What Transhuman Design does

Transhuman Design is an independent, bootstrapped video game development studio headquartered in Warsaw, Poland, founded in 2011 by Michał Marcinkowski, creator of the 2002 2D multiplayer shooter Soldat. The studio operates remotely with a small core team of approximately seven members and develops a portfolio of seven distinct titles across genres including 2D multiplayer shooters (Soldat 2, Trench Run), build-and-destroy multiplayer (King Arthur's Gold), single-player action shooters (BUTCHER), roguelite action (Maniac), and the recently launched Jackal top-down shooter. Its technology stack combines a proprietary 2D physics engine (with ragdoll mechanics, destructible environments, and freeform construction) with the Unity engine for some titles and FMOD for audio.

The studio's business model is direct-to-consumer indie game sales: titles are priced between free (Soldat) and $14.99 (Soldat 2), with most catalog items at $9.99, distributed through Steam as the primary channel alongside GOG, Humble Store, and direct website sales delivering Steam keys. Revenue is generated via one-time license purchases subject to Steam's standard 30% platform cut, supplemented by community-led growth through forums, Discord, Steam Workshop, and Nexus Mods-driven user-generated content. Customer acquisition is earned-media driven, with coverage in Rock Paper Shotgun, Kotaku, Gamespot, and TIGSource, and the studio has no disclosed institutional funding or parent company. Transhuman Design serves indie gaming enthusiasts, multiplayer competitive players, and fans of physics-based retro-style action games, with the long-tail individual gamer as its sole customer segment.

Name

Transhuman Design

Legal name

Transhuman Design

Website

https://thd.vg

Company type

Private

Founded year

2011

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Transhuman Design is a bootstrapped, Warsaw-based independent game studio founded by Soldat creator Michał Marcinkowski. It develops and self-publishes a portfolio of indie physics-based multiplayer and single-player games, distributed primarily via Steam to individual gaming consumers worldwide.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Warsaw

HQ country

Poland

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Software

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Operations

Revenue model

1. Direct game sales: One-time purchase games sold through company website with Steam key delivery
2. Free-to-play with optional paid bonuses: Soldat is free with optional paid bonuses for additional features or content
3. Steam marketplace sales: Games sold through Steam store with standard 30% platform cut
4. Game demos and wishlists: Free demos released to build anticipation before full game launches on Steam

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Transhuman Design is an independent game development studio that designs, develops, and self-publishes a portfolio of indie video games, primarily 2D physics-based multiplayer shooters and action games. Its catalog includes Soldat, Soldat 2, King Arthur's Gold, Trench Run, BUTCHER, Maniac, Transmigration, and Jackal, sold as one-time purchases through Steam, the company's own website, and other digital storefronts.

