tinyBuild

tinyBuild Inc. is an American publisher of indie games based in Bellevue, Washington.[1] The company was established by Alex Nichiporchik and Tom Brien in 2011 to expand Brien's game No Time to Explain into a commercial release. Building from the success of the game's Steam release in 2013, tinyBuild partnered with DoubleDutch Games for the development and release of SpeedRunners, which landed tinyBuild further publishing deals. Since March 2020, the company has been founding or acquiring new studios to expand. It became a public company on the Alternative Investment Market in March 2021.

tinyBuild Inc.
TypePublic
LSE: TBLD
ISINUSU8884H1033
IndustryVideo games
Founded2011 (2011) in the Netherlands
Founders
  • Alex Nichiporchik
  • Tom Brien
Headquarters,
US
Area served
Worldwide
Key people
Alex Nichiporchik (CEO)
OwnerAlex Nichiporchik (61%)
NetEase (14%)
Number of employees
150 (2020)
Websitetinybuild.com

History

tinyBuild was founded in 2011 by Alex Nichiporchik (Latvian: Aleksandrs Ņičiporčiks) and Tom Brien.[2][3] Nichiporchik came from Latvia and had been a professional Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos player in the early 2000s, which made him enough money to drop out of high school and pursue a career in video game journalism.[4] While an employee of Spil Games in the Netherlands in 2010, he became interested in Flash games. He came across Super Meat Boy, which led to him to want to get into the business. Nichiporchik discovered No Time to Explain, a Flash game by Tom Brien, which he thought could be as successful as Super Meat Boy. Nichiporchik and Brien established tinyBuild in 2011 as a developer to expand No Time to Explain into a commercial release. The company headquarters were based in the Netherlands with Nichiporchik until both relocated to Seattle later on.[2]

tinyBuild launched a crowdfunding campaign for the game via Kickstarter and raised US$26,000 from a $7,000 target.[2] tinyBuild had agreed with the Russian publisher Buka Entertainment that the latter would publish retail versions of No Time to Explain in Russia, get the game released on Steam, and grant tinyBuild $24,500 in royalties in advance. However, Buka Entertainment failed to communicate with tinyBuild until stating that it was forced to cancel the project, withholding the royalties.[5][6] As No Time to Explain could not be launched via Steam, tinyBuild released it independently. The game recouped its development cost but did not turn a significant profit. tinyBuild went into hiatus for nearly a year thereafter until Steam introduced the Greenlight process for game approval. No Time to Explain became one of the first games to be greenlit for Steam in 2013 and had a successful release on the platform. Nichiporchik stated this experience burnt out tinyBuild, which was no longer interested in pursuing development but did not want to waste the newfound success. The company invested in, co-developed, and published the game SpeedRunners, which led to more developers pitching their games to tinyBuild, incrementally turning the company into a publisher.[2] To expand its publishing operations, it hired the video game journalist Mike Rose in December 2014.[7]

tinyBuild obtained $3.75 million in seed funding from Makers Fund in April 2018, followed by $15 million in series A funding from an undisclosed investor in February 2019.[8] The company established its first internal studio, HakJak Studios, with Guts and Glory developer Jed "HakJak" Steen in Boise, Idaho, in March 2020.[9] Nichiporchik believed that indie game publishers like tinyBuild would have to move away from "transactional relationships"—wherein the developer and publisher would work on one game and then move on—and instead build long-term relationships with the developers.[10] At this time, tinyBuild had 150 employees.[11] tinyBuild acquired the development team behind Hello Neighbor from Dynamic Pixels in July 2020 for an undisclosed sum to establish the studio Eerie Guest Studios in Hilversum. The company invested more than US$15 million into the Hello Neighbor franchise.[12] tinyBuild invested US$3 million into Hologryph in November 2020, assigned the studio to the Hello Neighbor spinoff Secret Neighbor.[13] In February 2021, tinyBuild acquired three studios it had previously worked with: We're Five Games, Hungry Couch, and Moon Moose.[14]

tinyBuild announced in February 2021 that it was to pursue an initial public offering on the Alternative Investment Market of the London Stock Exchange with the ticker symbol "TBLD". At the time, Nichiporchik owned 61.1% of the company, while the Chinese company NetEase owned 14.3%.[3] The company's shares began trading on March 9, 2021, with an initial market capitalization of £340 million.[15]

tinyBuild acquired the studio Animal in August 2021 for $10.2 million; Animal had been working on publishing their upcoming game Rawmen through tinyBuild.[16]

tinyBuild acquired Versus Evil and Red Cerberus in November 2021.[17]

The company acquired the intellectual property rights to the bulk of Bossa Studios' games including Surgeon Simulator and I Am Bread, for US$3 million in August 2022.[18]

Subsidiaries

Publishers

Name Location Founded Acquired
Versus Evil Baltimore, Maryland 2013 November 2021
Red Cerberus Brasil, São Paulo July 2017 November 2021

