What Omniverse does

Omniverse is an Orlando-based independent media production company and publisher founded in 2019 that specializes in dynamic storytelling podcasts, audio drama, and illustrated novels. The company's core products center on the award-winning actual play audio drama series The Call of Cthulhu Mystery Program and a slate of Surprise RPG experimental series, including the August 2025 launch of Étude of the Storm and earlier limited events K8 Was Here, The Extermination, and City of Daemons. Its proprietary technology is the Surprise RPG format, a hybrid storytelling methodology that fuses improvised tabletop roleplay narratives with scripted cinematic audio drama, original scores, and cinematic sound design; the format uses the Open D6 RPG system as its rule base. The company also publishes the pop-culture talk podcast "MOTHER," She Wrote: An EarthBound Podcast and is extending into print media with the Lightning Dogs illustrated novel series, marketed as packing an entire animated series' worth of worldbuilding into each volume for all-ages and young adult readers.

The business model combines a recurring Patreon subscription stream (Initiate tier providing gated podcast feed access, with the first two episodes free for all Patrons) with planned one-time print sales through bookstore-first distribution for Lightning Dogs. Go-to-market is community-led and direct-to-consumer: the company drives discovery through Discord live streaming events and listening parties, free YouTube content (@SurpriseRPG, @lightningdogsHOWL), and broader podcast platforms (Spotify, Apple Music, RSS), then converts listeners into Patreon subscribers and, increasingly, book buyers. Customer segments are horizontal personas — podcast and audio drama enthusiasts (the primary segment), and young adult/all-ages illustrated novel readers — with no enterprise or B2B customers.

Omniverse is fiercely independent, creator-owned, and privately held with no disclosed parent company, institutional investors, or funding rounds. The team of 1-10 includes Cat Blackard (founder, "Mother Brain," and award-winning showrunner/director of The Call of Cthulhu Mystery Program), along with narrative designers, a development producer, an award-winning sound designer, and an illustrator/creator, several of whom co-founded the legacy Nerdy Show podcast in 2009.

Name

Omniverse

Website

https://omniverse.media

Company type

Private

Founded year

2019

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Omniverse is an Orlando-based independent media production company founded in 2019 that publishes dynamic storytelling podcasts and audio dramas, including the Call of Cthulhu Mystery Program and Surprise RPG experiments, monetizing via Patreon subscriptions and forthcoming Lightning Dogs illustrated novels for audio drama fans and young adult readers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Audio Drama and Podcast Production

NAICS

Broadcasting and Content Providers (516), Motion Picture and Sound Recording Industries (512), Independent Artists, Writers, and Performers (711510)

SIC

Phonograph Records & Prerecorded Audio Tapes & Disks (3652), Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990), Miscellaneous Publishing (2741)

akta.pro primary industry

Improvisational Theatre (MPAGABAJ)

akta.pro secondary industry

Improv Comedy Performances (MPAGACAB)

Keywords

• Audio drama podcasts
• Illustrated novel publishing
• Tabletop roleplaying content
• Collaborative storytelling media
• Creator-owned podcasts

Headquarters

HQ city

Orlando

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Digital Commerce or Content

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Patreon Subscription: Tiered membership model with Patreon at the Initiate level providing podcast feed access, exclusive episodes (first two episodes free for all Patrons, subsequent episodes for subscribers), and Discord community access including live listening parties.
2. Print Media Publishing: Lightning Dogs forthcoming illustrated novel series sold through bookstores. Creator-owned, independent print media targeting all-ages and young adult markets. First bookstores, then the world distribution strategy.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Omniverse is a media production company and publisher that develops boundary-breaking interactive storytelling and audio experiences for podcast and print. The company produces actual play audio drama series (notably The Call of Cthulhu Mystery Program), runs collaborative Surprise RPG storytelling experiments, and publishes illustrated novel series such as Lightning Dogs, distributing via Patreon subscriptions, YouTube, and bookstores.