Product overview

Transhuman Design is an independent video game developer offering a portfolio of 8 distinct games across multiple genres. Their catalog includes the classic Soldat (2002), its sequel Soldat 2 (2020), and various multiplayer games like King Arthur's Gold (2011), Trench Run (2016), and Maniac (2024). The company also develops single-player shooters like BUTCHER (2016) and upcoming titles like Jackal. Their games feature physics-based gameplay, ragdoll violence, and modding support. All products are available primarily on PC platforms (Windows, Mac, Linux) with some also on Steam and console platforms.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Soldat Classic 2D multiplayer side-view action shooter combining elements from Liero, Worms, Quake and Counter-Strike. Features ragdoll soldiers, 18+ weapons, 7 game modes, 64 maps, and game editors. Free to play with optional paid bonuses, targeting individual gamers.
• King Arthur's Gold Multiplayer build'n'kill game blending cooperative aspects of Lost Vikings with full destructibility of Worms and visual style/action of Metal Slug. Features three classes (Builder, Knight, Archer), freeform construction, physics-based destruction, and 32-player multiplayer. Sold to individual gamers on PC/Mac/Linux for $9.99.
• Trench Run Humorous multiplayer shooter with no death mechanic. Features team-based 'Run' mode for 2-10 players and free-for-all Skirmish mode for 1-4 players, 5 classes, destructible maps, and a social VIP bar between combat. Sold to individual gamers for $7.99 with a 4-pack option at 50% off.
• BUTCHER Fast-paced 2D shooter and blood-soaked love letter to the early 90s. Player is a cyborg programmed to eradicate humanity. Features chainsaw, shotgun, grenade launcher, brutal environment kills, and ability to paint walls with up to 4 million pixels of blood per level. Available on PC/Mac/Linux, Steam, GOG, and Humble Store for $9.99.
• Soldat 2 2D deathmatch shooter sequel to classic Soldat with physics-based movement, ragdoll violence, team game modes, ranked multiplayer, community-driven development, and built-in customization and level editing. Available on PC/Mac/Linux for $14.99.
• Maniac Top-down car-action roguelite crime game inspired by original GTA. Players escape a hospital, get chased by police, FBI, and eventually face military nuclear strike. Features unlockable characters, weapons, and an ever-changing world. Available on Steam for $4.99.
• Transmigration Episodic, story-based adventure game about Joseph, an unenthusiastic office worker having trouble sleeping who considers visiting a Transmigration Clinic. In development since 2016.
• Jackal Top-down shooter game where players control a drug-enhanced hitman in 1970s Vegas hotels. Features ultra-violent room redecoration gameplay, randomly generated rooms, and stackable gameplay mutators with no two playthroughs being alike. Available on Steam, with a free public demo released in September 2025.

Quantifiable outcome

• Active community forums with 100+ forum sections and thousands of discussions
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• Crunching KoalasminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorConsole port partner for Butcher on Xbox One, PS4, and Nintendo Switch
• David Pencil (PennyArcade)minorOthersMusic composer for King Arthur's Gold, contributed to game's soundtrack

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Nolla Games: Tiny Finnish indie studio behind Noita, a physics-based 2D action game. Highly comparable as a small, self-funded team shipping technically distinctive physics-driven games with strong word-of-mouth communities.
• Frozenbyte: Finnish indie studio behind the Trine series, 2D/2.5D physics-based platformers. Comparable in team size, physics-driven 2D gameplay focus, and multi-title self-published portfolio.
• Motion Twin: French indie cooperative behind Dead Cells, a 2D action roguelite. Comparable as a small, independent, self-publishing studio with a flagship action title and ongoing content updates.
• Acid Nerve: Tiny indie studio behind Death's Door and Titan Souls, top-down action games with distinctive art direction. Comparable as a small self-publishing team with action-game pedigree and community-driven launch model.
• Re-Logic: Small independent developer of Terraria, a flagship indie title with massive community and modding. Comparable as a self-funded studio with a long-lived hit IP and grassroots-driven marketing.
• Mossmouth: Solo/small-team indie developer behind Spelunky and Spelunky 2, a roguelike with strong community and modding support. Closely comparable to Transhuman Design in team size, self-publishing model, and physics-based 2D gameplay heritage.
• Supergiant Games: Small independent studio behind Bastion, Hades, and other critically acclaimed titles. Comparable as a small team shipping polished action games with strong word-of-mouth, though with a more narrative focus.

Regional players

• 11 bit studios: Polish indie studio behind This War of Mine and Frostpunk. Comparable as a Polish-headquartered independent game developer with self-publishing capabilities and awards recognition, though operating at larger scale.

Broad incumbents

• Devolver Digital: Major indie publisher working with studios producing distinctive 2D action games (Hotline Miami, Broforce, Enter the Gungeon). Comparable as a conduit for indie physics-based games, though at much larger scale as a publisher rather than developer.
• Team17: UK-based indie publisher and developer of the Worms franchise. Comparable as a long-running indie game entity with 2D physics-based heritage, though now operating primarily as a publisher at scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC-dummy
• Facebookfacebook.com/TranshumanDesign
• Xx.com/THDtweet

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 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 Transhuman Design