Fishcow
Fishcow Studio is an independent Slovak game developer founded in 2011, building hand-crafted 2D point-and-click adventures (Gomo franchise) and side-scrolling action RPGs (Moonfall franchise) for PC, mobile, and console consumers.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2011
- HeadquartersKosice
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingSoftware
What Fishcow does
Fishcow Studio is an independently owned and bootstrapped game development studio headquartered in Košice, eastern Slovakia, founded in 2011 by Martin Bačo (CEO) and Martin Horváth. The studio operates with a core team of seven members supplemented by external contractors, and focuses exclusively on hand-crafted 2D games spanning two product franchises: the point-and-click adventure series Gomo (debuted 2013) and Gomo 2 (in development), and the side-scrolling action RPG Moonfall (2017) and its enhanced Moonfall: Ultimate edition (2018). All titles share a distinctive hand-painted visual style and original soundtrack, with the Moonfall franchise set in an industrial gothic universe called Terra Nihil and featuring three classes, 80+ item types, and 13 open-ended levels.
The studio's underlying technology is a custom 2D side-scrolling game engine supporting Windows, Mac, Linux, mobile, and consoles (via Wales Interactive), with no disclosed AI, ML, or third-party engine dependencies. Revenue is generated almost entirely through one-time license sales of digital game copies on Steam, GOG, Desura, mobile app stores, and physical box editions via Amazon, supplemented by console royalties paid by publishing partner Wales Interactive. The studio has received modest public funding from the Slovak Arts Council for Gomo 2, but has no disclosed venture capital, private equity, or institutional investors. Customer concentration is minimal and consumer-driven: Gomo sold over 50,000 copies across 12 languages, with no enterprise or B2B customers identified.
Fishcow firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Fishcow
- Legal name
- Fishcow Studio
- Website
- https://fishcowstudio.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2011
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Fishcow Studio is an independent Slovak game developer founded in 2011, building hand-crafted 2D point-and-click adventures (Gomo franchise) and side-scrolling action RPGs (Moonfall franchise) for PC, mobile, and console consumers.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Fishcow industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Indie Video Game Development
- akta.pro primary industry
- Indie Game Studios (MPAFAAAC)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Mobile Game Publishing & App Game Stores (BPAMAKAB)
Keywords
Where Fishcow is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Kosice
Offices1 record
Markets served
Fishcow business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Others
Revenue model
- Game Sales (PC/Console/Mobile): The studio generates revenue through one-time purchases of its games sold on digital distribution platforms (Steam, GOG, Desura), mobile app stores, and physical box versions through Amazon. Revenue is one-time per transaction as customers purchase individual game titles.
- Console/Platform Licensing: Fishcow publishes games on console platforms (PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch) through publisher partnerships such as Wales Interactive for Moonfall Ultimate, generating platform licensing revenue.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels7 records
Marketing channels7 records
Fishcow product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Fishcow Studio is an independent game development studio that designs, develops, and publishes its own indie video games, including the Gomo point-and-click adventure series, the Moonfall 2D side-scrolling action RPG series, and the mobile 2D platformer Flip. Games are sold through digital distribution platforms such as Steam, GOG, Desura, mobile app stores, and physical retail via Amazon, with console editions published through partner Wales Interactive.
Product overview
Fishcow Studio is a game development studio from Košice, Slovakia, offering a portfolio of indie games. The portfolio centers on two main game franchises: the Point-and-Click Adventure series (Gomo and Gomo 2) featuring surreal puzzle-based gameplay with hand-crafted 2D graphics, and the Action RPG series (Moonfall and Moonfall: Ultimate) set in an industrial gothic world with hand-painted visuals. The studio also developed a mobile 2D platformer called Flip. Moonfall: Ultimate, published in cooperation with Wales Interactive, serves as the enhanced version of their flagship RPG with added multiplayer capabilities. All titles emphasize distinctive artistic styles and challenging gameplay.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Gomo A 2D Point'n'Click Exploration Adventure in which players guide the hero Gomo on a surreal journey through dreamlike landscapes to rescue his abducted dog Dingo from aliens by obtaining a rare crystal from a subterranean mine, featuring challenging puzzles and hand-crafted 2D visuals. Targeted at individual PC and Mac gamers who enjoy indie adventure games.
- Gomo 2 An indirect sequel to the Gomo adventure series featuring the same comically innocent hero Gomo and his dog Dingo, introducing new challenges and a slight twist in story flow while maintaining Point-and-Click 2D Adventure gameplay accessible to players of any age. Targeted at individual PC gamers and adventure-game players of all ages.
- Moonfall A hand-painted 2D side-scrolling action RPG set in the industrial gothic universe of Terra Nihil, in which players defend The Empire and its mysterious resource Lunarium from the threat of Savages, featuring three classes (Vanguard, Elemental Engineer, Shadow), over 80 item types, 60+ enemy types, and 13 open-ended levels with non-linear progression. Targeted at individual PC gamers who enjoy indie action RPGs and side-scrollers.
