upjers GmbH

What upjers GmbH does

upjers GmbH is a privately held German developer and publisher of free-to-play browser and mobile games headquartered in Bamberg. Founded in 2006 by Klaus Schmitt — building on a 2003 hobby project — the company has grown from a 3-person operation to 110+ employees and serves more than 170 million registered players across nearly 200 countries and over 20 language versions of its browser games. Its portfolio spans roughly 20 titles across farm simulation (My Free Farm, My Free Farm 2, My Little Farmies), zoo and animal management (Zoo 2: Animal Park, My Free Zoo, Dinosaur Park – Primeval Zoo), garden simulation (Wurzelimperium, Wurzelimperium 2), tycoon genres (Kapi Hospital, Horse Farm, My Sunny Resort) and casual puzzle/adventure (Uptasia, Stonies), with multiple established brands now exceeding 13 years in market.

The company's underlying technology consists of a proprietary PHP, JavaScript and MySQL stack for its browser games on upjers.com, augmented by C# and Unity for its mobile apps on iOS and Android. Cross-platform account linking enables synchronized progression between browser, mobile, Steam and Epic Games Store versions of flagship titles such as Zoo 2: Animal Park. Distribution extends through its own portal, native iOS and Android stores, Steam, Epic Games Store (since September 2024), and Amazon Appstore. Recent additions include the Wurzelimperium 2 browser release (January 2024), Farm 3: The Secret of Farming on Google Play (October 2024), and the Zoo 2: Animal Park Season Pass (March 2025).

upjers generates revenue via a freemium model: core gameplay is free, with optional purchases of in-game currency, boosters, decorations and seasonal content. The 2025 introduction of a tiered Season Pass (Standard/Premium/VIP) for Zoo 2: Animal Park represents a layered recurring monetization mechanic, complemented by an affiliate/influencer revenue-share program. The primary customer segments are casual gamers across browser and mobile, with a smaller publishing arm serving external indie studios; there are no named enterprise customers or B2B contracts evident in the data. The company is founder-controlled, with Klaus Schmitt as founder, Marika Schmitt as managing director, and Mirko Marschalek as CEO (Geschäftsführer).

Name

upjers GmbH

Legal name

upjers GmbH

Website

https://company.upjers.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2006

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

upjers GmbH is a German developer and publisher of free-to-play browser and mobile casual games (farm, zoo, garden, tycoon, puzzle), serving 170M+ registered players across nearly 200 countries via its own portal and major app stores.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Casual Browser and Mobile Games

NAICS

Software Publishers (5132)

SIC

Services-Prepackaged Software (7372), Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Game & In-App Content Stores (BPAMADAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

PC Digital Game Stores & Launchers (MPAFACAA), Subscription, Bundling & Membership Distribution (Game Pass-like, Humble-like) (MPAFABAI), Gaming & Interactive Entertainment (Digital Goods, Subscriptions) (CRAFAIAC)

Keywords

• Browser-based games
• Mobile games
• Free-to-play games
• Casual simulation games
• Tycoon games

Headquarters

HQ city

Bamberg

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Software

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Virtual Goods / Premium In-Game Content: upjers sells premium in-game items (decorations, boosters, currency packs, cosmetics) through an in-game shop. These are optional microtransactions that accelerate progression, allow gifting to friends, or provide exclusive visual customization. The model is free-to-play with no subscription or mandatory purchase required. Players can progress without spending, though paying accelerates advancement.
2. In-Game Currency and Season Pass (Season Pass model): Zoo 2: Animal Park introduced a Season Pass system with Standard, Premium, and VIP tiers. The VIP pass grants exclusive animals (e.g., Gangesdelfin) and premium rewards. Season Passes last 70 days across 35 levels, generating recurring revenue.
3. Affiliate and Influencer Revenue Share: upjers offers revenue share programs and affiliate/influencer marketing partnerships. Potential partners and affiliates can contact [email protected] for partnership arrangements.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

upjers GmbH develops and publishes free-to-play browser-based and mobile games for an international community spanning simulation, tycoon, strategy, action, and casual genres. The portfolio includes titles such as Zoo 2: Animal Park, My Free Farm, Wurzelimperium, Kapi Hospital, and over 20 other games distributed through the company's own portal and major app stores. Revenue is generated through optional in-game purchases of premium items, currency packs, cosmetics, and recurring Season Pass subscriptions across nearly 200 countries and 20+ language versions.

Product overview

upjers GmbH is a German browser and mobile game developer and publisher offering a portfolio of free-to-play online games. The company operates through its portal upjers.com and app stores, with products spanning simulation games (farm, zoo, garden), hidden object games, action games, and strategy titles. Core products include Zoo 2: Animal Park (3D zoo management), Dinosaur Park – Primeval Zoo (dino simulation), My Free Farm series (farm simulation), My Free Zoo (zoo management), My Little Farmies (medieval farm), Wurzelimperium series (garden simulation), Kapi Hospital (hospital management), Horse Farm (equestrian simulation), and Uptasia (hidden object game). The company develops both browser-based games and mobile apps, with cross-platform capability for select titles.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Zoo 2: Animal Park

Quantifiable outcome

• 170+ million registered players worldwide
• +5 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Epic GamesminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 26 September 2024upjers published Zoo 2: Animal Park on the Epic Games Store, making the game available to Epic's PC gaming audience. This is a platform distribution partnership rather than a deep technical collaboration. The game is offered for free with optional in-app purchases.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• InnoGames: German free-to-play browser and mobile game developer behind Forge of Empires, Elvenar, and Tribal Wars. Closely comparable to upjers in geography (Germany), genre (F2P browser/simulation), and target audience (casual strategy/tycoon players).
• Goodgame Studios: Hamburg-based F2P browser and mobile game studio known for Empire: Four Kingdoms and Big Farm. Competes directly with upjers in the German browser-game market and shares the same casual simulation/tycoon positioning.
• Gameforge: Karlsruhe-based publisher of browser-based online games including AION, TERA, and various F2P MMOs. Comparable as a long-running German browser/online game publisher with multi-game portfolio and international localization.
• Bigpoint: Hamburg-based browser game developer and publisher (Farmerama, DarkOrbit, Seafight). Highly comparable to upjers as a long-established German browser F2P studio serving casual and mid-core gamers globally.
• Plinga: Berlin-based casual social and mobile game developer/publisher. Comparable to upjers as a German casual F2P studio with multi-platform distribution and social/community-driven gameplay loops.
• Wooga: Berlin-based casual mobile game studio behind June's Journey and Pearl's Peril. Direct competitor to upjers in German casual gaming with overlapping audience of mid-core simulation/puzzle players.

Broad incumbents

• Playrix: One of the largest casual F2P mobile developers globally (Homescapes, Gardenscapes, Township). A broader incumbent competing with upjers in casual simulation/tycoon, but at much larger scale (~$3B+ valuation) and primarily mobile-first.
• Zynga: Major US-based F2P mobile and browser casual game publisher (FarmVille, Words With Friends). Overlaps with upjers' casual/tycoon genres and free-to-play mobile model, but operates at vastly larger scale with broader portfolio.
• Rovio Entertainment: Finnish F2P mobile game company best known for Angry Birds. Comparable to upjers as a European casual F2P studio with multi-platform distribution and strong recurring-revenue live-ops.

Others

• Stillfront Group: Swedish-listed acquirer of mid-sized F2P game studios (e.g., InnoGames, Goodgame, Storm8). Comparable as a strategic counterpart for upjers given the company's mid-sized European F2P profile and prior consolidator interest in the segment.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

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 upjers GmbH