LJF Games
LJF Games is a French two-person independent video game studio developing Unity-based indie games, including the musical runner Timo's Adventures and the cooperative roguelite Kritter, monetized through voluntary payments, Patreon, and Steam sales targeting casual and co-op gamers.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2019
- HeadquartersAix-en-provence, France
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingSoftware
What LJF Games does
LJF Games is a French independent video game studio operating as a sole proprietorship under the French 'Artiste auteur' (self-employed artist) status, founded in 2019 by two developers — Bastien (programmer and mathematics specialist coding in C#) and Tom (artist and professional musician) — and operating out of Aix-en-Provence, France with hosting provided by OVH in Roubaix. The studio develops original indie games on the Unity engine and currently has two titles in its portfolio: Timo's Adventures, a 2D musical runner arcade game released in 2021 across Steam, itch.io, Google Play, and Apple App Store; and Kritter, a 3D cooperative action roguelite currently in development with a free demo released on Steam in August 2023 that supports up to 4 online players and incorporates deckbuilding, wave-based defense, ship-rebuilding, and procedural progression mechanics. Notable technical and creative components include original music recorded in-house by Tom, voice-acted characters, hand-drawn art assets, and an in-fiction AI companion character named M.Ark.
LJF Games operates entirely bootstrapped with no disclosed external funding, no institutional investors, no acquisitions, and no partnerships. The revenue model is community-driven and lightweight: Timo's Adventures is distributed on a 'pay what you want' basis on itch.io, with supplementary income from Patreon subscriptions (for exclusive bonuses), one-time donations via Streamlabs/PayPal, and a premium Kritter purchase on Steam following the free demo. Go-to-market is product-led and community-led, relying on Discord for beta testing and feedback, Twitch streaming for organic promotion, and a presence across Twitter/X, TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube. The target customers are individual consumers — primarily casual gamers (for Timo's Adventures) and co-op gaming groups of up to 4 players (for Kritter) — with no enterprise or B2B revenue anchors.
The legal entity behind the studio is Ghislain Fayard (SIRET 538 639 105 00021), listed as 'Artiste auteur' and serving as webmaster, with Tom Zaoui handling communication. The studio's primary structural risk is its extreme thinness: a two-person team, no external capital, and a revenue model that depends on voluntary player contributions, which together imply very low absolute revenue and limited ability to scale product output or marketing investment.
LJF Games firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- LJF Games
- Legal name
- Ghislain Fayard (Artiste auteur)
- Website
- https://ljfgames.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2019
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- LJF Games is a French two-person independent video game studio developing Unity-based indie games, including the musical runner Timo's Adventures and the cooperative roguelite Kritter, monetized through voluntary payments, Patreon, and Steam sales targeting casual and co-op gamers.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
LJF Games industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Indie Video Games
- NAICS
- Software Publishers (5132)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Live-Service & MMO Game Studios (MPAFAAAD)
Keywords
Where LJF Games is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Aix-en-provence
- HQ country
- France
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
LJF Games business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Pay What You Want (Timo's Adventures): Timo's Adventures is free with a 'pay what you want' model. Players can purchase the game at their chosen price on itch.io. Revenue covers server costs, distribution fees, and Apple developer licenses.
- Patreon Support: Players can become Patreon supporters to receive exclusive bonuses, supporting the studio financially on an ongoing basis.
- Donations: Players can make donations via Streamlabs/PayPal to support the studio's ongoing development efforts.
- Kritter Game Sales: Kritter is a premium game available for purchase on Steam with a free demo option.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Pay-as-you-go | Free access with voluntary payment |
| Freemium | Pay-as-you-go | Free demo with full game purchase |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels5 records
LJF Games product offering
Product offeringCore offering
LJF Games is a French independent video game development studio that designs, develops, and publishes original indie video games for PC and mobile platforms. Its portfolio includes a 2D musical runner game (Timo's Adventures) and a 3D cooperative roguelite with deckbuilding mechanics (Kritter), distributed through major digital storefronts with optional community funding support.
