Pomelo Games

What Pomelo Games does

Pomelo Games is an independent video game development studio headquartered in Montevideo, Uruguay, founded in 2011 and operating with a team of more than 25 multidisciplinary professionals including artists, programmers, game designers, writers, and sound designers. The studio builds mobile and PC games across multiple genres, with a current catalog of eight released titles spanning town-building simulations (the Outlanders franchise), mech fighting (Machinal Instinct), idle puzzle merging (Griddie Islands), roguelike adventures (Once Upon a Tower), flying action (Bullet Boy), low-gravity space exploration (Mars: Mars), and offline world-building (Dinosaurs Are People Too). Distribution is conducted exclusively through third-party digital platforms, including Apple Arcade, Steam, Google Play Store, Apple App Store, Nintendo Switch eShop, AppGallery, Humble Store, and Fanatical, with no proprietary storefront.

The studio's revenue model combines one-time license sales (Steam, mobile app stores, Nintendo eShop) with subscription-based licensing through Apple Arcade, under which the majority of its catalog including the flagship Outlanders franchise is hosted. Games are sold as discrete premium titles rather than free-to-play with in-app purchases. The flagship Outlanders franchise, launched in 2019, has driven ongoing live operations, including Apple Arcade and Steam DLC expansions branded as Outlanders Chronicles, a Steam PC release in 2023, and the Outlanders 2 sequel launched in July 2024. The studio has received third-party industry recognition including Pocket Gamer's Best Game of 2016 for Mars: Mars, an IMGA nomination for Outlanders in 2020, and multiple Editor's Choice and Game of the Day placements across Apple Arcade and Google Play. Ownership and capital structure are not disclosed; the studio operates as an independent entity with no parent company or institutional investors referenced in available data, led by founder Federico Romero.

Name

Pomelo Games

Legal name

Pomelo Games

Website

https://pomelogames.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2011

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Pomelo Games is an independent Uruguayan game studio developing mobile and PC titles across town-building, fighting, puzzle, and roguelike genres. It distributes through Apple Arcade, Steam, Google Play, and Nintendo Switch, serving global casual gamers with 8+ titles led by the Outlanders franchise.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Indie Video Games

NAICS

Amusement Parks and Arcades (7131)

SIC

Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)

akta.pro primary industry

Mobile & F2P Game Studios (MPAFAAAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

Strategy/4X/Management Game Studios (MPAFAAAK)

Keywords

• Mobile game development
• Indie game studio
• Town-building games
• Cross-platform game publishing
• Puzzle video games

Headquarters

HQ city

Montevideo

HQ country

Uruguay

HQ region

Latin America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Software

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. App Store Sales: Games sold through Apple App Store, Google Play Store, and other mobile app marketplaces with direct purchase downloads.
2. Apple Arcade Subscription: Games available on Apple Arcade subscription service (Outlanders, Outlanders 2, Machinal Instinct, Griddie Islands, Once Upon a Tower, Dinosaurs Are People Too, Mars: Mars, Bullet Boy). Revenue generated through Apple Arcade licensing arrangement.
3. Steam PC Sales: PC game sales through Steam distribution platform, including base game sales and DLC expansions (Outlanders Chronicles).
4. Nintendo Switch Sales: Console game distribution through Nintendo Switch eShop for Outlanders.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels8 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Pomelo Games is an independent video game development studio that designs, develops, and publishes original mobile and PC games across multiple genres, including town-building simulation, mech fighting, idle puzzle merging, roguelike adventure, flying action, space exploration, and offline world-building. The studio's flagship franchise is Outlanders, and its games are distributed globally through Apple Arcade, Steam, Google Play, the Apple App Store, Nintendo Switch, AppGallery, and digital resellers.

