Holy Cow Productions

What Holy Cow Productions does

Holy Cow Productions India Pvt. Ltd. is a privately held, bootstrapped independent video game development studio founded in 2014 in Bangalore, India, operating from a purpose-built facility called "The Holy Cow Shed." The studio develops and self-publishes its own IP across mobile, PC, and consoles, with a current portfolio of eight titles spanning the puzzle (Mystic Pillars, Mystic Pillars X Kantara), arcade racing (Drift Champions, Bot Rods), endless runner (Super Brick Master 3000), action platformer (Requital: Gates Of Blood), action RPG (Zenith), and children's interactive story (Bad Dream Brigade) genres. Its flagship Mystic Pillars franchise is built on the traditional Indian board game Ali Guli Mane (Mancala), features hand-drawn 2D artwork, voiceovers in English and Kannada, and is localized into 20+ languages including four Indian languages, with availability on Steam, PlayStation 5 (including PlayStation Plus), iOS, Android, and Nintendo Switch.

Technically, the studio is built around the Unity3D engine and operates a modular asset pipeline designed for cost-efficient production across environments and characters. Its pipeline spans concept work, game/level design, 2D and 3D art, animation, motion-capture planning, audio design and production, cinematography, UI/UX, and social-platform integration (Facebook, X), supported by a soundproof in-house recording room.

Commercially, Holy Cow operates a hybrid revenue model with three streams: free-to-play mobile monetization in Drift Champions; one-time perpetual licenses across Steam, PlayStation, mobile, and Nintendo storefronts (including a deluxe Mystic Pillars X Kantara edition with art book and puzzle guide); and B2B game-development outsourcing services covering concept-to-ship production for external clients such as Glance, Byju's, and Infinigon. Go-to-market combines self-serve marketplace distribution across five major storefronts, partner-led publishing arrangements (e.g., The Cirqus and Hobo Interactive on Bot Rods; Hombale Films on Kantara crossover), and platform incubation support through PlayStation's India Hero Project for Requital: Gates Of Blood.

Name

Holy Cow Productions

Legal name

Holy Cow Productions India Pvt. Ltd.

Website

https://holycowprod.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Holy Cow Productions is a bootstrapped Bangalore-based indie game studio developing and self-publishing culturally distinctive IP such as the Mystic Pillars puzzle franchise across mobile, PC, PlayStation 5, and Nintendo Switch, while providing outsourced game-development services to clients including Glance and Byju's.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Video Game Development

akta.pro primary industry

Mobile & F2P Game Studios (MPAFAAAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

Full-Service Game Publishers (1st/2nd/3rd-Party Publishing) (MPAFABAA)

Keywords

• Video game development
• Mobile game development
• Game art production
• Indie puzzle games
• Game development outsourcing

Headquarters

HQ city

Bangalore

HQ country

India

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Software

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Free-to-Play Mobile Games: Drift Champions uses a free-to-play model with mobile distribution on iOS and Android, monetizing through in-game purchases and cosmetics.
2. Game Sales and Remasters: Mystic Pillars and other games are sold as one-time purchases on Steam, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch, and mobile app stores. The Mystic Pillars Remastered includes a deluxe edition with art book and Parihara guide.
3. Game Development Outsourcing: Holy Cow provides outsourcing services including 2D & 3D Art Production, Game Programming, Game Design, and other video game development services to other businesses.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Holy Cow Productions is an independent video game development studio that designs, develops, and self-publishes its own multi-platform games spanning puzzle, action, racing, and RPG genres across Steam, PlayStation, Nintendo Switch, iOS, and Android. In parallel, the studio offers B2B game development outsourcing services covering 2D/3D art production, game programming, game/level design, animation, audio design, UI/UX, motion capture planning, and cinematics for external game studios and partners.

