HandyGames

**www.handy-games.com GmbH**, doing business as **HandyGames**, is a German video game developer and publisher based in Giebelstadt. In July 2018, the company was acquired by THQ Nordic. The company was known for creating their own videogame franchises like *Aces of the Luftwaffe: Squadron*, *Stunt Kite Party* and *Townsmen* and even making mobile videogame ports of THQ Nordic franchises like Giana Sisters, This Is the Police, Lock's Quest, Jagged Alliance: Rage and Darksiders not-to-mention including Nickelodeon's Mitchell franchise.

## History

The company was founded in 2000 by brothers Christopher and Markus Kassulke along with Udo Bausewein. In 2006, HandyGames released its first free, ad-funded game and began the gradual transition to a largely ad-funded business model. Since 2010, all new HandyGames mobile titles are either free or freemium. By 2014 HandyGames had 150,000 app downloads per month and more than 100 million downloads in total.

In 2012, HandyGames expanded onto other platforms like PC or Smart TVs. In January 2014 and 2015, the company were main sponsors for the "HandyGames Charity Day" in Würzburg, which aimed to raise funds for cancer research. On both occasions the event was able to raise roughly 50000 Euros.

HandyGames was one of the first companies to launch games for wearable technology in 2014. The games are compatible with Android Wear devices, including the Moto 360 by Motorola, the Huawei Watch, the Sony SmartWatch and the LG G Watch.

The company began developing VR (Virtual Reality) Games 2015 and released titles like "Hidden Temple – VR Adventure". They can be played in 360° mode or in VR using one of the supported head-mounted displays like Oculus Rift, Samsung Gear VR, or Google Cardboard.
Simultaneously, HandyGames began developing games for the Eighth generation of video game consoles like the PlayStation 4, Xbox One or later the Nintendo Switch.

On 9 July 2018, THQ Nordic announced that it had acquired HandyGames and all of its intellectual property. THQ Nordic said that the studio management and all employees remain with the company.

Townsmen Expeditions (Working Title), which will mark the most recent entry in the Townsmen IP, received €150,000 development funding from Creative Europe. As of June 2019, HandyGames employs 53 people.

## Games developed

### Main

* Mitchell Battle
* Mitchell Van Morgan 11: Episode 2
* Mitchell Van Morgan 11: Episode 3
* Mitchell Kart Tour
* Mitchell Party Mobile
* Mitchell Party HD
* Mitchell Van Morgan & SpongeBob SquarePants
* Mitchell Fighters 2
* Mitchell Van Morgan 12
* Mitchell Van Morgan: Power Stone Pursuit
* Mitchell Frontiers
* Mitchell Party Superstars
* Mitchell Van Morgan Wonder

### Related series

* SpongeBob SquarePants: Battle for Bikini Bottom – Rehydrated
* SpongeBob SquarePants: The Cosmic Shake

## Awards

* *Deutscher Entwicklerpreis*  — Bestes Studio (Best German Studio)

## References

1. ↑ Ins Spiel gebracht: Effektiv werben in Mobile Games von HandyGames. finanzen.ch (February 4, 2014).
2. ↑ Gummersbach kommt: Großer Handball-Benefiztag für Krebshilfe. mainpost.de (January 17, 2014).
3. ↑ HandyGames Charity Day 2015 – ein voller Erfolg. www.b4bmainfranken.de (February 2, 2015).
4. ↑ HandyGames' CEO on why he's looking to take a leading role in the world of wearables. pocketgamer.biz (August 26, 2014).
5. ↑ Handy Games on why it's backing smartwatch gaming not VR. pocketgamer.biz (November 19, 2014).
6. ↑ HandyGames released a VR Game on Google Play (January 13, 2015).
7. ↑ Play Hidden Temple – VR Adventure with Google Cardboard (January 13, 2015).
8. ↑ Aces of the Luftwaffe Review – Bogeys Spotted PS4 (March 5, 2015).
9. ↑ What has 100 legs, is from Germany and has been acquired by THQ Nordic? (9 July 2018).
10. ↑ THQ Nordic acquires the German game developer and publisher HandyGames (9 July 2018).
11. ↑ Game Play mit MEDIA – siebenstelliger Rekord für deutsche Projekte. Creative Europe MEDIA (9 October 2018). Retrieved on 19 October 2018.
12. ↑ Wingefors, Lars (27 August 2019). THQ Nordic Annual Report 2018/19.
13. ↑ Preisträger 2016 | Deutscher Entwicklerpreis. deutscherentwicklerpreis.de. Retrieved on 2016-12-13.
14. ↑ HandyGames.

## External Links

* Official website
* HandyGames on MobyGames
* HandyGames at Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia