What Untame Games does

Untame (operating as Keren Software LLC) is an independent game studio founded in 2008 by Itay Keren in Upstate New York, running a small team of 11–50 people composed of the founder, family members, and a recurring network of freelance collaborators. The studio operates a hybrid business model: it self-publishes original game IP—including the Apple Design Award-winning puzzle-platformer Mushroom 11, the rope-physics puzzler Rope Rescue, the web-based party game Human Is, and the upcoming Cue Quest—through Steam, the Apple App Store, Google Play, and Amazon, while simultaneously providing B2B game development and design services to enterprise and nonprofit clients across healthcare (Level Ex's Airway Ex and Gastro Ex|VR), education (USA Hockey's IntelliGym), arts (the Santa Cruz Museum of Art & History's 'Watermarks of the Last Chinatown'), social advocacy (Cambiar Education's Run The Future), and consumer hardware (Intel's Terra).

The studio's technical capabilities span full-stack game development across PC, mobile, consoles, and web, with proprietary mechanics such as Mushroom 11's destruction/growth cell system and Rope Rescue's rope-physics puzzles. Untame is self-funded with no disclosed institutional investors, M&A activity, or funding rounds, and is governed as a New York LLC with founder ownership concentrated in Itay Keren, who serves as Owner, Creative & Technical Lead.

Revenue is generated through two streams: one-time license sales of original titles via digital app stores, and project-based professional services contracts with enterprise and nonprofit clients. Distribution relies on app store listings, the company's website, an infrequent newsletter, and organic social presence on LinkedIn, Bluesky, and Twitter/X.

Name

Untame Games

Legal name

Keren Software LLC

Website

https://untame.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2008

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Untame (Keren Software LLC) is an Upstate NY indie studio founded in 2008 that self-publishes original puzzle games like Mushroom 11 and Rope Rescue while delivering custom game development services to enterprise and nonprofit clients in healthcare, education, arts, and advocacy.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Brooklyn

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Software

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Original Game Sales: Sale of original game titles (Mushroom 11, Rope Rescue) as one-time purchases through digital distribution platforms including Steam, App Store, Google Play, and Amazon.
2. Client Services & Game Development: Contract work providing game design, development, art, audio, and production services to clients in Art, Education, Healthcare, Neuroscience, and Social Advocacy sectors. Full project support from prototyping through deployment.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Untame is an independent game studio that designs, develops, and self-publishes original video game titles such as Mushroom 11 and Rope Rescue across PC and mobile platforms. In parallel, the studio provides full-service game development to outside clients in healthcare, education, neuroscience, arts, and social advocacy, delivering end-to-end work from concept, design, and rapid prototyping through engineering, art, audio, production, and deployment.

Product overview

Untame Games is an award-winning independent game studio founded in 2008, operating as both an original IP developer and a full-service game development studio. Their original title portfolio includes Mushroom 11 (Apple Design Award-winning anti-platformer puzzle game), Rope Rescue (award-winning rope physics puzzler), and Human Is (web-based party game with AI bots). The studio also developed Bubblooba Online and Gladelings in earlier eras. As a service provider, Untame creates educational software (IntelliGym for USA Hockey, Airway Ex/Gastro EX|VR for Level Ex), art installations (Watermarks of the Last Chinatown), and interactive experiences (Terra for Intel). They offer end-to-end development services including design, prototyping, cross-platform development, art production, audio, and deployment for clients across healthcare, education, art, and advocacy sectors.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Mushroom 11 An anti-platformer puzzle game where players mold an amorphous mushroom blob by destroying and regrowing its cells to navigate a post-humanity world filled with puzzles and bizarre mutations. Targets individual mobile and PC gamers; winner of the Apple Design Award with a soundtrack by The Future Sound of London (FSOL).
• Rope Rescue A rope-physics-based puzzle game in which players control Rupert the Parrot, wrapping a rope around wheels and gears to free kidnapped baby birds while avoiding enemies and obstacles. Aimed at individual mobile gamers; award-winning iOS original by Untame.
• Human Is A web-based party game for five players in which two are randomly assigned humans and three are AI bots trying to appear human; the winner is whoever correctly identifies the other humans. Aimed at individual consumers playing through a browser.
• Bubblooba Online Untame's debut original game, a realtime-multiplayer bubble shooter in which matches are pushed back toward the rival player. Operated over a custom C++ multiplayer server and developed an active Flash-era fanbase.
• Gladelings A fantasy role-playing game developed in collaboration with Imba for the Facebook/Flash era, where players craft a magical forest world through mini-games and jewel collection.
• Untame Game Development Services Full-service game development offerings including game design, UX, rapid prototyping, playtesting, multi-engine/native development across PC, mobile, consoles, and web (single and multiplayer), 3D/2D art, UI, audio design, production, and deployment. Served to clients in Art, Education, Healthcare, Neuroscience, and Social Advocacy for projects of any size.

