APE Games
APE Games is a Houston-based independent tabletop board game publisher founded in 1997 that designs, publishes, and distributes 20+ physical games globally through its Ookoodook web store, wholesale channels, and Kickstarter, serving hobbyist gamers and retailers.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1997
- HeadquartersHouston, TX, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What APE Games does
APE Games (legal entity Advanced Primate Entertainment, LLC) is a privately held, founder-owned tabletop board game publisher headquartered in Houston, TX with additional warehouse operations in Fort Wayne, IN. Founded in 1997 by Kevin Brusky (formerly a software engineer at Compaq Computer Corp.), the company publishes physical board games across multiple genres including strategy (Pampero, Trickerion), deck-building (Dealers in Hope, Ivion, Plunderbund), cooperative dungeon crawls (Stygian Society), farming simulations (Spirits of the Rice Paddy, Rice Dice), and party games (Kill the Overlord, RARRR!!). Its portfolio spans 20+ titles, including co-published works with designers Reiner Knizia, Martin Wallace, and Kevin Wilson, and studios Mighty Boards, HutChu Games, and Luminary Games.
The company operates with a 1–10 person team and uses a hybrid distribution model combining direct-to-consumer sales through its own Ookoodook web store, wholesale to friendly local game stores and distributors (no MAP policy, no minimum order quantity, free US shipping over $200), and crowdfunding launches on Kickstarter and Gamefound with fulfillment via BackerKit. Pricing across the catalog ranges from $12.95 to $60 MSRP. Distribution reaches global markets through fulfillment partners in the US, Canada, Germany, Europe, Australia, and New Zealand. APE Games markets primarily through its blog/newsletter, organic social (Twitter, Facebook, BoardGameGeek), and convention presence at GenCon (booth 1739), BGG@Home, International Tabletop Day, and Essen Spiel.
APE Games has not raised institutional capital and operates without disclosed revenue, patents, or subsidiaries. Its competitive position rests on designer relationships, an established global distribution network, and a recognized content library including titles awarded The Dice Tower Seal of Excellence (Spirits of the Rice Paddy) and Seal of Approval (The Stygian Society). The 2025–2026 pipeline includes Pampero, Whale Riders, Dealers in Hope, Storytailors, Chaos Cove, and the Reiner Knizia's Medici Kickstarter (funded June 2026), reflecting a steady cadence of releases around its 30-year anniversary.
APE Games firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- APE Games
- Legal name
- Advanced Primate Entertainment, LLC
- Website
- https://apegames.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1997
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- APE Games is a Houston-based independent tabletop board game publisher founded in 1997 that designs, publishes, and distributes 20+ physical games globally through its Ookoodook web store, wholesale channels, and Kickstarter, serving hobbyist gamers and retailers.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
APE Games industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Tabletop Board Games
- NAICS
- Doll, Toy, and Game Manufacturing (33993), Hobby, Toy, and Game Retailers (45912)
- SIC
- Games, Toys & Children's Vehicles (No Dolls & Bicycles) (3944), Retail-Hobby, Toy & Game Shops (5945)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Board Game & Puzzle Specialty Retailers (CRALALAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Strategy/Euro Board Games Retail (CRALALAC), Family/Party Board Games Retail (CRALALAB), Hobby Games & Miniatures Retail (Tabletop RPGs, Wargaming) (CRALAFAH)
Keywords
Where APE Games is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Houston, TX
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
APE Games business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Board Game Sales: One-time purchase model for physical board games sold directly to consumers via their web store (Ookoodook) and through retail distribution channels. Games published include original titles and co-published works from various designers.
- Crowdfunding (Kickstarter): New game launches primarily through Kickstarter campaigns, with backer fulfillment and late pledge options through BackerKit.
