ONTOP

What ONTOP does

ONTOP Studios (operating as ONTOP) is a Lisbon, Portugal-based, privately-held augmented reality game and experience developer founded in 2018 with a 1-10 person team. The company builds AR games, branded AR campaigns, and AR filters spanning mobile (iOS, Android), spatial computing (Apple Vision Pro, Magic Leap), and social platforms (Snapchat, Facebook, Instagram). Its proprietary ONTOP AR Framework and 5G multiplayer infrastructure support products including Devil's Purge, New Fantasy, ARcade Sports, PuzzlAR: World Tour, Wild Balance, Soul Snappers, Alien Scan, ARtscape, and BBox (athlete fan engagement featuring 3D models of Cristiano Ronaldo and Eusébio).

ONTOP operates a dual-track business model. The consumer track distributes AR games through app stores under a freemium model with titles aimed at immersive gameplay (Devil's Purge roguelike, New Fantasy multiplayer adventure, Buddy which won the 2019 Google ARCore Game Jam). The B2B track delivers custom AR experiences for enterprise brand partners including Vodafone (multiple campaigns across Portugal, Qatar, and Rock in Rio), Samsung, Altice, NOS, Jio, McDonald's, Baobab Studios, and BBox, generating project-based fees. Distribution extends across major app stores and an Indian telco channel via Jio, plus location-based installations such as Alice Lanterns at Lisbon/Porto Magical Garden.

The go-to-market combines product-led growth on consumer app stores with direct enterprise sales engagement (initiated via website quotation form) and event-driven activations at major venues (WebSummit, Rock in Rio, Qatar National Day). CEO Nuno Folhadela leads a small founder-controlled team with no disclosed institutional funding, parent company, or acquisitions, positioning ONTOP as a boutique AR studio whose scale is bounded by headcount rather than capital.

Name

ONTOP

Legal name

ONTOP Studios

Website

https://ontopstudios.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2018

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

ONTOP Studios is a Lisbon-based augmented reality game developer building mobile and spatial-computing AR games (Devil's Purge, New Fantasy, ARcade Sports, Wild Balance) for consumers via app stores and custom branded AR experiences for enterprise clients including Vodafone, Samsung, Altice, and McDonald's.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Augmented Reality Gaming

NAICS

Software Publishers (513210)

SIC

Services-Prepackaged Software (7372)

akta.pro primary industry

VR/AR/XR Game Studios (MPAFAAAE)

akta.pro secondary industry

Immersive/Interactive Animation (AR/VR/Real-Time) (MPAHACAN)

Keywords

• Augmented reality games
• Mobile AR gaming
• Branded AR experiences
• AR filters development
• Multiplayer AR platform

Headquarters

HQ city

Lisbon

HQ country

Portugal

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Software

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Consumer Mobile Games: Direct-to-consumer AR mobile games distributed through app stores (iOS, Google Play, Microsoft, Magic Leap) with freemium or paid download models. Games include Devil's Purge, New Fantasy, ARcade Spin, Soul Snappers, Wild Balance, Buddy, and PuzzlAR.
2. B2B Brand Partnership Projects: Custom AR experience development for enterprise brand partners. ONTOP creates branded AR campaigns, filters, and experiences for clients including Vodafone (multiple campaigns), Samsung, Baobab Studios, OCUBO, and others. Revenue generated through project fees for developing custom AR solutions.
3. Social Platform AR Filters: AR filter distribution through social media platforms including Snapchat, Facebook, and Instagram. Revenue may come from brand sponsorships for filter creation.

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

ONTOP Studios develops augmented reality mobile games, branded AR experiences, social platform AR filters, and location-based AR installations. The company distributes consumer games through iOS App Store, Google Play, Microsoft Store, and Magic Leap, while delivering custom B2B AR campaigns for enterprise clients including Vodafone, Samsung, McDonald's, Altice, and Baobab Studios. Their offering leverages a proprietary ONTOP AR Framework supporting ARKit, ARCore, 5G, and cross-platform deployment.

