Arkada Studio

What Arkada Studio does

Arkada Studio is a French hybrid tabletop board game studio founded in 2016 and headquartered in Normandie (registered office in Saint-Pierre-lès-Elbeuf; customer-facing office in Le Petit-Quevilly). The company designs, produces, and sells physical board games that pair with companion mobile applications, marketed under the tagline 'French pioneer of immersive hybrid board gaming.' Its portfolio spans four titles — Erune (2020, the flagship fantasy RPG), Spark Riders 3000 (2021, racing adventure), Sifflard/Salami (2023, party game), and Legends of the Seas (2025) — supported by an expanding accessories and expansion ecosystem (notably Erune's Heroic Edition, Light & Darkness, Dragon Hunt, and Legendary Box bundles).

The underlying technology is a hybrid platform: each physical box is activated via QR code scan in a free companion iOS/Android app, which then unlocks digital content, manages game state, synchronizes saves, and — in Erune and Spark Riders 3000 — interprets voice commands via Google Dialogflow (Europe region, no audio retention). Sifflard supports full offline play after initial activation. Backend hosting uses Google Firebase (FCM, Analytics in diagnostics-only mode) for the mobile stack, Clever Cloud for Erune app hosting, and IONOS for the e-commerce site.

Arkada's business model is predominantly one-time physical hardware sales through a direct-to-consumer Shopify storefront (arkada.studio, free shipping over €150), supplemented by Amazon marketplace, Apple App Store / Google Play distribution for the free mobile apps, and three crowdfunding platforms (Kickstarter, Gamefound, Game On Tabletop) used for both demand validation and community building. Pricing spans $30 (Salami Standard) to $291 (Erune Legendary Box). The customer base is international consumer hobbyists split between board game enthusiasts and families/casual gamers, with no B2B or professional channel. Public financial backing is limited to French regional/institutional supporters Bpifrance and Région Normandie.

Name

Arkada Studio

Legal name

SAS Arkada Studio

Website

https://arkada.studio

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Arkada Studio is a French hybrid tabletop board game studio that designs physical board games paired with companion mobile apps featuring QR-code activation and voice recognition, selling directly to international consumers across four game franchises.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Hybrid Tabletop Board Games

NAICS

Hobby, Toy, and Game Retailers (45912), Hobby, Toy, and Game Retailers (459120)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Digital/Hybrid Board Games & Companion-App Enabled Games Retail (CRALALAO)

akta.pro secondary industries

Miniatures Games & Tabletop Skirmish Games Retail (CRALALAH), Board Game Accessories & Components Retail (Sleeves, Dice, Tokens, Inserts) (CRALALAI), Miniature Gaming Accessories (Dice, Mats, Tokens, Measuring Tools) (CRALAKAL)

Keywords

• Hybrid board games
• Tabletop companion apps
• Physical-digital games
• Crowdfunded board games
• Tabletop RPG games

Headquarters

HQ city

Saint-pierre-lès-elbeuf

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Physical Board Game Sales: Arkada Studio designs, produces, and sells physical hybrid board games with companion apps. Products are sold in multiple editions (Standard, Deluxe, Legendary Box) and through various expansions. Core games include Erune (€291 Legendary Box), Spark Riders 3000 (€53–€105), and Sifflard/Salami ($30 Standard). Expansions and accessories (miniatures, dice sets, playmats, cards, token organizers) generate incremental revenue. Revenue is primarily one-time per product.
2. Mobile Application Services: Mobile companion applications (Erune, Spark Riders 3000, Sifflard) provide the digital layer for hybrid games. App download is free, but activation of full content requires purchasing the corresponding physical game box. The app handles voice recognition (Erune, Spark Riders 3000), game state management, save synchronization, and new content delivery.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels11 records

Core offering

Arkada Studio designs, manufactures and sells hybrid tabletop board games that pair physical game components with companion mobile applications. Each game (Erune, Spark Riders 3000, Sifflard/Salami, Legends of the Seas) is activated by scanning a QR code on the physical box, linking it to the buyer's account and unlocking digital content, voice command features, persistent saves and free ongoing updates. Products are sold through multiple editions and expansion packs to individual consumers worldwide.

