What Catan Studio does

Catan Studio, Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of Asmodee Group, founded in 2016 in Charlottesville, Virginia, to serve as the exclusive worldwide English-language publisher of CATAN brand games. The company develops and publishes both physical board games and digital adaptations of the CATAN franchise, the world's preeminent analog game brand with over 25 million copies in print across 35+ languages. Its product portfolio spans the core CATAN base game and expansions (Seafarers, Cities & Knights), standalone titles (Rise of the Inkas, Starfarers), themed editions (A Game of Thrones Catan: Brotherhood of the Watch), digital platform offerings (Catan Universe cross-platform multiplayer, CATAN for Nintendo Switch, CATAN VR across Oculus, HTC Vive, PlayStation VR, and SteamVR), accessories (via Gamegenic partnership), and a global tournament ecosystem including World, Continental, and National Championships plus the Digital CATAN World Championship.

The studio operates with a lean team of approximately 1–10 employees (four seasoned CATAN specialists with 50+ years of collective brand experience are explicitly noted), leveraging the broader Asmodee Group infrastructure for distribution, digital development partnerships (Asmodee Digital, USM, Experiment 7 for VR), and international publishing via partners such as Kosmos (German), Devir (Spanish), and 999 Games (Dutch). The CATAN trademark and IP are owned by Catan GmbH in Rossdorf, Germany, and licensed to Catan Studio; the brand's intellectual property is actively defended globally with documented IP policy covering copyright and trademark protections.

Catan Studio generates revenue through one-time purchase pricing across physical board games, digital games (e.g., $19.99 base, $5.99 expansion on Switch), a freemium tier on Catan Universe, hardware sales of officially licensed accessories, and licensing/royalty arrangements including a 2025 Netflix deal for scripted and unscripted TV/film adaptations. The go-to-market motion is community- and event-driven, relying on global tournament programs, convention presence (Gen Con, PAX Unplugged, SPIEL Essen), Discord and social media engagement, and strategic licensing partnerships to reach both dedicated CATAN enthusiasts and adjacent gaming audiences across more than 17 countries on four continents.

Name

Catan Studio

Legal name

Asmodee North America, Inc.

Website

https://catanstudio.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Catan Studio is a wholly owned Asmodee Group subsidiary that develops and publishes CATAN brand board games, digital cross-platform adaptations (Catan Universe, Nintendo Switch, VR), expansions, and accessories, serving board game enthusiasts and competitive tournament players worldwide.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Board Games

NAICS

Hobby, Toy, and Game Retailers (45912), Hobby, Toy, and Game Retailers (459120), Software Publishers (5132), Software Publishers (513210)

SIC

Retail-Hobby, Toy & Game Shops (5945), Games, Toys & Children's Vehicles (No Dolls & Bicycles) (3944)

akta.pro primary industry

Board Game & Puzzle Specialty Retailers (CRALALAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Strategy/Euro Board Games Retail (CRALALAC), PC & Console Game Distribution Platforms (BPAMAKAA), Gaming Collectibles, Merchandise & Toys Retail (CRACAFAI)

Keywords

• Board game publishing
• Tabletop strategy games
• Digital board games
• Board game accessories
• Competitive gaming tournaments

Headquarters

HQ city

Charlottesville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Board Game Sales: Sales of physical CATAN board games, expansions, and accessories through retail stores, online retailers, and CatanShop.com.
2. Digital Game Sales: Sales of digital CATAN games and expansions across multiple platforms including Steam, iOS App Store, Google Play, Nintendo Switch eShop, PlayStation Store, and Oculus Store. Base game typically sold as one-time purchase with expansions available as separate in-app purchases.
3. Accessory Products: Partnership with Gamegenic to produce officially licensed CATAN accessories including card sorting trays, dice towers, and storage solutions.
4. Licensing and Media Rights: Revenue from licensing CATAN IP for entertainment adaptations including Netflix TV/film projects and other media expansions.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Catan Studio develops and publishes CATAN brand board games, expansions, and scenarios as the world's preeminent analog game brand with over 25 million copies sold across 35+ languages. The portfolio includes physical games (base game, Seafarers, Cities & Knights, Rise of the Inkas, Starfarers, Game of Thrones editions) and digital adaptations across PC, mobile, console, and VR platforms, plus officially licensed accessories and a global tournament ecosystem.