Product overview

ONTOP Studios is an augmented reality entertainment company that develops AR games, experiences, and filters. The portfolio includes action RPGs (Devil's Purge, New Fantasy), multiplayer sports platforms (ARcade Sports), puzzle games (PuzzlAR), AR filters (Samsung, Bonfire, Crow), branded experiences (Vodafone, Samsung, Altice), and location-based experiences (Alice, ARtscape). Products span mobile apps, AR glasses compatibility, and social media filters across iOS, Android, Microsoft, Magic Leap, Jio, Snapchat, Facebook, and Instagram platforms. The company positions itself as transitioning entertainment from flat screens to AR adventures.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• ARcade Sports: A revolutionary 5G AR multiplayer platform that mixes digital challenges with real world exercise.
• Vodafone AR Spin
• Vodafone ROCKOUT
• PuzzlAR: World Tour
• Heróis da Fruta
• BBox
• Buddy
• Soul Snappers
• Wild Balance
• Alien Scan
• Devil's Purge
• New Fantasy

Products and services

• Devil's Purge An AR roguelike-action game where players physically move to slay demons and purge the devil. Features randomly generated levels, physical-action gameplay, and combat style building. Currently on iOS App Store with Android coming soon.
• New Fantasy A multiplayer AR adventure game where players face mythical monsters and gods through physical exercise. Tracks steps, squats, and calories burned as players run, jump, dodge, and collect gold while finding monster weakspots.
• ARcade Sports A 5G AR multiplayer platform mixing digital challenges with real-world exercise. Players find game arenas, assemble teams, choose challenges, and compete for prizes from local sponsors. Available on Google Play and iOS App Store.
• Buddy An AR agent app that plays mini-games with friends, provides nutritional information, and supports selfie capture. Leverages Google Lens, ARCore, and multiplayer capabilities.
• PuzzlAR: World Tour An AR puzzle game where players create famous landmarks (Statue of Liberty, Taj Mahal, Forbidden City, St. Basil's Cathedral) piece by piece. Features multiple challenging modes per monument with iconic sounds.
• Heróis da Fruta An AR treasure hunt game featuring characters Sushi, Yoga, and TukTuk. Players discover magic chests, collect magic cards from fruits and vegetables, and earn prizes from local partners.
• Soul Snappers An AR photography game where players wander with their camera to capture lost souls. Each photograph reveals spectral figures and famous historical souls, with zodiac and elemental filters for soul discovery.
• Alien Scan A co-op AR browser game powered by Niantic Studio featuring face recognition. Players scan friends' faces to discover and eliminate aliens using facial expressions and flashlight flashes.
• Wild Balance An AR game for Apple Vision Pro where players stack physics-based animal-shaped blocks (lions, elephants, snakes) to build the tallest tower using hand gestures.
• ARtscape An AR location transformation tool created with OCUBO that converts any location into an open-air museum. Users create personalized art paths with mini-games and share open sky galleries with friends.
• ARcade Spin An AR arcade game where players physically spin to summon witch Morgana and slash through her spells. Features coin collection, special powers, and global leaderboard competition.
• BBox An AR framework allowing fans to interact with 3D athlete models (Cristiano Ronaldo, Eusébio) in the real world. Features selfie capture, AR portals for stadium tours, and collectible figurine scanning.
• Vodafone AR Spin An AR experience for National Sports Day where players spin to collect Vodafone 5G spheres while avoiding metal spikes. Powered by Vodafone 5G network with national leaderboards.
• Vodafone Rockout An AR experience at Rock in Rio festival combining treasure hunt with DJ skills. Players explore the festival to find hidden markers and spin vinyls to reveal AR music instruments.
• Altice Business A B2B AR service with 6 unique episodes for Altice telecommunications. Used at events like WebSummit where users point smartphones at columns to reveal animated and voice-acted AR experiences.
• Alice (Alice's Lanterns) A free AR experience for Magical Garden in Lisbon and Oporto, created with OCUBO. Visitors discover an imaginary world with magical interactive elements from flowers to giant mushrooms.
• Vodafone Qatar An AR fireworks and drone display experience for Qatar National Day at Msheireb Downtown Doha, powered by Vodafone Qatar's 5G network.
• Samsung AR Filter An AR face filter for Samsung Odyssey 2 gaming laptop. Users equip an iron armored robot suit with mouth-controlled display. Available on Snapchat.
• Bonfire AR Filter A Facebook and Instagram filter for Baobab Bonfire animation short. Users transform into alien Pork Bun character with movable antennas and facial expressions.
• Crow: The Legend AR Filter A Facebook AR filter collaboration with Baobab Studios and John Legend. Features lip-syncing with the original song, eyebrow movement, mouth tracking, and on-screen karaoke lyrics.

