Maximum Games

Maximum Games, Inc. is an American video game publisher based in Walnut Creek, California.[1] Originally founded in 2009 as a publisher of family-oriented titles for the Nintendo DS and Nintendo Wii, the company shifted to publishing games of all genres for all ages across all platforms shortly after inception.[2]

Maximum Games Inc.
TypeSubsidiary
IndustryVideo games
FoundedAugust 2009 (2009-08)
Founder
Headquarters
Walnut Creek, California
,
United States
Area served
International
Number of employees
60–70
ParentZordix AB (2021–present)
Subsidiaries
  • Maximum Games Limited
  • Maximum Games Ireland Limited
  • Modus Games
  • Modus Studios Brazil
Websitewww.maximumgames.com

Maximum Games has acted as a sub-publisher and North American distributor for many other major video game publishers including Nacon, Microids, Funcom, and Focus Home Interactive. Some of the most notable franchises they have partnered on include the Farming Simulator series, Five Nights at Freddy's, Bendy and the Ink Machine, Power Rangers: Battle for the Grid, Divinity: Original Sin, and the WRC series.[3]

Maximum Games expanded into funding and development with a new publishing label in 2018 called Modus Games.[4] In 2019, the company acquired its first studio, Brazilian-based The Balance, Inc. and rebranded it as Modus Studios Brazil.[5]

History

Maximum Games is a privately held California corporation, and was founded as "Maximum Family Games" in 2009 by Christina Seelye and Len Ciciretto. During the 2009 holiday season, the company launched two successful Nintendo DS titles, Junior Brain Trainer and Junior Classic Games,[6] with placement in major US retailers. In 2010, the company published 16 new products for the Nintendo DS, Wii and PC platforms. In the same year, the company was granted third-party publishing status with Nintendo of America[7] and Sony Computer Entertainment America, and in 2011, they were granted the same status in Europe with both companies. In 2012, the company also secured its license with Microsoft. That May, the company legally changed its name to Maximum Games.[8]

Following the rebrand, Maximum Games began rapidly expanding into sales and physical distribution in North America for European publishers, specifically for the seventh console generation.[9] The company's output averaged around eight releases per year,[3][10] handling packaging, third-party logistics, and negotiating with retailers to secure placements for physical releases. By 2015, the company had invested $2.5 million in future games and shipped a total of 1 million units across all releases.

In March 2016, Maximum Games acquired UK-based video game publisher and distributor Avanquest Software Publishing Ltd. The acquisition marked Maximum's move to expand distribution of its games globally, establishing a European sales and marketing position. During this time, they also established a second European subsidiary, Maximum Games Ireland Limited.[11][12]

In 2017, Maximum Games began development of its first fully owned IP, Extinction, which released in the following year.[13][14] The expansion into development would lay the foundation for its publishing label Modus Games, focusing on AAA publishing services for independent developers.[15] During this same time, the company further developed its European network of partners and retailers, offering games in over 30+ countries.[3]

In 2018, Len Ciciretto transitioned out of the company and is no longer a shareholder.

In October 2020, Maximum Games entered an agreement with Nacon to handle third-party logistics for their lineup of RIG computer and gaming accessories.

Maximum Games began offering direct-to-consumer shipping from its own digital storefront in December 2020. It currently sells partner titles, Modus Games titles, and store exclusive collector's editions.[16]

The company was purchased by Swedish firm Zordix AB in November 2021, for a total of $42 million, with additional earnouts of up to $30 million.[17]

Modus Games

In December 2017, Maximum Games created a new division of the company called Modus Games, focused on providing full-service publishing services to independent video game developers. Modus Games' first title published was action-adventure title Extinction, developed by Iron Galaxy.[13]

In 2019, Modus Games purchased the independent Brazilian game studio The Balance, Inc., which it previously partnered with to publish the action game Override: Mech City Brawl. The company was rebranded as Modus Studios Brazil and operates independently of the publishing arm, offering porting, development support, and development of original IPs.[5]

History

Modus Games was first introduced in 2018 when the company was soft launched with the release of Iron Galaxy's Extinction.[18] The company was fully launched in March 2019.[19] Their first title as a publishing label was Finnish developer Frozenbyte's Trine 4: The Nightmare Prince, which received favorable reviews.[19][20]

Modus Games has since partnered with several developers of varying sizes for both physical and digital releases globally. The company has made their first foray into the collectibles market with the announcement of a collector's edition for Dreams Uncorporated's action role-playing game Cris Tales.[21]

In October 2020, Modus Games initiated an ongoing charitable initiative called Games Giving Back,[22] in which the company donates a portion of each games' profits towards a charity, often in a similar theme to each game being highlighted. The first of these donations was to the Exceptional Women Awardees Foundation, an organization that helps women advance their careers through coaching and mentorship.[22]

In January 2022, Modus Games acquired Mane6, the development team behind Them's Fightin' Herds.[23]

Modus Studios Brazil

Following the release of Override: Mech City Brawl by Brazilian studio The Balance, Inc., Modus Games purchased and rebranded the developer as Modus Studios Brazil in 2019.[24] The company operates independently of the publishing arm, and has since released a sequel titled Override 2: Super Mech League. It is the company's first developer acquisition under the Modus name. In addition to development, the studio also co-develops and offers porting services for other Modus published games.[25]

List of video games

Games published and/or developed[26]