- Wholesale Distribution: Sales to distributors and retail game stores with terms including no MAP policy, no minimum quantity, and free US shipping for orders over $200.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Anathema card game |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Spirits of the Rice Paddy reprint |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Wholesale pricing |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels6 records
APE Games product offering
Product offeringCore offering
APE Games is a tabletop board game publisher that designs, publishes, and distributes physical board games across genres including strategy, deck-building, cooperative dungeon crawls, farming simulations, and party games. The company self-publishes original titles and co-publishes with designers such as Reiner Knizia, Martin Wallace, and Kevin Wilson, distributing through Kickstarter, its own Ookoodook web store, and global wholesale retail channels.
Product overview
APE Games (Advanced Primate Entertainment) is a tabletop board game publisher founded in 1997, operating primarily as a physical board game publisher rather than a software company. The company publishes a diverse portfolio of games spanning multiple genres including strategy games (Pampero, Trickerion), deck-building games (Dealers in Hope, Ivion, Plunderbund), cooperative dungeon crawls (Stygian Society), farming simulations (Spirits of the Rice Paddy, Rice Dice), party games (Kill the Overlord, RARRR!!), and thematic experiences. APE Games operates through a mix of self-published titles and co-publishing partnerships with other publishers (Mighty Boards for Petrichor, HutChu Games for Plunderbund, Luminary Games for Ivion). Distribution occurs through their Ookoodook web store, retail channels, and crowdfunding platforms like Kickstarter and Gamefound.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Pampero A hand management, card-driven action selection game for 1-4 players where players accept contracts to expand solar and wind power across Uruguay, featuring over 10 oz. of wood components.
- Reiner Knizia's Whale Riders A board game designed by renowned game designer Reiner Knizia with a classic feel, available from APE Games.
- Chaos Cove A game launched on the Gamefound crowdfunding platform, listed in APE Games' portfolio.
- Ivion A 2-player duel combining the intensity of a fighting game with the strategy of deck-building card games, creating an immersive herocrafting experience; co-published with Luminary Games.
- One Card Wonder A microgame where players build ancient wonders of the world using a single card, featuring resource collection, trading, and building mechanics, designed by Nat Levan.
- Storytailors A game licensed for North American distribution through Red Cat Games partnership, targeted at gamers of all ages.
- Trickerion A magic-themed strategy game co-published by APE Games.
- Dark is the Night A 2-player asymmetric hunt-or-be-hunted game for ages 10+, playing in under 15 minutes.
- Plunderbund A black-market economy simulator in an urban fantasy world resembling 1920s America, combining deck-building, worker placement, and area-of-influence mechanics; co-published with HutChu Games.
- Rolling Freight A railroad-themed strategy game in APE Games' portfolio.
- Order of the Stick Adventure Game A game based on the Order of the Stick webcomic.
- Moa A Martin Wallace design where players control tribes of birds competing for territory in The Land of the Long White Cloud while defending against mammal invaders.
- Major General: Duel of Time A 2-player game in APE Games' portfolio.
- Petrichor A game of being a rain cloud, co-published with Mighty Boards, featuring nature-themed artwork by Daniela Attard.
- Vengeance: Roll & Fight A real-time roll-and-write game with fast-paced dice puzzles, created in partnership with Mighty Boards.
- RARRR!! A party game published by APE Games.
- Ookoodook APE Games' own e-commerce web store for purchasing games directly, often including promotional items not found in stores, shipping globally from fulfillment hubs in the US, Canada, Germany, and Australia.
Companies that use APE Games
Customer profileSegments3 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
APE Games technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
APE Games partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Four partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.
- Red Cat GamesminorLicensing agreement for Storytailors to be distributed in North America. Red Cat Games handles North American distribution while APE retains other territories.
- Luminary GamescoreCo-publishing agreement for Ivion, a herocrafting card game. APE Games handles English-language co-publishing and worldwide distribution. Luminary Games (run by Aislyn Hall and Aaron Shaw) retains creative development.
