This newsletter shares the good news of the Finnish game industry once a month. The content is intended to be a comprehensive news overview for both individual newsletter subscribers and international journalists interested in games.
In September, we saw a variety of game announcements, development news, and collaboration projects from Finland’s game industry. The selection is extensive, ranging from free-to-play action to different early access titles and commercial releases. In addition, September gave us reasons to celebrate Finnish game industry success stories and introduced professional game industry events. From a Finnish perspective, we also got more information on monetization trends in the mobile game market and news from the summer season.
1. New game launches and updates in September 2025
- Redbeak Games has released a showcase video of its pirate game. Roguebound Pirates is a roguelike adventure with intentional historical inaccuracies. Players get to enjoy the thrills of piracy and battles, while extensively customizing their own ships.
- Phantom Gamelabs has released its first mobile game. Riftbusters is an action RPG that combines deep gameplay, fast-paced combat, and cooperative multiplayer. The game is available on Google Play and the Apple App Store.
- Vaki Games is working on its biggest project to date, combining survival and shooter elements. Spy From the Distance: Shadows of Forest tells the story of Finnish long-range patrols behind enemy lines during World War II. A co-op mode is also included.
- Another Round Entertainment has released its first-person platformer on Steam. In Jumpbound, the core mechanics revolve around various jumps and leaps used to progress in platforming style. Along the way, players learn new movement capabilities and face fresh challenges while advancing from place to place.
- Released as a pre-version by Normogames, Burger Bots Inc. lets players prepare hamburgers in their own restaurant. In the co-op mode, players cook for strange and dangerous customers with the goal of keeping them satisfied. A single-player mode is also included.
- Magonia Entertainment is developing a turn-based RPG that blends roguelike principles with card game mechanics. Featuring anime-style graphics, Against All Skies takes players into a magical fantasy world full of surprises and twists.
- Lumo Creations has released its debut game Harmony in the Wild on Steam. It’s a cute open-world experience starring a shape-shifting fox cub. Along the journey, the fox meets other animals and learns important skills from them to solve problems.
- JayzonBH Games released a visual novel style mystery thriller Shadows of Betrayal in September, inspired by 1980s and 1990s horror films. High school students travel to an abandoned cabin, where surprising events drive the story in different directions based on the player’s choices. Conflicts, romances, and suspenseful moments are part of this thrilling adventure.
- Ape Brain Games’ free-to-play Splat Splat is a top-down paintball battle packed with fast-paced arena action. It features 2- and 4-player multiplayer matches. The battles are concise, colorful, and energetic experiences.
- ANTENNA GAMES is bringing out a fast-paced retro-style shooter this year. Ogre Chambers 2222 pays homage to the 1980s both graphically and in its bullet hell gameplay. Quick reflexes and sharp perception are required to survive against dangerous monsters. The demo version will be available on Steam starting October 6.
- Lockpickle will challenge players next year with The Everything Building. In this quirky game, a demanding building hosts a variety of clients from astronauts to cars, ghosts to horses, and surfers, each requiring service. The game features 50 unique floors connected by a bustling elevator system.
- Fennonauts promises to release its walrus game this December. Mauri Mursu’s Odyssey takes the player on a journey through time, space, and the elements. It’s a game that combines philosophy, action, and the joy of video games.
- Utu Studios is set to release an early version of My Card Is Better Than Your Card! on October 6th. This roguelike-inspired card game pits players against each other in card battles. It’s cute and colorful style makes it approachable and fun.
- Platonic Partnership has launched the biggest update yet for Voltage High Society. This final content update for the early access version adds a new level, more enemies, and hidden secrets before the 1.0 release.
- DualBitz plans to release Theralite in early 2026. This roguelike adventure takes the player into the deep mines of a distant planet, where they discover new gear and items while fighting monsters with the ultimate goal of survival.
2. The Finnish games industry will be celebrated in October
Finnish Games Week 2025 is a week-long themed event held in Helsinki. It includes several industry events, such as IGDA Finland’s Leadership Day on October 6, Pocket Gamer Connects Helsinki on October 7–8, and the W Love Games conference on October 9–10. The theme week brings together game developers, game students, and other like-minded people who are interested not only in business development, teamwork, and leadership but also in games themselves. The week is a great opportunity to meet game publishers, investors, and potential partners. Finnish Games Week also features online store event on Steam that celebrates Finnish games and offers great discounts.
3. Redhill Games and Amber Studio begin collaboration
Helsinki-based game developer Redhill Games has entered into a cooperation agreement with the multinational Amber Studio. Redhill brings its strong AAA-level game development expertise into creating entertaining game products, making use of Amber’s international reach and knowledge of new markets. Specializing in multiplayer and shooter games, Redhill can develop gaming for an even broader audience through this collaboration. The partnership strengthens creativity for both parties, creates new gaming opportunities, and brings gaming to new markets.
4. Metacore and Merge Mansion celebrate their five-year journey
Metacore celebrates the five-year journey of its hugely popular mobile game Merge Mansion, which has remained at the top of the gaming world. During this time, the game has been downloaded over 60 million times and has generated nearly 600 million euros in revenue. Merge Mansion has marked this milestone with unique in-game events and community raffles. In addition, Metacore released a special celebratory video, Behind Merge Mansion: A Mansion Updates Special. The video also highlights the passion behind the game’s creation.
5. Gamerefinery reports on the gaming market situation with two comprehensive blog posts
Helsinki-based Gamerefinery has reported on the state of the gaming market in two blog posts. In the first, the company reviews monetization trends in mobile games, which are in constant change in the wake of the success of countless different titles. From 2024 the company highlights the so-called hybrid monetization model. In the second post, Gamerefinery summarizes the events in the mobile gaming market from July to August. It provides a comprehensive list of games as well as their updates and changes from the past summer.
6. Angry Birds returns to mainland China with Kingsoft Shiyou and Xiaomi
Angry Birds is returning to mainland China through a partnership with Kingsoft Shiyou and Xiaomi. The game will come pre-installed on Xiaomi 17 Pro and 17 Pro Max smartphones, ensuring immediate access for millions of fans. For Rovio, this represents a strategically important step in a market with a loyal fan base, while also giving a new generation the chance to experience the classic gameplay.