KWM

What KWM does

KWM is a Canadian creative agency specialized in the production of marketing assets for the video game industry. Founded in 2021 through the merger of Fire Without Smoke Montréal and Sunny Side Up, the firm operates two studios in Quebec City and Montreal and employs 45+ full-time artists, technicians, and creative professionals drawn from the gaming industry. The company positions itself as Canada's largest agency dedicated exclusively to video game marketing and serves clients ranging from independent developers to major AAA publishers.

KWM's service portfolio spans the full marketing asset lifecycle, including in-game trailers, in-engine trailers, dev diaries, 2.5D and 3D animations, CGI trailers, live action production, greenlight videos, branding, logos, and key art. The technical foundation rests on direct capture and rendering within multiple proprietary and third-party game engines (Unreal Engine, Ubisoft's Anvil Engine, and Ubisoft's Empire Engine), supplemented by motion capture integration and partnerships with CGI studios worldwide. The firm is a member of the Keywords Studios group, a London-listed game services company, which provides access to cross-discipline capacity in art, engineering, audio, QA, and localization.

KWM generates revenue through project-based professional services engagements, with pricing tailored to client budget and scope rather than standardized public tiers. Its go-to-market is direct relationship-based sales to enterprise game publishers, with a portfolio that includes Ubisoft, Warner Bros. Games, Bandai Namco, Crystal Dynamics, Red Barrels, Dotemu, Nacon, Dreamhaven, and Mechanistry. Revenue, ownership structure, and segment economics are not publicly disclosed.

Name

KWM

Legal name

KWM

Website

https://kwm-agency.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

KWM is Canada's largest creative agency dedicated to video games, producing trailers, key art, branding, and motion design for AAA, AA, and indie game publishers from studios in Quebec City and Montreal.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Video Game Marketing Services

NAICS

Publishing Industries (513)

SIC

Services-Motion Picture & Video Tape Production (7812)

akta.pro primary industry

UGC (User-Generated Content) Production & Creator Networks (MPAAAHAF)

akta.pro secondary industry

Asset Creation, Pipeline, DCC Integration & Content Management Tools (MPAFAFAL)

Keywords

• Video game marketing
• Game trailer production
• In-engine cinematic trailers
• Key art and motion design
• Game publisher creative agency

Headquarters

HQ city

Quebec

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Marketing Asset Production: Project-based professional services for video game marketing including trailers, key art, motion design, branding. Revenue generated through project fees for creative and production services.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

KWM is a creative agency that produces marketing assets for video game publishers and developers, including trailers (in-game, in-engine, CGI), dev diaries, key art, motion design, branding, greenlight videos, and live action content. The agency employs 45+ full-time artists, technicians, and creative professionals across studios in Quebec City and Montreal, serving clients from indie studios to AAA publishers.

Product overview

KWM is a creative agency specializing in video game marketing assets, offering a comprehensive suite of services including in-game trailers, in-engine trailers, dev diaries, 2.5D/3D animations, live action, CGI trailers, greenlight videos, branding, and key art. The agency operates with teams based in Quebec City and Montreal, Canada, and works with clients ranging from independent studios to major AAA publishers including Ubisoft, Bandai Namco, Crystal Dynamics, and Red Barrels. Founded in 2021 through the merger of Fire Without Smoke Montréal and Sunny Side Up, KWM is part of the Keywords Studios group and employs over 45 full-time creative professionals.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• In-Game Trailers Full-service in-game trailer production including creative direction, capture, editing, post-production, and sound design from concept to final delivery, for video game publishers and developers.
• In-Engine Trailers Trailer production using game engine capabilities (Unreal, Anvil, Empire) to create tailor-made cinematic sequences that maximize marketing impact and create memorable moments for game franchises.
• Dev Diaries Behind-the-scenes documentary content including interview scripting, directing, partner coordination, and full production packages for game development storytelling.
• 2.5D Animations Motion design-driven animations combining 2D and 3D techniques, leveraging the agency's in-house motion design team.
• 3D Services 3D art production using industry-leading 3D software, staffed by skilled artists capable of versatile and relevant output for game marketing assets.
• Live Action Live action video production with advertising background and understanding of film set realities, producing content that exceeds industry standards for game marketing.
• CGI Trailers Computer-generated imagery trailers produced through partnerships with CGI studios worldwide, from storyboard to post-production, for game publishers and developers.
• Greenlight Videos Development-stage videos to help sell game concepts to publishers or secure financing, leveraging industry experience in game development processes.
• Asset Planning & Strategy Marketing strategy services drawing on decades of video game industry experience to maximize visibility gains according to client resources and goals.
• Branding and Logos Brand identity and logo creation through collaborative processes with client teams to develop signatures that will define games for years.
• Key Arts & Marketing Art Marketing artwork creation including key art and promotional images in a wide range of styles to suit project visual identities, working with top industry artists.

Quantifiable outcome

• Award for Best Bespoke Cinematography – In-Engine at 2026 Global Entertainment Awards
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Keywords StudioscoreOthersKWM is a member of Keywords Studios group. This partnership enables leveraging of services across all Keywords studios including art services, engineering, audio services, functionality QA, localization, and more. Sister studios can offer additional Key Art, 2D and 3D animation, and audio services.
• VOLTAminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCreative partner for Legacy of Kain: Defiance Remastered key art project. VOLTA collaborated on the deluxe edition key art.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• UNIT IMAGE: French creative studio specialized in CGI and in-engine cinematics for AAA video games. Closely comparable to KWM in scope (game trailers, key art, cinematics) and in serving AAA publishers as the primary client base.
• Gentleman Scholar: Los Angeles-based creative studio producing trailers, key art, and motion design for video games and entertainment brands. Comparable to KWM in offering a full-service AAA-focused creative stack.
• MOCEAN: LA-headquartered creative agency serving video game and entertainment clients with trailers, key art, and brand campaigns. Closely comparable B2B creative-services positioning to KWM.
• Robot Teddy: UK-based creative agency producing game trailers, marketing assets, and live-action content for AAA and AA publishers. Comparable in service mix (trailers, key art, dev diaries) and enterprise B2B sales motion.
• Pixelman Studio: Eastern European creative studio focused on game trailers, key art, and motion design for indie and mid-tier publishers. Comparable to KWM in service mix and target customers, though focused on different geographies.

Broad incumbents

• Framestore: Global VFX and creative studio that produces game cinematics, trailers, and key art alongside film and advertising work. Overlaps with KWM in cinematic game content but operates at much larger scale across multiple verticals.
• The Mill: Global VFX and experience studio producing high-end game trailers, cinematics, and brand campaigns for AAA publishers. A broader incumbent with overlapping in-engine and CGI capabilities.
• Genuine (formerly Trailer Park Group): Large entertainment marketing and content agency producing trailers, key art, and campaigns across film, streaming, and games. Overlaps with KWM in AAA game trailers but operates at much broader scope and scale.
• Trailer Park: Entertainment marketing agency specialized in trailers and promotional content for film, TV, and games. Comparable in trailer production craft but serves a wider entertainment roster than KWM.

Emerging players

• Psyop: VFX and content studio with a strong track record in game cinematics and trailer production. Comparable to KWM in delivering cinematic game content, though with a broader advertising footprint.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/KWMagency
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/kwm-agency

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 KWM