Matrix Games
Matrix Games, part of the Slitherine group, publishes 300+ consumer wargames and professional military simulation software (Command PE, Combat Mission PE, Flashpoint Campaigns PE), serving defense organizations in 22+ countries and strategy-gaming enthusiasts globally.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2000
- HeadquartersDayton, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingSoftware
What Matrix Games does
Matrix Games is the consumer and professional wargame publishing brand within the privately-held Slitherine group (parent: Slitherine Software UK Ltd.), headquartered in Cobham, UK, with US operations led from Vermont. The company publishes more than 300 strategy and wargame titles covering historical periods from ancient to modern, distributed through its own matrixgames.com storefront and Steam under a no-DRM, perpetual-license model that produces a long-tail consumer revenue base. It also operates the Matrix Pro Sims division (headquartered in Epsom, UK), which sells professional-grade wargame simulation tools to defense and government clients including the US Department of Defense, UK Ministry of Defence, Australian Department of Defence, NATO, the US Marine Corps Wargaming Center, and the German Luftwaffe Officer School, as well as defense primes such as Northrop Grumman and BAE Systems.
The underlying technology is a proprietary wargame simulation engine that underpins the flagship product, Command: Professional Edition. The engine supports high-resolution terrain (SRTM3-format, 90m/cell, DTED-1 equivalent), energy-based boost-coast missile modelling, true-to-life ballistic and ABM trajectories with MIRV re-entry vehicle sequencing, passive coherent location (passive radar) sensors, explicit per-vehicle modelling of armor, propulsion, and amphibious capability, WEGO-style multiplayer for up to 16 players, and a scriptable Command-Line Interface (CLI) that enables Monte-Carlo-scale, automated analysis. Lua scripting over a TCP-socket interface allows programmatic scenario control, and the engine is in active use as a substrate for DARPA-affiliated AI/ML training initiatives.
The business model blends consumer one-time digital game sales (no returns, no DRM, personalized boxed editions manufactured on demand) with professional one-time enterprise licenses plus likely recurring support and training revenue across 150+ defense clients in more than 22 countries. Marketing is multi-channel, combining community forums, Discord, YouTube, Twitch, X, Facebook, Instagram, newsletters, organized tournaments, beta programs, monthly CPE Livestreams, and presence at defense industry events such as I/ITSEC and the annual Command User Event (CUE). The group is structured across wholly-owned subsidiaries including Matrix Games LLC (US), Matrix Games Ltd., Ageod Ltd., Shenandoah Studios Ltd., Slitherine Corporation (US), and Slitherine SRL (Italy), with CEO Erik Rutins leading the US entity.
Matrix Games firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Matrix Games
- Legal name
- Slitherine Software UK Ltd.
- Website
- https://matrixgames.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2000
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Matrix Games, part of the Slitherine group, publishes 300+ consumer wargames and professional military simulation software (Command PE, Combat Mission PE, Flashpoint Campaigns PE), serving defense organizations in 22+ countries and strategy-gaming enthusiasts globally.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Matrix Games industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Strategy & Military Simulation Software
- NAICS
- Software Publishers (51321)
- SIC
- Services-Prepackaged Software (7372)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Serious Games & Simulation Studios (Training, Defense, Enterprise) (MPAFAAAH)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Simulation, Scenario & Serious Games Design (EDAGAKAH)
Keywords
Where Matrix Games is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Dayton
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices6 records
Markets served
Matrix Games business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Digital game sales: Sales of strategy and wargames through the company's own online store at matrixgames.com. Games are delivered as digital downloads with no intrusive DRM.
- Steam distribution: Game purchases can also be made through Steam, indicating a marketplace distribution channel.
- Professional military software (Matrix Pro Sims): Specialist software sold to military clients for professional use in training, education, and analysis. Includes Command Professional Edition and other military-grade wargame products.
- Royalty accounting and partner reporting: The company works with game developers across its portfolio and has royalty accounting obligations alongside core finance operations.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Digital download games with no DRM |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels12 records
Matrix Games product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Matrix Games publishes and sells a catalogue of more than 300 commercial wargames and strategy titles spanning historical periods from ancient to modern, distributed through its own online store and Steam under the Matrix Games and Slitherine brands. Through the Matrix Pro Sims division, the company develops and sells professional military simulation software (Command: Professional Edition, Combat Mission: Professional Edition, Flashpoint Campaigns: Professional Edition) to defense ministries, militaries, and defense contractors for training, education, and analysis. The underlying wargame simulation engine underpins both consumer products and professional-grade defense simulation tools used by clients such as the US DOD, UK MOD, Australian DOD, NATO, Northrop Grumman, and BAE Systems.
Product overview
Matrix Games operates as a multi-brand portfolio under Slitherine Software UK Ltd., offering both consumer wargames (Slitherine/Matrix Games brands) and professional military simulation products (Matrix Pro Sims brand). The core consumer offering spans over 300 titles including historical strategy games, tactical combat simulations, and grand strategy titles. The Matrix Pro Sims professional division focuses on defense-sector customers, offering Command: Professional Edition (for air/land/naval operations analysis), Combat Mission: Professional Edition (tactical combat simulation), and Flashpoint Campaigns: Professional Edition (operational planning). Products are distributed through Steam and the Matrix Games store, with professional versions targeting military, training, and analysis applications for clients including US DOD, UK MOD, NATO, and other defense organizations.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Command: Professional Edition: Professional military wargame for defense analysis, training, and operations.
