Game Development Outsourcing in France

## About Athena Productions Athena Productions is a game audio company partnering with leading video game developers, publishers, and entertainment brands worldwide. Their team brings experience from award-winning games, blockbuster films, and globally recognized franchises. ## Services ### Game Audio - Music composition - Sound design - Audio implementation - Voice production ### Audio Services - Original scores - Sound effects - Dialogue recording - Audio post-production ## Philosophy "Art is not created in isolation - effective communication is the cornerstone of a successful partnership." They listen attentively, communicate clearly, and collaborate closely with clients to bring ideas to life in the most compelling way possible. ## Client Experience They don't just meet expectations - they aim to exceed them. Every project is an opportunity to inspire players and elevate the client's vision. ## Client Testimonial "It was fantastic working with Athena and right from the start, the energy was awesome! Nothing ever felt was ever too much, and it was inspiring to be working with folks who felt as passionate about the project as we are." ## Why Choose Athena Productions - **Award-winning experience** across games and film - **Full audio services** from music to sound design - **Collaborative approach** emphasizing communication - **Passionate team** committed to exceeding expectations - **Global partnerships** with major developers

## About DON'T NOD DON'T NOD (formerly Dontnod Entertainment) is a French video game developer and publisher based in Paris, France. Founded in 2008 by former Criterion Games, Ubisoft, and EA staff, they are best known for creating Life is Strange. ## Company Scale - **Founded:** May 1, 2008 - **250+ employees** in France - **Offices:** Paris (HQ) and Montréal, Canada (since 2020) - **Status:** Independent developer and publisher ## Founders - Hervé Bonin - Aleksi Briclot - Alain Damasio (created "Dontnod" palindrome) - Oskar Guilbert - Jean-Maxime Moris ## Notable Games ### Life is Strange Series - **Life is Strange** (2015) - 1M units in first month, 3M+ players - Created the franchise that defined narrative adventure gaming ### Other Titles - **Remember Me** (2013) - **Vampyr** (2018) - **Tell Me Why** (2020) - with Xbox Game Studios - **Jusant** (2023) - puzzle platformer - **Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden** (2024) - ARPG - **Lost Records: Bloom & Rage** - from Montréal studio ## Current Status 7+ games currently in development, including Netflix partnership for new narrative game. ## Specializations - Narrative adventure games - Episodic storytelling - ARPG development - Strong character-driven experiences ## Why Choose DON'T NOD - **Life is Strange creators** with narrative expertise - **250+ person team** across Paris and Montréal - **Independent** developer and publisher - **Multiple projects** in parallel - **Netflix partnership** for new content

## About ICO Partners ICO Partners is a UK-based video game consulting and self-publishing agency founded in 2008 by Thomas Bidaux and Diane Lagrange. Based in Brighton, they provide strategy, marketing, and PR services specializing in online games and the European market. ## Company Scale - **Founded:** 2008 - **11-50 employees** - **Location:** Brighton, East Sussex, UK ## Founders - Thomas Bidaux - CEO (20+ years online games, crowdfunding expert) - Diane Lagrange ## Services ### Strategy - Market analysis - Business development - Business models - Social design ### Operations - Customer support - Live operations - Localization - Metrics and analytics ### Communications - Community management - Marketing - PR ### Self-Publishing Support - Go-to-market strategy - Crowdfunding consulting (Kickstarter) ## Expertise - Online video games - European market specialists - Crowdfunding campaigns ## Recognition TIGA member ## Why Choose ICO Partners - **Brighton-based** UK agency - **20+ years** online games expertise - **Crowdfunding specialists** - **European market** focus