Product overview

Holy Cow Productions is an independent video game development company based in Bangalore, India, offering a portfolio of self-published games under its own IPs alongside professional outsourcing services for external clients. Its core game portfolio includes Mystic Pillars X Kantara (a 2024 remaster of the original Mystic Pillars puzzle game, now featuring a crossover with the Kantara film franchise), Requital: Gates Of Blood (a 2024 action platformer in the Egyptian underworld, part of PlayStation's India Hero Project), Mystic Pillars (the original 2020 story-driven puzzle game), Super Brick Master 3000 (a 2D endless runner), Bad Dream Brigade (a musical monster children's app), Bot Rods (an arcade racer co-developed with partners), Drift Champions (a free-to-play mobile racer), and Zenith (a humorous action RPG). Games span multiple genres including puzzle, action platformer, endless runner, arcade racing, and action RPG, and are distributed across Steam, PlayStation 5, iOS, Android, and Nintendo Switch. The company also provides game development outsourcing services encompassing the full production pipeline from concept through delivery, including 2D/3D art, programming, design, animation, motion capture, audio, and UI/UX. Holy Cow Productions operates from a purpose-built studio called The Holy Cow Shed in Bangalore.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Mystic Pillars X Kantara A crossover puzzle game remastered from the original Mystic Pillars with upgraded 4K art, revamped cutscenes, re-recorded voiceovers, and a redesigned UI, featuring a new chapter based on Hombale Films' Kantara movie franchise. Targeted at consumers who enjoy story-driven puzzle games with cultural themes across PlayStation 5, Steam, mobile, and PlayStation Plus.
• Requital: Gates of Blood A 2D side-scrolling action platformer set in the Egyptian underworld (Duat), where players take the role of warrior Zahrah facing boss-rush encounters with Gods, Demons, and Beasts. Fully hand-drawn characters and environments. Part of PlayStation's India Hero Project (IHP) incubator program. Targeted at action-platformer fans on PlayStation 5 and PC.
• Mystic Pillars A story-based puzzle game set in Ancient India, reimagining the traditional Indian board game Ali Guli Mane (Mancala). Features 100 logical puzzles, hand-drawn 2D artwork, animated cutscenes with voiceovers in English and Kannada, and support for 20+ languages including four Indian languages. Targeted at puzzle enthusiasts across Steam (PC), iOS, Android, and Nintendo Switch.
• Super Brick Master 3000 A 2D endless runner game where players place blocks in matching-shaped gaps across three floors to survive, featuring pixel graphics, unlockable characters, environments, powerups, and a world leaderboard. Targeted at casual mobile gamers on iOS and Android.
• Bad Dream Brigade A children's app featuring a band of musical monsters who march into bad dreams to save the day using their instruments, combining digital interactivity with the comforting nature of traditional bedtime reading. Targeted at children and families on iOS and Android.
• Bot Rods An arcade-style racing game with adorable characters and bots racing around twisty tracks across many species and worlds. Developed in partnership with The Cirqus and Hobo Interactive. Targeted at casual racing game fans.
• Drift Champions A free-to-play retro-inspired top-down racing game with emphasis on drifting style, featuring over 10 cars, 100 color options, multiple game modes (Career, Drift, Time Trial, Elimination), and 12 hyper-stylized psychedelic tracks. Monetized through in-game cosmetics and customization. Targeted at casual mobile racing fans on iOS and Android.
• Zenith An action RPG combining the feel of golden-era RPGs with humor and parody, featuring a solid story in a fantasy world populated by dozens of unorthodox characters. Targeted at RPG fans on Steam (PC).
• Game Development Outsourcing Services End-to-end video game development outsourcing services for external clients, including game conception, product design, pitching, project management, level design, rapid prototyping, game systems, storytelling, character/world design, 2D and 3D art production, animation, motion capture planning and direction, audio design/production, cinematography, UI/UX design and implementation, and standalone/companion apps. Targeted at game studios, publishers, and entertainment companies needing specialized external development support.

Quantifiable outcome

• Mystic Pillars Remastered available on PlayStation 5 launch day (March 19, 2024)
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration7 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Hombale FilmscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Strategic collaboration between Holy Cow Productions and Hombale Films to create Mystic Pillars X Kantara, a crossover celebrating the blockbuster Indian movie series Kantara based on South Indian folklores and myths. This partnership brings together Holy Cow's game development expertise with Hombale Films' established IP for a unique gaming experience.
• PlayStation India Hero Project (IHP)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Holy Cow Productions' Requital: Gates of Blood is part of PlayStation's 'India Hero Project', an incubator program focused on supporting talent from India. This provides development support and platform promotion for the game launching on PlayStation 5 and PC.
• Google Indie Games AcceleratorminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2018Holy Cow Productions participated in Google's Indie Games Accelerator programme in India, which provided mentorship and resources for game development. Although they did not qualify for the program, it helped validate their game concept and creative process for Mystic Pillars.
• The CirquscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Cirqus partnered with Holy Cow Productions to bring Bot Rods to life - an arcade style racing game with adorable characters and bots. The Cirqus contributed to the game's development and publishing.
• Hobo InteractivecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHobo Interactive collaborated with Holy Cow Productions on Bot Rods game development and publishing, bringing additional expertise and resources to the project.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Emerging players

• Crescent Moon Games: Independent mobile and PC publisher focused on porting and publishing indie titles across iOS, Android, Steam, and consoles. Comparable indie multi-platform distribution focus and outsourced publishing services for smaller studios.
• Ogre Head Studio: Indian indie game studio developing original mobile and casual titles. Comparable early-stage Indian indie profile and game development focus.

Broad incumbents

• Devolver Digital: Global independent games label publishing premium indie titles across PC and console (e.g., Hotline Miami, Cult of the Lamb). Comparable indie-multi-platform premium publishing orientation, though at much larger scale and global reach.
• Games2win: Mumbai-based larger mobile gaming company with 1B+ downloads across titles in racing, sports, and lifestyle. Comparable India-headquartered game studio with broader mobile portfolio and F2P monetization.
• Team17: Global independent games publisher and developer (Worms franchise) publishing and developing indie titles across PC and console. Comparable indie multi-platform publishing and developer profile.

Direct peers

• Yellow Monkey Studios: India-based independent game studio producing original titles for mobile and PC. Comparable Indian indie profile and game development focus across multiple genres.
• Nodding Heads Games: Bangalore-based indie studio behind 'Raji: An Ancient Epic' — a culturally rooted Indian narrative game released on PC, PS4, Xbox, Switch, and Stadia. Same geography (Bangalore), similar indie studio profile, multi-platform premium releases with Indian cultural themes, and games/outsourcing hybrid model.
• SuperGaming: Pune-based indie game studio publishing original Indian-themed titles across PC, mobile, and console (e.g., PAC-MAN remake, Indus Battle Royale). Comparable indie Indian studio with multi-platform ambitions and own-IP publishing.
• Dhruva Interactive: Bangalore-based game studio offering both work-for-hire/outsourced game development services and original IP, historically working on Starbreeze titles (PAYDAY). Closely mirrors Holy Cow's hybrid services-plus-own-IP business model and Bangalore location.

Others

• Nazara Technologies: India's only publicly listed gaming company, operating as a publisher, distributor, and esports platform for Indian and global games. Comparable geographic base and gaming distribution/partner context, but at significantly larger scale across mobile publishing.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/holycowgames
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@holy-cow-productions
• LinkedInin.linkedin.com/company/holycowproductions
• Instagraminstagram.com/holycowprod

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 Holy Cow Productions