- Combat Mission: Professional Edition
- Flashpoint Campaigns: Professional Edition
Products and services
- Command: Professional Edition Flagship professional wargame for defense analysis, military training, and operational planning. Provides comprehensive air, land, and naval operations simulation with high-resolution terrain, missile physics modelling, passive radar sensors, and Lua scripting for automation. Targeted at defense ministries, militaries, and defense industry customers.
- Combat Mission: Professional Edition
Quantifiable outcome
- Clients in over 22 countries including major defense organizations
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Matrix Games
Customer profileNamed customers8 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Matrix Games technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature9 records
Matrix Games partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- BAE SystemscoreBAE Systems signed an agreement to use Command professional wargame software for defense modeling and simulation purposes.
- Northrop GrummancoreNorthrop Grumman has been using Command-line version (CLI) for a DARPA initiative to train AIs with literally quadrillions of scenario variants, demonstrating high-level defense industry adoption.
- Luftwaffe Officer SchoolcoreGerman Air Force officer training institution using Command PE for training officers in air operations planning and tactics. Includes week-long training events at the academy.
- US Marine Corps Wargaming CentercoreUSMC wargaming center using WEGO-style multiplayer functionality in Command PE with enthusiastic feedback and suggestions for improvements.
- Fight Club InternationalminorPartnership announced for UDT Wargaming Exercise, demonstrating collaboration in professional military wargaming community.
- WarfareSimscoreWarfareSims is the development team behind Command Professional Edition. Their expertise in military simulation underpins the CPE product.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Matrix Games competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Ubisoft: Global publisher with a strong strategy and tactical-shooter portfolio (including the Tom Clancy franchise with military simulation DNA). Broad incumbent competing for the strategy/military enthusiast consumer that Matrix Games also serves.
- CAE: Global defense training and simulation prime with a broad portfolio spanning aviation, land, and synthetic training environments. Operates at a much larger scale than Matrix Pro Sims and competes for the same large multi-year defense training programs.
- Electronic Arts: Major global publisher with strategy and military-themed franchises in its portfolio. Broad incumbent operating at a different scale but competing for the same strategy gamer wallet.
- Creative Assembly: Developer of the Total War series — historically grounded, large-scale strategy games. Adjacent peer to Matrix Games on the consumer side, with comparable historical strategy appeal but a far larger mainstream audience.
- Parsons Corporation: Defense and intelligence prime with a Federal Solutions business that includes modeling, simulation, and training capabilities. Competes with Matrix Pro Sims for adjacent defense simulation program work at a much larger contract scale.
Direct peers
- Bohemia Interactive Simulations: Maker of the Virtual Battlespace (VBS) family of COTS military training simulations. Direct competitor to Matrix Pro Sims in the professional COTS wargame/simulation category, serving defense customers with comparable use cases in training and analysis.
- SimIS: Provider of professional military simulation, modeling, and training services to US and allied defense customers. Comparable to Matrix Pro Sims in serving defense analysis and training use cases, though with a heavier services-led model.
- Paradox Interactive: Stockholm-based publisher of grand strategy and historical wargames (Hearts of Iron, Europa Universalis, Crusader Kings). Closest direct comparable to Matrix Games on the consumer wargame publishing side, with a similar catalogue model and core enthusiast audience.
- Bohemia Interactive: Game studio behind the Arma series and DayZ — military-themed consumer games with deep simulation mechanics. Comparable to Matrix Games' consumer wargame portfolio in audience overlap (military enthusiasts) and product sensibility, though operating at higher brand scale.
- Calytrix Technologies: Smaller specialist in military simulation software and synthetic training environments. Direct niche peer to Matrix Pro Sims on the professional defense side, competing for similar COTS simulation mandates with allied militaries.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Matrix Games social profiles
Digital presenceMatrix Games financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Matrix Games leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Matrix Games subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries6 records
Matrix Games funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Matrix 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 Matrix Games
What does Matrix Games do?
Matrix Games publishes and sells a catalogue of more than 300 commercial wargames and strategy titles spanning historical periods from ancient to modern, distributed through its own online store and Steam under the Matrix Games and Slitherine brands. Through the Matrix Pro Sims division, the company develops and sells professional military simulation software (Command: Professional Edition, Combat Mission: Professional Edition, Flashpoint Campaigns: Professional Edition) to defense ministries, militaries, and defense contractors for training, education, and analysis. The underlying wargame simulation engine underpins both consumer products and professional-grade defense simulation tools used by clients such as the US DOD, UK MOD, Australian DOD, NATO, Northrop Grumman, and BAE Systems.
Is Matrix Games a public or private company?
Matrix Games is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Matrix Games founded?
Matrix Games was founded in 2000. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Matrix Games based?
Matrix Games is headquartered in Dayton, United States, in the North America region.
How does Matrix Games make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Digital game sales are the primary driver. The others are steam distribution, professional military software (Matrix Pro Sims) and royalty accounting and partner reporting.
Who are Matrix Games's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Ubisoft, CAE, Electronic Arts, Creative Assembly and Parsons Corporation. Direct peers are Bohemia Interactive Simulations, SimIS, Paradox Interactive, Bohemia Interactive and Calytrix Technologies.
Does Matrix Games have an API?
No public API is recorded for Matrix Games.
What industry is Matrix Games in?
Matrix Games's product category is Strategy & Military Simulation Software. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAFAAAH, Serious Games & Simulation Studios (Training, Defense, Enterprise), with a secondary code of EDAGAKAH, Simulation, Scenario & Serious Games Design. Its NAICS code is 51321 and its SIC code is 7372.