Heavy Iron Studios
Heavy Iron Studios is a Los Angeles-based, 25-year-old AAA game development studio acquired by Keywords Studios in 2020, providing co-development, UI/UX, art, and cross-platform engineering services to tier-1 publishers including Activision, Epic Games, Crystal Dynamics, Bandai Namco, and Obsidian.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1999
- HeadquartersLos Angeles, United States
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Heavy Iron Studios does
Heavy Iron Studios, Inc. is a privately held AAA game development studio headquartered in Los Angeles (Manhattan Beach), California, founded in 1999 originally as a THQ-owned studio, spun out as an independent company in June 2009, and acquired by Keywords Studios in 2020. The studio operates as a B2B co-development partner for major video game publishers and IP holders, providing full-service game and app development, co-development, engine and tool development, UI/UX production, art and animation services, technical art, cross-platform deployment, and optimization across PC, consoles (PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch), mobile (iOS, Android), VR/AR (Meta Quest), and streaming platforms (Stadia). Heavy Iron's core technology stack spans UE5, Unity, and multiple proprietary engines and pipelines, with specialized capability in cross-platform optimization, Free-to-Play conversion (including Chinese-market localization), and UI/UX production for live-service AAA franchises.
The studio generates revenue primarily through professional services co-development contracts with publishers including Activision (Call of Duty since 2016, nine titles), Epic Games and Psyonix (Rocket League since 2017, Fortnite Creative/UEFN since 2020), Crystal Dynamics (Marvel's Avengers), Bandai Namco (PAC-MAN: Mega Tunnel Battle), Amazon Games (The Grand Tour Game), Obsidian Entertainment (Avowed, February 2025), and entertainment IP holders such as Disney/Pixar, Marvel, and Nickelodeon. A secondary revenue stream consists of original IP development, exemplified by Fat City (2015). Across its 25-year history, Heavy Iron's titles have sold more than 100 million combined units and generated billions of dollars in revenue, with $500+ million attributed to titles shipped prior to the Keywords Studios acquisition. The studio differentiates through a no-crunch 40-hour work week culture and a stable senior team, with more than 50% of employees having five or more years of tenure and key management holding 25-28 years of industry experience. Customer concentration is high, anchored on a small number of tier-1 publisher relationships, and the business operates as a subsidiary within Keywords Studios' publicly listed services platform.
Heavy Iron Studios firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Heavy Iron Studios
- Legal name
- Heavy Iron Studios, Inc.
- Website
- https://heavyiron.games
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1999
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- Heavy Iron Studios is a Los Angeles-based, 25-year-old AAA game development studio acquired by Keywords Studios in 2020, providing co-development, UI/UX, art, and cross-platform engineering services to tier-1 publishers including Activision, Epic Games, Crystal Dynamics, Bandai Namco, and Obsidian.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Heavy Iron Studios industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Video Game Development Services
- akta.pro primary industry
- Outsourcing Studios (Art/Animation/Audio/Engineering Support) (MPAFAAAN)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Co-Development, Porting & Remaster Studios (MPAFAAAM), Outsourced Art/Audio Production Services (2D/3D, Animation, VFX, Audio/VO) (MPAFAKAM), AAA & Premium Game Studios (PC/Console) (MPAFAAAA)
Keywords
Where Heavy Iron Studios is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Los Angeles
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
Heavy Iron Studios business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Co-Development Services: Heavy Iron operates as a game development studio providing co-development services to major publishers. The studio generates revenue through professional development contracts, contributing to AAA game franchises including Call of Duty, Rocket League, Fortnite, and Disney Infinity. The company has generated over $500 million in revenue from shipped titles.
- Original IP Development: Development and release of original intellectual property such as Fat City (action-puzzler released 2015), with distribution across multiple platforms including PS4, PS Vita, Xbox One, iOS, Android, Steam, and Meta.
