Poncle
Poncle Ltd is a London-based independent game studio that develops and publishes the Vampire Survivors franchise, deck-builder and VR spin-offs, multiple licensed IP collaborations, and third-party indie titles across 10+ gaming platforms, serving indie and casual gaming enthusiasts worldwide.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2021
- HeadquartersLondon, United Kingdom
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingSoftware
What Poncle does
Poncle Ltd is a London-based independent video game studio founded in 2021 by Luca Galante (also known as Luca 'Poncle' Galante). The studio created Vampire Survivors, a minimalist bullet-hell roguelite that established and dominated the 'survivors-like' subgenre following its October 2022 full launch. The company bootstrapped its flagship title from a starting budget of approximately £1,100 and has scaled from a solo development project into a 25+ person team operating across London, with newly announced studios in Italy and Japan to support its expanding multi-title roadmap.
The company's technology centers on a proprietary template-based Vampire Survivors engine that enables rapid production of spin-offs and licensed titles by reusing proven roguelike mechanics rather than building new titles from scratch. Across its product portfolio, Poncle has shipped Vampire Survivors plus 15+ DLC packs (including licensed collaborations with Konami's Contra and Castlevania, Innersloth's Among Us, Square Enix's SaGa Emerald Beyond, and Balatro), the Vampire Crawlers deck-building spin-off co-developed with Nosebleed Interactive (launched April 21, 2026), the Vampire Survivors VR adaptation for Meta Quest, the Warhammer Survivors title produced by Auroch Digital using Poncle's licensed engine, and the announced Jujutsu Kaisen Rumble: Survivaton being co-developed with Shueisha Games for 2026. The studio also publishes third-party indie titles including Kill the Brickman (Doonutsaur) and Berserk or Die (Nao Games), and has established a new umbrella brand called 'Survivaton' that re-encompasses Vampire Survivors as 'Vampire Survivors - First Survivaton'.
Poncle operates a premium-quality, low-price-point business model: $4.99 for the Vampire Survivors base game, $1.99–$3.99 for most DLC packs, and $9.99 for Vampire Crawlers. Distribution spans 10+ platforms including Steam, Epic Games Store, Xbox (with day-one Game Pass inclusion), PlayStation, Nintendo Switch, iOS, Android, Apple Arcade, and Meta Quest VR. Revenue streams include direct game sales, DLC sales, IP/engine licensing (e.g., Warhammer Survivors), and publishing margins on third-party titles. The customer base is mass-market, spanning indie and casual gaming enthusiasts, roguelike fans, mobile gamers, and licensed IP crossover audiences for Castlevania, Contra, Jujutsu Kaisen, Warhammer, Among Us, SaGa, and Balatro. Day-one availability on Xbox Game Pass and Apple Arcade provides subscription-based distribution, while cross-platform saves via Microsoft PlayFab link player progress across storefronts.
Poncle firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Poncle
- Legal name
- Poncle Ltd
- Website
- https://poncle.games
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2021
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Poncle Ltd is a London-based independent game studio that develops and publishes the Vampire Survivors franchise, deck-builder and VR spin-offs, multiple licensed IP collaborations, and third-party indie titles across 10+ gaming platforms, serving indie and casual gaming enthusiasts worldwide.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Poncle industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Indie Video Games
- NAICS
- Software Publishers (513210)
- SIC
- Services-Prepackaged Software (7372)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Indie Game Studios (MPAFAAAC)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- VR/AR Game Publishing & Distribution (MPAFABAK)
Keywords
Where Poncle is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- London
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices2 records
Markets served
Poncle business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Others
Revenue model
- Vampire Survivors Game Sales: Vampire Survivors generates revenue through direct game sales across multiple platforms (Steam, Epic Games Store, Xbox, PlayStation, Nintendo Switch, iOS, Android). The base game launched at approximately $4.99/£3.99/€4.99. Vampire Survivors sold nearly 2 million copies within a month of full launch and generated an estimated $20 million in revenue over four years.
- DLC (Downloadable Content): Poncle publishes paid DLC expansions for Vampire Survivors, including Legacy of the Moonspell, Tides of the Foscari, Emergency Meeting (Among Us collab), Operation Guns (Contra), Ode to Castlevania, Emerald Diorama (SaGa), Ante Chamber (Balatro). Prices range from free to $3.99/£2.99 per pack. Some collaborative DLCs are priced higher due to licensing fees. Cross-buy supported on PlayStation formats.
