BURIED
Aura Studios (BURIED) is an independent game development studio creating narrative-driven horror games for PC, mobile, and browser, distributed via Steam and itch.io, serving horror and survival gaming audiences with a free-first, product-led model.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded-
- HeadquartersWaddinxveen, Netherlands
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingSoftware
What BURIED does
Aura Studios, operating under the BURIED brand, is an independent game development studio registered in Waddinxveen, Netherlands (KVK 99518295), founded in 2021. The studio develops narrative-driven horror games for PC, mobile, and browser platforms, building a portfolio of five titles: Buried Below (flagship atmospheric horror game in development, with a free demo on Steam and itch.io), Void Courier (a free browser-playable arcade shooter designed as an in-universe mini-game within Buried Below), The Motel ($1.99 horror game on Steam and itch.io), Inside under & Out (free survival horror on itch.io), and Night of the Wendigo (free horror survival on itch.io). The underlying technology is an indie game development engine (specific engine not disclosed), with features including online leaderboards, browser playability (HTML5), and cross-input support (keyboard, mouse, controller, touch).
The studio operates a product-led growth model with self-serve digital distribution through Steam and itch.io, offering free demos and free-to-play titles to drive user acquisition. Community-driven marketing is conducted via Discord, Reddit, YouTube, Twitch, TikTok, Instagram, and X. Revenue is generated primarily through one-time purchases of premium titles (only The Motel at $1.99 is monetized), with optional community support via Ko-fi donations. The target customer segment is horizontally defined: PC and mobile gamers seeking atmospheric horror and survival experiences.
BURIED firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- BURIED
- Legal name
- Aura Studios
- Website
- https://buriedbelow.com
- Company type
- Private
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Aura Studios (BURIED) is an independent game development studio creating narrative-driven horror games for PC, mobile, and browser, distributed via Steam and itch.io, serving horror and survival gaming audiences with a free-first, product-led model.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
BURIED industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Indie Horror Video Games
- NAICS
- Software Publishers (513210)
- SIC
- Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Indie Game Studios (MPAFAAAC)
Keywords
Where BURIED is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Waddinxveen
- HQ country
- Netherlands
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
BURIED business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations
Revenue model
- Game Sales: One-time purchase revenue from premium game titles sold on Steam and itch.io platforms
- Free-to-Play Games: Free games with optional engagement through donations (Ko-fi) and future monetization potential
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Pay-as-you-go | Buried Below Demo - Free |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | The Motel - $1.99 |
| Freemium | Pay-as-you-go | Void Courier - Free |
| Freemium | Pay-as-you-go | Inside under & Out - Free |
| Freemium | Pay-as-you-go | Night of the wendigo - Free |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels10 records
BURIED product offering
Product offeringCore offering
BURIED (Aura Studios) develops and publishes indie horror-themed video games for PC and browser platforms. The studio produces multiple small-scale titles spanning interactive stories, first-person shooters, puzzle adventures, and arcade-style games, distributing them through Steam, itch.io, and free HTML5 browser builds with free demos and low-cost one-time purchases.
Product overview
Aura Studios is an independent game development studio offering a portfolio of horror-themed video games. Their lineup includes Buried Below (in development with free demo), Void Courier (released free browser arcade shooter), The Motel (released, $1.99), Inside under & Out (released, free), and Night of the Wendigo (released, free). The games are distributed primarily through Steam and itch.io platforms. Void Courier was designed as a mini-game integrated within Buried Below. The company is based in Waddinxveen, Netherlands.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- BURIED: An Interactive Crate Opener A BURIED-branded interactive crate opener horror experience playable in the browser, designed for individual gamers seeking short-form atmospheric horror content.
- Void Courier An indie horror title within the BURIED/Aura Studios portfolio, distributed on Steam and itch.io and as an HTML5 browser build with a free demo.
- The Motel An indie horror game from the BURIED/Aura Studios portfolio, available on Steam and itch.io and in an HTML5 browser version with a free demo and entry pricing of $1.99.
- Inside under & Out An indie horror title within the BURIED/Aura Studios portfolio, distributed on Steam and itch.io and as an HTML5 browser build with a free demo.
- Night of the Wendigo An indie horror game from the BURIED/Aura Studios portfolio, available on Steam and itch.io and in an HTML5 browser version with a free demo.
Companies that use BURIED
Customer profileSegments1 record
Ideal customer profiles1 record
BURIED technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
BURIED partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators2 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights4 records
BURIED competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Devolver Digital: Major indie game publisher that has published many horror-leaning indie titles (e.g., FAITH, The Binding of Isaac lineage via partners). Relevant as a potential publishing/distribution partner for Aura Studios' future releases.
- Team17: Long-running indie publisher with a portfolio spanning horror and dark-genre titles (e.g., Worms franchise plus indie catalog). Relevant as a broad incumbent publisher option for Aura Studios' catalog.
- Red Barrels: Montreal-based indie studio behind the Outlast series. Comparable in horror-first positioning and indie origins, though now considerably larger and more commercially established than Aura Studios.
- Bloober Team: Polish horror-focused studio behind Layers of Fear, Blair Witch, and the Silent Hill 2 remake. Comparable as a horror-specialized indie-to-mid-market studio that scaled from small releases to AAA collaborations.
- Iceberg Interactive: Indie publisher active in horror and atmospheric genres (e.g., Killing Floor, Ritual of Slaughter). Comparable as another distribution partner option for an emerging indie horror studio.
- Annapurna Interactive: Indie publisher known for narrative-driven and atmospheric titles (What Remains of Edith Finch, Stray). Comparable as a publisher partner pathway for Aura Studios' narrative horror portfolio.
Direct peers
- Kinetic Games: UK indie studio behind Phasmophobia, the breakout co-op horror hit. Comparable as a small indie horror team that achieved outsized commercial success on Steam through community-driven growth.
- Chilla's Art: Japanese indie studio producing atmospheric first-person horror games (The Convenience Store, The Closing Shift, Night Security) on itch.io and Steam. Closely comparable in scope, genre focus, low-price distribution model, and solo/small-team indie structure.
- Misfits Attic: Small indie studio behind A Way Out and It Takes Two-adjacent co-op titles. Comparable in indie team size and self-publishing model, though operating in a different sub-genre.
- Puppet Combo: Solo indie developer making VHS-style retro horror games (Murder House, House of Huskers). Comparable in operating as a one-person horror studio with self-distributed titles on itch.io and Steam.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat2 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
BURIED social profiles
Digital presenceBURIED financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
BURIED leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
BURIED funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
BURIED 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 BURIED
What does BURIED do?
BURIED (Aura Studios) develops and publishes indie horror-themed video games for PC and browser platforms. The studio produces multiple small-scale titles spanning interactive stories, first-person shooters, puzzle adventures, and arcade-style games, distributing them through Steam, itch.io, and free HTML5 browser builds with free demos and low-cost one-time purchases.
Is BURIED a public or private company?
BURIED is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was BURIED founded?
BURIED was founded in -1. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is BURIED based?
BURIED is headquartered in Waddinxveen, Netherlands, in the Europe region.
How does BURIED make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Game Sales are the primary driver. The others are free-to-Play Games.
Who are BURIED's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Devolver Digital, Team17, Red Barrels, Bloober Team, Iceberg Interactive and Annapurna Interactive. Direct peers are Kinetic Games, Chilla's Art, Misfits Attic and Puppet Combo.
Does BURIED have an API?
No public API is recorded for BURIED.
What industry is BURIED in?
BURIED's product category is Indie Horror Video Games. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAFAAAC, Indie Game Studios. Its NAICS code is 513210 and its SIC code is 7900.