- Licensed IP Development: Development of games based on licensed properties including Disney/Pixar franchises, Marvel, Nickelodeon properties, UFC, Bandai Namco's Pac-Man, and Amazon's The Grand Tour.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels5 records
Heavy Iron Studios product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Heavy Iron Studios is a B2B game development studio that provides co-development, full game and app development, engine and tool development, UI/UX production, art and animation, technical art, cross-platform deployment, optimization and debugging, and original/licensed IP concept services to AAA game publishers and entertainment IP holders. The studio works on major franchises including Call of Duty, Fortnite, Rocket League, Marvel's Avengers, Avowed, and Disney Infinity.
Product overview
Heavy Iron Studios is an award-winning video game development studio offering a comprehensive suite of game development services including co-development, full game development, engine/tool development, UI/UX production, and art/animation services. The studio specializes in AAA console action games and has worked on major franchises including Fortnite (art and engineering co-development since 2020), Call of Duty (9 titles since 2016), Rocket League (since 2017), Marvel's Avengers, and PAC-MAN: Mega Tunnel Battle. The company's service offerings form its core business model, supplemented by original IP development (Fat City). Heavy Iron operates as a co-development partner for industry-leading publishers including Activision, Epic Games, Obsidian Entertainment, Disney Interactive, Bandai Namco, and Psyonix. Founded in 1999 as a THQ studio, the company became independent in 2009 and was acquired by Keywords Studios in 2020. The studio has contributed to games that have sold over 100 million combined units.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Quantifiable outcome
- 100+ million units sold across all studio games
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use Heavy Iron Studios
Customer profileNamed customers12 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Heavy Iron Studios technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature6 records
Heavy Iron Studios partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core, significant and minor.
- Keywords StudioscoreHeavy Iron was acquired by Keywords Studios in 2020, signaling a new chapter for the studio's future. Keywords Studios is a global provider of technical services to the video game industry.
- Bandai NamcosignificantDevelopment partner for PAC-MAN: Mega Tunnel Battle, released November 2020. Heavy Iron developed this 64-player multiplayer battle royale game combining classic Pac-Man gameplay with modern Battle Royale style gameplay.
- Crystal DynamicssignificantCo-development support for Marvel's Avengers, released August 14, 2020. Heavy Iron contributed to the third-person action-adventure game featuring an original Avengers story with single-player and co-operative gameplay.
- Epic GamescorePartnership extended through Psyonix acquisition and ongoing co-development. Currently developing Fortnite Creative and UEFN content since 2020. Heavy Iron has been partnering with Epic since 2020, supporting work from Chapter 2 Season 6 to present, delivering art services and gameplay features.
- Amazon GamessignificantDevelopment partner for The Grand Tour Game, released January 2019. The game was the first console title to ship on Amazon's Lumberyard engine. Heavy Iron worked with Electric Square and Stellar Entertainment (UK) and Studio 397 (Netherlands) as co-developers.
- PsyonixcoreLong-standing co-development partnership established in 2017, working on Rocket League for 7 years. Heavy Iron supported the Free-to-Play version from initial Season 1 launch through Season 14, providing UI/UX overhaul, cross entitlements support, and live operations support.
- ActivisioncoreMajor co-development partnership supporting the Call of Duty franchise since 2016. Heavy Iron has supplied co-development support for nine titles including Infinite Warfare, WWII, Vanguard, Warzone, Warzone 2.0, Modern Warfare 2, Modern Warfare 3, and Black Ops 6. The partnership involves UI/UX development, animation creation, and cross-platform optimization.
- Disney/PixarsignificantLong-standing partnership developing games based on Disney and Pixar properties including Ratatouille, WALL-E, Up, The Incredibles, Disney Infinity series (1.0, 2.0, 3.0), Epic Mickey 2, and multiple SpongeBob titles.
- Marvel EntertainmentsignificantLicensed IP development through Disney Infinity 2.0 (Marvel Superheroes Edition) and Marvel's Avengers co-development with Crystal Dynamics.
- NickelodeonsignificantLong-term partnership developing SpongeBob SquarePants games including Battle for Bikini Bottom (2003), The Movie Game (2004), and Truth or Square (2009).
