Springloaded
Springloaded is a Singapore-based independent game studio founded in 2013 by ex-LucasArts developer James Barnard, self-publishing indie titles across mobile, PC, and consoles for casual and mid-core gamers worldwide.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2013
- HeadquartersSingapore, Singapore
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingSoftware
What Springloaded does
Springloaded is an independent video game development studio headquartered in Singapore, founded in 2013 by James Barnard, a former LucasArts lead designer with 30+ shipped console games. The company self-publishes a portfolio of more than 15 titles spanning management simulations (Let's Build a Zoo, Let's Build a Dungeon), RPGs (The Last Vikings, Tiny Dice Dungeon, Decks & Dungeons), arcade and action games (Ultra Hyperball, GORSD, Prison Planet), and educational titles (Hiragana Pixel Party). Games are distributed across Steam, Nintendo Switch and 3DS eShops, PlayStation Store, Xbox Store, Apple App Store, Google Play, and the Kongregate web portal, with at least one title (GORSD) receiving a physical Nintendo Switch release. Springloaded has secured notable platform-level visibility, including launch features by Apple and Google, participation in Google's inaugural Indie Corner cohort in 2016, and an IMGA Quick Play 2017 award for Desert Island Fishing.
The studio operates a hybrid monetization model combining one-time-purchase game sales on digital storefronts and physical media with free-to-play mobile titles monetized via in-app purchases. It maintains a back-catalogue of delisted titles offered as free downloads for preservation. The company is bootstrapped and founder-owned, with no external funding, parent company, or subsidiaries disclosed; headcount has fluctuated from a peak of 15 during the 2014 Singapore government-commissioned Singapore Connections project to a smaller focused team currently. Marketing is minimal-to-zero, relying on platform features, press coverage, and organic word-of-mouth. Notable player-base milestones include almost 3 million players for Tiny Dice Dungeon and nearly 2 million downloads of The Last Vikings.
Springloaded firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Springloaded
- Legal name
- Springloaded
- Website
- https://springloadedsoftware.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2013
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Springloaded is a Singapore-based independent game studio founded in 2013 by ex-LucasArts developer James Barnard, self-publishing indie titles across mobile, PC, and consoles for casual and mid-core gamers worldwide.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Springloaded industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Indie Video Games
- NAICS
- Software Publishers (5132)
- SIC
- Services-Prepackaged Software (7372)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Mobile & F2P Game Studios (MPAFAAAB)
Keywords
Where Springloaded is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Singapore
- HQ country
- Singapore
- HQ region
- Asia
Offices1 record
Markets served
Springloaded business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Game Sales: One-time purchase revenue from selling games on digital storefronts (Steam, Nintendo eShop, PlayStation Store, Xbox Store) and physical media (Nintendo Switch cartridges). Games range from premium titles to free-to-play with in-app purchases.
- Free-to-Play / In-App Purchases: Desert Island Fishing operates as a free-to-play mobile game with monetization through in-app purchases. Previously featured ad services and micro-transaction features.
- Game Downloads / Archive Content: Delisted back-catalogue games made freely available for download as historic/preservation content, with potential non-functional legacy ad and IAP systems.
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels9 records
Marketing channels5 records
Springloaded product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Springloaded is an independent video game development studio that designs, develops, and self-publishes original games across mobile (iOS/Android), PC (Steam), and console (Nintendo Switch, PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo 3DS) platforms. Its catalog spans management simulations, tactical RPGs, arcade action, city builders, educational games, and free-to-play mobile titles, with revenue earned primarily from one-time game sales and in-app purchases.
