Polish game developers have a significant impact on the global gaming industry. In 2020, the Polish gaming industry exported more games than it imported to the domestic market for the first time. Thanks to this, Poland as one of a few countries has become a net exporter of games.
Gaming Industry in Poland
The gaming industry in Poland has become such a complex system that several specialised companies function within it and participate in the process of production and distribution. In 2023, nearly 500 game developers and publishers were operating in Poland, employing over 15,000 people. The Polish gaming industry has thus gained importance on a European scale, today being among the top three employers compared to its European counterparts.
Almost all of Polish game producers’ revenues come from exports. The local market usually accounts for around 2-4% of sales for Polish game producers.
The list of Polish video game companies present on or with the potential to expand into the Japanese market
AAA games developers
AAA games, and those aspiring to this category, are productions with the biggest budgets, by design with a very good production quality and the most heavily promoted, created by the largest development studios, in several leading genres. They are the equivalent of blockbusters in the cinema industry.
Company (address and year founded) Relationship to the Japanese market
Key titles/projects released and premieres announced
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CD Projekt – quoted on the Warsaw Stock Exchange (Jagiellońska 74, 03-301 Warsaw)
A Polish company founded in 1994
Key titles published: The Witcher series, Cyberpunk 2077
Key titles announced: The Witcher 4 Polaris, Cyberpunk Orion,
an entirely new title – Hadar?
AA plus, AA and indie developers with the broadest reach
AA+ and AA games are the next category, slightly cheaper, less grandiose, often more focused on a single specific aspect, but still striving to offer very good quality. Meanwhile, indie games are the smallest titles, developed by small independent teams or even by a single person.
Company (address and year founded) Relationship to the Japanese market
Key titles/projects released and premieres announced
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11 bit studios – quoted on the Warsaw Stock Exchange (Brzeska 2, 03-737 Warsaw)
A Polish company founded in 2010.
Key titles published: This War of Mine
Key titles announced: Frostpunk 2 – sequel
PlayWay – quoted on the Warsaw Stock Exchange (Bluszczańska 76, 00-712 Warsaw)
A Polish company founded in 2011.
Key titles published: Over 100 titles published
(e.g. House Flipper, Car Mechanic Simulator)
Key titles announced: Builders of Egypt, Cooking Simulator 2
Platforms / business model
PC, PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, mobilne VR/AR
Independent games, which can afford more freedom and experimentation than big-budget productions that need to pay for themselves, are often vehicles for innovation, original explorations of new solutions or very artistically oriented small works of art.
Company (address and year founded) Relationship to the Japanese market
Key titles/projects released and premieres announced
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Afterburn (Orla 23/24, 90-317 Łódź)
A Polish company founded in 2016.
In the video game industry, a publisher is in charge of marketing, promotion and, in some cases, even distribution of other developers’ titles on the global market. To be included in this category, it is not enough to publish one’s own games (self-publishing), which on the current market can be done by virtually any developer. At the same time, it is a Polish peculiarity that most of these 3rd party publishers in fact start out as developers and continue to have a second division responsible for video game development.
Company (address and year founded) Relationship to the Japanese market
Key titles/projects released and premieres announced
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Forever Entertainment – quoted on Warsaw Stock Exchange’s (GPW) NewConnect (al. Zwycięstwa 96/98, 81-451 Gdynia)
A Polish company founded in 2010.
One of the biggest publishers of games for Nintendo Switch
Key projects completed: 120+ titles published
Key titles announced: Another remake of a 1990s cult title
Platforms / business model
Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation, Xbox
Model: Premium, publisher, 3rd party development – porting
Hyperstrange (Cybernetyki 19B, 02-677 Warsaw)
A Polish company founded in 2015.
Key projects completed: creators of Postal: Brain Damaged, Blood West
publishers of Frozenheim, Jupiter Hell and others.
Key titles announced: Hordes of Hunger
Crunching Koalas (Al. Jana Pawła II 61, 01-031 Warsaw)
A Polish company founded in 2012
Key projects completed: publishers of The Gap, Darkwood, Ad Infinitum
creators of Wojna Krwi: Wiedźmińskie Opowieści [Thronebreaker: The Witcher Tales]
Key titles announced: Beautiful Desolation
Platforms / business model
PC, PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch
Model: Premium, publisher, 3rd party development – porting
Boombit – quoted on the Warsaw Stock Exchange (Zacna 2, 80-283 Gdańsk)
A Polish company founded in 2010
Key titles published: Hunt Royale, Darts Club and other mid-core/casual/hyper-casual
Key titles announced: A rich portfolio of future titles announced for mobile devices
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