- Warhammer Survivors Licensing: Poncle licensed its Vampire Survivors engine to Auroch Digital to produce Warhammer Survivors, spanning Warhammer 40,000 and Age of Sigmar universes, generating revenue through IP licensing and potentially co-publishing arrangements.
- Jujutsu Kaisen Rumble: Survivaton: Poncle and Shueisha Games announced Jujutsu Kaisen Rumble: Survivaton, a survivor-like battle royale game featuring the Jujutsu Kaisen anime franchise, scheduled for 2026 release across multiple platforms.
- Third-Party Game Publishing: Poncle acts as publisher for third-party indie games including Kill the Brickman (by Doonutsaur) and Berserk or Die (by Nao Games), taking a publishing margin on sales.
- Vampire Survivors VR: Vampire Survivors VR is available on Meta Quest headsets at £7.99/$9.99/€9.99 as a standalone version, generating revenue through direct VR platform sales.
- Vampire Crawlers: Vampire Crawlers, a deck-building spin-off of Vampire Survivors, launched on April 21, 2026 at $9.99/£8.99/€9.99 across PC, PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, with mobile ports planned.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Vampire Survivors base game |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Vampire Survivors: Ode to Castlevania DLC |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Vampire Survivors: Operation Guns DLC |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Vampire Survivors: Emergency Meeting DLC |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Vampire Survivors VR |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Vampire Crawlers |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Vampire Survivors: Legacy of the Moonspell DLC |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Vampire Survivors: Tides of the Foscari DLC |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Vampire Survivors on Epic Games Store |
| Freemium | Pay-as-you-go | Vampire Survivors: Ante Chamber DLC |
| Freemium | Pay-as-you-go | Vampire Survivors: Emerald Diorama DLC |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels9 records
Marketing channels9 records
Poncle product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Poncle is a London-based independent video game studio that develops, self-publishes and ports action roguelike games such as Vampire Survivors across PC, console, mobile and VR platforms. The studio monetises primarily through one-time game sales, paid downloadable content (DLC) expansions and, more recently, licensed IP collaborations (e.g. Warhammer Survivors) and publishing support for other indie developers.
Product overview
Poncle is a London-based indie game studio that grew from a solo development project into a 25+ person studio. The company's portfolio centers on Vampire Survivors as the flagship title—a time-survival roguelite that pioneered the 'survivors-like' genre—augmented by an expanding portfolio of spin-offs, licensed collaborations, and published partner titles. The core Vampire Survivors product has been expanded through multiple proprietary and collaborative DLCs (Legacy of the Moonspell, Tides of the Foscari, Emergency Meeting with Among Us, Operation Guns with Contra, Ode to Castlevania with Konami, Emerald Diorama with Square Enix, and Ante Chamber with Balatro), and extended into adjacent formats including the Vampire Crawlers deck-builder spin-off (developed with Nosebleed Interactive), Warhammer Survivors (built on Poncle's engine via Auroch Digital), Jujutsu Kaisen Rumble: Survivaton (with Shueisha Games), and a standalone VR version for Meta Quest. Poncle also publishes third-party titles including Kill The Brickman and Berserk or Die. The company has established a new sub-brand called Survivaton to house its expanding lineup of survivor-like games, with Vampire Survivors being rebranded as 'Vampire Survivors - First Survivaton'. Features include local and online co-op multiplayer, cross-platform cloud saves via PlayFab, and an Adventures game mode with roguelite progression. Platforms supported include Steam, Epic Games Store, Xbox (including Game Pass), PlayStation, Nintendo Switch, iOS, Android, and Apple Arcade.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Survivaton: New label for Poncle's expanding lineup of survivors-like games, under which Vampire Survivors has been rebranded as 'Vampire Survivors - First Survivaton'.
- Vampire Survivors
- Vampire Crawlers
- Vampire Survivors VR
Products and services
- Vampire Survivors A low-cost indie action roguelike in which the player survives endless waves of monsters using auto-firing weapons and build-crafting evolutions, sold to individual gamers on Steam and later ported to consoles, mobile and VR.
- Vampire Survivors DLC: Tides of the Foscari Paid DLC expansion for Vampire Survivors that adds new playable characters, a new stage, new weapons and evolutions.
- Vampire Survivors DLC: Operation Guns Paid crossover-themed DLC pack for Vampire Survivors adding new characters, weapons and stage.
- Vampire Survivors DLC: Inverse Paid DLC for Vampire Survivors introducing the 'Inverse' mode and additional gameplay content.
- Warhammer Survivors A licensed Warhammer-flavoured roguelike spin-off of the Vampire Survivors formula, targeted at the same consumer base plus Warhammer franchise fans.