Product overview

Catan Studio develops and publishes CATAN games—the world's preeminent analog game brand. The company operates a multi-platform portfolio comprising physical board games with licensed themed editions (A Game of Thrones Catan) and digital products. Digital offerings include Catan Universe (cross-platform multiplayer game portal for PC, Mac, iOS, Android), CATAN VR (virtual reality for Oculus, HTC Vive, PlayStation VR), and CATAN for Nintendo Switch. The product line spans standalone games (CATAN Starfarers, CATAN Rise of the Inkas), expansion scenarios (Legend of the Sea Robbers, Legend of the Conquerors, Crop Trust), and themed card games (Rivals for Catan). Catan Studio also manages a competitive tournament ecosystem including World Championships and the Digital CATAN World Championship, plus a GAMEGENIC partnership for licensed accessories.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• CATAN Universe Multi-platform digital CATAN platform enabling players worldwide to compete online on PC (browser and Steam), Mac, iOS, and Android devices with cross-play support. Includes base game, expansions (Seafarers, Cities & Knights), avatar creation, guilds, and chat features.
• CATAN for Nintendo Switch Digital version of CATAN for Nintendo Switch with full main game, Seafarers Expansion, campaign mode with multiple scenarios, and online multiplayer with leaderboards.
• CATAN VR Virtual reality adaptation of the CATAN board game available on Oculus Rift, Samsung Gear VR, Oculus Go, HTC Vive, Microsoft Mixed Reality, and PlayStation VR with immersive environments, cross-platform multiplayer, and AI opponents.
• CATAN Starfarers Rebooted edition of the classic 1999 space exploration Catan variant with completely revised game materials, complemented rules, and variable game plan for space exploration gameplay.
• CATAN Rise of the Inkas Stand-alone game of resource gathering and trading based on Catan mechanics where players manage the rise and decline of civilizations in coastal and mountain Peru across three historic eras (Wari, Tiwanaku, Lambayeque leading to Inkan Empire).
• A Game of Thrones Catan: Brotherhood of the Watch Themed Catan strategic game set in George R.R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire universe where players defend the Wall from Wildlings and compete to become Lord Commander. Published by Fantasy Flight Games.
• CATAN Crop Trust Scenario Semi-cooperative scenario introducing new gameplay mechanics while educating players about crop conservation and the Svalbard Global Seed Vault. Proceeds donated to Global Crop Diversity Trust.
• Catan Legend of the Sea Robbers Scenario Seafarers scenario set with four linked chapters exploring Catan's surroundings by sea with new Sea Robber threats. Requires Catan base game and Seafarers expansion.
• CATAN Legend of the Conquerors Anniversary scenario for Cities & Knights expansion featuring three successive scenarios in a story about defending Catan from Old World conquerors. Includes new mechanics like cannons, cavalry, and hero tracks.
• Rivals for Catan Two-player card game where each player builds a principality using cards. Available as in-app purchase on Catan Universe with themed sets (Era of Turmoil, Era of Progress, Era of Gold).
• Catan Stories - Legend of the Sea Robbers Text adventure mobile game telling the story based on the Legend of the Sea Robbers scenario. Players guide three protagonists through storyline to protect Catan from Sea Robber threat.
• CATAN World Explorers Massively multiplayer location-based game transforming Earth into a giant game of CATAN. Players harvest, trade, and build using real-world cities and landmarks as resource collection points.
• GAMEGENIC CATAN Accessories Officially licensed CATAN board game accessories including CATAN Trading Post (card sorting tray/storage/dice tray), CATAN Hexatower (dice tower/storage), and CATAN Hexadocks (wooden piece organizer/display).

