Session Games
Session Games is an independent Vancouver-based action-sports gaming studio developing free-to-play mobile and Nintendo Switch titles across skiing, snowboarding, skateboarding, and air racing, serving both consumer gamers and brand partners like FIS and Red Bull through official licensed games and branded promotional activations.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2016
- HeadquartersVancouver, Canada
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingSoftware
What Session Games does
Session Games is an independent action-sports gaming studio founded in 2016 in Vancouver, BC, Canada, with a headcount of 11-50 employees. The company develops free-to-play mobile games and Nintendo Switch titles spanning skiing, snowboarding, skateboarding, and air racing. Its active portfolio centers on FIS World Cup Ski Racing (the official alpine racing game of the International Ski Federation), Snowboarding The Next Phase (the first snowboarding title on Nintendo Switch), and Skate Video Tycoon (developed in partnership with Braille Skateboarding). The company has also produced a series of branded promotional games for Red Bull featuring NBA athletes Pascal Siakam and Matisse Thybulle, distributed via QR codes at point-of-purchase.
The studio's core technology is built on the Unity game engine, with proprietary features including touch-drag-release controls, FIS-accurate 3D rendering of real-world World Cup ski venues (Lake Louise, St Moritz, Adelboden, Wengen, Schladming, etc.), split Joy-Con multiplayer support on Switch, and a live Spectate feature for head-to-head PvP viewing. Session Games monetizes through three streams: freemium mobile games with in-app purchases, one-time license sales on the Nintendo eShop, and bespoke branded promotional activations delivered as professional services to brand partners. Distribution occurs through the Apple App Store, Google Play, Nintendo eShop, and QR-code-driven web activations.
The company serves two primary customer segments: long-tail consumer mobile/console gamers in the action-sports enthusiast persona, and a small set of B2B brand partners (Red Bull, FIS, and various ski-equipment brands including HEAD, Fischer, Rossignol, Stöckli, Völkl, Atomic, Helly-Hansen, Longines, LEKI, and Reusch). Leadership comprises industry veterans from Electronic Arts and Radical Entertainment — CEO Ian Verchere (Radical Entertainment co-founder, ex-EA producer), CCO Andrew Murphy (SSX, Need for Speed Underground, Bike Unchained), and CPO Ben Stoddard (EA Skate, SSX, founding President of Canada Skateboard). The company is privately held with no disclosed external funding and operates as a standalone independent studio.
Session Games firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Session Games
- Legal name
- Session Games
- Website
- https://sessiongames.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2016
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Session Games is an independent Vancouver-based action-sports gaming studio developing free-to-play mobile and Nintendo Switch titles across skiing, snowboarding, skateboarding, and air racing, serving both consumer gamers and brand partners like FIS and Red Bull through official licensed games and branded promotional activations.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Session Games industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Action-Sports Video Games
- SIC
- Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Virtual Sports & Esports Live Events (Broadcast + Interactive Viewing) (MPAGAOAH)
Keywords
Where Session Games is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Vancouver
- HQ country
- Canada
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Session Games business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Free-to-Play Mobile Games with In-App Purchases: Core revenue stream from free-to-play mobile games (World Cup Ski Racing, Skate Video Tycoon, Snowboarding The Fourth Phase, Red Bull Free Skiing) monetized through in-game purchases of gear, upgrades, and premium content. Games are free to download and generate revenue from player spending on customizations, competitive advantages, and limited-time items.
- Nintendo Switch Game Sales: Snowboarding The Next Phase is sold as a one-time purchase on the Nintendo eShop (pre-order and full release). This is a direct one-time license revenue model for console/handheld play.
- Branded Promotional Game Activations (B2B): Session Games develops bespoke branded experiences for partners such as Red Bull (Siakam's World with Pascal Siakam, Past Matisse with Matisse Thybulle). These are limited-time promotional activations for brand marketing purposes, likely contracted as professional services or licensing engagements.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Pay-as-you-go | Free-to-play mobile games with in-app purchases |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Snowboarding The Next Phase — one-time Nintendo eShop purchase |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels4 records
Session Games product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Session Games is an independent gaming studio that designs, develops, publishes, and operates original action-sports video games for mobile (iOS/Android) and console (Nintendo Switch) platforms. Its portfolio centers on free-to-play mobile titles such as FIS World Cup Ski Racing and Skate Video Tycoon, a paid Nintendo Switch release (Snowboarding The Next Phase), and bespoke WebGL branded promotional game activations produced for partners including Red Bull, FIS, and Braille Skateboarding.