- Poncle Indie Publishing Publishing support service through which Poncle helps other independent developers release their games on PC and console storefronts.
Quantifiable outcome
- Vampire Survivors sold nearly 2 million copies within a month of launch
- +5 more outcomes
Companies that use Poncle
Customer profileNamed customers6 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles1 record
Poncle technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration4 records
Feature6 records
Poncle partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
14 partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.
- Epic Games (Fortnite)minorPoncle planned a Vampire Survivors x Fortnite crossover collaboration featuring Vampire Survivors items as cosmetic content in Fortnite. Following Epic Games' announcement of generative AI usage in Fortnite asset creation (Unreal Engine 6), Poncle publicly announced it is 'reviewing' the collaboration on June 17, 2026, reflecting developer pushback against AI-generated content in the industry.
- Shueisha GamescorePoncle and Shueisha Games co-developed Jujutsu Kaisen Rumble: Survivaton, a survivor-like battle royale game featuring the Jujutsu Kaisen anime franchise. The game supports up to 8-player PvP combat with over 20 playable characters, blending survivor-style gameplay with battle royale mechanics, scheduled for release in 2026 on Nintendo Switch, PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC.
- Microsoft (Xbox Game Pass)coreVampire Crawlers launched as a day-one Xbox Game Pass title on April 21, 2026, simultaneously releasing on Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 5. The base game Vampire Survivors is also available on Xbox Game Pass. This provides Poncle access to millions of subscription subscribers without traditional marketing spend.
- Yoko ShimomuraminorLegendary composer Yoko Shimomura (known for Kingdom Hearts and Final Fantasy 15) created the theme song for Vampire Crawlers, a significant creative partnership that adds prestige to the deck-building spin-off.
- Nosebleed InteractivecoreVampire Crawlers was co-developed by Poncle and British indie developer Nosebleed Interactive, combining Poncle's Vampire Survivors universe with Nosebleed's deck-building expertise. The game launched April 21, 2026 at $9.99 across PC and consoles.
- Playstack / LocalThunk (Balatro)minorVampire Survivors: Ante Chamber is a free DLC collaboration with Balatro's creators (Playstack/LocalThunk), featuring 4 characters, 4 weapons, and 4 evolutions. The collaboration reciprocates Vampire Survivors characters appearing as cosmetic face cards in Balatro's Friends of Jimbo DLC. Notably available on Apple Arcade unlike other licensed DLCs.
- DoonutsaurminorPoncle published Kill the Brickman, a turn-based roguelike bullet-building brick-breaker from Doonutsaur, released on Xbox and Steam. Poncle provides publishing support including platform distribution and marketing for the title.
- Nao GamesminorPoncle published Berserk or Die, a keyboard-bashing action game from Nao Games, released on Steam. Poncle's publishing role includes platform distribution and marketing for the title.
- Auroch Digital / Games Workshop (Warhammer)corePoncle licensed its Vampire Survivors engine to Auroch Digital to produce Warhammer Survivors, an officially licensed title spanning Warhammer 40,000 and Age of Sigmar universes. The free Steam demo attracted over 2,400 concurrent players ahead of a planned 2026 launch on PC and consoles.
- Square Enix (SaGa Emerald Beyond)minorVampire Survivors: Emerald Diorama is a free collaborative DLC featuring content from Square Enix's SaGa Emerald Beyond. Includes 12 characters, 16 new weapons with Glimmer techniques, and is available for free on all platforms (excluding Apple Arcade). CEO Luca Galante has a personal affinity for the SaGa series from childhood.
- Konami (Castlevania)coreVampire Survivors: Ode to Castlevania is the largest DLC Poncle has created, featuring 20+ playable characters and 40+ new weapons inspired by the Castlevania franchise. Priced at £2.99/$3.99/€3.99 as it represents 70-80% of the base game content. The DLC celebrates the Castlevania franchise that inspired Vampire Survivors.
- Apple (Apple Arcade)minorVampire Survivors+ launched on Apple Arcade in August 2024, bundling the base game, all free updates, and own-IP DLCs (Legacy of the Moonspell, Tides of the Foscari) in one package with no adverts for subscribers.
- Konami (Contra)coreVampire Survivors: Operation Guns is a licensed DLC featuring the classic Konami Contra IP. The collaboration includes 11 characters, 22 weapons, and stages inspired by Contra. Poncle expressed admiration for Konami's iconic game series and noted the opportunity to reinterpret Contra content in Vampire Survivors sauce.
