Three Questions to: Tiny Roar on Their Partnership with AONIC

The Hamburg-based game development studio Tiny Roar, founded in 2015, has entered into a strategic partnership with the Swedish investor AONIC, which has become the studio’s majority shareholder. The primary objective of this transition is to secure long-term financial stability and gain access to an in-house publishing division, allowing the studio to shift its focus from survival-based project acquisition to long-term creative development.

The partnership provides the studio with increased budget and time for production, enabling a more deliberate approach to game design. By joining the AONIC collective, the studio aims to eliminate the need for compromise in its development process, fostering an environment where resources remain within the collective to benefit all involved parties. This structural change is intended to facilitate growth while maintaining the studio’s existing culture, which emphasizes employee influence, a safe working environment, and cross-departmental collaboration.

The agreement was the result of an eleven-month negotiation process that began with informal networking at Gamescom. The studio founders emphasize that such partnerships require transparency, thorough legal vetting, and a clear alignment of interests. Moving forward, the studio plans to continue its expansion while maintaining its core principles of creative autonomy and collaborative, multi-disciplinary development. This shift marks a significant evolution for the independent developer, positioning it to pursue more ambitious projects with greater operational security.