Product overview

Arkada Studio is a French hybrid tabletop board game studio developing games that combine physical board game components with companion mobile applications. The core portfolio includes four hybrid games: Erune (fantasy RPG with voice command app), Spark Riders 3000 (quest-based racing adventure), Sifflard/Salami (party game in Standard/Deluxe editions), and Legends of the Seas (maritime-themed adventure). Erune has the most extensive expansion ecosystem with the Ultimate Adventure Edition (core box), Legendary Box (bundle), Heroic Ultimate Expansion (21 heroic classes, 18 quests), Light & Darkness Expansion (6-quest campaign, 2 new characters), Dragon Hunt Expansion, plus accessories including miniatures, dice sets, playmats, codex books, card packs, world maps, character sheets, and branded merchandise. Spark Riders 3000 and Sifflard offer Commander/Rider and Standard/Deluxe editions respectively. Games feature free ongoing content updates, QR code activation linking physical boxes to companion apps, with voice recognition powered by Dialogflow (Google) available in Erune and Spark Riders 3000.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Erune: Hybrid fantasy dungeon-crawler board game with companion mobile app featuring voice commands, QR code activation, and 21 heroic class specializations across 18 quests.
• Spark Riders 3000
• Sifflard
• Legends of the Seas

Products and services

• Erune Hybrid tabletop fantasy dungeon-crawler board game with companion mobile app featuring voice command recognition, QR code activation, 21 heroic class specializations and a campaign spanning 10 to 18 quests across core and expansion content. Designed for individual consumers seeking immersive, narrative-driven hybrid tabletop experiences.
• Spark Riders 3000 Hybrid quest-based racing board game with companion mobile app that integrates voice command recognition, success tracking and tutorial videos for game actions. Sold in Commander and Rider editions for individual consumers.
• Sifflard / Salami Hybrid party board game with companion mobile app available in Standard and Deluxe editions; the app supports full offline play after initial box scan activation and identifies the edition to unlock the corresponding content. Designed for individual consumers and family play.
• Legends of the Seas Hybrid nautical adventure board game combining physical tabletop gameplay with companion digital features; the fourth title in the Arkada Studio portfolio for individual consumers.

Quantifiable outcome

• Erune's main campaign grows from 10 to 18 total quests with the Heroic Expansion, including 8 new side quests and a dedicated bestiary.
• +1 more outcomes

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration6 records

AI capability2 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• KickstartercoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorKickstarter is one of three primary crowdfunding platforms used by Arkada Studio to launch games and build community. Backer pseudonyms from Kickstarter campaigns are displayed in the in-app credits. Kickstarter is explicitly referenced in privacy policy and terms of service as a source of contributor data.
• GamefoundcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorGamefound is one of three primary crowdfunding platforms used by Arkada Studio for game launches. Contributor names/pseudonyms appear in the in-app credits feature. Explicitly referenced in privacy policy and terms of service as a source of contributor data.
• Game On TabletopcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorGame On Tabletop is one of three crowdfunding platforms used by Arkada Studio for campaign launches. Backer information from this platform appears in the in-app credits screen alongside Kickstarter and Gamefound backers.
• Apple App Store & Google PlaycoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorApple App Store and Google Play serve as the primary distribution channels for Arkada Studio's mobile companion applications. App Store listing classifications and terms of service (EULA) apply to app distribution and usage.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Dire Wolf Digital: Studio behind digital adaptations of Root, Wingspan, and Everdell — exactly the physical-IP-plus-companion-app hybrid model Arkada pursues, serving the same board-game enthusiast and casual gamer segments.
• Horrible Guild: Italian board game publisher with digital companion apps for several of its titles, comparable in size and approach to Arkada as a European hybrid board game studio.
• Lucky Duck Games: European board game publisher with hybrid titles such as Chronicles of Crime that pair physical components with companion apps — closest European peer to Arkada in the hybrid physical+digital category.
• CMON Games: Major board game publisher with miniature-heavy titles and digital companion integrations (Zombicide digital, Massive Darkness). Comparable for its premium-pricing, expansion-driven model and global crowdfunding launches.
• Asmodee Digital: Digital board game arm of Asmodee, the global tabletop leader. Directly comparable as a publisher of physical-plus-digital hybrid adaptations (Catan, Ticket to Ride, etc.), competing for the same hybrid board-gaming customer and shelf space.
• Restoration Games: Publisher focused on reissuing classic games with modern enhancements, often including app-driven elements — shares Arkada's positioning at the intersection of premium physical components and digital augmentation.

Others

• Shopify: Underlying commerce platform for Arkada's arkada.studio storefront. Enabler rather than competitor — relevant context for understanding DTC distribution capabilities and platform risk.

Broad incumbents

• Asmodee: Global tabletop publishing incumbent (Catan, Ticket to Ride, 7 Wonders, Star Wars: Legion). Relevant as the dominant retailer-and-publisher that Arkada must compete against for shelf space, distribution, and hobbyist mind-share.
• Cryptozoic Entertainment: Publisher of hobby board games, collectibles, and digital hybrid experiences; broader portfolio than Arkada but competes in the same enthusiast-driven tabletop category.

Emerging players

• Temple Gates Games: Smaller studio building digital board game adaptations and tabletop companion apps, directly comparable as an emerging hybrid specialist competing for the same niche.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@arkadastudio
• Facebookfacebook.com/arkadastudio.fr
• LinkedInfr.linkedin.com/company/arkada-studio
• Instagraminstagram.com/arkada_studio
• TikToktiktok.com/@arkada_studio

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 Arkada Studio