What Independent Arts Software does

Independent Arts Software, now operating as astragon Development GmbH, is a German video game development studio founded in 1990 in Hamm, Westfalen. The company operates as a contract and co-development studio, building commercial games on behalf of publishers, IP holders, and platform licensees across PC, console, mobile, and browser platforms. Its portfolio spans more than 250 shipped titles, with concentration in two verticals: simulation games (Construction Simulator series, Fishing: Barents Sea/North Atlantic, Railway Empire) and licensed children's/family IP (Bibi Blocksberg, Bibi & Tina, BIG-Bobby-Car, Moorhuhn). The studio holds licensed developer status with Amazon, Microsoft, Nintendo, Sony, and Steam, and develops using engines including Unreal Engine 5, with Seafarer: The Ship Sim (Summer 2025 Early Access) showcasing NVIDIA WaveWorks 2.0 interactive wave simulation.

The company's revenue model is professional services / work-for-hire: it accepts co-development, porting, and full-cycle production contracts from publishers such as astragon Entertainment (its parent since April 2023), Kalypso Media, Daedalic Entertainment, Wild River Games, Markt+Technik Verlag, and others. Pricing is quote-based per project rather than productized. Its primary customer segment is enterprise-level video game publishers; consumer/gamers are an indirect downstream beneficiary. Several projects are partially funded by German public film/media subsidies (Film und Medien Stiftung NRW, Bundesministerium für Digitales und Verkehr), and the studio is positioned within astragon Entertainment's simulation-brand portfolio following the acquisition. Leadership comprises CEO Tim Schmitz and Studio Manager Christian Grunwald, succeeding founder Holger Kuchling.

Name

Independent Arts Software

Legal name

astragon Development GmbH

Website

https://independent-arts-software.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1990

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Independent Arts Software (operating as astragon Development) is a German game development studio founded in 1990, providing co-development, porting, and full-cycle production services to publishers and IP holders across simulation and licensed family games on PC, console, and mobile.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Video Game Development Services

NAICS

Motion Picture and Sound Recording Industries (512), Software Publishers (513210)

SIC

Services-Computer Programming, Data Processing, Etc. (7370), Services-Allied To Motion Picture Production (7819), Services-Computer Programming Services (7371), Services-Motion Picture & Video Tape Production (7812)

akta.pro primary industry

Outsourced Art/Audio Production Services (2D/3D, Animation, VFX, Audio/VO) (MPAFAKAM)

Keywords

• Video game development
• Game development studio
• Console porting services
• Simulation game development
• Co-development services

Headquarters

HQ city

Hamm

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Software

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Game Development Services: Contract-based game development services for publishers and IP holders. The studio develops commercial software games across multiple genres and platforms as a licensed developer for major platform holders including Amazon, Microsoft, Nintendo, Sony, and Steam.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels1 record

Core offering

Independent Arts Software (now astragon Development) is a contract game development and co-development studio that designs, programs, and ports commercial video games for publishers and platform holders across PC, console, mobile, and browser. The studio produces simulation games, licensed-IP titles, and Nintendo Switch ports, and is a licensed developer for Amazon, Microsoft, Nintendo, Sony, and Steam, with a portfolio of more than 250 titles over 35 years.