Year Title Platform(s) Developer(s) Role Publisher
2018 Extinction Windows, PlayStation 4, Xbox One Iron Galaxy Publisher Maximum Games, Modus Games
Ninjin: Clash of Carrots Windows, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch Pocket Trap Modus Games
Override: Mech City Brawl Modus Studios Brazil (formerly The Balance, Inc.) Publisher, Developer Modus Games, 3goo
2019 Trine 4: The Nightmare Prince, Trine: Ultimate Collection Frozenbyte Publisher Modus Games
Bear with Me: The Lost Robots, The Complete Collection Windows, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, Android, iOS Exordium Games Modus Games, Exordium Games
Degrees of Separation Windows, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch Moondrop Modus Games
2020 Ary and the Secret of Seasons Windows, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, Stadia eXiin, Fishing Cactus
Skully Windows, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch Finish Line Games
Them's Fightin' Herds Windows, Linux[nc 1] Mane6
Lost Words: Beyond the Page Windows, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, Stadia Sketchbook Games
Super Animal Royale Windows, Macintosh, Nintendo Switch, Playstation 4, Playstation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Stadia Pixile Modus Games, Pixile
Override 2: Super Mech League Windows, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch Modus Studios Brazil (formerly The Balance, Inc.) Publisher, Developer Modus Games
Remothered: Broken Porcelain Windows, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch Stormind Games Publisher
Rock of Ages 3: Make & Break Windows, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, Stadia ACE Team, Giant Monkey Robot
2021 Rustler Windows, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch Modus Games, PlayWay
Cris Tales Windows, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, Stadia Modus Games
In Sound Mind Windows, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, Nintendo Switch We Create Stuff
2022 Soulstice Windows, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X Reply Game Studios Publisher Modus Games
2023 Maximum Football Windows, MacOS, Playstation 4, Playstation 5, Xbox Series X and Series S, Xbox One Invictus Games Publisher, Developer Modus Games
Teslagrad 2[27] Windows, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Switch Rain Games Publisher Modus Games
Double Dragon Gaiden: Rise of the Dragons Secret Base, Arc System Works

Notes
  1. Linux port was released in 2021, not 2020.

Notable titles

References
  1. "IGN: Maximum Family Games Company Profile". IGN. Archived from the original on 20 January 2012. Retrieved 4 May 2012.
  2. "Maximum Games's Profile". Metacritic.
  3. "Maximum Games Published Games". Giant Bomb. Retrieved 2021-04-22.
  4. "Maximum Games to fully launch new indie publishing label Modus Games". GamesIndustry.biz.
  5. "Modus Games acquires The Balance Inc". GamesIndustry.biz. Retrieved 2021-04-22.
  6. "Maximum Games announce Dead Alliance". www.gamekult.com (in French). 2017-05-24. Retrieved 2018-12-28.
  7. "Nintendo wants all third-party games on the Nintendo Switch". TechCrunch. Retrieved 2018-12-28.
  8. "Gamasutra: Maximum Family Games Changes Name to Maximum Games". Gamasutra. Retrieved 25 May 2012.
  9. "Maximum Games Leads the Retro Revolution at E3 Tomorrow". www.gamasutra.com. Retrieved 2021-04-22.
  10. "MobyGames: Game Browser". MobyGames. Retrieved 2021-04-22.
  11. Dring, Christopher (2016-05-23). "Avanquest now '100% focused on games' after name change". MCV. ISSN 1469-4832. Retrieved 2018-12-28.
  12. "Maximum Games Ireland Ltd - Irish Company Info - SoloCheck". www.solocheck.ie. Retrieved 2021-04-22.
  13. "Iron Galaxy and Maximum Games Announce Extinction for PlayStation®4, Xbox One and PC". www.gamasutra.com. Retrieved 2021-04-22.
  14. "Maximum Games' new action IP Extinction will be playable at E3". MCV/DEVELOP. 2017-06-02. Retrieved 2021-04-22.
  15. "Maximum Games announces new indie publishing label Modus Games". GameDaily.biz. 20 March 2019. Retrieved 2021-04-22.
  16. "Cris Tales Getting Collector's Edition in Limited Quantities". Game Rant. 2021-01-20. Retrieved 2021-04-22.
  17. Rousseau, Jeffrey (November 29, 2021). "Zordix acquires Maximum Games for $42m". gamesindustry.biz. Retrieved 29 November 2021.
  18. McWhertor, Michael (2017-06-01). "Bloody giant ogre battles are at the heart of Extinction". Polygon. Retrieved 2021-04-08.
  19. "Maximum Games announces new indie publishing label Modus Games". GameDaily.biz. 20 March 2019. Retrieved 2021-04-08.
  20. "Trine 4: The Nightmare Prince". Metacritic. Retrieved 2021-04-08.
  21. "Cris Tales collector's edition includes art book and cuddly Matias". Destructoid. 19 January 2021. Retrieved 2021-04-08.
  22. "Modus Games launches the Games Giving Back charity initiative". GameDaily.biz. 23 October 2020. Retrieved 2021-04-08.
  23. Willett, Joscelyn (2022-01-20). "Maximum Games acquires Them's Fightin' Herds developer Mane6, teases upcoming additions to the game" (Press release). Retrieved 2022-01-20.
  24. Kerr, Chris (3 September 2019). "Trine 4 publisher Modus Games acquires Brazilian studio The Balance". www.gamasutra.com. Retrieved 2021-04-08.
  25. "Modus Games Expands by Acquiring The Balance Inc., Porting Override to Switch". 29 August 2019. Retrieved 2021-04-08.
  26. "Modus Games". Metacritic. Retrieved 2021-04-09.
  27. "Teslagrad 2". Gematsu. Retrieved 2023-07-08.
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