Product overview

Omniverse is a media production company and publisher specializing in dynamic storytelling for podcast, print, and beyond. The company's core product portfolio centers on the award-winning Call of Cthulhu Mystery Program audio drama, supplemented by the proprietary Surprise RPG collaborative storytelling format. The Surprise RPG format generates multiple sub-products including limited audio events (K8 Was Here, The Extermination, City of Daemons) and the forthcoming Étude of the Storm podcast. Additional products include the MOTHER, She Wrote EarthBound podcast and the Lightning Dogs illustrated novel series with its companion podcast Lightning Dogs: How NOT to Make an Animated Series.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• The Call of Cthulhu Mystery Program: Award-winning actual play / audio drama series hybridizing improvised narratives with scripted cinematic audio drama
• Surprise RPG
• Lightning Dogs
• MOTHER, She Wrote

Products and services

• The Call of Cthulhu Mystery Program Award-winning actual play / audio drama series that hybridizes improvised narratives and performances with scripted cinematic audio drama for dynamic and heartfelt stories rooted in horror and comedy. Targeted at podcast and audio drama enthusiasts.
• Étude of the Storm Historical fantasy audio drama podcast set in 18th century Norway blending Norse mythology, transgender pagan magick, and Surprise RPG storytelling. A 21-episode maxi-series released weekly on Patreon through the end of 2025.
• MOTHER, She Wrote: An EarthBound Podcast Fusion of cinematic audio drama and pop culture talk podcast that connects listeners to the story of the acclaimed MOTHER (EarthBound) video game trilogy. Targeted at EarthBound fans and pop culture podcast listeners.
• Lightning Dogs Illustrated novel series featuring action-packed adventure with worldbuilding comparable to an animated series. Character-driven exploration of what it means to be human from the perspective of canine explorers stranded on mutant Earth. Targeted at all-ages and young adult readers.
• Lightning Dogs: How NOT to Make an Animated Series Podcast that opens up the creative process of bringing the Lightning Dogs multimedia project to life. Targeted at Lightning Dogs fans and creative process enthusiasts.
• K8 Was Here Limited audio event from the Surprise RPG experimental series. Targeted at Surprise RPG community and audio drama fans.
• The Extermination Limited audio event from the Surprise RPG experimental series. Targeted at Surprise RPG community and audio drama fans.
• City of Daemons Audio drama limited series produced as part of Surprise RPG experiments; lead written and showrun by Jessica Mudd. Targeted at Surprise RPG community and audio drama fans.

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Realm: Realm is a fiction podcast network producing full-cast audio dramas with original scores and high sound production values, very similar to Omniverse's cinematic audio drama approach. Compares directly in format, genre-blending ambition, and creator-led production model.
• Critical Role Productions: Critical Role is the most prominent actual play podcast and media company, founded by a group of voice actors, and exemplifies the pioneer-to-multimedia-pipeline that Omniverse is pursuing. They share the actual play podcast format and have expanded into animated series (The Legend of Vox Machina), comics, and merchandise, making them the most directly comparable peer.
• Welcome to Night Vale: Welcome to Night Vale is a pioneering fiction podcast with a breakout cult following, books, and live shows built around a single fictional town. Comparable to Omniverse's Call of Cthulhu Mystery Program in building a deep, world-driven fictional podcast universe with a devoted fanbase and book extensions.
• The Adventure Zone: The McElroy brothers' actual play podcast that popularized the format alongside Critical Role, with companion graphic novels and a Peacock deal. Compares to Omniverse as a creator-owned actual play property that has expanded from podcast into print and TV adaptation.

Broad incumbents

• Maximum Fun: Maximum Fun is a podcast network hosting creator-owned shows with member-supported funding. Comparable to Omniverse as a community- and membership-driven podcast platform, though it operates as a network rather than a single production house.
• Geek & Sundry: Geek & Sundry is a digital media company that helped popularize actual play content through shows like Titansgrave and Critical Role's early seasons. Comparable to Omniverse as an early mover in the actual play / geek media podcast space, though now operating at significantly larger scale.
• QCODE: QCODE is a premium podcast studio producing high-production-value scripted audio dramas with Hollywood talent (e.g., stars of Stranger Things, The Walking Dead). Comparable to Omniverse as a producer of cinematic audio drama, though QCODE operates at a much larger scale with notable IP and famous cast attachments.

Emerging players

• Serial Productions: Serial Productions and 'This American Life' pioneered high production narrative podcasting and expanded into multiple branded series. Comparable to Omniverse as a creator-led narrative podcast studio that has built franchise IP from a single signature format.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

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 Omniverse