KISS Publishing

What KISS Publishing does

KISS Publishing is a UK-based indie video game publisher founded in 2017 and headquartered in Leamington Spa, Warwickshire. The company provides full-scope publishing services to independent game developers and studios, covering funding, QA/testing, marketing and PR, multi-platform distribution, and ongoing analytics and app store support. KISS operates as a licensed publisher/developer for Sony, Microsoft, Nintendo, iOS, and Android, and holds direct distribution agreements with major digital storefronts plus telecom carriers. The company's product portfolio includes the flagship Sociable Soccer football title, backed by an official FiFPro license representing over 65,000 professional players, and an internally developed puzzle IP, Devious Devices, scheduled for Q2 2024 launch.

The company's business model centres on revenue sharing from published games (transaction fees) supplemented by licensing royalties from owned IP and telco distribution partnerships that provide access to over 450 million mobile subscribers globally, particularly across Asia and the Middle East via an exclusive arrangement with Gaming For All Ltd. KISS also monetises a catalogue of over 160 owned game franchises and provides flexible funding solutions tailored to individual developer needs. In January 2024, the company opened a £4 million private offering to fund strategic acquisitions, studio purchases, user acquisition marketing, and operational expansion.

KISS is led by a BAFTA award-winning team with decades of industry experience: CEO Gavin Cheshire (30+ years, formerly of US Gold and Codemasters, two-time BAFTA winner for Grid and F1 2010), CFO Mark Boote (20+ years), and CTO Kish Hirani (27+ years). The advisory bench includes Rod Cousens CBE (35 years at Jagex and Codemasters) and Charles Charalambous of Charles Scott Associates (40+ years in financial services). The company is privately held, reports 1–10 employees, and is currently pre-revenue scale with no disclosed revenue figures.

Name

KISS Publishing

Legal name

Kiss Publishing Ltd

Website

https://kiss-ltd.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

KISS Publishing is a UK-based indie game publisher providing full-service publishing — funding, QA, marketing, and multi-platform distribution across console, PC, and mobile — to independent developers, with 160+ owned game franchises and telecom channel access to 450M+ subscribers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Game Publishing Services

NAICS

Software Publishers (513210)

SIC

Miscellaneous Publishing (2741)

akta.pro primary industry

Indie Publishing & Label Services (Funding, Marketing, Release Management) (MPAFABAF)

Keywords

• Indie game publishing
• Video game distribution
• Mobile game publishing
• Console game publishing
• Game marketing services

Headquarters

HQ city

Warwick

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Game Publishing: Kiss Publishing generates revenue by publishing indie games across multiple platforms (PC, console, mobile), providing services including funding, QA, marketing, distribution, and ongoing support in exchange for a share of game revenues.
2. IP Licensing and Content Acquisitions: Revenue from owned game franchises (160+) and licensed content such as the FiFPro license for Sociable Soccer. The company acquires key sports gaming assets and independent studios to expand its monetisable catalogue.
3. Telecom/Telco Distribution: Distribution partnerships with telecom carriers providing access to 450M+ mobile subscribers, generating revenue through direct carrier billing and premium content placements.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

KISS Publishing is a digital gaming publisher that provides full-scope publishing services to indie game developers across PC, console (PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch), and mobile (iOS, Android) platforms. Services encompass funding, QA/testing, marketing and PR, multi-platform distribution through direct platform and telco partnerships, and ongoing analytics and app store support in exchange for a share of game revenues.

Product overview

KISS Publishing is an indie game publisher offering a full suite of publishing services as a unified platform. The core offering includes Full Scope Publishing Services (funding, QA/testing, marketing/PR, distribution, analytics, and app store management) supporting games across PC, console, and mobile platforms. Key products include Sociable Soccer (flagship football title with FiFPro license) and Devious Devices (original puzzle IP launching Q2 2024). The company has a portfolio of over 160 owned game franchises and publishes titles globally through partnerships with major console makers and mobile/telco providers.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Full Scope Publishing Services End-to-end indie game publishing services covering funding, QA/testing, marketing/PR, distribution through mobile providers and digital storefronts, and ongoing analytics and app store support. Targeted at independent game developers and small studios seeking multi-platform reach.
• Sociable Soccer Flagship football game title licensed by FiFPro, representing over 65,000 professional players worldwide. Enhanced with official licensing and launched on mobile platforms.
• Devious Devices Original IP puzzle game described as an infuriatingly addictive experience, developed in-house by KISS Publishing.
• Funding Solutions Financial resources and funding partnerships tailored to recognize talent and support development of new IPs on a global scale for indie developers.

Named customers1 record

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Gaming For All LtdcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2024Exclusive partnership with Gaming For All Ltd, official agency for multiple major mobile/telco providers, to distribute Kiss Publishing's gaming portfolio directly to hundreds of millions of entertainment-hungry consumers in Asia/Middle East and beyond.
• Charles Scott AssociatescoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 1 January 2024Strategic partnership with Charles Scott Associates led by Charles Charalambous, bringing over 40 years of financial services experience. The firm provides financial consultancy focused on fintech and electronic money to guide Kiss's strategic initiatives.
• FiFPro (International Federation of Professional Football Leagues)coreTechnology or IntegrationOfficial license from FiFPro representing over 65,000 professional football players, used for flagship football title Sociable Soccer on mobile platforms.
• Major Console MakerscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPublishing agreements with leading console makers for multi-platform distribution across PlayStation, Xbox, and Nintendo Switch.
• Major Digital StorefrontscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRelationships with traditional digital store outlets for distribution across PC and mobile gaming platforms.
• Telecommunication CarrierscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartnerships with telecom carriers providing access to over 450 million mobile subscribers for direct carrier billing and premium content distribution.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Thunderful Group: Nordic games group combining game development, distribution, and publishing services across console, PC, and mobile — directly comparable full-scope publishing proposition for indie developers.
• Curve Digital: UK-based indie publisher focused on console and PC distribution for independent developers, offering marketing and distribution services — direct competitor for the same Sony/Microsoft/Nintendo distribution slots.
• tinyBuild: Indie game publisher and developer providing funding, production, and multi-platform publishing services to indie studios globally — comparable full-scope model and direct overlap with KISS's target indie developer segment.
• Raw Fury: Indie game publisher providing funding, marketing, and distribution for independent developers across PC and console — same full-scope publishing model and indie developer customer profile.
• Nacon: European video game publisher with a strong sports-game catalogue (including licensed football titles) and multi-platform distribution — comparable focus on sports IP, major platform licences, and telco/retail distribution partnerships.
• Merge Games: UK-based indie publisher providing funding, development support, and multi-platform distribution to independent developers — competing for the same UK/European indie developer pool and shared distribution partners.
• Devolver Digital: Public indie game publisher with full-scope publishing services (funding, marketing, distribution) for indie developers across PC, console, and mobile — the same business model and target customer base as KISS Publishing, just at much greater scale.
• Coffee Stain Publishing: Publishing arm within Coffee Stain Studios providing funding, marketing, and distribution for indie developers across PC and console — direct model overlap and competing for the same developer pipeline.
• Team17: Long-running UK-based indie game publisher offering full publishing services including funding, QA, marketing, and multi-platform distribution — directly comparable service stack and geography to KISS Publishing.

Emerging players

• Dear Villagers: Indie game publishing label (part of Plug In Digital) funding and distributing independent titles across console, PC and mobile — comparable positioning but smaller scale and partial overlap with KISS's full-service offering.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/kissltd

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 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 KISS Publishing