Hugo Games A/S

Hugo Games A/S, founded in 2011 in Copenhagen, Denmark, was a publicly traded mobile games developer and publisher. The company initially focused on creating games centered around the classic Danish media franchise character, Hugo the Troll, which originated as an interactive television show in 1990. The business model centered on developing and publishing free-to-play mobile games for a global audience across various platforms, including iOS, Android, Windows, and Facebook, generating revenue through in-app purchases and monetization strategies.

The company's strategy involved leveraging strong, recognizable intellectual properties (IPs) to attract a broad player base. This included titles like "Hugo Troll Race 2" and partnerships with major sports brands and celebrities, such as Cristiano Ronaldo for the game "Kick 'n' Run". In a key strategic move in October 2018, Hugo Games acquired the Sacramento-based game developer 5th Planet Games for approximately $737,000. This acquisition was aimed at integrating 5th Planet Games' expertise in community-based social games, which had demonstrated high retention and monetization capabilities. The deal was intended to triple Hugo Games' revenue at the time.

Following the acquisition, a significant corporate restructuring occurred. In November 2018, Hugo Games A/S announced it was changing its name to 5th Planet Games. This change reflected the company's evolving identity beyond the Hugo the Troll character and acknowledged the strong brand presence of 5th Planet Games, particularly in the U.S. market. The company's portfolio expanded to include titles from the acquired studio, such as "Dawn of the Dragons," and new developments based on IPs like "The Adventures of Tintin" and the TV series "Vikings". This transition marked a strategic pivot to a broader, more international focus as a mobile game developer and publisher specializing in building games on strong, existing IPs.

Keywords: mobile games, game publisher, game developer, free-to-play, intellectual property, Hugo the Troll, 5th Planet Games, in-app purchases, game monetization, social games, community-based games, Copenhagen, Dawn of the Dragons, Cristiano Ronaldo, Tintin, Vikings, iOS games, Android games, entertainment software, casual games, public company