Tower Studios
Tower Studios is a London-based, founder-owned mobile game publisher that licenses classic game IPs and partners with external studios to publish retro game adaptations for iOS, operated by Jon Hare of Sensible Software fame.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2004
- HeadquartersLondon, United Kingdom
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingSoftware
What Tower Studios does
Tower Studios is a London-based, founder-owned mobile game publisher that licenses classic gaming IP and partners with external development studios to publish retro game adaptations for iOS. The company is owned and operated by Jon Hare, formerly of Sensible Software, who brings a 25-year industry pedigree that includes 10 titles reaching #1 chart positions. Its published catalog consists of two titles — Speedball 2 Evolution (a futuristic sports remake licensed from Bitmap Brothers) and Shoot to Kill (a Blast 'em Up co-developed with Vivid Games) — both launched in 2011 and distributed globally through the Apple App Store, with prior PSP Minis distribution as well.
The company's business model is a studio-publisher arrangement: Tower Studios acts as the publisher and rights holder of record, while external studios handle development under co-development or work-for-hire arrangements. Revenue is generated through one-time purchase pricing on the Apple App Store, with no disclosed in-app purchases, subscriptions, or advertising-based monetization. Speedball 2 Evolution reached #1 on Paid App Store charts worldwide, and Shoot to Kill reached #1 on Free App Store charts in multiple countries, indicating meaningful but dated commercial traction. The company is described as actively seeking additional IP licenses and development partners to expand the catalog.
Tower Studios operates as a lean, bootstrapped entity with 1–10 employees, no institutional investors, no disclosed funding rounds, and no parent company. Its geographic footprint spans the UK and US markets via app store distribution. The absence of recent product launches, disclosed revenue, or headcount growth in the input data limits visibility into current operating momentum; the company's stated posture is one of quiet deal-making to secure new licenses and studio partnerships for future titles.
Tower Studios firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Tower Studios
- Legal name
- Tower Studios
- Website
- https://tower-studios.co.uk
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2004
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Tower Studios is a London-based, founder-owned mobile game publisher that licenses classic game IPs and partners with external studios to publish retro game adaptations for iOS, operated by Jon Hare of Sensible Software fame.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Tower Studios industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Mobile Gaming
- NAICS
- Amusement Parks and Arcades (7131)
- SIC
- Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Mobile & F2P Game Studios (MPAFAAAB)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Mobile Game Publishing & App Game Stores (BPAMAKAB)
Keywords
Where Tower Studios is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- London
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Markets served
Tower Studios business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Game Sales: Tower Studios generates revenue through paid game downloads on mobile platforms, selling games directly to consumers through app stores at one-time purchase prices.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels1 record
Tower Studios product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Tower Studios is a mobile game publisher that secures licenses for classic game franchises and partners with development studios to produce mobile adaptations for iOS and PSP Minis. The company's portfolio includes Speedball 2 Evolution, a remake of the Bitmap Brothers' futuristic sports classic, and Shoot to Kill, an arcade Blast 'em Up developed by Vivid Games. Games are sold directly to consumers through the Apple App Store.
Product overview
Tower Studios is a mobile game publisher operated by Jon Hare (previously of Sensible Software) that publishes games for iOS platforms. The company portfolio consists of two games: Speedball 2 Evolution (a futuristic sports remake of the classic Bitmap Brothers title) and Shoot to Kill (an arcade Blast 'em Up from Vivid Games). Both products are distributed through the Apple App Store.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Speedball 2 Evolution A futuristic sports game and remake of the classic Bitmap Brothers title, available for iOS and PSP Minis. The game reached #1 position in the Paid App Store charts worldwide and is sold to mobile gaming consumers via the Apple App Store.
- Shoot to Kill A modern arcade Blast 'em Up game for iOS developed by Vivid Games and published by Tower Studios. The frenetic blaster topped Free App Store Charts in multiple countries and is sold to mobile gaming consumers via the Apple App Store.
