Stop any enthusiast or professional video gamer in the street and ask them, which time they’d prefer to live in; the overwhelming majority of them would say this is the perfect time for them and they wouldn’t change it for anything. And if they don’t, I don’t think they’re sincere enough.
That’s because the possibilities for gaming are virtually endless. From the conventional gaming consoles and PCs all the way to the cloud gaming platforms, the industry is steeped with gaming options.
And that’s just gaming devices; care to look at the games themselves and try not to have your jaw dropped! The game titles that have been released over a recent couple of years have taken video gaming to the next level. Take a look at Battlefield V, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare, and Cyberpunk 2077, and admire their graphical achievements. It’s virtually impossible to differentiate them from reality.
So, what I’m trying to say is that the gaming industry is booming with its video, casino, or even the simplest puzzle games. And the same can be said for the individual countries too. In the Nordics, for example, gaming has seen a massive rise over the years. The number of game developers is literally doubling from year to year. Because of this, competition between Nordic developers is at a level never seen before. So, here are the 5 most famous game developers so far:
Megapop Games
Megapop Games is an Oslo-based software developer working on different products and services. It’s been operating for more than two decades on the market, having acquired invaluable experience, as well as knowledge in technology, software development, and user experience over the years.
Now, the company of Megapop Games consists of 14 full-time employees, as well as freelancers who are trying to turn Megapop apps and games into masterpieces. One of the biggest advantages of this company is that it combines both experienced and aspiring developers, making the workspace as cooperative and productive as possible.
Currently, Megapop is predominantly working on games. However, its repertoire also consists of various apps and VR software products. And it’s one of the most popular developers in Norway.
Yggdrasil games
Next up, Yggdrasil games. Although they’re not technically considered as game developers, considering the types of games they make, they’re still one of the most successful ones in the region.
You see, Yggdrasil games mostly focus on developing casino games. You know, things like slots, table games, and whatnot. But they’re still games, right? And one of the best in the industry too. The company even won 2019’s International gaming awards.
The company was first popular with mostly Southern and Eastern European audiences due to the regulatory issues back home in the Nordics. But thanks to the partnership with ComeOn games, Norwegian, Swedish and Finnish players were finally able to taste the games created by their own developers.
To this day, Yggdrasil is ranking #1 in the lists of Nordic gamblers no matter what type of game they make. Guess the Viking pride is still in their genes huh?
Blink Studios
The next very popular Norwegian game developer is Blink Studios. Blink is an independent software developer based in Oslo, Norway. Employing a team of around ten people, Blink Studios is focused on creating the most fun and entertaining games, as well as comprehensive apps for smartphones.
Blink Studios has several target platforms up its sleeve, including mobile systems – iOS, iPadOS, Android – and desktop devices – both Windows and macOS. The developer also works for various social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, etc, and even has plans to penetrate the console market. In conclusion, Blink Studios truly is among the top Norwegian game developers in terms of both smartphone and premium gaming.
Red Thread Games
Another very acclaimed and well-known developer, which also happens to be based in Oslo, is Red Thread Games. Red Thread was established in 2012 by Ragnar Tørnquist with the main goal of creating story-driven, insightful games for both consoles like PS and Xbox, as well as PCs.
This indie game developer is best known for its Dreamfall Chapters, which was a sequel to the already-famous adventure title Dreamfall: The Longest Journey and which was funded by the gamers themselves.
Right now, Red Thread is developing a new, FPS (first-person) psychological horror title called Draugen. On top of that, a survival role-playing Svalbard is also in works, hoping to release it to the public in the near future.
Last in our list, but certainly not least, is Funcom. Funcom is the oldest game developer in our list: having been established in 1993, it already counts its 27th year in existence. That’s probably one of the main reasons why this developer is wildly popular among many game distributors.
Having two headquarters in Oslo, Norway, and Durham, North Carolina, USA, Funcom specializes in multiplayer games such as Age of Conan, The Secret World, Anarchy Online, and many more. The developer also has its own adventure game series called The Longest Journey. Right now, Funcom is considered an exclusive partner and game developer for the “Conan the Barbarian” stories.
Other honorable mentions
Apart from those popular Norwegian game developers, there are other providers who are worth mentioning in this article. So, here they are:
- Snowcastle Games – the Oslo-based independent game developer operating from 2009. Their most popular and anticipated title is called Earthlock: Festival of Magic.
- Antagonist – yet another independent game developer operating in Oslo, combining 5 members in the team. Like Red Thread Games, Antagonist focuses on story-driven games, as well as nicely designed titles.
- Krillbite Studio – probably the only developer in our list based in Hamar, Norway, instead of Oslo. The developer combines around 10 employees and is working on titles dedicated to both experienced and beginner gamers.
All in all, all the game developers listed in this article are professionals and widely acclaimed in Norway. Not only that, some of them are even working with world-renowned game distributors, exporting their products and services beyond the country’s borders.
