NaturalMotion Games
NaturalMotion Games is a UK-based mobile game studio, wholly owned by Zynga (Take-Two Interactive), that develops free-to-play titles including the CSR Racing franchise, Dawn of Titans, and Star Wars: Hunters for a global consumer audience across 175+ countries.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2001
- HeadquartersLondon, United Kingdom
- Headcount—
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingSoftware
What NaturalMotion Games does
NaturalMotion Games is a UK-based mobile game development studio founded in 2001 and headquartered in London, with additional studios in Brighton and Birmingham. Since February 2014 it has operated as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Zynga, and following Take-Two Interactive's 2022 acquisition of Zynga it sits within the Take-Two portfolio. The studio builds free-to-play mobile games centered on licensed IP, most notably the CSR Racing franchise, Dawn of Titans, and the Star Wars: Hunters arena combat game launched in June 2024 under a partnership with Lucasfilm/Disney.
The studio's technology foundation includes the proprietary Morpheme animation engine, which underpins the cinematic-quality vehicle and character animation that distinguishes its titles. Its core products are differentiated by deep IP partnerships, including licensing agreements with more than 50 automotive manufacturers for the CSR series (Ferrari, McLaren, Bugatti and others) and the Star Wars franchise from Lucasfilm/Disney. The release of Star Wars: Hunters on Nintendo Switch in June 2024 marked a deliberate expansion beyond mobile-only distribution.
NaturalMotion monetizes through the free-to-play model with in-app purchases, generating revenue from a mass-market consumer base across 175+ countries. The studio benefits from Zynga/Take-Two scale in user acquisition, live operations, and cross-promotion across a broader portfolio that has accumulated 6 billion+ downloads. It has also launched Access All Areas (December 2022), signaling an initial vertical expansion beyond core mobile gaming into adjacent content.
NaturalMotion Games firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- NaturalMotion Games
- Legal name
- NaturalMotion Games Ltd.
- Website
- https://naturalmotiongames.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2001
- Operating status
- Operating
- Short description
- NaturalMotion Games is a UK-based mobile game studio, wholly owned by Zynga (Take-Two Interactive), that develops free-to-play titles including the CSR Racing franchise, Dawn of Titans, and Star Wars: Hunters for a global consumer audience across 175+ countries.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
NaturalMotion Games industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Mobile Gaming
- NAICS
- Software Publishers (5132)
- SIC
- Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Mobile & F2P Game Studios (MPAFAAAB)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Physics, Animation & Character Tech Middleware (MPAFAFAC)
Keywords
Where NaturalMotion Games is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- London
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices3 records
Markets served
NaturalMotion Games business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Free-to-Play with In-App Purchases: Core monetization model across all mobile games. Players download games for free and purchase virtual goods, currency packs, premium content, and cosmetic items. Revenue generated through microtransactions and larger in-app purchase bundles.
- Licensing Royalties: Partnership licensing from major automotive manufacturers (Ferrari, McLaren, Bugatti, Lamborghini, Porsche, Koenigsegg, Pagani, and 40+ others) for CSR Racing franchise. Also Star Wars IP licensing from Disney/Lucasfilm for Star Wars: Hunters.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Pay-as-you-go | Free-to-play base game with optional in-app purchases |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels9 records
NaturalMotion Games product offering
Product offeringCore offering
NaturalMotion Games develops and publishes free-to-play mobile video games, including the CSR Racing franchise, Star Wars: Hunters, and Dawn of Titans, for iOS, Android, and Nintendo Switch. The studio leverages its proprietary Morpheme animation engine to deliver console-quality visuals and character animation on mobile devices, and operates an educational creative technology platform (Access All Areas).
Product overview
NaturalMotion Games is a mobile game developer that creates immersive, blockbuster experiences. The company operates as part of Zynga (a wholly-owned subsidiary of Take-Two Interactive) and focuses on high-quality racing and strategy games. Their core product portfolio includes the CSR Racing franchise (CSR Racing 2, and the upcoming CSR 3), the action strategy game Dawn of Titans, and Star Wars: Hunters. Additionally, they operate Access All Areas, a virtual studio platform for educational outreach. NaturalMotion has achieved significant success with titles like CSR Racing (2012) and CSR Racing 2, and continues to develop new projects including an unannounced title. The company also benefits from cross-promotion within the broader Zynga portfolio which includes FarmVille, Words With Friends, Zynga Poker, and other casual games downloaded over 6 billion times worldwide.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- CSR Racing Franchise: Award-winning drag racing game franchise including CSR Racing, CSR Classics, and CSR Racing 2. Features officially licensed supercars from manufacturers including Ferrari, McLaren, Bugatti, Lamborghini, Pagani and Koenigsegg.
- Dawn of Titans
- Star Wars: Hunters
- CSR 3
- Access All Areas
Products and services
- CSR Racing 2
- Star Wars: Hunters
- Dawn of Titans
- Access All Areas
Quantifiable outcome
- CSR 2 garnered over 1 million 5-star reviews and became #1 Top Grossing Racing Game in over 50 countries
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use NaturalMotion Games
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
NaturalMotion Games technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
NaturalMotion Games partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered flagship and core.
- Lucasfilm / DisneyflagshipStar Wars: Hunters developed under license from Lucasfilm. NaturalMotion created competitive arena game featuring Star Wars characters for iOS, Android, and Nintendo Switch.
- Take-Two InteractivecoreTake-Two Interactive completed acquisition of Zynga in 2022. Zynga is the mobile label of Take-Two Interactive. Combined entity connects players in 175+ countries with games downloaded over 6 billion times.