Studios

Name Location Founded Acquired
Animal Pasadena, California 2015 August 2021
HakJak Studios Boise, Idaho March 2020
Eerie Guest Studios Hilversum July 2020
Hologryph Lviv 2016 November 2020
We're Five Games Minneapolis February 2021
Hungry Couch Games Moscow 2019 February 2021
Moon Moose Saint Petersburg 2019 February 2021
DogHelm Los Angeles June 2021
Bad Pixel Russia September 2021
Konfa Games Saint Petersburg August 2022

Games developed

Year Title Platform(s)
2011 No Time to Explain Linux, macOS, Microsoft Windows
2015 No Time to Explain Remastered Linux, macOS, Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4, Xbox One

Games published

Year Title Developer(s) Platform(s)
2013 Not the Robots 2DArray Linux, macOS, Microsoft Windows
2014 Fearless Fantasy Enter Skies Entertainment Android, iOS, Microsoft Windows
Spoiler Alert Megafuzz Android, iOS, Linux, macOS, Microsoft Windows
Lovely Planet Quicktequila Linux, macOS, Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Wii U
2015 Divide by Sheep Bread Team Android, iOS, macOS, Microsoft Windows
Party Hard Pinokl Games Linux, macOS, Microsoft Windows, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One
Snail Bob 2 Hunter Hamster Android, iOS, Linux, macOS, Microsoft Windows
2016 Punch Club Lazy Bear Games Android, iOS, Linux, macOS, Microsoft Windows, Nintendo 3DS, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One
Dungelot: Shattered Lands Red Winter Android, iOS, Microsoft Windows
SpeedRunners DoubleDutch Games iOS, Linux, macOS, Microsoft Windows, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One
One Troll Army FlyAnvil macOS, Microsoft Windows
Boid Mokus Games Microsoft Windows
Lovely Planet Arcade Quicktequila Linux, macOS, Microsoft Windows
Road to Ballhalla Torched Hill Microsoft Windows, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One
The Final Station Do My Best Games Linux, macOS, Microsoft Windows, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One
Diaries of a Spaceport Janitor Sundae Month macOS, Microsoft Windows
Clustertruck Landfall Games Linux, macOS, Microsoft Windows, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One
Party Hard Go Pinokl Games Android, iOS, Fire OS
2017 Stage Presence Sea Green Games Microsoft Windows
Mr. Shifty Team Shifty Linux, macOS, Microsoft Windows, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One
Community Inc T4 Interactive macOS, Microsoft Windows, Nintendo Switch
Phantom Trigger Bread Team Microsoft Windows, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One
Party Hard Tycoon (early access)
  • Pinokl Games
  • Kverta
Microsoft Windows
Hello Neighbor Dynamic Pixels Android, iOS, Microsoft Windows, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Stadia, Xbox One
2018 Garage: Bad Trip Zombie Dynamics macOS, Microsoft Windows, Nintendo Switch
Outpost Zero (early access) Symmetric Games Microsoft Windows
Guts and Glory HakJak Studios Linux, macOS, Microsoft Windows, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One
Graveyard Keeper Lazy Bear Games Android, iOS, Linux, macOS, Microsoft Windows, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One
Party Hard 2
  • Pinokl Games
  • Kverta
  • Hologryph
Microsoft Windows
Rapture Rejects (early access)
  • Galvanic Games
  • Explosm Games
Microsoft Windows
Hello Neighbor: Hide and Seek Dynamic Pixels iOS, Microsoft Windows, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Stadia, Xbox One
2019 Pandemic Express Tall Boys Team Microsoft Windows
Swag and Sorcery
  • Lazy Bear Games
  • Uroboros Games
iOS, Microsoft Windows
Pathologic 2 Ice-Pick Lodge Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4, Xbox One
Lovely Planet 2: April Skies Quicktequila Linux, macOS, Microsoft Windows
Streets of Rogue Matt Dabrowski Linux, macOS, Microsoft Windows, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One
Totally Reliable Delivery Service We're Five Games Android, macOS, Microsoft Windows, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One
Waking Jason Oda Microsoft Windows
Secret Neighbor
  • Hologryph
  • Dynamic Pixels
Microsoft Windows, Stadia, Xbox One
2020 Not For Broadcast NotGames Microsoft Windows
Hello Puppets! Otherworld Interactive Microsoft Windows (VR Exclusive)
Hellpoint Cradle Games Linux, macOS, Microsoft Windows, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Stadia, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S
Kill It with Fire Casey Donnellan Games LLC Microsoft Windows
Punch Club 2: Fast Forward Lazy Bear Games Microsoft Windows
Startup Panic Algorocks Android, iOS, Microsoft Windows
Waking Jason Oda Microsoft Windows, Xbox One
2021 Black Skylands (early access) Hungry Couch Microsoft Windows
Cartel Tycoon (early access) Moon Moose
Happy's Humble Burger Farm Scythe Dev Team Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch
Mayhem in Single Valley Fluxscopic Ltd. Microsoft Windows
Potion Craft: Alchemist Simulator (early access) niceplay games Microsoft Windows
Undungeon Laughing Machines Microsoft Windows, Xbox One
2022 Not for Broadcast NotGames Microsoft Windows
Expedition Zero Enigmatic Machines
Hello Neighbor 2 Eerie Guest Studios Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S
Tinykin Splashteam Microsoft Windows, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S
Asterigos: Curse of the Stars Acme Gamestudio Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S
Despot's Game Konfa Games Linux, macOS, Microsoft Windows, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S
2023 RHYTHM SPROUT SURT Microsoft Windows, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One
Farworld Pioneers Igloosoft Microsoft Windows, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One
Black Skylands Hungry Couch Microsoft Windows, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One
The Bookwalker: Thief of Tales DO MY BEST macOS, Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4, Xbox One
Punch Club 2: Fast Forward Lazy Bear Games Microsoft Windows, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One
I Am Future: Cozy Apocalypse Survival Mandragora Microsoft Windows
TBA Trash Sailors fluckyMachine Microsoft Windows, Nintendo Switch
Pigeon Simulator HakJak Studios Microsoft Windows
Rawmen Animal