Product overview
Springloaded is a video game development company based in Singapore that creates and publishes independent video games across multiple platforms. The company was founded by James Barnard and operates a portfolio of distinct games rather than a unified platform. Key products include management simulation games (Let's Build a Dungeon, Let's Build a Zoo), tactical RPGs (Decks & Dungeons, The Legend of Evil), action/arena games (GORSD, Ultra Hyperball!), city-building games (PixoCities), educational games (Hiragana Pixel Party), and mobile games (Desert Island Fishing, The Last Vikings, Tiny Dice Dungeon). Games are distributed across Steam, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation, Xbox, and mobile platforms (iOS/Android). The company also maintains a back-catalogue of delisted games available for free download on their website for game preservation purposes.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Let's Build a Dungeon Management simulation game in which players run a game studio making the world's greatest MMORPG: hire designers, coders, and testers, build a fantasy world, manage virtual players, and even play the game they create. Released for individual gamers on Steam and Xbox.
- Let's Build a Zoo Zoo management and simulation game in which players construct enclosures, buy and breed animals, hire staff, and engage in DNA splicing to create over 300,000 different animal types. Released for individual gamers on Steam.
- GORSD Intense arena combat game with nightmare-themed visuals where players explore a world of challenges created by an unknown power. Released for individual gamers on Steam, PS4, Nintendo Switch (physical), and Xbox.
- Decks & Dungeons Tactical RPG in which players collect monsters and weapons, continuing from 'The Legend of Evil' from the perspective of the good guys. Released for individual gamers on Steam, PS4, Nintendo Switch, Xbox, and mobile.
- PixoCities Relaxing hidden object-city builder hybrid where players build and explore cities, interact with characters, and help direct people toward their goals. Released for individual gamers on Steam, Nintendo Switch, and mobile.
- Prison Planet Intergalactic space prison building and action game where players design cell blocks, confine prisoners using security drones, and research new buildings. Released for individual gamers on Mobile, Nintendo Switch, and Steam.
- The Legend of Evil Tower offense game in which players play as Bill, an employee for a demon king tasked with obliterating humans and expanding the demon realm by crafting demons and defining unique strategies. Released for individual gamers.
- Space Lift Danger Panic! Panic-inducing arcade game with an existential story mode, HD-redrawn graphics, and motion controls. Released for individual gamers on Nintendo Switch.
- Nuclien Remastered premium puzzle/strategy game originally launched on iPhone in 2013 (previously called Alpha Gene on Windows Phone in 2010), with over 30,000 iOS/Android downloads. Released for individual gamers on Nintendo Switch.
- Hiragana Pixel Party Pixel-art Japanese language learning game (Hiragana) with controller support, new music, and Steam trading cards. Originally released on iOS with 100,000+ downloads, then on Steam, then updated on Nintendo Switch. Released for individual gamers and language learners.
- Ultra Hyperball! Nintendo Switch exclusive sports game featuring Hyperball with a single player story mode, 2-4 player co-op and versus modes, motion controls, touch screen support, and 49 playable characters. Released for individual gamers on Nintendo Switch.
- Desert Island Fishing Free-to-play mobile fishing game with surprising depth, featuring 6 islands, character stories, and cross-game connectivity with The Last Vikings. Winner of IMGA Quick Play 2017. Released for individual gamers on mobile.
- Campaign Clicker US election-themed clicker/idle game with real-time 24-hour gameplay cycles and live tweets from political candidates, designed to expose players to real politics. Released for individual gamers on mobile and Steam, with over 300,000 downloads.
- The Last Vikings Epic Viking RPG in which players take on the role of Eric Blood Axe to rebuild Viking civilization through sailing, exploration, and player-versus-player combat. Featured by Apple and Google on launch. Downloaded almost 2 million times on mobile. Released for individual gamers.
- Heart Beaten Nintendo 3DS action game originated from a 24-hour game jam, featuring new gameplay, graphics, and music. Released for individual gamers on Nintendo 3DS.
- Tiny Dice Dungeon Innovative RPG built around dice rolling mechanics, the first game released by Springloaded as a company. Reached almost 3 million players across mobile platforms and the Kongregate web portal. Released for individual gamers.
