The Working Parts

What The Working Parts does

The Working Parts is an independent game studio headquartered in Gothenburg (Göteborg), Sweden, founded by five childhood friends plus two additional contributors (a musician and a web developer). The company develops and self-publishes atmospheric, narrative-driven games for PC, console, and mobile platforms, with a stated creative emphasis on environmental storytelling, hidden secrets, and thought-provoking themes.

The studio has released two principal titles. Residue (original 2013, Final Cut 2014) is a story-driven 2D platform adventure set in the abandoned Aral Sea region of Uzbekistan, played across three characters with distinct abilities over 13 chapters. They Breathe (originally 2011 on Xbox Live Indie Games) is an atmospheric horror game in which the player guides a frog through a flooded forest competing for oxygen. They Breathe was remastered in Unity in 2019 for iOS and Android and ported to Nintendo Switch in 2020 via a partnership with Bulbware. A third experience, Beneath the Surface, functions as a bonus interactive art gallery unlocked after completing They Breathe. Core technology is the Unity game engine; there are no disclosed AI, ML, or proprietary runtime systems.

Commercially, The Working Parts operates a pure product-led model with one-time perpetual-license pricing (approximately $1.49-$1.99 per title), zero subscription or in-app purchase mechanics, and distribution exclusively through major digital storefronts (Steam, Nintendo Switch eShop, iOS App Store, Google Play). The go-to-market motion relies on organic social media (Twitter/X, Facebook), a hosted press kit, and earned coverage from outlets such as Kotaku, Rock Paper Shotgun, Destructoid, and Pocket Gamer. There are no paid marketing, sales team, or external funding rounds disclosed, and the company appears to be bootstrapped and founder-owned. Customer segments are individual indie-game enthusiasts and casual mobile/console gamers; there is no enterprise or B2B customer base.

Name

The Working Parts

Legal name

The Working Parts

Website

https://theworkingparts.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2011

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Working Parts is a privately held, bootstrapped indie game studio in Gothenburg, Sweden, founded by five childhood friends around 2009-2011. It self-publishes atmospheric, narrative-driven games — notably Residue and They Breathe — on Steam, Nintendo Switch, iOS, and Android via one-time digital purchases.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Indie Game Development

NAICS

Motion Picture and Video Production (51211), Independent Artists, Writers, and Performers (711510)

SIC

Services-Motion Picture & Video Tape Production (7812)

akta.pro primary industry

Narrative/Adventure & RPG Game Studios (MPAFAAAL)

Keywords

• Indie game development
• Atmospheric horror games
• Narrative adventure games
• 2D platform games
• Game design studio

Headquarters

HQ city

Gothenburg

HQ country

Sweden

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Software

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Game Sales (Direct Digital): One-time purchase model for individual games sold through digital storefronts (Steam, Nintendo Switch eShop, iOS App Store, Google Play). No subscription or in-app purchases.
2. They Breathe Sales: They Breathe generates revenue through one-time purchases across multiple platforms including original Xbox Live Indie Games release, Steam PC release, iOS/Android remastered versions, and Nintendo Switch port.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

The Working Parts is an independent game studio that develops and self-publishes atmospheric, narrative-driven indie video games for PC, console, and mobile platforms. Their portfolio centers on two core titles — They Breathe (an atmospheric horror game about a frog in an oxygen-scarce flooded forest) and Residue: Final Cut (a story-driven 2D platform adventure exploring the environmental disaster of the Aral Sea in Uzbekistan with three playable characters) — sold as one-time digital purchases through Steam, Nintendo Switch eShop, iOS App Store, and Google Play.

Product overview

The Working Parts is an independent game studio that develops atmospheric, story-driven games. The studio has released two main products: Residue, a cinematic 2D platform adventure exploring the environmental disaster of the Aral Sea through three playable characters, and They Breathe, an atmospheric horror game about a frog's journey through a flooded forest. The studio also offers Beneath the Surface, an interactive gallery experience tied to They Breathe. All games are distributed digitally through platforms including Steam, Nintendo Switch, iOS, and Android.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Residue: Final Cut A story-driven 2D platform adventure in which players control three characters (Emilio, Jumagul, and Nikolai Sitvin) with different abilities (climbing, flashlight-based exploration, grappling hook) to explore an abandoned excavation site in the remains of the Aral Sea in present-day Uzbekistan across 13 content-packed chapters. Available as a one-time digital purchase on Steam for individual gamers seeking atmospheric, narrative-driven indie experiences.
• They Breathe An atmospheric horror game in which players guide a frog through the depths of a flooded forest, gradually uncovering a world where all creatures compete for oxygen. Originally released on Xbox Live Indie Games in 2011 and later ported to Steam, iOS, Android, and Nintendo Switch. Sold as a one-time purchase for individual gamers drawn to atmospheric, experimental indie experiences.
• Beneath the Surface An interactive art gallery accessible after completing They Breathe, offering bonus material and behind-the-scenes content for players who finish the main game. Targeted at They Breathe players interested in additional creative context.

Quantifiable outcome

• Silver Award from XBLIG, Kotaku pick of the month, Pocket Gamer Bronze Award - multiple critical recognitions across major gaming outlets

Named customers3 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• BulbwareminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2020Bulbware handled the porting and release of They Breathe on Nintendo Switch in 2020. This partnership enabled The Working Parts to expand their game to console audience without internal development of Switch version.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Market position

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/theworkingparts

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 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 The Working Parts