TicToc Games
TicToc Games is an independent Unity-based game development studio founded in 2011 in Burbank, with a sister studio in Manila, that develops original IP titles and provides full-service work-for-hire game development for major entertainment brands including Sony, Disney, Lucasfilm, and Funko.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2011
- HeadquartersBurbank, United States
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingSoftware
What TicToc Games does
TicToc Games is an independent, privately held game development studio founded in 2011 by Shereef Morse and headquartered in Burbank, California, with a sister development studio in Manila, Philippines opened in 2018. The studio operates a dual business model: a full-service work-for-hire practice that builds branded games for major entertainment IP owners including Sony, Disney, Nickelodeon, Lucasfilm, Funko, Bandai Namco, NBCUniversal, and Wheel of Fortune / Sony Pictures Television; and an original-IP catalog that it self-publishes across Steam, Nintendo Switch eShop, Xbox Store, PlayStation Store, iOS App Store, and Google Play. Core technology is the Unity engine, with cross-platform development across mobile, console, and PC. The original-IP lineup includes Adventures of Pip (2015), B.ARK (2021), Wrestle Story (2023), Rift of the NecroDancer (co-developed with Brace Yourself Games, 2022), Writer's Block, and Pug Run, while licensed F2P mobile titles such as Funko Pop! Blitz, Panda Pop, and Wheel of Fortune: Puzzle Pop! generate recurring revenue through in-app purchases and advertising.
The studio monetizes through three distinct streams: (1) professional services revenue from work-for-hire contracts with entertainment studios and brands, covering pitch-to-live-ops delivery; (2) one-time license sales of premium original and co-developed titles through digital storefronts; and (3) freemium monetization (in-app purchases and ads) on free-to-play mobile games. Pricing is not publicly disclosed. Go-to-market blends event-driven promotion (PAX East, Future Game Show), multi-channel organic social (Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Twitch, Discord), and direct sales outreach for work-for-hire engagements. Distribution is entirely via third-party digital storefronts, with no proprietary platform. The Manila studio enables a round-the-clock development cycle and provides the production capacity needed to serve enterprise clients while continuing original-IP development. No funding rounds, M&A activity, or institutional investors are disclosed in the source material, and the company appears to be founder-led and self-funded.
TicToc Games firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- TicToc Games
- Legal name
- Tic Toc Games
- Website
- https://tictocgames.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2011
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- TicToc Games is an independent Unity-based game development studio founded in 2011 in Burbank, with a sister studio in Manila, that develops original IP titles and provides full-service work-for-hire game development for major entertainment brands including Sony, Disney, Lucasfilm, and Funko.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
TicToc Games industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Game Development
- NAICS
- Software Publishers (5132)
- SIC
- Services-Computer Programming Services (7371)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Narrative/Adventure & RPG Game Studios (MPAFAAAL)
Keywords
Where TicToc Games is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Burbank
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
TicToc Games business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Contract Development Services: Work-for-hire development services for branded games and apps, from concept to live ops. The company provides full-service development for entertainment studios and brands.
- Original Game Sales: Sale of original game titles through digital storefronts (Steam, Nintendo Switch, consoles, mobile app stores). Games include Wrestle Story, B.ARK, Adventures of Pip, Rift of the NecroDancer, Writer's Block, Pug Run.
- Free-to-Play Mobile Games: Free-to-play mobile titles including Funko Pop! Blitz, Panda Pop, and Wheel of Fortune: Puzzle Pop! monetized through in-app purchases and ads.
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels6 records
Marketing channels8 records
TicToc Games product offering
Product offeringCore offering
TicToc Games is a full-service game development studio that both creates and self-publishes original game IP (such as Adventures of Pip, B.ARK, Wrestle Story, Rift of the NecroDancer, Writer's Block, and Pug Run) and provides work-for-hire/contract game development services for major entertainment brands such as Sony, Disney, Nickelodeon, Lucasfilm, Funko, Bandai Namco, NBCUniversal, and Wheel of Fortune/Sony Pictures Television. The studio develops games across mobile, console, and PC platforms using the Unity engine.
Product overview
TicToc Games is a full-service game development studio offering both original IP development and work-for-hire services. The company operates from studios in Burbank, California and Manila, Philippines, developing games across mobile (iOS, Android), console (Nintendo Switch), and PC (Steam, Xbox, PlayStation) platforms. The product portfolio consists of original titles (Adventures of Pip, B.ARK, Wrestle Story, Rift of the NecroDancer, Pug Run, Writer's Block) alongside licensed/branded games developed for major entertainment partners (Funko Pop! Blitz, Wheel of Fortune: Puzzle Pop!, Panda Pop). The studio also provides end-to-end development services for external clients requiring branded game development.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Adventures of Pip Action-packed platformer where a single pixel named Pip evolves through combat into a 16-bit hero to defeat the evil Queen DeRezzia, featuring transformable forms and challenging boss battles. Released across Steam, Nintendo Switch, iOS, Xbox, PlayStation, and Google Play.
- B.ARK Saturday Morning Cartoon-inspired shoot 'em up adventure where players pilot a team of four-legged heroes to defeat The Dark Tide, a slimy cybernetic fish armada, featuring 4-player couch co-op. Available on Steam and Nintendo Switch.
- Wrestle Story Hard-hitting RPG adventure where players create wrestlers, build tag teams, and slam through a 3D world in an expansive wrestling-themed storyline. Available on Steam.
- Rift of the NecroDancer Rhythm game spinoff co-developed with Brace Yourself Games, featuring Cadence navigating the modern world with rift mode, minigames, and boss battles set to a new Danny Baranowsky soundtrack. Available on Steam and Nintendo Switch.
