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Video games in Sweden

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The first 20 years of video game developing in Sweden included work mostly done by separate individuals. Developing costs increased and the industry structure became more complex over time. Mapping the business of Swedish game developing history has been relatively problematic, because individuals were spread all over the country while working with different platforms in PDP, C64, VIC-20, Amiga, and IBM PC compatibles. Home computers became the focus for the creativity among often self-educated youths who got access during the 1980s.[1]

In 2018, the Swedish games industry generated €1.8 billion and it employed almost 8,000 people.[2] For 2017, there were 4.2 million gamers in Sweden who spent $411.7 million.[3]

1980-1989

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The colour-graphical VIC-20 home computer was released in 1981. The home computer Commodore 64 was released 1983. The game Space Action (1983) was developed by Arne Fernlund and published by Handic Software.[4]

After 20 years game development shifted towards project groups of game developers.[1]

List of Swedish video game companies

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Name Description Most Famous For Games
Embracer Group Embracer Group AB (formerly Nordic Games Publishing AB and THQ Nordic AB) is a Swedish video game holding company based in Karlstad. The company was established under the name Nordic Games in December 2008, forming the video game publishing subsidiary of game retailer Game Outlet Europe. PC, Console Darksiders Red Faction, Titan Quest
Mojang Mojang AB is a Swedish video game developer and a studio of Xbox Game Studios based in Stockholm. The studio was founded by Markus Persson in 2009 as Mojang Specifications, inheriting the name from a venture of the same name he left two years prior. PC, Console, Mobile, VR Minecraft Scrolls, Cobalt
King (Midasplayer) King.com Limited, trading as King and also known as King Digital Entertainment, is a video game developer based in St. Julian's, Malta, that specialises in the creation of social games. Mobile Candy Crush Saga Bubble Witch Saga
EA Digital Illusions CE EA Digital Illusions CE AB (DICE) is a Swedish video game developer based in Stockholm. The company was founded in 1992 and has been a subsidiary of Electronic Arts since 2006. PC, Console, Tech Battlefield Mirror's Edge, Star Wars Battlefront
Paradox Interactive Paradox Interactive AB (frequently abbreviated PDX) is a Swedish video game publisher based in Stockholm. PC Europa Universalis Cities: Skylines, Hearts of Iron
Avalanche Studios Fatalist Development AB, doing business as Avalanche Studios, is a Swedish video game developer based in Stockholm. Founded by Linus Blomberg and Christofer Sundberg in March 2003, Avalanche Studios focuses on developing open world projects and bases them on their proprietary Apex game engine (formerly known as Avalanche Engine). PC, Console, Tech Just Cause Rage 2, Mad Max, Generation Zero
Ubisoft Entertainment Sweden (Massive) Massive Entertainment is a Swedish video game developer and a studio of Ubisoft based in Malmö. The company has been fully owned by Ubisoft since 2008. PC, Console, Tech, Mobile Tom Clancy's The Division Tom Clancy's The Division 2, Just Dance Now
Starbreeze Starbreeze Studios AB is a Swedish video game developer and publisher based in Stockholm. Notable games developed include The Chronicles of Riddick: Escape from Butcher Bay, Payday 2 and Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons. PC, Console, Mobile, VR, Tech Payday Series The Chronicles of Riddick: Escape from Butcher Bay, Syndicate
MAG Interactive Mobile, Facebook Ruzzle Word Brain
Fatshark Fatshark is an independent video game development studio based in Stockholm, Sweden. PC, Console, Mobile Warhammer Series Warhammer: Vermintide 2, Escape Dead Island, War of the Vikings
Hazelight Studios AB PC, Console A Way Out (video game) Brothers - A Tale of Two Sons
(Axolot Games) PC Scrap Mechanic Raft
Toca Boca Toca Boca is a Swedish app development studio focused on child-friendly applications for tablets and smartphones. Mobile Toca Series Paint my wings
MachineGames Sweden MachineGames agreed with Bethesda Softworks to develop a new instalment in the Wolfenstein series, and was acquired by Bethesda's parent company, ZeniMax Media.[5] PC, Console Wolfenstein Series Quake: Dimension of the Past
GamersGate GamersGate is a Sweden-based online video game store offering electronic strategy guides and games for Windows, OS X, and Linux via direct download. Distribution, PC, Mac Fallout 4 Borderlands, Skyrim, BioShock 2
