{{Short description|Polish video game developer and publisher}} {{Use British English|date=September 2019}} {{Use dmy dates|date=September 2019}} {{Infobox company | name = CreativeForge Games S.A. | logo = CreativeForge Games.jpg | type = Public | traded_as = {{NewConnect|CFG|isin=PLCRFRG00016}} | ISIN = {{ISIN|sl=n|pl=y|PLCRFRG00016}} | industry = Video games | founded = {{Start date and age|df=yes|2011|11|21}} | founders = {{Unbulleted list|Jakub Rozenek|Łukasz Żarnowiecki}} | hq_location_city = Warsaw | hq_location_country = Poland | key_people = Piotr Karbowski (CEO) | products = {{ubl|''Hard West''|''Phantom Doctrine''}} | owner = PlayWay (47.81%) | num_employees = ≈11 | num_employees_year = 2019 | website = {{URL|http://www.creativeforge.pl/|creativeforge.pl}} }}
'''CreativeForge Games S.A.''' is a Polish video game developer and publisher based in Warsaw. Founded in 2011 by Jakub Rozenek and Łukasz Żarnowiecki, the company developed ''Ancient Space'', ''Hard West'', and ''Phantom Doctrine'', with ''Hard West 2'' and ''Aircraft Carrier Survival'' in development. CreativeForge is listed on the NewConnect stock exchange with 47.81% owned by PlayWay.
== History == CreativeForge Games was founded in Warsaw on 21 November 2011 by Jakub Rozenek and Łukasz Żarnowiecki under an investment agreement with the publisher PlayWay.<ref name="Gry Online 2014">{{cite web |url=https://www.gry-online.pl/newsroom/ancient-space-polska-strategia-kosmiczna-juz-w-sprzedazy/z41575b |title=Ancient Space – polska strategia kosmiczna już w sprzedaży |language=pl |trans-title=Ancient Space – Polish space strategy already on sale |author=Orbech |date=24 September 2014 |website=Gry Online}}</ref><ref name="NewConnect">{{cite web |url=https://newconnect.pl/pub/NEWCONNECT/dokumenty_informacyjne/CFG_180517_F_Dokument_Informacyj.pdf |title=CreativeForge Games Spółka Akcyjna z siedzibą w Warszawie – Dokument Informacyjny |language=pl |trans-title=CreativeForge Games Spółka Akcyjna with its registered office in Warsaw – Information Document |date=17 May 2018 |website=NewConnect}}</ref> The studio's debut game was ''Ancient Space'', a real-time strategy game published by Paradox Interactive in September 2014.<ref name="Gry Online 2014" /><ref name="Gry Online 2019">{{cite web |url=https://www.gry-online.pl/newsroom/tworcy-gry-phantom-doctrine-w-tarapatach-pracownicy-odchodza-z-cr/z51ba0a |title=Twórcy gry Phantom Doctrine w tarapatach – pracownicy odchodzą z CreativeForge Games [aktualizacja] |language=pl |trans-title=Developers of Phantom Doctrine in trouble – employees leave CreativeForge Games [update] |author=Vergil |date=31 January 2019 |website=Gry Online}}</ref> PlayWay bought out Rozenek's shares in CreativeForge in December 2014.<ref name="NewConnect" /> A second game, the Western-themed turn-based tactics game ''Hard West'', was crowdfunded through the website Kickstarter; the campaign ended in September 2014 with {{CA$|94,000|link=yes}} out of {{CA$|70,000|long=no}} raised.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.gry-online.pl/newsroom/hard-west-zbiorka-pieniedzy-na-polski-western-zakonczona/z115614 |title=Hard West – zbiórka pieniędzy na polski western zakończona |language=pl |trans-title=Hard West – fundraising for Polish western is over |author=Góral |date=7 September 2014 |website=Gry Online}}</ref> The game was released by Gambitious Digital Entertainment in November 2015.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.gry-online.pl/newsroom/hard-west-polski-western-zadebiutuje-dzis-na-pc-tach/ze173c0 |title=Hard West – polski western zadebiutuje dziś na PC-tach |language=pl |trans-title=Hard West – Polish western will debut today on PCs |author=Góral |date=18 November 2015 |website=Gry Online}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2015/07/30/tactical-western-hard-west-coming-to-pc |title=Tactical Western Hard West Coming to PC |first=Matt |last=Porter |date=30 July 2015 |website=IGN}}</ref>
CreativeForge continued working with Gambitious (later renamed Good Shepherd Entertainment) on its ''Phantom Doctrine'', a turn-based tactics game set in an alternate history 1983 Cold War setting that was released in August 2018.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.hardcoregamer.com/2017/08/22/good-shepherd-reveals-turn-based-espionage-game-phantom-doctrine/269091/ |title=Good Shepherd Reveals Turn-Based Espionage Game Phantom Doctrine |first=Kyle |last=LeClair |date=22 August 2017 |website=Hardcore Gamer}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.gry-online.pl/newsroom/phantom-doctrine-pierwsze-recenzje-polskiej-turowki/z91b04b |title=Phantom Doctrine – pierwsze recenzje polskiej turówki |language=pl |trans-title=Phantom Doctrine – the first reviews of the Polish turnout |first=Adrian |last=Werner |date=15 August 2018 |website=Gry Online}}</ref> Within three months, the game had sold 100,000 copies.