- BugattiflagshipBugatti licensed trademarks, design patents and copyrights for CSR Racing 2.
- FerrariflagshipFerrari licensed their iconic prancing horse logo, vehicle designs, and trademarks to NaturalMotion for use in CSR Racing 2. FERRARI, the PRANCING HORSE device, all associated logos and distinctive designs are property of Ferrari Spa.
- McLaren AutomotiveflagshipMcLaren licensed vehicle models and trademarks for CSR Racing 2. 'McLaren' is a registered trademark.
- LamborghiniflagshipLamborghini licensed trademarks and vehicle designs including the bull and shield device for CSR Racing 2.
- Porsche AGflagshipPorsche AG licensed trademarks, designs, copyrights and intellectual property for CSR Racing 2.
- KoenigseggflagshipKoenigsegg One:1 and other models licensed for CSR Racing 2.
- PaganiflagshipPagani and Huayra trademarks licensed for CSR Racing 2.
- ZyngacoreZynga acquired NaturalMotion for $527 million in February 2014 to provide next-generation technology and tools, expanding Zynga's creative pipeline and accelerating planned mobile growth. NaturalMotion operates as part of Zynga's portfolio of mobile games.
- Women in GamescoreNaturalMotion became Women in Games Corporate Ambassador in 2021, joining worldwide network of studios and companies aligned with Women in Games agenda to support, empower and celebrate female talent in the gaming industry.
- #RaiseTheGamecoreNaturalMotion joined #RaiseTheGame pledge in 2020, committed to equity, diversity and inclusivity in the games industry.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights5 records
NaturalMotion Games competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Hutch Games: UK-based mobile game developer specializing in licensed racing games including F1 Clash, Top Drives, and Rebel Racing. Direct competitor to NaturalMotion in the mobile drag-racing genre with similar F2P mechanics and live-ops focus.
- Firemonkeys Studios: EA-owned mobile game developer behind Real Racing 3, one of the most established mobile racing franchises. Direct competitor to CSR Racing 2 with comparable console-quality 3D rendering and licensed vehicles.
- Gameloft: French mobile game developer/publisher with the Asphalt racing franchise (most recently Asphalt 9: Legends). Comparable to NaturalMotion in mobile racing genre with similar licensed supercar positioning and global distribution.
- Rovio Entertainment: Finnish mobile game developer (Angry Birds franchise). Comparable in F2P mobile gaming expertise, multi-studio operations, and an acquisition target profile — acquired by Sega in 2023, similar to NaturalMotion's Zynga acquisition.
- Kabam: Mobile MMO developer known for Marvel Contest of Champions. Similar in leveraging third-party IP (Marvel vs NaturalMotion's Star Wars/automotive brands) for F2P mobile titles with high production values.
- Playrix: Major Russian-origin mobile game developer (Homescapes, Gardenscapes, Township). Comparable in F2P mobile scale, premium production values, and casual-to-mid-core gaming portfolio mix.
Broad incumbents
- Supercell: Finnish mobile gaming leader (Clash of Clans, Clash Royale, Brawl Stars). Operates in the broader mobile gaming space with comparable F2P monetization and live-ops excellence, though focused on mid-core strategy rather than racing.
- King (Activision Blizzard): Mobile gaming giant behind Candy Crush. Operates broadly in mobile F2P with comparable scale, live-ops expertise, and multinational publishing infrastructure under Activision Blizzard (Microsoft).
- Ubisoft Mobile: Mobile division of major publisher Ubisoft, producing titles like Assassin's Creed and Rainbow Six mobile adaptations. Comparable in studio-scale mobile game development within a larger publisher portfolio.
- Electronic Arts Mobile: Major game publisher's mobile division encompassing multiple studios including Firemonkeys. Operates in the broader mobile gaming space with racing (Real Racing), sports (Madden Mobile), and casual titles, comparable as the parent context for racing mobile studios.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
NaturalMotion Games social profiles
Digital presenceNaturalMotion Games financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
NaturalMotion Games leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
NaturalMotion Games funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
NaturalMotion Games 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 NaturalMotion Games
What does NaturalMotion Games do?
NaturalMotion Games develops and publishes free-to-play mobile video games, including the CSR Racing franchise, Star Wars: Hunters, and Dawn of Titans, for iOS, Android, and Nintendo Switch. The studio leverages its proprietary Morpheme animation engine to deliver console-quality visuals and character animation on mobile devices, and operates an educational creative technology platform (Access All Areas).
Is NaturalMotion Games a public or private company?
NaturalMotion Games is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was NaturalMotion Games founded?
NaturalMotion Games was founded in 2001.
Where is NaturalMotion Games based?
NaturalMotion Games is headquartered in London, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does NaturalMotion Games make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Free-to-Play with In-App Purchases are the primary driver. The others are licensing Royalties.
Who are NaturalMotion Games's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Hutch Games, Firemonkeys Studios, Gameloft, Rovio Entertainment, Kabam and Playrix. Broad incumbents are Supercell, King (Activision Blizzard), Ubisoft Mobile and Electronic Arts Mobile.
Does NaturalMotion Games have an API?
No public API is recorded for NaturalMotion Games.
What industry is NaturalMotion Games in?
NaturalMotion Games's product category is Mobile Gaming. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAFAAAB, Mobile & F2P Game Studios, with a secondary code of MPAFAFAC, Physics, Animation & Character Tech Middleware. Its NAICS code is 5132 and its SIC code is 7990.