Donya labs (Simplygon) Technology
Arrowhead Game Studios Arrowhead Game Studios AB is an independent Swedish video game developer, established in 2008 by a group of Luleå University of Technology students. PC, Console, Mac Magicka Helldivers, Helldivers 2, The Showdown Effect
MindArk MindArk is a Swedish software company located in Gothenburg. PC, Mobile, VR Entropia Universe
Tarsier Studios PC, Console, VR, Handheld Little Big Planet Series Little Nightmares, Tearaway Unfolded
Image & Form International PC, Console, Mobile, Handheld Steamworld Series Anthill
Frictional Games PC Amnesia SOMA, Penumbra Series
Raw Fury Raw Fury is a Swedish video game publisher, specialising in the publication of indie games, based in Stockholm. PC, Mac, Console Kingdom: Two Crowns Mosaic
Illusion Labs Mobile, Mac Touchgrind Way of the Turtle
Illwinter Game Design PC, Mac Dominions Series Erövring av Elysium
Zoink Zoink AB was founded in 2001 by Klaus Lyngeled, who acts as its CEO. PC, Console, VR, Mobile, Mac Fe Flipping Death
Power Challenge Online, Service ManagerZone Power Soccer
Sector3 Studios Console WTCC, ADAC GT Masters
Simogo Mobile, Console, Service Year Walk Device 6
Code Club(Onetoofree) PC, Mac Wurm Online Wurm Unlimited
Defold Tech
Might and Delight Might and Delight is a Swedish video game development studio and publisher based in Stockholm. The studio was established in 2010 and is best known for the Shelter series. PC, Mac, Console Shelter PID
Creative Vault AB Console, VR Wipeout™ VR Hustle Kings VR, Crash Commando
Poppermost Productions Poppermost Productions is a small independent game developer based in Stockholm, Sweden. PC, Console Snow
Grapefrukt Mobile, Console, PC, Web, Tablet Rymdkapsel twofold inc., gran chorizo
Legendo Entertainment Legendo Entertainment is a Sweden-based entertainment company, led by CEO Björn Larsson. Founded under the name "Iridon Interactive," in 1998, the company adopted its current title of “Legendo Entertainment,” in 2004. PC, Mac, Mobile, Console, Handheld, AR, Service, Tablet Serpents in the Mist FCB Pinball, Fortune Winds
Oxeye Game Studio Cobalt is an action side-scrolling video game developed by Oxeye Game Studio and published by Mojang. PC, Console, Mac Cobalt Strategist, Harvest: Massive Encounter
White Wolf Entertainment (defunct) PC, Console The Chronicles of Darkness Exalted, World of Darkness
Thunderful Publishing Thunderful AB is a Swedish video game holding company based in Gothenburg. It was founded in December 2017 by Brjánn Sigurgeirsson and Klaus Lyngeled, in conjunction with Bergsala Holding, as the parent company for their Gothenburg-based game development studios, Image & Form and Zoink. PC, Console, Mobile, Steam, VR, Mac Ghost Giant, Curious Expedition
IO Interactive AB IO Interactive A/S (often shortened as IOI) is a Danish video game developer based in Copenhagen, best known for creating and developing the Hitman franchise. PC, Console, Mac Hitman (franchise) Kane & Lynch 2: Dog Days, Mini Ninjas
Ghost Games Subsidiary of Electronic Arts PC, Console Need for Speed Need for Speed Heat, Need for Speed Payback
Atod Atod AB/LG Software AB (also known as 42-Bit AB) was a video game developer located in Helsingborg, Sweden. Console Hot Weels Extreme Racing
Dennaton Games Dennaton Games is an independent Swedish video game developer founded by programmer Jonatan Söderström and artist Dennis Wedin. PC, Mac, Mobile Hotline Miami Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number
Nifflas Nicklas Nygren, better known by the handle Nifflas, is an independent Swedish video game developer. Console, Handheld, Mac, PC Knytt Within A Deep Forest, FiNCK, NightSky
Overkill Software Overkill Software is a Swedish video game developer based and founded in Stockholm in 2009 by Ulf Andersson, Bo Andersson and Simon Viklund, the founders and owners of now defunct game developer Grin. PC, Mobile, Console Overkill's The Walking Dead, Payday: The Heist, Payday 2
The Sleeping Machine The Sleeping Machine AB, formerly Cockroach Inc. till 2011, is an independent Swedish video game developer design & animation studio established in 2007 by Anders Gustafsson and Erik Zaring. Mac, PC, Browser game The Dream Machine Gateway, The Gateway Trilogy

References

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  1. ^ a b "Slutrapport svensk dataspelsutveckling 1960-1995" (PDF).
  2. ^ "Swedish games industry generated €1.87bn in 2018, employs almost 8,000 people". GamesIndustry.biz.
  3. ^ "The Swedish Gamer | 2017".
  4. ^ "Svensk dataspelsutveckling, 1960-1995" (PDF).
  5. ^ "Developer MachineGames on TheStadiaDB". TheStadiaDB. Retrieved 2020-08-11.

See also

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