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.gry-online.pl/newsroom/phantom-doctrine-sprzedalo-sie-w-100-tysicach-egzemplarzy-tworcy/zc1b5a3 |title=Phantom Doctrine sprzedane w 100 tys. kopii. Twórcy robią nową grę |language=pl |trans-title=Phantom Doctrine sold in 100,000 copies. The creators are making a new game |author=Entelarmer |date=14 November 2018 |website=Gry Online}}</ref> However, the game was met with a poor critical reception and had a low sales performance, as a result of which Żarnowiecki resigned as chief executive officer (CEO) of the company and was interim-replaced by former lead designer Kacper Szymczak in October 2018.<ref name="TechRaptor">{{cite web |url=https://techraptor.net/content/phantom-doctrine-creativeforge-games-ceo |title=Phantom Doctrine Core Team Departs As CreativeForge Games Appoints New CEO |first=Richard |last=Costa |date=6 March 2019 |website=TechRaptor}}</ref><ref name="PC World Australia">{{cite web |url=https://www.pcworld.idg.com.au/article/658522/forum-post-claims-poor-sales-thrown-phantom-doctrine-dev-creativeforge-into-disarray/ |title=Weaker-than-expected sales have thrown Phantom Doctrine dev CreativeForge into disarray |first=Fergus |last=Halliday |date=6 March 2019 |website=PC World Australia}}</ref> Szymczak subsequently resigned himself and left the company in January 2019 because he felt as though the role of CEO was more of a puppet for the company's shareholders.<ref name="Gry Online 2019" /><ref name="PC World Australia" /> Additionally, 29 of CreativeForge's previously 40 staff left the company.<ref name="Gry Online 2019" /><ref name="PC World Australia" /> In light of the announcement of these resignations, CreativeForge's share value on the NewConnect stock exchange fell by roughly 12%.<ref name="Gry Online 2019" /> At the time, PlayWay owned 47.81% of these shares.<ref name="Gry Online 2019" /> Piotr Karbowski assumed the role of CEO in February.<ref name="TechRaptor" /> Some former CreativeForge employees established the studio Artificer, which was majority-acquired by Good Shepherd in April 2019.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2019-04-10-good-shepherd-buys-majority-stake-in-artificer |title=Good Shepherd buys majority stake in Artificer |first=Matthew |last=Handrahan |date=10 April 2019 |website=GamesIndustry.biz}}</ref>
In February 2019, it was announced that CreativeForge was involved in the development of two games: ''Hard West 2'', which was being developed by an external team (with CreativeForge issuing the licence and publishing the game in exchange for 50% of its sales revenue), and ''Aircraft Carrier Survival'', which was being developed internally (having finished pre-production).<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.gry-online.pl/newsroom/hard-west-2-i-aircraft-carrier-survival-w-planach-studia-creative/z91bbbb |title=Hard West 2 i Aircraft Carrier Survival w planach CreativeForge Games |language=pl |trans-title=Hard West 2 and Aircraft Carrier Survival in the plans of CreativeForge Games |first=Adrian |last=Werner |date=22 February 2019 |website=Gry Online}}</ref> In March 2022, publisher Good Shepherd Entertainment announced the upcoming release of ''Hard West 2'' with the involvement of Polish indie game development studio Ice Code Games.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.goodshepherd.games/news/good-shepherd-entertainment-ice-code-games-unveil-hard-west-2-coming-later-this-year-to-pc |title=Good Shepherd Entertainment & Ice Code Games Unveil Hard West 2, Coming Later this Year to PC |date=17 March 2022 |website=Good Shepherd Entertainment}}</ref>
== Games == ===As developer=== {| class="wikitable sortable" ! Year ! Title ! Platform(s) ! Publisher(s) |- | 2014 | ''Ancient Space'' | macOS, Microsoft Windows | Paradox Interactive |- | 2015 | ''Hard West'' | Linux, macOS, Microsoft Windows, Nintendo Switch | Gambitious Digital Entertainment |- | 2018 | ''Phantom Doctrine'' | Microsoft Windows, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One | Good Shepherd Entertainment |- | 2022 | ''Postal: Brain Damaged'' | Microsoft Windows | Running with Scissors |} ===As publisher=== {| class="wikitable sortable" ! Year ! Title ! Platform(s) ! Developer(s) |- | 2022 | ''Aircraft Carrier Survival'' | Microsoft Windows, Nintendo Switch | Gambit Games Studio |- | {{TBA}} | ''House Flipper City'' | {{TBA}} | Rembrosoft |} == References == {{Reflist}}
== External links == * {{Official website|http://www.creativeforge.pl/}}
Category:Polish companies established in 2011 Category:Video game companies established in 2011 Category:Video game companies of Poland Category:Video game development companies Category:Video game publishers Category:Companies based in Warsaw Category:Companies listed on the Warsaw Stock Exchange