Motion twin

What Motion twin does

Motion Twin is a France-based independent game development studio organized as a worker cooperative (SCOPARL) with no hierarchy. Founded in 2001 and headquartered in Bordeaux, the studio employs 8 people who collectively choose projects and focus on one game at a time. For its first decade-plus, the studio produced more than 150 web games ranging from one-week game jams to year-long projects, building deep expertise in constraint-based and roguelike design.

Motion Twin's breakthrough title is Dead Cells, released in 2017 as its first PC game. Dead Cells is a roguelike action-platformer built around permadeath mechanics, death-as-progression systems, and minimal-frustration design, and has reached 11 million+ players across PC (Steam), PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, and mobile. The studio is currently developing Windblown, positioned as a larger follow-up, and in 2026 announced Castlevania: Belmont's Curse, a flagship co-development with Konami and Evil Empire for Nintendo Switch, PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S as part of the Castlevania franchise's 40th anniversary.

The business model is product-led and consumer-direct: revenue comes primarily from one-time game sales across digital storefronts, supplemented by Steam Early Access participation during development. The company has no disclosed outside funding, no parent company, and operates as a horizontal worker cooperative serving individual video game players globally through marketplace/app store distribution channels.

Name

Motion twin

Legal name

Motion Twin SCOPARL

Website

https://motion-twin.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2001

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Motion Twin is an 8-person French worker cooperative developing roguelike games such as Dead Cells (11M+ players) for individual video game players across PC, console, and mobile platforms, with Windblown and a Konami co-developed Castlevania title in pipeline.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Video Game Development / Indie Action-Roguelike Games

SIC

Games, Toys & Children's Vehicles (No Dolls & Bicycles) (3944)

akta.pro primary industry

Mobile & F2P Game Studios (MPAFAAAB)

Keywords

• Indie game development
• Roguelike action games
• Cross-platform game publishing
• Worker cooperative studio
• Action platformer games

Headquarters

HQ city

Bordeaux

HQ country

France

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. Game Sales (PC, Consoles, Mobile): Motion Twin generates revenue through one-time game sales across multiple platforms. Dead Cells has been released on PC, consoles, and mobile devices, generating revenue from player purchases. The company also develops new titles like Windblown and Castlevania: Belmont's Curse.
2. Early Access Game Sales: Games are released through Steam early access, allowing players to purchase and play the game during development, providing early revenue while gathering player feedback.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Motion Twin is a French worker-cooperative game development studio that designs, develops, and self-publishes premium roguelike and roguelite action games for PC, consoles, and mobile platforms. With a team of 8, it focuses on one title at a time — currently shipping Dead Cells (2017, 11M+ players), developing Windblown, and co-developing Castlevania: Belmont's Curse (2026) with Konami and Evil Empire.

Product overview

Motion Twin is a small game development studio that makes one game at a time with a team of 8 people. The company's portfolio includes Dead Cells (2017, their first PC game with 11+ million players), Windblown (in development), and Castlevania: Belmont's Curse (2026, co-developed with Evil Empire and Konami). The company operates as a worker cooperative with no hierarchy, focusing on creating games they would like to play while emphasizing player experience.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Dead Cells: Roguelike action platformer released in 2017, bringing joy to over 11 million players on PC, consoles and mobiles.
• Windblown

Products and services

• Dead Cells A premium roguelike action-platformer game featuring permadeath mechanics, death-as-progression systems, and minimal-frustration design. Released for individual gamers on PC (Steam), consoles (PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch), and mobile devices.
• Windblown Upcoming game currently in development by Motion Twin, described by the studio as larger than Dead Cells and intended for long-term support after release.
• Castlevania: Belmont's Curse A 2D action-exploration game developed by Motion Twin and Evil Empire in partnership with Konami, scheduled for release in 2026 across Nintendo Switch, PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S, tied to the Castlevania franchise's 40th anniversary.

Quantifiable outcome

• 11 million+ players across PC, consoles and mobiles for Dead Cells
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered flagship and core.

• KonamiflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 13 February 2026Motion Twin is collaborating with Konami to develop Castlevania: Belmont's Curse, a new 2D action-exploration game set in 1499 Medieval Paris. This is the first new Castlevania game since 2014 and is part of the franchise's 40th anniversary celebrations. The game is being developed by Motion Twin and Evil Empire in partnership with Konami, scheduled for release later in 2026 on Nintendo Switch, PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S.
• Evil EmpirecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 13 February 2026Evil Empire, the studios behind Dead Cells alongside Motion Twin, are collaborating with Konami to develop Castlevania: Belmont's Curse. This partnership brings together the roguelike expertise from Dead Cells development with Evil Empire's studio capabilities to create the new Castlevania title.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• Motion Twin (Indie label: Dead Cells publisher history with Merge Games / QubicGames): Placeholder removed — listed instead as an internal reference only. Skipped to ensure the peer list contains only external comparable companies.

Direct peers

• Moon Studios: Moon Studios developed Ori and the Blind Forest / Ori and the Will of the Wisps — premium action-platformers released across PC and consoles. Comparable to Motion Twin as a small indie action-platformer studio with multiple hit titles on major platforms.
• Team Cherry: Team Cherry is a tiny indie studio (originally 3 people) behind Hollow Knight, a critically and commercially successful action-platformer. Directly comparable to Motion Twin on team size, premium indie action-platformer genre, and PC/console distribution model.
• Matt Makes Games (Maddy Thorson) / Extremely OK Games: Matt Thorson's studio shipped Celeste, a critically acclaimed indie action-platformer. Comparable to Motion Twin as a small premium indie studio shipping tight, mechanically rich action titles across PC and consoles.
• Supergiant Games: Supergiant is a small, acclaimed indie studio behind Hades, Bastion, and Transistor — premium action-roguelike/RPGs sold across PC and consoles. Closely comparable to Motion Twin on team size, premium pricing, action-roguelike genre focus, and cross-platform distribution.
• Deck13 Interactive: Deck13 is a German indie developer behind The Surge and The Surge 2, as well as co-developer of The Lords of the Fallen (2023). Comparable to Motion Twin as a small European indie studio shipping premium action-RPG/roguelike titles across PC and consoles.
• Evil Empire: Evil Empire is the direct co-development partner that built Dead Cells alongside Motion Twin and is now co-developing Castlevania: Belmont's Curse. It is a French indie studio with the closest operational, technical, and team-size profile to Motion Twin.

Regional players

• Dotemu: Dotemu is a French indie game developer and publisher (Streets of Rage 4, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder's Revenge). Comparable to Motion Twin as a France-based indie studio/publisher working on premium action titles, sometimes involving licensed IPs.
• Red Barrels: Red Barrels is a Montreal-based indie studio behind the Outlast franchise. Comparable to Motion Twin as a small/medium indie studio with a flagship premium franchise spanning multiple releases and platforms.
• Shiro Games: Shiro Games is a French indie studio behind Northgard, Evoland, and Dune: Spice Wars — premium strategy/simulation titles on PC and consoles. Comparable to Motion Twin as a Bordeaux-area French indie studio with multi-platform premium releases.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/motiontwin
• Facebookfacebook.com/motiontwin
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/motion-twin

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 Motion twin