Product overview
Session Games is an independent gaming studio specializing in action-sports video games for mobile and console platforms. The company's portfolio consists of multiple distinct titles across different sports disciplines, including snowboarding (Snowboarding The Next Phase, Snowboarding The Fourth Phase), skiing (FIS World Cup Ski Racing, Red Bull Free Skiing), skateboarding (Skate Video Tycoon), basketball (Siakam's World, Past Matisse), air racing (Red Bull Air Race, Red Bull Air Race 2), and mountain biking (Red Bull Bike Unchained). The product strategy features both currently active games and several sunsetted legacy titles. Session Games develops games both independently and through partnerships with brands such as Red Bull, FIS (International Ski Federation), and Braille Skateboarding. The company operates primarily in the free-to-play mobile gaming market with some console releases.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- FIS World Cup Ski Racing Free-to-play mobile alpine racing game for iOS and Android, developed in partnership with FIS (International Ski Federation). Features four disciplines (Downhill, Giant Slalom, Super G, Slalom), one-vs-one PvP racing, worldwide leaderboards, team features, seasonal rankings, and eFIS championship progression. Players can spectate top leaderboard racers and earn eFIS World Cup points; the game serves as the official platform for the FIS Esports Alpine World Championships.
- Snowboarding The Next Phase One-time-purchase snowboarding game for Nintendo Switch and the first (and only) snowboarding title available on the platform. Includes split-screen local multiplayer with separate Joy-Con support, Arcade and Career modes, worldwide leaderboards, Photo Challenges with Nintendo Album integration, Pro Controller compatibility, and intuitive on-the-go Switch controls. Targets Nintendo Switch owners seeking a portable snowboarding experience across BC, Russia, and Japan backcountry locations.
- Skate Video Tycoon Free-to-play mobile idle/tycoon game for iOS and Android, developed in partnership with Braille Skateboarding. Follows the story of brand founder Aaron Kyro as he grows his skateboarding brand from a single skate video into a skate empire. Features progressive storylines, limited-time events, and collectibles; targets skateboarding fans and idle-game players.
- Siakam's World Free-to-play WebGL basketball shooting game activation commissioned by Red Bull Canada, featuring Toronto Raptors star Pascal Siakam. Players access via QR code at point of purchase for Red Bull products and compete in around-the-world basketball shooting rounds to win real-world Pascal Siakam fan experience prizes. A limited-time promotional campaign for brand marketing purposes, running during the 2022/23 NBA season.
- Past Matisse Free-to-play WebGL basketball shooting game activation commissioned by Red Bull USA, featuring Philadelphia 76ers shooting guard Matisse Thybulle. Players enter via QR code and compete in challenging basketball shooting rounds. A limited-time promotional campaign for Red Bull USA brand marketing purposes, running during the 2022 NBA season.
Quantifiable outcome
- Over 1,100 competitors from 50 countries participated in the inaugural FIS Esports Alpine World Championships
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Session Games
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Session Games technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature5 records
Session Games partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Six partnerships are on record, tiered minor, flagship and core.
- National Ski Associations (participating in Road to Cortina)minorParticipating National Ski Associations collaborated with FIS and Session Games for the 'Road to Cortina' qualifier series leading to the inaugural FIS Esports Alpine World Championships. Qualifying stops included Lake Louise, St Moritz, Adelboden, Wengen, Schladming, Garmisch, and Zagreb. These NSAs provided real-world event infrastructure and athlete participation for the esports qualification pathway.
- FIS (International Ski Federation)flagshipFIS partnered with Session Games to create World Cup Ski Racing, the Official Alpine Racing Game of FIS. The partnership also includes the inaugural FIS Esports Alpine World Championships, which Session Games helped organize and host, featuring over 1,100 competitors from 50 countries. Jürg Capol, FIS Marketing Director, noted the game enables year-round engagement with the FIS World Cup audience. The partnership grants Session Games official licensing rights to FIS branding, real-world course locations, and competitive frameworks.
- Red BullflagshipRed Bull is Session Games' most prolific partner, commissioning multiple branded game experiences including Siakam's World (Red Bull Canada, featuring Pascal Siakam), Past Matisse (Red Bull USA, featuring Matisse Thybulle), Red Bull Free Skiing (mobile game, sunsetted 2021), Red Bull Air Race and Red Bull Air Race 2 (air racing games, sunsetted 2018/2019), Red Bull Bike Unchained (mountain biking game), and Snowboarding The Fourth Phase (featuring Travis Rice). Red Bull provides athlete access, branding, and marketing amplification in exchange for interactive fan engagement experiences.
- Braille Skateboarding (Aaron Kyro)coreSession Games and Braille Skateboarding announced an exclusive mobile games partnership to develop Skate Video Tycoon, following Aaron Kyro's brand-building journey from a single skate video to a skate empire. Braille Skateboarding provides the brand IP, athlete story, and skateboarding community reach. Session Games develops and publishes the game.
