Third Kind Games
Third Kind Games is a UK-headquartered AAA game co-development and full-development studio with additional studios in Poland and Spain, founded in 2016 by nine Activision veterans. It serves major publishers including Microsoft, Blizzard, Amazon, and Mythical Games, and now operates as part of the Virtuos group.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2016
- HeadquartersLeamington Spa, United Kingdom
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Third Kind Games does
Third Kind Games is a full-service AAA game development studio headquartered in Leamington Spa, United Kingdom, with additional studios in Poland and Spain. Founded in 2016 by nine former Activision employees, the studio specializes in co-development and full game development services for major publishers, contributing to franchises including Forza Horizon (Microsoft), Sea of Thieves (Rare), Fable (Xbox Game Studios), and Hearthstone (Blizzard), as well as Amazon/Mythical Games' Blankos Block Party. Its technical stack is built around Unreal Engine and spans all disciplines required for AAA production, including programming, art, design, and production.
The studio's business model is B2B professional services, with contracts negotiated directly with publishers on a project-by-project basis. Pricing is not publicly disclosed. In 2024, Third Kind Games launched MAVRIX, its first proprietary original IP — a first-person action game developed around Red Bull MTB athlete Matt Jones' vision — released on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S, marking a modest diversification beyond pure services work. In August 2024, the studio was acquired by Virtuos, a Singapore-based global game development group, integrating Third Kind Games into one of the world's largest co-development networks while retaining studio-level operational independence.
Third Kind Games' customer base is concentrated among a small number of AAA publishers and platform holders, primarily within and adjacent to the Microsoft ecosystem, with no disclosed SMB or mid-market segment. Headcount is in the 101-250 range. The studio has been recognized externally through Mind's Workplace Wellbeing Gold Award and maintains a multi-channel presence on LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, X, and Threads for recruitment and brand-building.
Third Kind Games firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Third Kind Games
- Legal name
- Third Kind Games Ltd
- Website
- https://thirdkindgames.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2016
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- Third Kind Games is a UK-headquartered AAA game co-development and full-development studio with additional studios in Poland and Spain, founded in 2016 by nine Activision veterans. It serves major publishers including Microsoft, Blizzard, Amazon, and Mythical Games, and now operates as part of the Virtuos group.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Third Kind Games industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Video Game Development Services
- NAICS
- Software Publishers (51321)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Co-Development, Porting & Remaster Studios (MPAFAAAM)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- AAA & Premium Game Studios (PC/Console) (MPAFAAAA)
Keywords
Where Third Kind Games is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Leamington Spa
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices4 records
Markets served
Third Kind Games business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Co-development Services: Third Kind Games provides co-development services to major publishers, partnering on AAA game projects alongside iconic IPs. They work alongside clients from concept to ship, covering all stages of game development.
- Full Game Development: The studio also offers complete game development services where they own and deliver the full project from concept to launch, working with leading publishers.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels7 records
Third Kind Games product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Third Kind Games provides full-service AAA co-development and full-development game studio services, partnering with world-leading publishers and studios from concept to ship. The studio's team of artists, designers, engineers, and producers works on iconic franchises such as Fable, Forza Horizon, Sea of Thieves, and Hearthstone. It also develops its own original IP, including MAVRIX, released on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S.
Product overview
Third Kind Games is a full-service AAA co-development and full-development studio offering game development services from concept to ship. Their primary offerings include co-development partnerships with leading publishers (working on iconic IPs like Fable, Forza Horizon, Sea of Thieves, and Hearthstone) and full game development. They also develop their own original IP, including MAVRIX, released on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S. The studio operates as part of the Virtuos group, providing both co-development and proprietary game development services.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Co-Development Services
Companies that use Third Kind Games
Customer profileNamed customers6 records
Segments1 record
Ideal customer profiles1 record
Third Kind Games technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Third Kind Games partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- VirtuoscoreVirtuos, a Singapore-based video game development company, acquired Third Kind Games in August 2024. This acquisition marked Virtuos' entry into the UK market and enhanced its AAA co-development capabilities. Third Kind Games now operates as part of the Virtuos group, combining studio agility with Virtuos' global resources and reach. The acquisition expanded Third Kind Games' ability to take on larger projects and expand its team.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Third Kind Games competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Sumo Digital: UK-based AAA co-development and full-development studio (acquired by Tencent in 2022). Operates the exact same business model as Third Kind Games: B2B game development services for major publishers across multiple UK and international offices, with credits on iconic IPs.