Product overview

Pomelo Games is an independent video game development studio creating mobile and PC games. The company offers eight distinct games spanning various genres: town-building simulations (Outlanders series), mech fighting (Machinal Instinct), idle puzzle merging (Griddie Islands), roguelike adventures (Once Upon a Tower), flying action (Bullet Boy), space exploration (Mars: Mars), and dinosaur civilization building (Dinosaurs Are People Too). The games are distributed primarily through Apple Arcade, Steam, Google Play Store, App Store, Nintendo Switch, and other digital storefronts. The portfolio ranges from early mobile releases (Bullet Boy 2014, Mars: Mars 2016) to more recent titles (Outlanders 2, 2024), with the Outlanders franchise being the flagship series.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Outlanders Town-building simulation game where players guide leaders managing resources and followers to build prosperous communities, with distinct levels, a decree system for strategic decisions, and charming storytelling about different town leaders.
• Outlanders 2 Sequel town-building simulation with revamped graphics, terrain generation, Tropiclands and Winterlands biomes, 21 levels on launch, and character-driven campaigns, doubling the buildings and resources of the original Outlanders.
• Machinal Instinct Fast-paced mech-animal fighting game in a worldwide tournament where players choose from 6 mech warriors with customizable melee and ranged weapons, upgrade robot parts, and battle across different arenas.
• Griddie Islands Idle puzzle merger game featuring tiny islands inhabited by Griddies and fleas, where players merge same-level Griddies to create higher-level ones, fill islands with color, and progress through 50+ levels with unique looks and personalities.
• Once Upon a Tower Princess roguelike adventure game where players escape a tower by descending, fighting enemies with various power-ups, and defeating a dragon, featuring different unlockable princesses and a roguelike structure where every run is different.
• Bullet Boy Flying adventure game where players control a bullet-helmeted kid blasting between cannons across a floating world, avoiding obstacles like birds and buildings, collecting statue pieces while escaping a tornado, across 60+ dynamically generated levels.
• Mars: Mars Low-gravity space exploration adventure on Mars using jetpacks as part of MarsCorp's mission, with players discovering landmarks, avoiding jetpack disassemblies, and completing over 3000 challenges.
• Dinosaurs Are People Too Offline world-building simulator set on a planet where dinosaurs never went extinct, where players help dinosaurs farm, mine, and build civilization across a 360-degree world, growing their civilization to eventually reach the moon.

Quantifiable outcome

• Best Strategy Game Award - Community Apple Arcade Awards
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Apple ArcadecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorApple Arcade is a gaming subscription service where multiple Pomelo Games titles are available including Outlanders, Outlanders 2, Machinal Instinct, Griddie Islands, Once Upon a Tower, Dinosaurs Are People Too, Mars: Mars, and Bullet Boy.
• SteamcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSteam is the primary PC gaming platform for Outlanders, providing digital distribution and player community access.
• Nintendo SwitchminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNintendo Switch platform for Outlanders console version distribution through the Nintendo eShop.
• DiscordcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerDiscord serves as the primary community platform for each Pomelo Games title, providing community servers where players can share feedback, report bugs, participate in activities, and engage directly with developers.
• Google Play Store SingaporecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGoogle Play Indie Games Accelerator program in Singapore selected Machinal Instinct for the program in 2019, providing development support and visibility.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Thunder Lotus Games: Canadian indie studio (Spiritfarer, Jotun, Sundered) building polished, stylized action and management titles with PC/console focus. Comparable in small-team size and art-style differentiation across genres.
• Amanita Design: Czech indie studio (Machinarium, Botanicula, Creaks) producing distinctive art-style titles for PC and mobile. Comparable as a small Eastern/Central-European-adjacent studio with strong visual identity and award recognition.
• ustwo games: Independent UK studio behind Monument Valley and Assemble with Care, focused on art-style-driven premium mobile and Apple Arcade titles. Closely comparable in team size, design-led sensibility, and Apple Arcade-first distribution.
• Motion Twin: French worker-cooperative studio behind Dead Cells, operating as an independent team of similar size with cross-platform releases and sequels. Comparable in scale and indie self-publishing model.
• thatgamecompany: US studio behind Journey, Flower, and Sky: Children of the Light — premium, art-driven experiences with deep mobile (Apple Arcade) presence. Comparable in design-led indie ethos and Apple Arcade-first distribution.
• Simogo: Swedish indie studio (Year Walk, Device 6, Sayonara Wild Hearts) known for art-driven premium mobile and PC games. Highly comparable in independent size, distinctive visual identity, and Apple Arcade placement.
• Playdead: Danish indie studio behind Limbo and INSIDE, producing atmospheric premium games that expanded from mobile to console/PC. Comparable as a small-team indie with cross-platform reach and a flagship-driven portfolio.

Broad incumbents

• Devolver Digital: Public indie publisher (Fall Guys, Inscryption, Cult of the Lamb) distributing premium games via Steam and consoles. A broader incumbent in indie publishing that Pomelo's Steam-led releases compete alongside.
• Raw Fury: Swedish indie publisher (Sable, Norco, Star Renegades). Broader incumbent in premium indie PC/mobile publishing, offering relevant context for Pomelo's indie distribution and partnership options.
• HandyGames: Germany-based indie publisher/developer of mobile and PC titles including titles on Apple Arcade. Larger but adjacent incumbent with multi-platform indie publishing experience similar to Pomelo's distribution footprint.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/pomelogames
• Facebookfacebook.com/pomelogames
• Instagraminstagram.com/pomelogames
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/pomelo-games

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 Pomelo Games