- Carnival CorporationminorDeveloped casino games for Carnival cruise ships including Bingo on Deck, Keno on Deck, Trivia on Deck, and Tipsy Tentacles Slots for PlayOCEAN and Ocean Casino apps.
- Obsidian EntertainmentsignificantCo-development support for Avowed, an action RPG releasing February 18, 2025 for Xbox Series X/S and Steam.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Heavy Iron Studios competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Room 8 Group: Co-development, art, and game services provider serving AAA and mobile publishers. Comparable to Heavy Iron in offering co-development, art, and engineering services as a multi-region services studio.
- Certain Affinity: Austin-based co-development studio known for support on Halo, Call of Duty, and DOOM. Closely comparable to Heavy Iron as a Tier-1 co-development partner with deep Activision/Bethesda-style FPS franchise work.
- Saber Interactive: AAA co-development studio and IP holder (World War Z, Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2). Closely comparable to Heavy Iron given its co-development work for major publishers and cross-platform delivery capability.
- Lemon Sky Studios: Art and co-development outsourcing studio with strong AAA partnerships (Sony, 2K, Riot). Comparable to Heavy Iron in its AAA-focused art and animation services offering.
- Amber (Quaterni): Co-development and game services studio (formerly Quaterni) with global publisher clients. Comparable to Heavy Iron as a co-development partner delivering across art, engineering, and QA.
- Virtuos: Global co-development and art outsourcing studio serving AAA publishers across PC, console, and mobile. Highly comparable to Heavy Iron as a multi-region, multi-engine co-development partner with a similar services-led business model.
- Sumo Digital: UK-based co-development and full-service studio with deep AAA publisher relationships (Sega, Microsoft, Take-Two). Comparable to Heavy Iron as a multi-engine, multi-platform co-development partner serving global publishers.
Broad incumbents
- Psyonix: Developer of Rocket League (acquired by Epic Games in 2019). Comparable to Heavy Iron as a multi-year Rocket League development partner and counterpart on the Epic Games ecosystem.
- Keywords Studios: Heavy Iron's parent company; a global, publicly traded (LSE: KWS.L) provider of game services (QA, localization, co-development, art). Comparable as the broader services umbrella around Heavy Iron's specific co-development capability.
- Crystal Dynamics: AAA developer (Marvel's Avengers, Tomb Raider) and a lead studio with which Heavy Iron has co-developed. Comparable to Heavy Iron as a counterpart Triple-A studio in the same co-development relationship.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks7 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Heavy Iron Studios social profiles
Digital presenceHeavy Iron Studios financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Heavy Iron Studios leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
Heavy Iron Studios funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Heavy Iron 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 Heavy Iron Studios
What does Heavy Iron Studios do?
Heavy Iron Studios is a B2B game development studio that provides co-development, full game and app development, engine and tool development, UI/UX production, art and animation, technical art, cross-platform deployment, optimization and debugging, and original/licensed IP concept services to AAA game publishers and entertainment IP holders. The studio works on major franchises including Call of Duty, Fortnite, Rocket League, Marvel's Avengers, Avowed, and Disney Infinity.
Is Heavy Iron Studios a public or private company?
Heavy Iron Studios is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was Heavy Iron Studios founded?
Heavy Iron Studios was founded in 1999. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Heavy Iron Studios based?
Heavy Iron Studios is headquartered in Los Angeles, United States, in the North America region.
How does Heavy Iron Studios make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Co-Development Services are the primary driver. The others are original IP Development and licensed IP Development.
Who are Heavy Iron Studios's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Room 8 Group, Certain Affinity, Saber Interactive, Lemon Sky Studios, Amber (Quaterni), Virtuos and Sumo Digital. Broad incumbents are Psyonix, Keywords Studios and Crystal Dynamics.
Does Heavy Iron Studios have an API?
No public API is recorded for Heavy Iron Studios.
What industry is Heavy Iron Studios in?
Heavy Iron Studios's product category is Video Game Development Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAFAAAN, Outsourcing Studios (Art/Animation/Audio/Engineering Support), with a secondary code of MPAFAAAM, Co-Development, Porting & Remaster Studios.