- NintendocoreSession Games partnered with Nintendo to publish Snowboarding The Next Phase as a pre-order and launch title on the Nintendo eShop for Nintendo Switch. It is the first and only snowboarding experience available for Switch. Nintendo provides the distribution platform, storefront placement, and Joy-Con hardware integration documentation.
- Ski and snowboard equipment brands (HEAD, Fischer, Rossignol, Stöckli, Völkl, Atomic, Helly-Hansen, Halti, LEKI, Reusch, Longines)minorVarious ski and snowboard equipment brands appear as in-game equipment providers within World Cup Ski Racing, providing brand visibility and authentic gear representation. Longines served as the official timekeeper for FIS Esports. HEAD, Fischer, Rossignol, Stöckli, Völkl, LEKI, and Atomic equip racers in-game, while Helly-Hansen and Halti provide speed suits, and Reusch provides gloves to medalists.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Session Games competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- ESL Gaming: Largest esports tournament and event organizer globally. Comparable as an esports event operator, though ESL focuses on third-party tournament production rather than integrated game-and-event ownership like Session Games.
- Activision Blizzard: Publisher of Tony Hawk's Pro Skater and other major sports/action franchises. Comparable as a large incumbent competing for action-sports gamers with substantially greater resources and established brand IP.
- Electronic Arts: Major game publisher with action-sports franchises including SSX (snowboarding), Skate (skateboarding), and Need for Speed. Multiple Session Games leaders (CEO Ian Verchere, CCO Andrew Murphy, CPO Ben Stoddard) previously worked at EA, making it a closely connected incumbent with overlapping IP heritage and talent.
- Riot Games: Developer of League of Legends and operator of one of the world's largest integrated esports ecosystems. Comparable in the integrated game-plus-esports-event-hosting capability Session Games demonstrates with the FIS Esports Alpine World Championships.
- Ubisoft: Publisher of Steep and Riders Republic, which are direct competitors to Session Games' alpine skiing and action-sports titles. Comparable in targeting the same action-sports gaming market with substantially larger development and marketing resources.
Direct peers
- PikPok: New Zealand-based mobile game studio with the Snowboard Party franchise—a direct competitor to Session Games' snowboarding titles. Comparable as an indie mobile game developer specializing in action-sports simulations with freemium monetization.
- Easy Day Studios: Independent studio behind Skater XL, a skateboarding simulation game. Closely comparable as an indie developer of authentic action-sports simulations targeting core sports enthusiasts on PC and console, with a similar production-scale profile.
- Miniclip: Swiss mobile game publisher specializing in sports and casual games (8 Ball Pool, mobile soccer titles). Comparable as a mobile-first publisher targeting sports gaming audiences globally with freemium live-service titles.
- NaturalMotion: Mobile game developer behind CSR Racing, owned by Zynga. Comparable as a mobile racing/simulation game studio with a similar free-to-play, content-update-driven monetization model targeting global mass-market mobile gamers.
- Fingersoft: Finnish indie mobile game studio behind Hill Climb Racing and other physics-based action titles. Comparable as a similarly-sized independent mobile game developer focused on accessible action gameplay with global distribution.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Session Games social profiles
Digital presenceSession Games financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Session Games leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
Session Games funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Session 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 Session Games
What does Session Games do?
Session Games is an independent gaming studio that designs, develops, publishes, and operates original action-sports video games for mobile (iOS/Android) and console (Nintendo Switch) platforms. Its portfolio centers on free-to-play mobile titles such as FIS World Cup Ski Racing and Skate Video Tycoon, a paid Nintendo Switch release (Snowboarding The Next Phase), and bespoke WebGL branded promotional game activations produced for partners including Red Bull, FIS, and Braille Skateboarding.
Is Session Games a public or private company?
Session Games is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Session Games founded?
Session Games was founded in 2016. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Session Games based?
Session Games is headquartered in Vancouver, Canada, in the North America region.
How does Session Games make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Free-to-Play Mobile Games with In-App Purchases are the primary driver. The others are nintendo Switch Game Sales and branded Promotional Game Activations (B2B).
Who are Session Games's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are ESL Gaming, Activision Blizzard, Electronic Arts, Riot Games and Ubisoft. Direct peers are PikPok, Easy Day Studios, Miniclip, NaturalMotion and Fingersoft.
Does Session Games have an API?
No public API is recorded for Session Games.
What industry is Session Games in?
Session Games's product category is Action-Sports Video Games. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAGAOAH, Virtual Sports & Esports Live Events (Broadcast + Interactive Viewing). Its SIC code is 7900.