Named customers8 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• VodafonecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor strategic partner with multiple AR projects including Vodafone AR Spin (5G sports experience), Vodafone Rockout (festival activation at Rock in Rio), and Vodafone Qatar AR fireworks for Qatar National Day. Partnership spans multiple countries and demonstrates deep collaboration on 5G-enabled AR experiences.
• OCUBOcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCreative partner for location-based AR experiences including Alice Lanterns (Magical Garden installations in Lisbon and Porto) and ARtscape (transforming locations into open-air museums). OCUBO provides artistic direction for immersive AR installations.
• SamsungmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner for Samsung AR Filter showcasing Samsung Odyssey 2 product through immersive armor filter experience distributed on Snapchat.
• Baobab StudiosmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCreative studio partnership for AR filter adaptations of Baobab's animated content including Bonfire (Facebook/Instagram filter featuring Pork Bun alien character) and Crow: The Legend (featuring John Legend).
• Magic LeapmajorTechnology or IntegrationPlatform partnership for PuzzlAR distribution on Magic Leap devices, expanding AR experience availability to spatial computing platform.
• MicrosoftmajorTechnology or IntegrationPlatform partnership for PuzzlAR World Tour distribution on Microsoft Store, providing cross-platform AR gaming availability.
• AlticemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTelecommunications partner for Altice Business B2B AR services featuring 6 unique AR episodes, deployed at events including WebSummit.
• NOSminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPortuguese telecommunications partner listed on partnerships page.
• JiominorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorIndian telecommunications partner listed on partnerships page with PuzzlAR distribution.
• McDonald'sminorGTM or Marketing PartnerFast-food brand partner listed on partnerships page.
• SnapchatmajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPrimary social platform for AR filter distribution including Samsung AR Filter and Baobab Studios filters.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Meta: Owner of Spark AR and Facebook/Instagram AR filter ecosystem. Comparable to ONTOP's social AR filter offering and brand-sponsored AR campaigns, embedded within Meta's broader social platform.
• Snap Inc. Operator of Snapchat and the Lens Studio AR filter platform — directly overlaps with ONTOP's Snapchat AR filter distribution and BBox-style AR experiences, but as part of a much larger social platform business.
• Magic Leap: Spatial computing platform maker and partner of ONTOP for PuzzlAR distribution. Comparable at the device/AR ecosystem level rather than as a direct studio competitor.

Emerging players

• 8th Wall: Web-based AR development platform used by brands and studios to build cross-device AR experiences. Comparable as enabling infrastructure for the type of AR experiences ONTOP builds for enterprise clients.
• Within: Immersive content studio producing AR/VR narratives and brand experiences (formerly VRSE, acquired by Yahoo). Closely comparable to ONTOP's B2B branded AR experience work and storytelling focus.
• Resolution Games: Independent VR/AR game studio shipping spatial titles across Quest, Vision Pro, and mobile. Highly comparable in studio profile (small, cross-platform AR/VR games) to ONTOP's Vision Pro and mobile AR portfolio.

Direct peers

• Niantic: Developer of Pokémon GO, Ingress, and Pikmin Bloom — the dominant mobile AR games studio. Most directly comparable to ONTOP in mobile AR gaming, though at vastly larger scale.
• Baobab Studios: Award-winning interactive animation studio behind Bonfire and Crow: The Legend — both of which ONTOP adapted into AR filters. Overlaps directly with ONTOP's branded AR storytelling work.
• OCUBO: Creative studio co-developer of ONTOP's Alice Lanterns and ARtscape location-based AR installations. Closely comparable as a peer European AR experience studio.

Others

• Niantic Studio: Niantic's web-based AR authoring tool that powers ONTOP's Alien Scan co-op AR game. Functions as an enabling technology partner and ecosystem comp rather than a competitor.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/ontopgames
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCzZ2_2fBrNF_fNa2wM45ecQ/featured
• LinkedInpt.linkedin.com/company/ontopstudios

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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 ONTOP