- Virtuos: Singapore-based global game development group and parent company of Third Kind Games. Provides exactly the same co-development, art production, and full-game development services at much larger scale (4,000+ employees worldwide). Now encompasses Third Kind as its UK arm.
- People Can Fly: Polish AAA game development studio working both on its own IPs and co-development for hire, with offices across Poland and other geographies. Demonstrates the same pattern: a mid-sized European studio combining own-IP work with external development services for major publishers.
- Rebellion Developments: UK-based AAA/AA independent developer and publisher (Sniper Elite, Zombie Army) that also takes on co-development and external work. Strong overlap with Third Kind's UK AAA co-development positioning and Oxford-headquartered UK scale.
- Saber Interactive: Global multi-studio development group with deep co-development and full-development capabilities, recently acquired by Embracer. Operates the same B2B co-dev plus own-IP hybrid model across multiple countries.
- Certain Affinity: Austin-based AAA co-development studio working with major publishers (including Microsoft/Xbox and others). One of the clearest co-development-for-hire peers in the Western AAA market, complementing Third Kind's UK base.
- Keywords Studios: Ireland-headquartered B2B services provider to the games industry (localization, QA, co-development, art services). Directly comparable model — providing outsourced game development and content services to AAA publishers — though broader in scope than Third Kind.
- Kuju Entertainment: UK-based game development group with multiple studios offering co-development, full development, and art services to publishers. Same B2B services model as Third Kind, with comparable headcount and similar customer profile (major publishers).
- Splash Damage: UK-based AAA co-development and full-development studio based in Bromley, with global offices. Works on major franchises for top publishers in the same co-development capacity Third Kind does, making them a direct UK co-dev peer.
Broad incumbents
- Playground Games: UK AAA studio owned by Xbox Game Studios developing the Fable franchise. Comparable as a UK-based AAA developer and a key customer/partner of Third Kind on Forza Horizon and Fable, though at a much larger scale and as an internal Microsoft team rather than a co-dev partner.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Third Kind Games social profiles
Digital presenceThird Kind Games financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Third Kind Games leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Third Kind Games funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Third Kind Games 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 Third Kind Games
What does Third Kind Games do?
Third Kind Games provides full-service AAA co-development and full-development game studio services, partnering with world-leading publishers and studios from concept to ship. The studio's team of artists, designers, engineers, and producers works on iconic franchises such as Fable, Forza Horizon, Sea of Thieves, and Hearthstone. It also develops its own original IP, including MAVRIX, released on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S.
Is Third Kind Games a public or private company?
Third Kind Games is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was Third Kind Games founded?
Third Kind Games was founded in 2016. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is Third Kind Games based?
Third Kind Games is headquartered in Leamington Spa, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Third Kind Games make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Co-development Services are the primary driver. The others are full Game Development.
Who are Third Kind Games's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Sumo Digital, Virtuos, People Can Fly, Rebellion Developments, Saber Interactive, Certain Affinity, Keywords Studios, Kuju Entertainment and Splash Damage. Playground Games is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does Third Kind Games have an API?
No public API is recorded for Third Kind Games.
What industry is Third Kind Games in?
Third Kind Games's product category is Video Game Development Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAFAAAM, Co-Development, Porting & Remaster Studios, with a secondary code of MPAFAAAA, AAA & Premium Game Studios (PC/Console). Its NAICS code is 51321.