Star Vault
Star Vault AB is a small Swedish publicly traded indie game developer building sandbox MMORPGs (Mortal Online franchise) and casual VR titles (Kitten'd) on Unreal Engine, serving PC and VR gamers worldwide via a freemium-to-subscription model.
- Company typePublic
- Founded2005
- HeadquartersMalmö, Sweden
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingSoftware
What Star Vault does
Star Vault AB (publ) is a small, publicly traded Swedish independent game development studio founded in 2005 by Henrik Nyström in Malmö, Sweden, and listed on the Spotlight Stock Market (Aktietorget) since September 2007 under the ticker STVA B. The company's core franchise is Mortal Online, a hardcore PC-only sandbox fantasy first-person MMORPG originally released in 2010, with the sequel Mortal Online II under development using Unreal Engine 4/5 and C++ to deliver open-world architecture featuring real-time skill-based combat, player housing, guild systems, and territory control without instanced PvP zones. Star Vault also developed Kitten'd, a casual VR title for PC, PlayStation, and Oculus platforms.
The studio operates a freemium-to-subscription revenue model on the Mortal Online franchise, offering unlimited free trial access with optional paid subscriptions for full functionality. Distribution occurs through major global gaming platforms — Steam, Sony PlayStation Store, and the Oculus Store — supplemented by direct website storefronts. Marketing and community engagement are conducted primarily through organic social media (Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram) and community channels (Discord, Reddit). Customer base consists of 500,000+ registered Mortal Online players globally.
In November 2025, Star Vault announced a partnership with AMD to build a next-generation AI platform for game development, signaling a strategic pivot toward AI-enabled production tooling. The company has 11-50 employees with team members working remotely worldwide, and is led by founder and CEO Henrik Nyström with Chairman Fredrik Reimers. With 421,052,904 shares outstanding, Star Vault operates as an independent micro-cap public company with no disclosed private equity or venture capital ownership.
Star Vault firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Star Vault
- Legal name
- Star Vault AB (publ)
- Website
- https://starvault.se
- Company type
- Public
- Founded year
- 2005
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Star Vault AB is a small Swedish publicly traded indie game developer building sandbox MMORPGs (Mortal Online franchise) and casual VR titles (Kitten'd) on Unreal Engine, serving PC and VR gamers worldwide via a freemium-to-subscription model.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Star Vault industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Online multiplayer games (MMORPG)
- SIC
- Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Digital Game Distribution Platforms & Storefronts (PC/Mobile/Console) (MPAFABAB)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Game Subscription & Membership Services (BPAMAKAD)
Keywords
Where Star Vault is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Malmö
- HQ country
- Sweden
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Star Vault business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Others
Revenue model
- Subscription Gaming: Players can subscribe to access all functionality of the free-to-play Mortal Online game, providing recurring revenue from engaged players
- Free-to-Play Entry: Unlimited trial access to Mortal Online with optional subscription for full game functionality, enabling broad user acquisition
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Monthly | Free Trial - Unlimited access to basic gameplay |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels5 records
Star Vault product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Star Vault develops and operates online multiplayer games, primarily the sandbox MMORPG franchise Mortal Online (free-to-play with optional subscription) and its sequel Mortal Online II, alongside the casual VR kitten-care game Kitten'd for PC and PlayStation. The company sells these games directly to players through digital storefronts (Steam, PlayStation, Oculus) and its own websites, monetizing Mortal Online primarily via recurring subscriptions.
Product overview
Star Vault AB is an independent Swedish game development company that operates a portfolio of multiplayer gaming products. The company's flagship offerings include the original Mortal Online (released 2010), its sequel Mortal Online II, and Kitten'd (a casual VR game). Mortal Online is a free-to-play sandbox MMORPG with over 500,000 registered users, while Mortal Online II represents its next-generation evolution as a first-person sandbox MMORPG. Kitten'd provides a casual VR experience centered around caring for virtual kittens. The company, founded in 2005 and publicly listed since 2007, positions itself as an innovator in MMORPG development.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Mortal Online: Hardcore PC-only sandbox fantasy first-person MMORPG. Free to play with optional subscription. Released in 2010.
- Mortal Online II
- Kitten'd
Products and services
- Mortal Online II Mortal Online II is a next-generation, first-person, sandbox MMORPG set in a fantasy world where players experience true real-time combat decided by skill, build houses, create guilds, construct keeps, and forge empires with no safe zones or PvP-only areas.
- Kitten'd Kitten'd is a casual VR-focused game for PC and Sony PlayStation where players take care of cute kittens in a room filled with breakable objects, featuring 28 wacky levels, 4 different worlds, and a sandbox mode.
- Mortal Online Mortal Online is a hardcore, PC-only, first-person sandbox fantasy MMORPG that is free-to-play with an unlimited trial and optional subscription for full functionality. Players can build houses, establish guilds, and compete for nation control through combat, magic, crafting, or trading.
