Game Labs is now owned by Stillfront Holdings
Stillfront Holding acquired the Ukrainian game studio Game Labs, the transaction amounted to 32.5 million dollars. Of these, $9.75 million will be paid in shares of the Swedish corporation. The companies also agreed that if within 3 years the developer can improve its financial performance, then an additional financial bonus is possible.
Game Labs was founded in 2013 in Kyiv, during which time it has released three games. In 2014 Ultimate General: Gettysburg was released, 3 years later Ultimate General: Civil War appeared, and in 2019 – Naval Action. In addition to this series, the studio offers projects Ultimate Admiral and This Land Is My Land. Also, the Sea Legends, which is a nautical simulator, is in development. This kind of performance is considered a rarity in video game development.
The founders of the studio are three developers – Denis Khachatryan, Alexander Petrov, and Maxim Zasov. According to them, Game Labs is a kind of laboratory, which works on the ideal formula for the release of successful products.
The first game from the studio was dedicated to the American Civil War, which took place in 1861-1865. Already immediately after the release, it was positively received not only by users but also by critics. The second game in the Civil War series is also themed around the Civil War but includes all the battles instead of just one. It also appealed to players, but critics were rather cold.
Naval Action Strategy was originally put out in early access, and it took almost 4 years to refine.
This Land Is My Land is radically different from the studio’s other projects. It represents the world of Indians, who fight the colonists in order to protect their native land. It is interesting that this game is developed in another way than similar action games about the Wild West. In the majority of such products, the main role is given to the colonists, who are fighting against the Native Americans. And in the project from Game Labs a kind of historical justice is preserved.
The productivity of the studio is surprising, especially considering that the staff is not growing. Since 2014, the team and approach to operations have undergone changes, making processes more streamlined and efficient. The development staff has decreased, as the studio has been able to find its own strategy for creating games, making proper use of physical resources. The company currently includes three studios, with the number of employees varying from project to project. According to management, only 2-4 people are needed to produce a game that will run 100,000-250,000 copies.