- Moonfall: Ultimate An enhanced edition of Moonfall published in cooperation with Wales Interactive Limited, adding local multiplayer for up to 2 players, an endless mode for single and multiplayer, interface optimisation, combat tweaks, and full console and Linux support, while retaining the hand-painted graphic style, original soundtrack, and immersive story of the original. Targeted at individual PC and console gamers seeking a co-op-capable 2D side-scrolling action RPG.
- Flip A 2D platformer mobile game featuring a platform-switching mechanic where players control a character that flips between platforms to avoid obstacles and collect stars, with level speed varying based on which half of the screen the player is currently 'flipped' on. Targeted at casual mobile gamers across all ages.
Quantifiable outcome
- Gomo sold over 50,000 copies, exceeding the studio's original expectations.
Companies that use Fishcow
Customer profileSegments1 record
Ideal customer profiles1 record
Fishcow technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature2 records
Fishcow partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- Wales Interactive LimitedcoreWales Interactive, a BAFTA-award-winning publishing team from Great Britain, partnered with Fishcow Studio to publish Moonfall: Ultimate on PC and consoles in September 2018. Wales Interactive brought professional publishing expertise and console platform access, significantly expanding Moonfall's reach beyond the indie studio's self-publishing capabilities.
- Deadalic EntertainmentcoreDeadalic Entertainment served as the international distributor for Gomo, confirming the official release date of December 6, 2013 and distributing the game through Steam, Mac Store, and other channels.
Scale indicators1 record
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Fishcow competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Wales Interactive: BAFTA-award-winning UK indie publisher of interactive and narrative games (Late Shift, The Bunker). Direct peer and partner for Moonfall: Ultimate console publishing, serving indie developers with console-publishing capability Fishcow lacks.
- Moon Studios: Independent action-game studio (Ori and the Blind Forest, Ori and the Will of the Wisps). Comparable small-to-mid indie studio shipping hand-crafted 2D action titles with strong art direction and console presence.
- Playdead: Independent Danish studio behind Limbo and Inside — atmospheric, hand-styled 2D side-scrollers. Highly comparable artistic positioning and indie single-franchise model.
- Thunder Lotus Games: Canadian indie studio behind hand-drawn titles like Jotun and Spiritfarer. Comparable as a small indie team using distinctive hand-painted art to differentiate in the 2D action/adventure space.
- Team Cherry: Australian indie studio behind Hollow Knight, a hand-crafted 2D action title. Comparable small-team indie model with a signature art style and action-RPG-adjacent gameplay.
- Amanita Design: Czech indie studio famous for point-and-click adventure games (Machinarium, Samorost) with distinctive hand-drawn art. Closely comparable to Fishcow on genre (point-and-click 2D adventure) and Central European indie studio profile.
- Yacht Club Games: Small US indie studio behind Shovel Knight. Comparable small-team indie developer shipping hand-styled 2D action titles across PC and consoles.
Broad incumbents
- Devolver Digital: Specialist indie publisher (Hotline Miami, Fall Guys) that releases small studios' 2D and stylized games onto PC and consoles. Relevant comparable for the publishing/distribution route Fishcow accesses via Wales Interactive.
- Daedalic Entertainment: Established German adventure-game publisher (Deponia, Shadow Tactics) and former distribution partner for Fishcow's Gomo. Comparable as a larger incumbent in the 2D point-and-click / adventure genre where Fishcow operates.
- 11 bit studios: Established Central European indie-adjacent studio/publisher (This War of Mine, Frostpunk). Comparable on regional positioning (Central European indie) and on shipping stylized games with strong art direction, though at larger scale.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Fishcow social profiles
Digital presenceFishcow financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Fishcow leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Fishcow funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Fishcow 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 Fishcow
What does Fishcow do?
Fishcow Studio is an independent game development studio that designs, develops, and publishes its own indie video games, including the Gomo point-and-click adventure series, the Moonfall 2D side-scrolling action RPG series, and the mobile 2D platformer Flip. Games are sold through digital distribution platforms such as Steam, GOG, Desura, mobile app stores, and physical retail via Amazon, with console editions published through partner Wales Interactive.
Is Fishcow a public or private company?
Fishcow is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Fishcow founded?
Fishcow was founded in 2011. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Fishcow based?
Fishcow is headquartered in Kosice.
How does Fishcow make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Game Sales (PC/Console/Mobile) is the primary driver. The others are console/Platform Licensing.
Who are Fishcow's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Wales Interactive, Moon Studios, Playdead, Thunder Lotus Games, Team Cherry, Amanita Design and Yacht Club Games. Broad incumbents are Devolver Digital, Daedalic Entertainment and 11 bit studios.
Does Fishcow have an API?
No public API is recorded for Fishcow.
What industry is Fishcow in?
Fishcow's product category is Indie Video Game Development. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAFAAAC, Indie Game Studios, with a secondary code of BPAMAKAB, Mobile Game Publishing & App Game Stores.