DreadXP

What DreadXP does

DreadXP is an independent horror games publisher founded in 2019 in Los Angeles as the gaming vertical of Epic Pictures. The company publishes indie horror titles across Steam, PlayStation, Nintendo Switch, and Xbox, sourcing projects through an open pitch funnel and its signature Dread X Collection anthology series (five volumes to date) that bundles multiple developer-made mini-horror games under themed releases. Its catalog of 25+ titles spans survival horror (The Mortuary Assistant, Mirror Forge), psychological horror (Amanda the Adventurer trilogy, VILE: Exhumed), dating sims (Sucker for Love series), open-world RPGs (Dread Delusion, Entropy), roguelites (White Knuckle), and experimental formats such as I Doesn't Exist, a text adventure built around an NLP input layer.

The publisher's core technology is editorial and operational rather than engine-based: a developer-led team provides production, QA, marketing, and multi-platform porting (with a dedicated Producer/Release Manager for console), while individual games are built by contracted or partner developers using standard engines. DreadXP enforces a public No-Generative-AI policy for pitch and published materials, positioning it as a human-authored-content publisher. The business model is one-time license sales of finished games through digital storefronts, with no subscription tier identified and pricing varying per title; free releases (e.g., Spookware Watch Party) are used as community funnels. Customers are split between (a) consumer horror game players reached via Steam SEO, organic social (X, YouTube, TikTok, Facebook), Discord, earned horror press, and gaming events like PAX West, and (b) indie developers reached via the pitches inbox and the Dread X Collections ecosystem, which doubles as both a product and a developer-recruitment channel.

Name

DreadXP

Legal name

Dread XP

Website

https://dreadxp.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2019

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

DreadXP is an independent indie horror games publisher founded in 2019 in Los Angeles, shipping 25+ titles across Steam and major consoles for horror game players and partnering indie developers via its Dread X Collection anthology model.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Los Angeles

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Software

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Game sales (PC and console): DreadXP generates revenue through direct sales of published horror games on Steam and console platforms including PlayStation, Nintendo Switch, and Xbox. Games are sold as one-time purchases with pricing varying per title.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

DreadXP is an independent publisher of indie horror video games, developing and curating titles across PC (Steam) and console (PlayStation, Nintendo Switch, Xbox). Its portfolio includes the Dread X Collection anthology series and standalone titles spanning survival horror, psychological horror, visual novels, RPGs, roguelites, and shooters, marketed and ported by an in-house developer-led team.

Product overview

DreadXP is an independent horror games publisher offering a diverse portfolio of horror titles. The core offering includes the Dread X Collection anthology series (5 volumes) featuring mini-horror games from various indie developers, alongside published titles spanning multiple horror subgenres including survival horror (The Mortuary Assistant, Mirror Forge), psychological horror (Amanda the Adventurer series, VILE: Exhumed), visual novel dating sims (Sucker for Love series), open-world RPGs (Dread Delusion), and action shooters (PIGFACE, White Knuckle). The company also publishes atmospheric exploration games (Sylvio: Black Waters), text adventures (I Doesn't Exist), and roguelites. The portfolio includes games across platforms including Steam, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation, and Xbox.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Dread X Collection: Anthology series of mini-horror games featuring multiple indie developers in themed collections.
• Indie Horror Showcase