## About Level Up Translation Level Up Translation is a French indie-friendly game localization company founded in 2011. With 14+ years average team experience and 25+ language support, they work on projects from indies to AAA blockbusters. ## Company Overview - **Founded:** 2011 - **Location:** Saint-Germain-de-Varreville, France - **Founder/CEO:** Damien Yoccoz (17+ years industry experience) - **Languages:** 25+ supported - **Team Experience:** 14+ years average ## Services ### Game Localization - In-game text translation - Subtitles and audio scripts - Instruction manuals ### Marketing Localization - Press kits - Website content - Marketplace descriptions - Screenshot captions - Metadata and keywords - Packaging ### Platform Support - Console games - PC games - Mobile (iOS, Android) - Browser-based games ## Languages 25+ languages including English, Russian, Brazilian Portuguese, Korean, Chinese, Japanese, French, Italian, German, and Spanish (FIGS+CJK). ## Notable Projects - Ghost of a Tale - The First Tree - The Painscreek Killings - Various Dotemu titles ## Recognition - Nominated "Best Localization" - Premios ATRAE 2019 - 96% client recommendation rate - Partners: Dotemu, Butterscotch Shenanigans, Positech ## Why Choose Level Up Translation - **Indie-friendly** approach - **14+ years** team experience - **96% recommendation** rate - **25+ languages** supported - **France-based** personal service

## About Ocellus Studio Ocellus Studio is a Lyon, France-based animation and game development company specializing in stylized cinematics, trailers, and game development. As a key partner for Supercell and Epic Games, they work on franchises like Clash of Clans, Fortnite, and their own IP. ## Company Overview - **Location:** Lyon, France - **Founded by:** David Encinas, Cyril (Gobelins alumni) - **Focus:** Cinematics, trailers, game development ## Services ### Cinematics & Trailers - Game cinematics - Marketing trailers - User acquisition videos - Real-time Unreal 5.1 or pre-rendered ### Animation - 2D and 3D animation - Maya and Unreal workflows - Stylized art focus ### Game Development - Mobile game development - Console game development - Licensed games - Original IP ## Major Partners ### Supercell - Multi-billion dollar franchises - Clash of Clans cinematics - Clash Royale trailers - Brawl Stars content ### Epic Games - Second largest partner - Fortnite look development (since Chapter 04 Season 01) - Unreal Engine 5 expertise ## Original Games - **Marsupilami: The Secret of the Sarcophagus** (2021) - Award-winning first in-house title - **Smurf Dreams** - Development for Microids ## Team International team including lead animators with experience at Nike, Coca Cola, Netflix, Disney. ## Why Choose Ocellus Studio - **Supercell, Epic** primary partners - **Clash of Clans** cinematics - **Fortnite** look development - **Award-winning** original games - **France-based** EU quality

## About Pascal Luban Consulting Pascal Luban is a French freelance game design consultant with 29+ years of industry experience. Having worked with Activision, Ubisoft, SCEE, and DICE on AAA titles like Splinter Cell and Wanted: Weapons of Fate, he provides game design consulting, assessment, and coaching services. ## Background - **Location:** France - **Experience:** 29+ years - **Industry Since:** 1995 - **Role:** Freelance Creative Director / Game Designer ## Major Credits - **Splinter Cell: Pandora Tomorrow** - Lead Level Designer (multiplayer) - **Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory** - Lead Level Designer (multiplayer) - **Wanted: Weapons of Fate** - Creative Director - **Fighters Uncaged** - Lead Game Designer (first Kinect combat game) ## Services ### Game Design Consulting - Game and level design assessment - Game concept definition - Design coaching - Playtest coaching ### Full Design Services - Full game design documents - Detailed level design - Narrative design - Economic design ### Client Work Examples - Activision (open world hunting titles) - Pixel Federation (Diggy's Adventures) - DICE (Battlefield analysis) ## Additional Activities - Regular contributor to Game Developer - Master classes at schools and studios across Europe - Author and educator ## Why Choose Pascal Luban - **29+ years** industry veteran - **Splinter Cell** lead designer - **AAA experience** Activision, Ubisoft, DICE - **France-based** European timezone - **Forbes contributor** thought leadership