Product overview
LJF Games is a French independent video game studio with two games in its portfolio. The first is Timo's Adventures, a 2D musical runner released in 2021, available across PC (Steam, itch.io) and mobile (Google Play, App Store) platforms. The second is Kritter, a 3D cooperative action roguelite for up to 4 players currently in development with a free Steam demo available. The studio operates with a two-person team named Bastien (programming) and Tom (art/music).
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Timo's Adventures Timo's Adventures is a 2D musical runner indie video game designed for PC and mobile players seeking a rhythm-infused platforming experience, sold via a pay-what-you-want model.
- Kritter Kritter is a 3D cooperative roguelite video game featuring deckbuilding mechanics, up to four-player multiplayer, an AI companion named M.Ark, and a global online leaderboard, targeted at PC gamers interested in cooperative action roguelites.
Quantifiable outcome
- 10 levels across normal and hardcore modes with endless and time attack options
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use LJF Games
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles1 record
LJF Games technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
LJF Games partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators4 records
Recent moves4 records
Expansion highlights4 records
LJF Games competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Motion Twin: French indie game studio (Dead Cells) operating with a small, distributed team and a cooperative ownership model. Highly comparable to LJF Games as a small French indie studio shipping critically acclaimed titles with limited resources.
- Team Cherry: Tiny indie team behind Hollow Knight, a 2D action game with cooperative update potential. Comparable to LJF Games on small-team 2D/3D development and indie platformer execution.
- ConcernedApe: Solo developer of Stardew Valley, demonstrating the small-team indie success archetype. Comparable to LJF Games on solo/small-team indie game development with multi-platform distribution.
- Thunder Lotus Games: Canadian indie studio (Sundered, Jotun) producing hand-drawn action games with small teams. Comparable to LJF Games on indie 2D action development and original artistic identity.
- Vlambeer: Two-person Dutch indie studio (Nuclear Throne, Ridiculous Fishing) known for arcade-style games with distinctive mechanics. Directly comparable to LJF Games on two-person team scale and arcade-game focus.
- Playdead: Danish indie studio behind Limbo and Inside, demonstrating small-team indie game development with strong critical reception. Comparable to LJF Games on studio scale and indie platformer/action focus.
- Supergiant Games: Small indie studio known for Hades, a cooperative-feeling roguelite with strong narrative and original music. Strongly comparable to LJF Games' Kritter (cooperative roguelite) and Timo's Adventures (original in-house music).
- Studio MDHR: Small Canadian indie studio behind Cuphead, a hand-drawn artistic action game with original soundtrack. Comparable to LJF Games on artistic hand-drawn aesthetic, original music, and small-team indie execution.
- Ghost Ship Games: Danish indie studio behind Deep Rock Galactic, a 4-player cooperative roguelite shooter. Direct comparable to Kritter on cooperative multiplayer, roguelite progression, and small-team indie execution.
Broad incumbents
- Devolver Digital: Major indie publisher that helps small indie studios reach global audiences (Hotline Miami, Fall Guys, etc.). Relevant as a potential publishing partner or comparable go-to-market path for LJF Games.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
LJF Games social profiles
Digital presenceLJF Games financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
LJF Games leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
LJF Games funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
LJF Games 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 LJF Games
What does LJF Games do?
LJF Games is a French independent video game development studio that designs, develops, and publishes original indie video games for PC and mobile platforms. Its portfolio includes a 2D musical runner game (Timo's Adventures) and a 3D cooperative roguelite with deckbuilding mechanics (Kritter), distributed through major digital storefronts with optional community funding support.
Is LJF Games a public or private company?
LJF Games is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was LJF Games founded?
LJF Games was founded in 2019. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is LJF Games based?
LJF Games is headquartered in Aix-en-provence, France, in the Europe region.
How does LJF Games make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Pay What You Want (Timo's Adventures) is the primary driver. The others are patreon Support, donations and kritter Game Sales.
Who are LJF Games's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Motion Twin, Team Cherry, ConcernedApe, Thunder Lotus Games, Vlambeer, Playdead, Supergiant Games, Studio MDHR and Ghost Ship Games. Devolver Digital is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does LJF Games have an API?
No public API is recorded for LJF Games.
What industry is LJF Games in?
LJF Games's product category is Indie Video Games. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAFAAAD, Live-Service & MMO Game Studios. Its NAICS code is 5132.