Kalypso Media


Kalypso Media Group is a German video game developer and publisher. Founded in 2006 in Worms, the group comprises four companies in Germany, the United Kingdom and the United States and has studios, including Realmforge Studios, Gaming Minds Studios, Claymore Game Studios, and Nine Worlds Studios. Kalypso is best known for publishing Tropico, Sudden Strike, Dungeons and Railway Empire series.
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History

Kalypso Media was founded on 16 August 2006 by Simon Hellwig and Stefan Marcinek. One year later, a branch was opened in Bracknell, UK, and in June 2009, another in Ridgewood, USA. In 2009, the group opened its second UK outlet in the form of Kalypso Media Digital Ltd. in Leicester. Kalypso Media Digital Ltd. is responsible for the online marketing of its own games and the products of other providers.
In November 2008, it founded the subsidiary Realmforge Studios GmbH, based in Munich, and integrated Boxed Dreams, developer of Ceville. At the same time, it acquired the rights to the Tropico series from Take Two Interactive, with the first Kalypso-published game in the series being Tropico 3.
UK-based Ascaron filed for bankruptcy in April 2009. Kalypso was able to acquire rights to its series DarkStar One, Patrician and Port Royale in June 2009, though left other assets like the Sacred series with Ascaron. Kalypso also acquired fifteen former Ascaron employees to establish its second internal studio, Gaming Minds Studio, in Gütersloh, of which they held 60% ownership, the other 40% owned by Daniel Dumont and Kay Struve, former Ascaron employees that were named to run Gaming Minds.
In July 2010, Berlin manufacturer The Games Company filed for bankruptcy and in September, Kalypso took over, acquiring several brands owned by the insolvent company. Kalypso also brought in TGC's internal studio Silver Style Entertainment and created a third internal studio, Noumena Studios in Berlin. The studio was rebranded as Skilltree Studios in 2014, but in March 2016, Kalypso opted to close the studio.
Kalypso founded a sister company for mobile gaming development, Kalypso Media Mobile, in April 2014 in Berlin. The studio’s first mobile and tablet games were released a year later in May 2015.
In January 2016, Stefan Marcinek sold his shares in the Kalypso and left the company, leaving Simon Hellwig as sole shareholder.
Kalypso acquired the Commandos, Imperial Glory, and Praetorians series from Pyro Studios in July 2018. Pyro, whose work has been more focused on supporting Ilion Animation Studios, welcomed Kalypso's opportunity to bring their titles back to the market. Kalypso later announced high-definition remasters of Commandos 2 and Praetorians for early 2020, and the formation of its third internal studio, Claymore Game Studios, to develop new games in the Commandos series. The company fully acquired the remaining ownership of Gaming Minds from Dumont and Struve in June 2020, with Dumont and Struve still remaining as the studio leads.
In October 2021, it announced a new studio in Munich called Nine Worlds Studios, which is named after the nine worlds of Norse mythology. They will be responsible for creating a new Tropico entry. Project Manager Thomas Schneider, formerly of Aesir Interactive, was hired to lead in setting up the studio.
On 18 October 2022 Kalypso announced that co-founder Simon Hellwig had died.

Subsidiaries

Kalypso has several development studios:
  • Realmforge Studios was established in Munich in November 2008, incorporating the team of Boxed Dreams who had developed Ceville. Realmforge oversees development on the series Dungeons and Tropico
  • Gaming Minds Studios was established in Gütersloh in June 2009, following the bankruptcy of Ascaron, incorporating fifteen Ascaron developers into the team. Gaming Minds develops games in the Railway Empire and Port Royale series.
  • Claymore Game Studios was established in Darmstadt in December 2019, and worked on Commandos: Origins.
  • Nine Worlds Studios was established in Munich in October 2021, with Thomas Schneider, formerly of Aesir Interactive, hired as project manager. They would begin work on Tropico 7.

Closed

  • In September 2010, Kalypso brought in The Games Company's internal studio Silver Style Entertainment after TGC closed down in July 2010, and created a third internal studio, Noumena Studios in Berlin. The studio was rebranded as Skilltree Studios in 2014, but in March 2016, Kalypso opted to close the studio.

Games published

Release dateTitleDeveloper
2026Tropico 7Gaming Minds
2026Disciples: DominationArtefacts Studio
2025Commandos: OriginsClaymore Game Studios
2024The InquisitorThe Dust
2023Dungeons 4Realmforge
2023Railway Empire 2Gaming Minds
2023Tortuga: A Pirate's TaleGaming Minds
2022--
2022Commandos 3 - HD RemasterRaylight Games
2021Disciples: LiberationFrima Studio
2021Spacebase StartopiaRealmforge Studios
2020Port Royale 4Gaming Minds
2020Immortal Realms: Vampire WarsPalindrome Interactive
2020Commandos 2 - HD RemasterYippee! Entertainment
2020Praetorians - HD RemasterTorus Games
2019Tropico 6Limbic Entertainment
2018Shadows: AwakeningGames Farm
2018Railway EmpireGaming Minds
2017Dungeons 3Realmforge Studios
2017Vikings: Wolves of MidgardGames Farm
2017Sudden Strike 4Kite Games
2017Urban EmpireReborn Games
2015Crookz: The Big HeistSkilltree Studios
2015Grand Ages: MedievalGaming Minds
2015Dungeons 2Realmforge Studios
2014Tropico 5Haemimont Games
2013DarkRealmforge Studios
2013Rise of VeniceGaming Minds
2013Alien SpideyEnigma Software
2013Dollar DashCandygun Games
2013Omerta - City of GangstersHaemimont Games
2012AnnaDreampainters Software
2012Sine MoraDigital Reality
2012Legends of PegasusNovaCore Studios
2012Hard Reset: Extended EditionFlying Wild Hog
2012Port Royale 3Gaming Minds
2012Jurassic Park: The GameTelltale Games
2012Jagged Alliance: Back in ActionCoreplay
2011Global Ops: Commando LibyaSpectral Games
2011Airline Tycoon IIB-Alive
2011Air Conflicts: Secret WarsGames Farm
2011Tropico 4Haemimont Games
2011Boulder Dash-XLCatnip Games
2011Revolution Under SiegeSEP Reds
2011Patrician IV: Rise of a DynastyGaming Minds
2011The First TemplarHaemimont Games
2011Elements of WarLesta Studio
2011DungeonsRealmforge Studios
2011Who's That Flying?!Mediatonic
2010Disciples III.dat media
2010Pole Position 2010destraX Entertainment
2010DarkStar One: Broken Alliance (Xbox 360)Ascaron
2010Patrician IV: Conquest by TradeGaming Minds
2010DarkfallAventurine SA
2010M.U.D. TVRealmforge Studios
2009Tropico 3Haemimont Games
2009Time of ShadowsSkyFallen Entertainment
2009Dawn of Magic 2SkyFallen Entertainment
2009CevilleRealmforge Studios
2009Grand Ages: RomeHaemimont Games
2008Winter Challenge 2008
2008AGON - The Lost Sword of ToledoPrivate Moon Studios
2008Imperium RomanumHaemimont Games
2008Political Machine 2008Stardock
2008Racing Team ManagerdestraX Entertainment
2007Jack KeaneDeck13 Interactive
2007Hollywood Pictures 2Sayonara Software
2007Campus
2007Star AssaultGamesArk
2007Theatre of War1C Company