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 25 million copies sold globally
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• NetflixcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 21 October 2025Netflix has acquired rights to adapt the board game Catan into a series of films and TV shows, both scripted and unscripted. The project is a collaboration between Netflix, Asmodee, and Catan Studio to expand the CATAN brand into entertainment media and reach new audiences globally.
• GamegeniccoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 19 August 2020Gamegenic and CATAN Studio partnered to create a brand-new line of officially licensed CATAN accessories including card sorting trays, dice towers, storage solutions, and Hexadocks. The partnership combines ingenious design and quality materials to create accessories that perfectly complement CATAN board games.
• Global Crop Diversity TrustminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 5 October 2018Collaboration between the Global Crop Diversity Trust and Catan GmbH to create the CATAN – Crop Trust scenario. Players balance individual harvesting against collective seed preservation goals. Catan GmbH donates all scenario proceeds to the Crop Trust.
• Asmodee DigitalcoreTechnology or IntegrationAsmodee Digital develops and publishes digital CATAN games across multiple platforms including Nintendo Switch. They work with Catan Studio to bring CATAN experiences to digital audiences worldwide.
• Snakes & LattesminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSnakes & Lattes hosts the annual Catanathon Against Cancer charity gaming event in Toronto. Over 7 years, the event has raised over $21,000 for the Canadian Cancer Society. Catan Studio provides increased reach and prize support for the event.
• USM (United Soft Media)coreTechnology or IntegrationUSM serves as publisher for multiple digital CATAN games including Catan Universe platform and is responsible for digital platform operations and development partnerships.
• Experiment 7coreTechnology or IntegrationExperiment 7 developed CATAN VR in collaboration with Klaus and Benjamin Teuber, Asmodee Digital, and Catan Studio. Specializes in VR game development for Oculus and other VR platforms.
• Catan GmbHcoreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerCatan GmbH of Rossdorf, Germany is the owner of CATAN intellectual property and licensor to Catan Studio. All CATAN brand products enjoy global copyright and trademark protection through Catan GmbH.
• Fantasy Flight GamesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFantasy Flight Games published A Game of Thrones Catan: Brotherhood of the Watch, a themed edition of CATAN adapted from George R.R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire series.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Emerging players

• Board Game Arena: Cross-platform digital hub for hundreds of tabletop games including CATAN. Material direct comparator on the digital side: free, browser-based play of Catan is a key competitive anchor for Catan Universe's growth.
• Tabletop Simulator (Berserk Games): Physics-based digital sandbox where CATAN and many other board games are played online. Represents the user-modded digital tabletop alternative that shapes pricing pressure and engagement benchmarks for Catan Universe.

Broad incumbents

• Ravensburger: Long-established European board game publisher with a global premium catalog comparable to Catan (Disney Lorcana, Villainous, Labyrinth). Competes head-to-head on hobby-game shelf space and a similarly expansion-driven play model.
• Hasbro: Owns Wizards of the Coast / Magic: The Gathering / D&D and houses major board game IP (Monopoly, Risk, Trivial Pursuit via subsidiary brands). Material incumbent in the same retail tier Catan competes in, with far larger scale.
• Asmodee Group: Parent company of Catan Studio. Asmodee operates globally in board and card-game publishing (Catan, Ticket to Ride, Star Wars, Marvel Champions, etc.) and is the most structurally comparable peer because it sits in the same parent hierarchy and shares digital publishing, organized play, and licensing infrastructure.

Direct peers

• Fantasy Flight Games: Asmodee-owned publisher of complex board games (Star Wars, Twilight Imperium, Arkham Horror) and the named publisher of A Game of Thrones Catan: Brotherhood of the Watch — directly collaborating with Catan Studio on a major themed edition.
• Stonemaier Games: Independent boutique publisher of premium strategy/euro games (Wingspan, Scythe, Tapestry). Comparable in catalog depth, premium pricing, and direct-to-consumer strength, and competes for the same hobbyist buyer and shelf space.
• Leder Games: Publisher of strategy and asymmetric games such as Root. Comparable to Catan Studio as a focused, design-led studio monetizing a flagship IP through base games, expansions, and themed releases in the modern board game market.
• Days of Wonder: Asmodee-owned board game publisher of Ticket to Ride and Small World. Direct peer inside the same parent, with a similar premium-positioned, expansion-rich catalog model and shared distribution infrastructure.
• Czech Games Edition: Czech publisher of Codenames, Through the Ages, and Tzolk'in. Direct competitor in the modern strategy/euro category with similarly deep expansion support and global distribution.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks4 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/CatanStudio
• Facebookfacebook.com/catanstudio

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 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 Catan Studio