Quantifiable outcome

• Apple Design Award recognition for Mushroom 11
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers6 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

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Level ExcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUntame collaborated with Level Ex on creating games for healthcare professionals. Projects include Gastro Ex/VR (a Virtual Reality gastroenterologist experience with realistic GI tools) and Airway Ex (a mobile app for anesthesia training with AR support).
• Museum of Art & History Santa CruzminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborated on 'Watermarks of the Last Chinatown' - a playable art exhibit with physical photo-capture gameplay and on-location AR interviews, presenting Santa Cruz's historical narrative.
• Take Action GamesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered with Take Action Games for the Museum of Art & History Santa Cruz exhibit project.
• USA HockeycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborated with USA Hockey (US National Ice Hockey Organization) on IntelliGym - a groundbreaking cognitive training video game for ice hockey players, designed with support from leading cognitive neuroscientists.
• The Future Sound of London (FSOL)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFSOL provided the soundtrack for Mushroom 11, including previously-unreleased material. The legendary electronica duo collaborated with Untame, providing music exclusive to the Mushroom 11 Soundtrack.
• IntelminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDeveloped Terra - a 3D project for Intel's new touchscreen laptop series to demonstrate device versatility, featuring a magical landscape sculpting and mowing experience.
• Cambiar EducationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborated on Run The Future - a nonprofit initiative aimed at helping young entrepreneurs of color, building games to improve divergent perspectives and associative thinking.
• Formation VenturesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered on Run The Future nonprofit initiative alongside Cambiar Education.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Zachtronics: Zachtronics is known for mechanically deep independent puzzle games built around novel systems and problem-solving. It is comparable to Untame’s experimental puzzle-game positioning and technically differentiated game design.
• Amanita Design: Amanita Design is an independent studio known for art-driven adventure and puzzle games such as Machinarium and Samorost. It is comparable to Untame’s blend of art, story, and distinctive game mechanics in original titles.
• Polytron Corporation: Polytron is the independent studio behind Fez, a critically recognized puzzle-platform game. It is comparable to Untame’s hit-driven indie original-IP model and focus on distinctive puzzle-platform mechanics.
• Filament Games: Filament Games is a game studio focused on educational games, simulations, and interactive learning products. It is highly comparable to Untame’s B2B work creating games for education, healthcare, neuroscience, and social-impact clients.
• Level Ex: Level Ex creates medical video games and simulation-style training tools for healthcare professionals. It is comparable to Untame’s healthcare-oriented game work and was also a partner/customer on Airway Ex and Gastro EX/VR projects.
• Second Avenue Learning: Second Avenue Learning builds educational games, simulations, and interactive learning experiences. It is comparable to Untame’s work turning complex educational and social-impact topics into playable interactive products.
• Thekla, Inc. Thekla is an independent studio associated with design-led puzzle games such as Braid and The Witness. It is comparable to Untame’s original-IP business and emphasis on distinctive mechanics in puzzle-oriented games.
• BreakAway Games: BreakAway Games develops serious games, simulations, and training applications for healthcare, education, government, and enterprise users. Its custom interactive-development model overlaps with Untame’s client-services work outside pure entertainment.
• Tomorrow Corporation: Tomorrow Corporation develops small-team, design-forward indie games such as Little Inferno, Human Resource Machine, and 7 Billion Humans. It is comparable to Untame as an independent studio producing original, inventive puzzle and interactive experiences.

Broad incumbents

• Schell Games: Schell Games develops entertainment, educational, VR/AR, and training-oriented interactive experiences. It is a broader, larger studio with meaningful overlap with Untame’s custom game-development and serious-games services.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks4 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/untamegames
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/untame-games

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 Untame Games