Product overview

Independent Arts Software (operating as astragon Development) is a German video game development studio founded in 1990, specializing in commercial game software development across multiple genres and platforms. With over 35 years of experience and more than 250 video games produced, the company develops entertainment and software applications for PC, console, mobile, and browser platforms. The portfolio spans simulation games (Construction Simulator series, Fishing series, Railway Empire), licensed children's games (Bibi Blocksberg, Bibi & Tina, BIG-Bobby-Car), racing games, and various party/arcade titles. The company is a licensed developer for Amazon, Microsoft, Nintendo, Sony, and Steam, and has collaborated with publishers including Astragon Entertainment, Kalypso Media, Daedalic Entertainment, and Wild River Games. The studio's recent focus includes porting existing successful titles to Nintendo Switch and developing new simulation experiences like the upcoming Seafarer: The Ship Sim.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Seafarer: The Ship Sim Ship simulation game offering career-driven open-world seafaring, faction-based missions, and realistic wave physics; targeted at PC simulation-game players via Steam and Epic Games Store Early Access.
• Police Simulator – Prop Hunt Police-themed Prop Hunt Creative mode island for Fortnite, published by astragon Entertainment, providing Fortnite players a police-flavored prop-hunt gameplay experience.
• Construction Simulator 4 Construction simulation game where players manage construction operations and equipment; published by astragon Entertainment.
• Construction Simulator 3 – Console Edition
• Construction Simulator 2 US – Console Edition
• Railway Empire 2 – Nintendo Switch Edition
• Railway Empire – Nintendo Switch Edition
• Dungeons 3 – Nintendo Switch Edition
• Port Royale 4 – Nintendo Switch Edition
• Tropico 6 – Nintendo Switch Edition
• Fishing: North Atlantic
• Fishing: North Atlantic – Console Edition
• Fishing: Barents Sea
• Winter Games 2023
• Warpips
• Felix the Reaper
• Ooops! 2
• BIG-Bobby-Car – The Big Race
• Bibi & Tina auf dem Martinshof Neuauflage
• Bibi und Tina – Das Spiel zum Kinofilm
• Bibi Blocksberg Das große Hexenbesenrennen 3
• Moorhuhn Remake + Moorhuhn Wanted + Moorhuhn Shooter Edition
• MOORHUHN schlägt zurück
• Eldrador Creatures
• bayala – The Game
• Mein Reiterhof – Pferde, Turniere, Abenteuer
• Mein Gestüt 2 – Ein Leben für die Pferde
• Horse Farm
• Finnigan Fox
• FOX n FORESTS
• Fimbul
• Game Development and Co-Development Services

Named customers4 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Astragon EntertainmentcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2023In April 2023, astragon Entertainment acquired the traditional development studio to strengthen the development of its own simulation brands and advance planning of new simulation brands. The two companies are working together on the recently announced Seafarer: The Ship Sim, scheduled for Early Access release in Summer 2025 via Steam and Epic Games Store for PC.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• astragon Entertainment: Parent company (acquired Independent Arts Software in April 2023) and German simulation publisher with brands like Construction Simulator and Fishing: North Atlantic. Comparable as the controlling parent and primary customer driving the simulation thesis.
• Daedalic Entertainment: German publisher and developer of strategy/adventure titles (publisher of Warpips, Felix the Reaper — both co-dev by Independent Arts Software). Comparable as a longstanding German publisher customer and broader incumbent in the German games ecosystem.
• Kalypso Media: Established German publisher whose catalogue (Railway Empire, Tropico, Port Royale, Dungeons) explicitly includes titles co-developed or ported by Independent Arts Software. Comparable as both a current customer and a broader simulation/strategy publisher incumbent.

Direct peers

• Engine Software: Dutch porting and co-development specialist with deep Nintendo Switch / handheld expertise. Directly comparable as a European co-development studio whose portfolio centers on platform ports and licensed-IP work for publishers.
• Deck13 Interactive: Frankfurt-based game studio producing console and PC titles (e.g., The Surge series). Comparable as a German independent studio with ~50-100 person headcount working across multiple genres and platform holders.
• Other Ocean Interactive: Canada-based co-development and porting studio with deep experience across Nintendo, Sony, and Microsoft platforms. Comparable as a multi-project co-dev/porting services provider serving publishers globally.
• Keen Games: Frankfurt-based game developer with a long German heritage (since 1990s) operating a multi-disciplinary team across PC and console. Comparable as another mid-sized German studio serving publisher-led and own-IP projects.
• Kuju Entertainment: UK-based co-development and work-for-hire games studio (1001 Nights, Grimstar, plus contractor work for major publishers). Directly comparable as a contract-driven game developer with simulation and licensed-IP experience.
• HandyGames: German game development studio (subsidiary of THQ Nordic/Embracer) producing and co-developing titles across simulation, strategy, and licensed IP. Directly comparable on geography, multi-decade heritage, and B2B co-development model.
• Mimimi Productions (Mimimi Games): Munich-based independent studio with a focused mid-sized team developing strategy and simulation titles for PC and console. Comparable as a similarly sized German studio with a multi-decade operating history.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat2 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/independentartssoftware

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

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 Independent Arts Software