- HutChu GamesminorCo-publishing partnership for Plunderbund, a black market economy simulator combining deck-building, worker placement, and area-of-influence mechanics set in an urban fantasy world resembling 1920s America. HutChu Games founders Woody Hutsell and Adam Chunn retained creative control while APE provides distribution channel access.
- Mighty BoardscoreCo-publishing partnership for Petrichor, a game about being a rain cloud. Mighty Boards launched the Kickstarter which funded in 24 hours. Partnership extended to Vengeance: Roll & Fight. APE Games handles distribution for North America while Mighty Boards manages other regions.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
APE Games competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Brotherwise Games: Small independent hobby tabletop publisher (Boss Monster, Call to Adventure). Similar founder-led scale, Kickstarter launch strategy, and hobbyist customer base.
- Chip Theory Games: Independent hobby publisher known for premium-component games like Too Many Bones and Hexplore It. Comparable on premium hobby positioning, Kickstarter-driven launches, and direct-to-consumer emphasis.
- Leder Games: Independent board game publisher of similar size behind Root and Oath. Comparable on premium hobby tabletop publishing, designer partnerships, and direct-to-consumer + retail distribution.
- Stonemaier Games: Independently owned tabletop board game publisher of comparable scale known for Wingspan, Scythe, and Viticulture. Directly comparable on product category, Kickstarter-driven launches, premium components, and founder-led operations.
- Greater Than Games: Independent publisher of hobby tabletop games including Spirit Island. Comparable in scale, premium hobby positioning, and direct-to-consumer retail through their own store.
- Plaid Hat Games: Mid-sized independent board game publisher with titles like Summoner Wars and Mice & Mystics. Closely matches APE's mix of strategy and family-friendly games plus co-publishing activity.
- Renegade Game Studios: Independent tabletop publisher with a broader catalog including family and party games. Comparable on product mix, distribution through FLGS, and convention presence at GenCon.
Broad incumbents
- CMON Limited: Public tabletop publisher of hobby games including Zombicide and Bloodborne. Broad incumbent with much larger scale and global distribution that overlaps with APE's Kickstarter-driven hobby titles.
- Asmodee: Largest hobby tabletop publisher globally (Catan, Ticket to Ride, 7 Wonders). Operates as a broad incumbent APE competes against for retail shelf space and designer relationships, with a vastly larger portfolio and distribution footprint.
- Games Workshop: Global leader in tabletop wargaming and miniatures (Warhammer). Operates as a broad incumbent in the hobby tabletop space, with retail stores and licensed games that intersect APE's wargame and dungeon-crawl titles.
Market position
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
APE Games social profiles
Digital presenceAPE Games financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
APE Games leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
APE Games funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
APE Games 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 APE Games
What does APE Games do?
APE Games is a tabletop board game publisher that designs, publishes, and distributes physical board games across genres including strategy, deck-building, cooperative dungeon crawls, farming simulations, and party games. The company self-publishes original titles and co-publishes with designers such as Reiner Knizia, Martin Wallace, and Kevin Wilson, distributing through Kickstarter, its own Ookoodook web store, and global wholesale retail channels.
Is APE Games a public or private company?
APE Games is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was APE Games founded?
APE Games was founded in 1997. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is APE Games based?
APE Games is headquartered in Houston, TX, United States, in the North America region.
How does APE Games make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Board Game Sales are the primary driver. The others are crowdfunding (Kickstarter) and wholesale Distribution.
Who are APE Games's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Brotherwise Games, Chip Theory Games, Leder Games, Stonemaier Games, Greater Than Games, Plaid Hat Games and Renegade Game Studios. Broad incumbents are CMON Limited, Asmodee and Games Workshop.
Does APE Games have an API?
No public API is recorded for APE Games.
What industry is APE Games in?
APE Games's product category is Tabletop Board Games. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRALALAA, Board Game & Puzzle Specialty Retailers, with a secondary code of CRALALAC, Strategy/Euro Board Games Retail. Its NAICS code is 33993 and its SIC code is 3944.