References

  1. "tinyBuild AIM Admission Document" (PDF). tinyBuild. March 2021. Archived (PDF) from the original on March 10, 2021. Retrieved March 14, 2021.
  2. Valentine, Rebekah (May 14, 2019). "TinyBuild: Development to publishing, and back again". GamesIndustry.biz. Archived from the original on November 7, 2020. Retrieved March 13, 2021.
  3. Muirhead, Calum (February 23, 2021). "Video game developer tinyBuild plans AIM float". Proactive Investors. Archived from the original on March 13, 2021. Retrieved March 13, 2021.
  4. Conditt, Jessica (November 17, 2015). "Meet the high school dropout paving the way for indie eSports". Engadget. Archived from the original on November 8, 2020. Retrieved March 13, 2021.
  5. Vincent, Brittany (June 20, 2017). "TinyBuild Games CEO claims they were scammed by a Russian publisher". PCGamesN. Archived from the original on December 2, 2020. Retrieved March 13, 2021.
  6. Bishop, Samantha (July 18, 2015). "No Time to Explain sucked, tinyBuild's CEO explains why". GameZone. Archived from the original on March 13, 2021. Retrieved March 13, 2021.
  7. Sinclair, Brendan (December 1, 2014). "tinyBuild hires Mike Rose". GamesIndustry.biz. Archived from the original on August 3, 2020. Retrieved March 13, 2021.
  8. Valentine, Rebekah (February 15, 2019). "TinyBuild raises $15 million in Series A funding". GamesIndustry.biz. Archived from the original on November 8, 2020. Retrieved March 13, 2021.
  9. Sinclair, Brendan (March 3, 2020). "TinyBuild opening new Boise studio with Guts and Glory developer". GamesIndustry.biz. Archived from the original on February 15, 2021. Retrieved February 9, 2021.
  10. Handrahan, Matthew (June 4, 2020). "Tinybuild: Indie publishers must move beyond "transactional relationships"". GamesIndustry.biz. Archived from the original on March 9, 2021. Retrieved March 13, 2021.
  11. Blake, Vikki (March 31, 2020). "'Indie publishing is dead' says Hello Neighbor franchise co-founder". MCV/Develop. Archived from the original on January 20, 2021. Retrieved March 13, 2021.
  12. Takahashi, Dean (July 16, 2020). "TinyBuild acquires Hello Neighbor devs and will invest $15 million in franchise". VentureBeat. Archived from the original on July 16, 2020. Retrieved July 16, 2020.
  13. Takahashi, Dean (November 26, 2020). "TinyBuild invests $3 million in Secret Neighbor developer Hologryph". VentureBeat. Archived from the original on February 17, 2021. Retrieved February 9, 2021.
  14. Batchelor, James (February 9, 2021). "TinyBuild acquires three studios". GamesIndustry.biz. Archived from the original on February 9, 2021. Retrieved February 9, 2021.
  15. Handrahan, Matthew (March 9, 2021). "TinyBuild launches £340m IPO". GamesIndustry.biz. Archived from the original on March 10, 2021. Retrieved March 9, 2021.
  16. McAloon, Alissa (August 19, 2021). "TinyBuild to 'acquihire' Rawmen developer Animal for up to $10.2 million". Gamasutra. Retrieved August 19, 2021.
  17. "TinyBuild acquires Versus Evil and Red Cerberus in $31.3m deal". GamesIndustry.biz. November 23, 2021. Retrieved November 23, 2021.
  18. "TinyBuild acquires Bossa Studios IPs for $3m". August 26, 2022.
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