Quantifiable outcome
- 500,000+ registered users across Mortal Online franchise
Companies that use Star Vault
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments1 record
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Star Vault technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration4 records
AI capability1 record
Feature2 records
Star Vault partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Two partnerships are on record, tiered core and flagship.
- AMDcoreStar Vault is building a next-generation AI platform for game development in collaboration with AMD. This partnership focuses on leveraging AMD technology for AI-powered game development capabilities.
- SonyflagshipStar Vault signed a contract with Sony to release Kitten'd on PlayStation platform. Original plans were for 2018-2019 release on Steam, Oculus Store, and Sony PlayStation.
Scale indicators2 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Star Vault competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Funcom: Funcom developed and operates Age of Conan, The Secret World, and Conan Exiles—MMORPGs targeting mature, hardcore audiences with sandbox/open-world elements. Comparable to Star Vault as a Scandinavian-headquartered studio in the sandbox/hardcore MMORPG niche.
- Broadsword Online Games: Broadsword operates Ultima Online and Dark Age of Camelot, two of the longest-running sandbox MMORPGs in the industry. Closely comparable to Star Vault's Mortal Online franchise as a small studio maintaining a hardcore sandbox MMORPG with continuous development.
- ArenaNet (Guild Wars 2): ArenaNet develops and operates Guild Wars 2, a major subscription/freemium MMORPG with PvP-focused endgame and open-world combat. Comparable to Star Vault in the broader MMORPG category with similar free-to-play + optional monetization models.
- CCP Games: CCP Games (acquired by Pearl Abyss) developed EVE Online, a sandbox MMORPG with player-driven economies, territory control, and hardcore PvP. Closest direct peer to Star Vault given its sandbox-first, no-safe-zone, real-time combat design philosophy targeting a niche dedicated player base.
- Standing Stone Games: Standing Stone Games operates Lord of the Rings Online and Dungeons & Dragons Online, two subscription-based MMORPGs originally developed by Turbine. Comparable to Star Vault as a small-to-mid studio operating legacy subscription MMORPGs with established player communities.
- Jagex (RuneScape developers): Jagex develops and operates RuneScape and Old School RuneScape, long-running sandbox MMORPGs with skill-based progression and player-driven economies. Comparable to Star Vault in operating a persistent sandbox MMORPG with subscription and freemium monetization on PC.
Emerging players
- Miscreated (Entrada Interactive): Entrada Interactive developed Miscreated, a smaller-scale sandbox multiplayer game with PvP and survival elements. Comparable to Star Vault as a small studio building sandbox multiplayer experiences on PC, though on a smaller and survival-focused scale.
- Pixelmage Games: Pixelmage Games is developing a hardcore sandbox MMORPG led by industry veterans including Raph Koster. Comparable to Star Vault as an emerging indie studio targeting the hardcore sandbox MMORPG segment that Star Vault's Mortal Online also serves.
- Intrepid Studios: Intrepid Studios develops Ashes of Creation, an upcoming sandbox MMORPG with player-driven node-based territory control. Comparable as an emerging sandbox MMORPG targeting hardcore players, but with significantly larger funding and team than Star Vault.
Broad incumbents
- ZeniMax Online Studios: ZeniMax Online Studios develops The Elder Scrolls Online, one of the largest active subscription MMORPGs. Comparable to Star Vault as a competing MMORPG operator with first-person sandbox-adjacent gameplay (ESO features open-world PvP in Cyrodiil), but at vastly larger scale.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Star Vault social profiles
Digital presenceStar Vault financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Star Vault leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
Star Vault funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Star Vault M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Star Vault
What does Star Vault do?
Star Vault develops and operates online multiplayer games, primarily the sandbox MMORPG franchise Mortal Online (free-to-play with optional subscription) and its sequel Mortal Online II, alongside the casual VR kitten-care game Kitten'd for PC and PlayStation. The company sells these games directly to players through digital storefronts (Steam, PlayStation, Oculus) and its own websites, monetizing Mortal Online primarily via recurring subscriptions.
Is Star Vault a public or private company?
Star Vault is a public company. It is classified as public and is currently operating.
When was Star Vault founded?
Star Vault was founded in 2005. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Star Vault based?
Star Vault is headquartered in Malmö, Sweden, in the Europe region.
How does Star Vault make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Subscription Gaming is the primary driver. The others are free-to-Play Entry.
Who are Star Vault's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Funcom, Broadsword Online Games, ArenaNet (Guild Wars 2), CCP Games, Standing Stone Games and Jagex (RuneScape developers). Emerging players are Miscreated (Entrada Interactive), Pixelmage Games and Intrepid Studios. ZeniMax Online Studios is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does Star Vault have an API?
No public API is recorded for Star Vault.
What industry is Star Vault in?
Star Vault's product category is Online multiplayer games (MMORPG). Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAFABAB, Digital Game Distribution Platforms & Storefronts (PC/Mobile/Console), with a secondary code of BPAMAKAD, Game Subscription & Membership Services. Its SIC code is 7990.