Reforged Studios, a video game development and publishing firm with offices in Malta and the UK, has kickstarted its growth plans with the acquisition of two game studios – Ground Shatter and Extra Mile Studios.

Reforged Studios, established in 2023, is a new video game venture that seeks to acquire successful studios and support them with specialised knowledge and group services in key functions like administration, legal and accounting, allowing them to focus on game development.

The company’s ‘acquire and cultivate’ strategy is being implemented out of offices in Malta and the UK, with Malta offering “an enticing blend of financial incentives (such as grants and tax benefits) and an attractive living environment,” and the UK studios benefitting from “a mature industry environment and additional support provided by the National and UK governments.”

Reforged Studios was founded by three Scottish video game veterans: BAFTA-winning games studio founder Peter van der Watt (Blazing Griffin), Colin Anderson (Denki, Rockstar Games, Epic Games), and Ross Laurie (emerging technology entrepreneur – First Tuesday, Line Digital, Visible Capital, top BIMA influencer).

L-R: Colin Anderson, Ross Laurie, Peter van der Watt

Ground Shatter is the developer behind the BAFTA-nominated Fights in Tight Spaces and its recently announced medieval-themed follow-up, Knights In Tight Spaces, and is led by Founder and Director, James Parker.

Extra Mile Studios is headed by industry veteran Bobby Farmer and is best known for providing co-development services on the Broken Sword series for Revolution Software.

Mr Parker said: “Having built Ground Shatter up over the past decade, joining the Reforged Studios family presented a rare opportunity to join an experienced team with a clear and exciting approach that allows Ground Shatter to keep doing what it does best, and also providing the studio the potential to grow further and faster with the support and the resources of the Reforged Studios group.”

Mr Farmer said: “Since Extra Mile was founded in 2004, we are proud to have been a reliable outsourcing partner for many great companies on numerous high-profile games. We have also self-published a few of our own games – but not so well! So when we started talking to the guys at Reforged about their ambitions to take on bigger-scale outsourcing projects and combine that with proven publishing talent, it seemed like the perfect fit for us. The team and I are looking forward to a successful future as part of the Reforged Studios group.”

Reforged CEO Mr van der Watt added: “I was already a big fan of the games the teams at Ground Shatter and Extra Mile had built, and yet I could see that both teams still had a lot of potential to grow their success even further with the right support around them. When we made the list of studios we wanted to become part of Reforged, Ground Shatter and Extra Mile were right at the very top. Fortunately, both studios were as excited about the possibilities as we were, and so we are thrilled that they are now joining us on our journey.”