- Writer's Block Roguelike word game where spelling words battles absurd opponents in the storybook world of an author's imagination, featuring randomized story maps and three vast lands to explore.
- Pug Run Mobile endless runner featuring adorable pugs with zoomies, collectible coins, dress-up outfits, and global leaderboard competition. Available on iOS and Google Play.
- Funko Pop! Blitz Match-3 puzzler featuring 300+ Funko Pop! characters from iconic franchises like Back to the Future, Jurassic Park, Shrek, The Office, and Universal Monsters. Licensed game developed for Funko.
- Wheel of Fortune: Puzzle Pop! Bubble-shooting game show game featuring Vanna White, combining bubble shooter levels with Wheel of Fortune word puzzles. Licensed game developed for Sony Pictures Television.
- Panda Pop Bubble-shooting adventure where players help Mama Panda rescue her pups by popping through challenging puzzles and using elemental lantern powers. Available on iOS and Google Play.
- Work-for-Hire Game Development Services Full-service pitch-to-live ops development services for games and apps on iOS, Android, Nintendo Switch, and social platforms, including branded games for major entertainment properties. Engagements span original concept to final product, delivered to clients such as Sony, Disney, Nickelodeon, Lucasfilm, Funko, Bandai Namco, and NBCUniversal.
Companies that use TicToc Games
Customer profileNamed customers9 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
TicToc Games technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature1 record
TicToc Games partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- Brace Yourself GamescoreCo-development partnership for Rift of the NecroDancer, a rhythm game spinoff from the creators of Crypt of the NecroDancer. TicToc Games developed the game in collaboration with Brace Yourself Games, featuring Cadence as the protagonist and soundtrack by Danny Baranowsky.
Scale indicators2 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights5 records
TicToc Games competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- WayForward Technologies: Long-running independent studio of similar size producing both original IPs (Shantae) and licensed/work-for-hire titles (DuckTales, Adventure Time, Contra 4) across console and handheld platforms — directly comparable hybrid services-plus-original model.
- Certain Affinity: Austin-based studio best known for co-development work on major franchises (Halo, Call of Duty, DOOM) plus original projects; mirrors TicToc's co-development-with-IP-holders model at a comparable indie scale.
- Supergiant Games: Burbank-area indie studio of similar headcount focused on narrative-driven action/RPG originals (Bastion, Transistor, Hades) with a comparable craft-and-story identity; useful benchmark for what an indie narrative studio can achieve without work-for-hire.
- Yacht Club Games: Small cross-platform indie studio (Shovel Knight) shipping across Switch, Steam, and consoles with a tightly scoped art-and-action identity — directly comparable in team size, cross-platform emphasis, and premium-pricing strategy.
- Lemon Sky Studios: Co-development and art-services studio working with major publishers on AAA titles, with a similar Southeast Asia (Malaysia) cost-arbitrage angle to TicToc's Manila operation; comparable services-plus-original hybrid profile.
- Brace Yourself Games: Vancouver indie studio behind Crypt of the NecroDancer and TicToc's co-development partner on Rift of the NecroDancer; useful peer for indie original-IP economics and a direct prior collaborator.
- Thunder Lotus Games: Montreal indie studio (Jotun, Spiritfarer) of comparable size focused on narrative originals across console and PC; close parallel for cross-platform narrative indie economics.
- thatgamecompany: Small narrative-first indie studio (Journey, Sky: Children of the Light) with multi-platform publishing and a similar emphasis on story-driven experiences; comparable in scale and creative positioning.
Broad incumbents
- Keywords Studios: Public, much larger work-for-hire services provider for the games industry (QA, localization, co-development, art); the scaled incumbent analog to TicToc's work-for-hire arm, useful for benchmarking services margins and competitive positioning.
- Virtuos: Large global co-development and art-services studio with studios across Asia; the largest scaled co-dev peer for TicToc's services and cross-shore production model.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
TicToc Games social profiles
Digital presenceTicToc Games financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
TicToc Games leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
TicToc Games funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
TicToc Games 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 TicToc Games
What does TicToc Games do?
TicToc Games is a full-service game development studio that both creates and self-publishes original game IP (such as Adventures of Pip, B.ARK, Wrestle Story, Rift of the NecroDancer, Writer's Block, and Pug Run) and provides work-for-hire/contract game development services for major entertainment brands such as Sony, Disney, Nickelodeon, Lucasfilm, Funko, Bandai Namco, NBCUniversal, and Wheel of Fortune/Sony Pictures Television. The studio develops games across mobile, console, and PC platforms using the Unity engine.
Is TicToc Games a public or private company?
TicToc Games is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was TicToc Games founded?
TicToc Games was founded in 2011. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is TicToc Games based?
TicToc Games is headquartered in Burbank, United States, in the North America region.
How does TicToc Games make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Contract Development Services are the primary driver. The others are original Game Sales and free-to-Play Mobile Games.
Who are TicToc Games's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are WayForward Technologies, Certain Affinity, Supergiant Games, Yacht Club Games, Lemon Sky Studios, Brace Yourself Games, Thunder Lotus Games and thatgamecompany. Broad incumbents are Keywords Studios and Virtuos.
Does TicToc Games have an API?
No public API is recorded for TicToc Games.
What industry is TicToc Games in?
TicToc Games's product category is Game Development. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAFAAAL, Narrative/Adventure & RPG Game Studios. Its NAICS code is 5132 and its SIC code is 7371.