- Atomic Test Pilot Solo-developed precision adventure game with a short development time (less than a week), released as the final solo developer project before Springloaded was formally established. Released for individual gamers.
Quantifiable outcome
- Almost 3 million players for Tiny Dice Dungeon
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Springloaded
Customer profileSegments1 record
Ideal customer profiles1 record
Springloaded technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Springloaded partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Google Indie CornercoreSpringloaded was in the first group of companies to benefit from Google's 'Indie Corner' initiative. The Last Vikings was featured by Google on launch, providing significant visibility for the game.
- Apple App StorecoreThe Last Vikings was featured by Apple on launch alongside Google's feature placement, providing visibility to mobile gamers.
- Digipen / NintendominorDigipen announced a partnership with Nintendo to bring Singapore games to Nintendo hardware. As the only developer in Singapore to have previously worked on the 3DS platform, Springloaded was positioned to participate in this initiative. Studios can work directly with Digipen and Nintendo to bring games to their platforms.
- KongregateminorTiny Dice Dungeon is available on the Kongregate web portal alongside mobile platforms, expanding reach to web gamers.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Springloaded competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Motion Twin: French indie cooperative behind Dead Cells; small, self-publishing team with multi-platform releases and a focus on action/roguelike titles — comparable in team structure and indie self-publishing distribution across console and PC.
- Playdead: Danish indie studio behind Limbo and Inside; small team producing self-published, multi-platform artistic titles with a similar indie self-publishing and multi-storefront distribution profile to Springloaded.
- Re-Logic: American indie studio behind Terraria; small team with multi-platform self-publishing and a multi-decade indie operating history — comparable in long-running, small-team, multi-platform indie approach.
- Thunder Lotus Games: Canadian indie studio behind Jotun and Spiritfarer; small team producing multi-platform self-published titles with strong critical reception, mirroring Springloaded's small-team multi-platform indie profile.
- Supergiant Games: California-based indie studio behind Bastion, Transistor, and Hades; small team, multi-platform self-publishing with strong critical reception — comparable in team size, multi-storefront footprint, and indie self-publishing approach.
- Team Cherry: Australian indie team behind Hollow Knight; very small team that achieved multi-platform self-published success — directly comparable in small-team scale and multi-platform indie distribution model.
- Yacht Club Games: American indie studio behind Shovel Knight; small team producing multi-platform self-published games including physical Switch releases — directly mirrors Springloaded's GORSD physical Switch launch and small-team multi-platform model.
Broad incumbents
- Devolver Digital: Major indie publisher supporting many small studios similar to Springloaded; not a direct competitor but operates in the same indie ecosystem and is a frequent partner or acquirer of comparable indie studios.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Springloaded social profiles
Digital presenceSpringloaded financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Springloaded leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
Springloaded funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Springloaded 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 Springloaded
What does Springloaded do?
Springloaded is an independent video game development studio that designs, develops, and self-publishes original games across mobile (iOS/Android), PC (Steam), and console (Nintendo Switch, PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo 3DS) platforms. Its catalog spans management simulations, tactical RPGs, arcade action, city builders, educational games, and free-to-play mobile titles, with revenue earned primarily from one-time game sales and in-app purchases.
Is Springloaded a public or private company?
Springloaded is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Springloaded founded?
Springloaded was founded in 2013. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Springloaded based?
Springloaded is headquartered in Singapore, Singapore, in the Asia region.
How does Springloaded make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Game Sales are the primary driver. The others are free-to-Play / In-App Purchases and game Downloads / Archive Content.
Who are Springloaded's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Motion Twin, Playdead, Re-Logic, Thunder Lotus Games, Supergiant Games, Team Cherry and Yacht Club Games. Devolver Digital is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does Springloaded have an API?
No public API is recorded for Springloaded.
What industry is Springloaded in?
Springloaded's product category is Indie Video Games. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAFAAAB, Mobile & F2P Game Studios. Its NAICS code is 5132 and its SIC code is 7372.