Products and services

• Dread X Collection The inaugural horror anthology series featuring 10 mini-games created by independent developers in 7 days, inspired by P.T., serving as a showcase of condensed horror experiences.
• Dread X Collection 2 Second horror anthology featuring 12 games made in 10 days, connected by a meta-narrative experience where players find tapes in a mysterious room.
• Dread X Collection 3 Horror anthology series volume with a spooky-cute theme across multiple indie games.
• Dread X Collection 4: The Hunt Horror anthology shooter featuring 7 new short games set in an abandoned arctic base, co-produced by David Szymanski (DUSK creator).
• Dread X Collection 5 Horror anthology featuring 12 new games from up-and-coming and veteran developers, set in an abandoned alien-themed party venue.
• The Mortuary Assistant First-person survival horror game where players perform embalming tasks while banishing demonic forces and uncovering the history of River Fields Mortuary.
• Sucker for Love: First Date 90s anime-inspired dating visual novel where players perform Lovecraftian rituals to win the affections of an eldritch horror named Ln'eta.
• Sucker for Love: Date to Die For Sequel dating sim featuring Rhok'zan, The Black Goat of the Woods, where players escape dangerous cultists in Black Woods.
• Sucker for Love: Prelude Free prequel where players perform scary rituals to win over an eldritch cutie, originally exclusive to Dread X Collection 2.
• Amanda the Adventurer Horror game where players watch VHS tapes of a 90s children's cartoon featuring Amanda and Wooly, uncovering dark secrets through escape room-style puzzles.
• Amanda the Adventurer 2 Sequel following Riley Park to Kensdale Public Library to investigate Amanda further, featuring new exploration and interaction mechanics.
• Amanda the Adventurer 3 Final installment of the trilogy where Riley explores abandoned Hameln facilities to uncover ultimate secrets behind Amanda.
• My Friendly Neighborhood Survival horror adventure where players control handyman Gordon investigating a disturbing reboot of The Friendly Neighborhood puppet show.
• Dread Delusion Open-world RPG set on flying continents with dark perils, featuring character building, magic, smithing, alchemy, and faction-based gameplay.
• Red Tape Platformer where an angel trapped in Hell due to paperwork mishap explores 9 circles of corporate Hell to reach the Devil.
• Mirror Forge First-person psychological survival horror game featuring alternate dimensions, warped reality, puzzles, and stealth gameplay.
• Spookware Fast-paced microgame collection featuring three skeleton brothers exploring the afterlife with 90+ hand-crafted horror-themed games.
• Spookware: Watch Party Free collection featuring the original jam version of Spookware, SPOOKWARE @ The Video Store, and SPOOKWARE: Prologue demo.
• Hand of Doom Full version wizard simulator inspired by 90s FMV games, where players travel planes slaying or befriending doomlords using arcane incantations.
• I Doesn't Exist Modern text adventure combining classic Zork gameplay with pixel art, featuring a natural language processor for meaningful player interactions.
• Sylvio: Black Waters First-person exploration horror game where players decode whispers of the dead using a spirit-listening device on a desolate planet with physics-defying gravity.
• Flathead High-tension gambling game where players strapped to a machine guess higher/lower numbers to earn points before a terror approaches.
• VILE: Exhumed Horror game where players explore an old computer to uncover the story of obsession and misogyny through files, emails, and photos.
• Heartworm 90s survival horror-inspired game featuring fixed and over-the-shoulder cameras where Sam investigates a supernatural house using a camera as weapon.
• White Knuckle First-person roguelite speed-climbing game where players ascend through SUB-STRUCTURE 17 using momentum-based movement and resource management.
• PIGFACE Kinetic ultra-violent first-person shooter where players fulfill combat contracts for blackmailers holding them hostage.
• The Lacerator Survival horror game where Max the porn star must escape a crazed psychopath's lair after losing limbs, with adaptive gameplay changes.
• RUNT Rural gothic visual novel mystery where players investigate which brother is responsible for an ominous threat over five days in post-apocalyptic Skipclaw.
• Entropy Post-apocalyptic RPG with expansive world map, explorable towns, and tactical turn-based combat featuring limb-targeting mechanics.
• The Secret of Weepstone Hand-drawn black and white dungeon crawler RPG inspired by classic D&D where players roll dice and lead a party of up to 8 characters.

Quantifiable outcome

• The Mortuary Assistant received 9.5/10 from Game Tyrant and 7.5/10 from Rely On Horror; The Mortuary Assistant was published across Steam, PlayStation, Switch, and Xbox
• +2 more outcomes

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Annapurna Interactive: Curated indie game publisher publishing narrative-driven and genre titles across PC and consoles. Comparable as a publisher that selects high-quality indie titles, provides production support, and distributes across major platforms.
• Devolver Digital: Independent video game publisher known for edgy, niche, and indie titles across PC and consoles, with a strong track record in horror-adjacent genres (e.g., Cult of the Lamb). Highly comparable as a similarly positioned indie publisher building a portfolio of developer-led projects.
• Secret Mode: Games publishing label publishing indie and mid-sized titles across PC and consoles. Comparable as a publisher providing production, marketing, and console porting support to indie developers, similar to DreadXP's value proposition.
• tinyBuild: Independent games developer and publisher with a portfolio spanning horror (Hello Neighbor), indie, and mid-tier titles. Comparable as an indie publisher operating across PC and consoles with strong genre franchises.
• DANGEN Entertainment: Indie publisher specializing in niche, retro, and horror-adjacent titles across PC and consoles. Comparable to DreadXP in genre-curation model, indie-developer support, and Steam-led distribution with select console ports.
• Raw Fury: Indie game publisher focused on distinctive, mid-sized titles across PC and consoles. Comparable to DreadXP in working with independent developers on curated, genre-driven projects and providing publishing, marketing, and porting support.
• Akupara Games: Independent games publisher working with indie developers across narrative, horror, and RPG genres. Comparable to DreadXP in indie-developer support model and Steam-led distribution with select console releases.
• Fellow Traveller: Independent games publisher with a strong portfolio in narrative, atmospheric, and horror-leaning indie titles. Directly comparable as a publisher curating indie narrative games with similar distribution and marketing profiles.
• Neon Doctrine: Independent games publisher with a horror-forward portfolio publishing titles on Steam, Switch, and consoles. Closely comparable to DreadXP in genre focus (Asian and Western horror), multi-platform distribution, and indie-developer relationships.

Emerging players

• Chorus Worldwide: Smaller independent games publisher focused on distinctive, often Japanese and indie titles on PC and consoles. Partially comparable as an emerging indie publisher with a developer-first approach and curated portfolio, though broader in genre than DreadXP.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/dreadxp
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@DreadXPGames
• Facebookfacebook.com/dreadxp
• TikToktiktok.com/@dreadxpgames
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/dreadxp

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 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 DreadXP