Image & Form (Thunderful) and Iron Tower Studio. Broad incumbents are Larian Studios and Obsidian Entertainment.
Does Red Hook Studios have an API?
No public API is recorded for Red Hook Studios.
What industry is Red Hook Studios in?
Red Hook Studios's product category is Video Games. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAFAAAL, Narrative/Adventure & RPG Game Studios. Its NAICS code is 513210 and its SIC code is 7372.