- Innersloth (Among Us)coreVampire Survivors: Emergency Meeting is a licensed DLC featuring the Among Us IP. The collaboration includes 9 characters, 15 weapons, a Polus Replica stage, and 20 in-game unlocks. The DLC arose from Poncle's friendship with Innersloth's developers.
Scale indicators9 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Poncle competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Shueisha Games: Japanese games label of major manga publisher Shueisha, co-developing Jujutsu Kaisen Rumble: Survivaton with Poncle. Comparable as a games company that converts anime/manga IP into interactive products, with deep Japan-market reach and IP-holder relationships relevant to Poncle's Japan studio build-out.
- Supergiant Games: Developer of Hades and Hades II, a small independent studio whose roguelike hit launched into multi-platform success with critical acclaim. Comparable in team size, indie studio economics, and the ability to convert a single roguelike IP into a multi-year franchise across consoles and PC.
- Auroch Digital: UK-based game developer and Poncle's engine licensee for Warhammer Survivors (Games Workshop IP). Directly comparable as a co-development/partner studio building survivor-like titles, and as a UK indie with a tabletop-IP licensing track record.
- Motion Twin: French indie cooperative that created Dead Cells, a roguelike action-platformer with multi-year DLC and cross-platform success. Comparable as a small-team, profit-sharing-cooperative indie that turned a single roguelike hit into a multi-year, multi-platform revenue engine.
- Nosebleed Interactive: British indie developer that co-developed Vampire Crawlers with Poncle (announced November 2025, launched April 2026). Comparable as a small UK studio partnering with Poncle on deck-building roguelike mechanics, and relevant as a comp for indie co-development economics.
- Mossmouth: Developer of Spelunky and Spelunky 2, a closely comparable small-team indie studio that built a beloved roguelike franchise across multiple platforms and successors. Comparable on solo/small-team indie economics, roguelike category leadership, and cross-platform distribution.
- Mega Crit: Developer of Slay the Spire and Slay the Spire 2, a closely comparable indie roguelike studio that built a multi-platform franchise (PC, consoles, mobile) with deep DLC and community engagement. Highly comparable on team size, single-IP-driven economics, and roguelike category leadership.
- LocalThunk / Playstack: Creator of Balatro, the 2024 indie breakout roguelike that, like Vampire Survivors, defined a subgenre and achieved day-one Xbox Game Pass placement. Poncle and Playstack have an active cross-promotion DLC partnership (Ante Chamber / Friends of Jimbo), making them directly comparable on audience, price point, and platform strategy.
Emerging players
- Doonutsaur: Independent developer of Kill the Brickman, published by Poncle. A small emerging indie dev whose turn-based roguelike bullet-builder sits adjacent to the survivors-like genre; representative of the third-party studios that Poncle is taking on as a publisher.
Broad incumbents
- Devolver Digital: Publicly traded indie games publisher and portfolio operator with a broader catalog (Hotline Miami, Cult of the Lamb, Disco Elysium). Comparable as an indie-first multi-platform publisher that combines own-IP and third-party publishing, similar to Poncle's emerging publishing arm (Kill the Brickman, Berserk or Die).
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Poncle social profiles
Digital presencePoncle compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance2 records
Poncle financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Poncle leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Poncle funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Poncle 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 Poncle
What does Poncle do?
Poncle is a London-based independent video game studio that develops, self-publishes and ports action roguelike games such as Vampire Survivors across PC, console, mobile and VR platforms. The studio monetises primarily through one-time game sales, paid downloadable content (DLC) expansions and, more recently, licensed IP collaborations (e.g. Warhammer Survivors) and publishing support for other indie developers.
Is Poncle a public or private company?
Poncle is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Poncle founded?
Poncle was founded in 2021. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Poncle based?
Poncle is headquartered in London, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Poncle make money?
Seven revenue lines are on record. Vampire Survivors Game Sales are the primary driver. The others are DLC (Downloadable Content), warhammer Survivors Licensing, jujutsu Kaisen Rumble: Survivaton, third-Party Game Publishing, vampire Survivors VR and vampire Crawlers.
Who are Poncle's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Shueisha Games, Supergiant Games, Auroch Digital, Motion Twin, Nosebleed Interactive, Mossmouth, Mega Crit and LocalThunk / Playstack. Doonutsaur is listed as an emerging player. Devolver Digital is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does Poncle have an API?
No public API is recorded for Poncle.
What industry is Poncle in?
Poncle's product category is Indie Video Games. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAFAAAC, Indie Game Studios, with a secondary code of MPAFABAK, VR/AR Game Publishing & Distribution. Its NAICS code is 513210 and its SIC code is 7372.