Clever-Plays Studio
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2014
- HeadquartersMontréal, Canada
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingSoftware
Clever-Plays Studio firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Clever-Plays Studio
- Legal name
- Clever Plays
- Website
- https://clever-plays.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2014
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Clever-Plays Studio industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Video Games
- NAICS
- Software Publishers (51321)
- SIC
- Services-Prepackaged Software (7372)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Indie Game Studios (MPAFAAAC)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Narrative/Adventure & RPG Game Studios (MPAFAAAL)
Keywords
Where Clever-Plays Studio is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Montréal
- HQ country
- Canada
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
Clever-Plays Studio business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations
Revenue model
- Game Sales: Direct sales of published games through digital distribution platforms and app stores. Games sold include Leap of Fate (2016), Operation: Tango (2021), and Happy Bastards (in development with combat demo available).
- Platform Royalties: Revenue from platform holders (Sony, Microsoft, Nintendo, Apple) through standard platform royalty arrangements for games sold on their respective stores.
- Physical Edition Sales: Limited physical edition of Leap of Fate released for PS4, including game disc and illustrated color manual.
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels6 records
Marketing channels5 records
Clever-Plays Studio product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Clever-Plays Studio is an independent Montreal-based video game development studio that creates and self-publishes distinct games across multiple genres. The studio has released Leap of Fate (cyberpunk roguelite action), Operation: Tango (cooperative spy adventure), and is developing Happy Bastards (open-world tactical RPG), with each title presenting a different genre and play style.
Product overview
Clever-Plays Studio is a Montreal-based independent game development studio that creates games across different genres. The studio's portfolio includes three distinct titles: Leap of Fate (2016), a cyberpunk roguelite action game; Operation: Tango (2021), a cooperative spy adventure; and Happy Bastards (in development), an open-world tactical RPG. The studio does not follow a single genre convention, instead tackling different creative challenges with each new project.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Leap of Fate A cyberpunk roguelite action game set in New York City where magic is real; players control technomages confronting the Crucible of Fates with over a hundred magical skills through randomly-generated skill trees and four playable characters.
- Operation: Tango A cooperative spy adventure game for two players (Agent and Hacker) using only voice communication to solve puzzles and complete espionage missions; supports cross-platform play and includes a Friend Pass allowing free participation.
- Happy Bastards An upcoming open-world tactical RPG where players control Kev, a fame-obsessed hero who recruits, manages, and commands a party of procedurally generated mercenaries; features tactical turn-based combat, sandbox world interactions with dynamic NPC simulation, and morally gray parodic fantasy gameplay.
Companies that use Clever-Plays Studio
Customer profileSegments1 record
Ideal customer profiles1 record
Clever-Plays Studio technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature5 records
Clever-Plays Studio partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Seven partnerships are on record, tiered minor.
- Square Enix CollectiveminorPlatform through which Leap of Fate was first revealed in May 2014. Square Enix Collective provides exposure and support for indie developers.
- VoltaminorCreated key art for Operation: Tango, including new character illustrations and environments revealed in January 2021.
- Red Meat Games and Potatoes IncminorPorting partners responsible for bringing Operation: Tango to various platforms.
- Fika ProductionsminorResponsible for 2D illustrations and animations in Operation: Tango.
- Du Coup AnimationminorResponsible for in-game cinematics in Operation: Tango.
- Game DriveminorInfluencer campaign and PR partner for Operation: Tango.
- Overhype StudiosminorCreators of Battle Brothers, which serves as a major inspiration for Happy Bastards. Met at Gamescom 2024. Co-founded by Jan Taaks and Paul Taaks.
Scale indicators2 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Clever-Plays Studio competitors and assessment
Company assessmentRegional players
- Thunder Lotus Games: Montreal-based indie studio (Sundered, Jotun, Spiritfarer). Operates in the same local talent market and indie funding ecosystem as Clever-Plays, with comparable team size and craft-driven philosophy.
Direct peers
- Supergiant Games: Small indie studio known for high-craft, genre-spanning titles (Bastion, Hades, Transistor). Mirrors Clever-Plays' strategy of reinventing the studio's creative direction with each new release.
- Sabotage Studio: Quebec-based indie developer (The Messenger, Sea of Stars) sharing the same regional funding ecosystem and small-team high-craft indie model as Clever-Plays.
- TaleWorlds Entertainment: Developer of Mount & Blade — cited by Clever-Plays as direct inspiration for Happy Bastards' open-world sandbox design. Comparable in delivering niche, hardcore-leaning PC strategy/RPG experiences.
- Subset Games: Developer of Into the Breach and FTL — both cited as inspirations for Happy Bastards. Small indie studio focused on deep tactical strategy games with a similar content-to-team-size ratio.
- Yacht Club Games: Small indie studio behind Shovel Knight, comparable in team size, multi-platform distribution approach, and emphasis on distinctive aesthetic and craft.
- Klei Entertainment: Developer of Don't Starve, Mark of the Ninja, and other stylistically distinct indie titles. Comparable small-to-mid indie studio with a track record of genre variety and strong art direction.
- Overhype Studios: German indie developer of Battle Brothers, which Clever-Plays explicitly cites as the primary inspiration for Happy Bastards. Closely comparable small-team tactical RPG studio operating in the same niche.
- Red Hook Studios: Developer of Darkest Dungeon, another direct inspiration for Happy Bastards. Small indie studio operating in the tactical/party-management RPG space with comparable scope and target audience.
Broad incumbents
- Devolver Digital: Indie publisher and ecosystem player that has published many of the studios comparable to Clever-Plays (Red Hook, etc.). Represents both a potential publishing partner and a benchmark for indie commercial scale.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Clever-Plays Studio social profiles
Digital presenceClever-Plays Studio financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Clever-Plays Studio leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles13 records
Clever-Plays Studio funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Clever-Plays Studio 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 Clever-Plays Studio
What does Clever-Plays Studio do?
Clever-Plays Studio is an independent Montreal-based video game development studio that creates and self-publishes distinct games across multiple genres. The studio has released Leap of Fate (cyberpunk roguelite action), Operation: Tango (cooperative spy adventure), and is developing Happy Bastards (open-world tactical RPG), with each title presenting a different genre and play style.
Is Clever-Plays Studio a public or private company?
Clever-Plays Studio is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Clever-Plays Studio founded?
Clever-Plays Studio was founded in 2014. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Clever-Plays Studio based?
Clever-Plays Studio is headquartered in Montréal, Canada, in the North America region.
How does Clever-Plays Studio make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Game Sales are the primary driver. The others are platform Royalties and physical Edition Sales.
Who are Clever-Plays Studio's main competitors?
Thunder Lotus Games is listed as a regional player. Direct peers are Supergiant Games, Sabotage Studio, TaleWorlds Entertainment, Subset Games, Yacht Club Games, Klei Entertainment, Overhype Studios and Red Hook Studios. Devolver Digital is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does Clever-Plays Studio have an API?
No public API is recorded for Clever-Plays Studio.
What industry is Clever-Plays Studio in?
Clever-Plays Studio's product category is Video Games. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAFAAAC, Indie Game Studios, with a secondary code of MPAFAAAL, Narrative/Adventure & RPG Game Studios. Its NAICS code is 51321 and its SIC code is 7372.