Uppercut Games
Independent game development for PC, console, and mobile.
| Date | Investors | Amount | Round |
|---|---|---|---|
* | N/A | Late VC | |
| Total Funding | 000k | ||
Uppercut Games is an independent video game development studio headquartered in Canberra, Australia. The company was founded in 2011 by Andrew James, Ed Orman, and Ryan Lancaster. The founders are industry veterans who previously worked at 2K Australia/Irrational Games on major titles such as the BioShock series, XCOM, and Fallout: Tactics. They established Uppercut Games to move away from the AAA studio environment and focus on creating their own games for mobile and downloadable platforms, bringing high-quality visuals and gameplay to a broader audience.
The studio develops and self-publishes its games across multiple platforms, including PC, PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, and mobile devices. Their business model involves selling premium games and offering in-app purchases. The company has released several notable titles. Their debut game was the mobile cover-based shooter 'EPOCH' (2011), which was designed for touchscreens. This was followed by 'City of Brass', a first-person rogue-lite adventure, and the 'Submerged' series. 'Submerged' is a non-combat exploration game set in a post-apocalyptic, flooded world, which has been recognized for its serene gameplay and focus on accessibility. Its sequel, 'Submerged: Hidden Depths', was initially an exclusive title for Google's Stadia streaming service before being released on other platforms.
Uppercut Games has a strategy of creating games that showcase the hardware of the platforms they are on, which helps in securing features on digital storefronts like the Apple Store. The studio has received funding support from government grants, such as the Digital Media Fund from the NSW government and Screen Australia, which helped finance their projects. While the core team is small, it expands with contractors for specific project needs. In early 2024, the company reportedly reduced its staff by half, adopting a "survival mode" approach amid broader industry challenges.
Keywords: independent game development, video game developer, PC games, console games, mobile games, Unreal Engine, action-adventure games, Submerged, City of Brass, EPOCH, rogue-lite, exploration games, post-apocalyptic games, Australian game studio, premium games, digital distribution