## About Sloclap Sloclap is a French independent video game studio founded in 2015 in Paris. Known for martial arts action games Sifu (4M+ copies sold) and Absolver, they work with authentic kung fu masters to create skill-based combat experiences. ## Company Overview - **Founded:** 2015 - **Location:** Paris, France - **Focus:** Martial arts action games - **Style:** Skill-based combat ## Games ### Sifu - Third-person martial arts action - Bak Mei kung fu style - 500K+ sales in 48 hours - 4M+ copies sold (May 2025) - Netflix film adaptation announced - Choreography by Benjamin Colussi (Bak Mei master) ### Absolver (2017) - Online martial arts action - Published by Devolver Digital - 300K+ copies sold - PlayStation, PC, Xbox ### Rematch (Upcoming) - 5v5 online arcade soccer - PS5, Xbox Series X/S, PC - Summer release planned ## Cultural Authenticity - Real kung fu master collaboration - Jackie Chan film inspiration - Authentic martial arts movements - Cultural sensitivity focus ## Note Sloclap is primarily a game developer rather than an outsourcing provider. Listed for reference as a notable French studio. ## Why Sloclap Matters - **Sifu** 4M+ copies sold - **Netflix adaptation** secured - **Paris-based** French indie - **Authentic martial arts** real masters - **Devolver Digital** publishing partnership

## About Spiders Spiders is a French video game developer founded in 2008 in Paris, now a subsidiary of Nacon. Known for action RPGs including GreedFall (2M+ copies), Mars: War Logs, and Steelrising, they develop games using their proprietary Silk Engine. ## Company Overview - **Founded:** 2008 - **Location:** Paris, France - **Director:** Jehanne Rousseau - **Parent:** Nacon (acquired 2019) - **Focus:** Action role-playing games ## Technology ### Silk Engine - Modified Sony PhyreEngine - Proprietary development - Used for all Spiders games ## Notable Games ### GreedFall (2019) - 2M+ copies shipped - Early 18th century fantasy setting - PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series ### GreedFall 2: The Dying World - Currently in development - Prequel to original ### Other Titles - Steelrising (French Revolution setting) - The Technomancer (Cyberpunk RPG) - Bound by Flame (Medieval fantasy) - Mars: War Logs ## Platforms - PC (Windows) - PlayStation 4 & 5 - Xbox One & Series X/S ## Note Spiders is primarily a game developer rather than an outsourcing provider. Listed for reference as a notable French RPG studio. ## Why Spiders Matters - **GreedFall** 2M+ copies - **Paris-based** French studio - **Silk Engine** proprietary tech - **Nacon-owned** publisher backing - **Action RPG** specialists

## About Talespinners Talespinners is a UK-based game narrative outsourcing studio founded in 2016. Specializing in writing, narrative design, and story development for games, their team has contributed to BAFTA-winning Agatha Christie: Hercule Poirot and award-winning Disco Elysium. ## Company Overview - **Founded:** April 2016 - **Location:** Broadstairs, Kent, UK + Canada - **Focus:** Narrative design and game writing ## Services ### Writing - Plot development - Dialogue writing - Text and script - Editing and review ### Narrative Design - Story structure - Character development - Setting and world-building - Narrative systems ### Creative Services - Direction - Consultancy - Story workshops - Artist and actor direction ## Notable Projects ### BAFTA-Winning Work - Agatha Christie: Hercule Poirot - The First Cases (Blazing Griffin) - Nancy Drew: Midnight in Salem (HeR Interactive) ### Award-Winning Games - Disco Elysium (Game Awards, D.I.C.E., BAFTA Best Narrative) - Sunless Sea: Zubmariner - Sunless Skies - Fallen London ### AAA Credits - Battlefield 1 (DICE) - Total War: Rome II (Creative Assembly) - Binary Domain (SEGA) - Driver San Francisco (Ubisoft Reflections) ## Why Choose Talespinners - **Disco Elysium** award-winning credit - **BAFTA-winning** Agatha Christie game - **UK + Canada** team coverage - **Story workshops** collaborative approach - **AAA + indie** diverse experience