Quantifiable outcome
- Speedball 2 Evolution reached #1 spot in Paid App Store charts worldwide
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Tower Studios
Customer profileSegments1 record
Ideal customer profiles1 record
Tower Studios technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Tower Studios partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- Bitmap BrotherscoreTower Studios licenses the classic Bitmap Brothers game IP for mobile adaptation. Speedball 2 Evolution is a remake of the classic Bitmap Brothers futuristic sports game, which has achieved #1 paid app status worldwide.
- Vivid GamescoreVivid Games developed Shoot to Kill for Tower Studios. This frenetic arcade blast 'em up game topped the Free App Store Charts in multiple countries, demonstrating successful collaboration between the developer and Tower Studios.
Scale indicators1 record
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights2 records
Tower Studios competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Vivid Games: Polish mobile game developer and co-development partner of Tower Studios (they developed Shoot to Kill for Tower). Directly comparable as a small-to-mid mobile game studio operating in iOS publishing.
- Supersolid: London-based mobile game publisher with a portfolio of freemium titles (Smurfs, Pirates). Comparable as a similarly sized UK mobile-first publisher with licensed IP and global App Store distribution.
- Bossa Studios: UK independent mobile and PC game studio (Surgeon Simulator, I Am Bread). Comparable as a London-based indie studio publishing premium mobile titles globally.
- Ustwo Games: London-based mobile game studio behind Monument Valley, comparable as a UK-headquartered, small-team premium mobile game developer/publisher targeting App Store distribution.
- Mind Candy: London-based mobile gaming company (Moshi Monsters, Pokémon Quest). Comparable as a UK-headquartered mobile game publisher relying on licensed IP and global app distribution.
Broad incumbents
- Rovio Entertainment: Finnish mobile game publisher (Angry Birds). Broader incumbent in the same mobile publishing space with much larger catalog and global marketing reach than Tower Studios.
- Zynga: Major mobile and social game publisher. Comparable at the category level (mobile game publishing on App Stores) but operates at enterprise scale with broad portfolio.
- King Digital Entertainment: Mobile game publisher (Candy Crush). Operates in the same iOS premium/F2P mobile publishing category as Tower Studios but at vastly larger scale.
- Electronic Arts Mobile: Mobile publishing arm of Electronic Arts (EA). Operates broadly in mobile game publishing on iOS, with overlapping interest in licensed and franchise IP remasters, but at vastly larger scale.
- Gameloft: Global mobile game developer/publisher with a large multi-title catalog including licensed IP adaptations. Overlaps with Tower Studios' licensed-IP, mobile-first publishing model at significantly larger scale.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Tower Studios social profiles
Digital presenceTower Studios financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Tower Studios leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Tower Studios funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Tower Studios 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 Tower Studios
What does Tower Studios do?
Tower Studios is a mobile game publisher that secures licenses for classic game franchises and partners with development studios to produce mobile adaptations for iOS and PSP Minis. The company's portfolio includes Speedball 2 Evolution, a remake of the Bitmap Brothers' futuristic sports classic, and Shoot to Kill, an arcade Blast 'em Up developed by Vivid Games. Games are sold directly to consumers through the Apple App Store.
Is Tower Studios a public or private company?
Tower Studios is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Tower Studios founded?
Tower Studios was founded in 2004. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Tower Studios based?
Tower Studios is headquartered in London, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Tower Studios make money?
One revenue line is on record: game Sales.
Who are Tower Studios's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Vivid Games, Supersolid, Bossa Studios, Ustwo Games and Mind Candy. Broad incumbents are Rovio Entertainment, Zynga, King Digital Entertainment, Electronic Arts Mobile and Gameloft.
Does Tower Studios have an API?
No public API is recorded for Tower Studios.
What industry is Tower Studios in?
Tower Studios's product category is Mobile Gaming. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAFAAAB, Mobile & F2P Game Studios, with a secondary code of BPAMAKAB, Mobile Game Publishing & App Game Stores. Its NAICS code is 7131 and its SIC code is 7990.