CreativeForge Games

CreativeForge Games S.A. is a Polish video-game developer and publisher based in Warsaw. Established in 2011 by Jakub Rozenek and Łukasz Żarnowiecki under an investment agreement with publisher PlayWay, the company developed a portfolio centered on strategy, tactical role-playing, and historically themed games. Its early release was Ancient Space, a real-time strategy title published by Paradox Interactive in 2014. The company subsequently broadened its profile through Hard West, a Western-themed turn-based tactical game supported by a Kickstarter campaign, and Phantom Doctrine, a Cold War espionage tactics game released in 2018. The studio’s development model involved partnerships with external publishers and, later, external development teams. Hard West was released by Gambitious Digital Entertainment, a publisher that later became Good Shepherd Entertainment. CreativeForge also collaborated with Good Shepherd on Phantom Doctrine. In the case of Hard West 2, announced as an upcoming project in 2019, CreativeForge was described as licensing and publishing the game while an external team handled development in exchange for a share of sales revenue. Aircraft Carrier Survival was presented as an internally developed project that had completed pre-production at the time of the announcement. CreativeForge experienced significant organizational disruption after the release of Phantom Doctrine. Although the game sold 100,000 copies within its first three months, it received weak critical responses and was reported to have underperformed commercially. Chief executive Łukasz Żarnowiecki resigned in October 2018 and was temporarily replaced by former lead designer Kacper Szymczak. Szymczak later left in January 2019, stating that he viewed the chief executive role as subordinate to shareholder interests. Twenty-nine of the company’s approximately forty employees also departed during this period. The resignations were accompanied by an approximately 12% decline in the company’s NewConnect share price, while PlayWay remained the largest disclosed shareholder. Piotr Karbowski became chief executive in February 2019. Some former CreativeForge employees subsequently established Artificer, an independent studio that was majority-acquired by Good Shepherd Entertainment in April 2019. In 2022, Good Shepherd announced the forthcoming release of Hard West 2, developed with the involvement of Polish studio Ice Code Games. The available reference material does not establish CreativeForge Games’ current operating status, executive team, website, or the final commercial outcome of all projects associated with the company.

CreativeForge Games was founded in Warsaw on 21 November 2011 by Jakub Rozenek and Łukasz Żarnowiecki. The company was created under an investment agreement with Polish publisher PlayWay, which later became its largest disclosed shareholder. CreativeForge’s business combined internal game development with publishing, licensing, and cooperation with outside studios. Its first game was Ancient Space, a real-time strategy title published by Paradox Interactive in September 2014. The company then pursued Hard West, a turn-based tactical game built around a supernatural interpretation of the American West. A Kickstarter campaign for the game concluded in September 2014 after raising about CA$94,000, exceeding its CA$70,000 target. Gambitious Digital Entertainment published Hard West in November 2015. CreativeForge continued its relationship with Gambitious, later renamed Good Shepherd Entertainment, on Phantom Doctrine. Released in August 2018, the game used an alternate-history 1983 Cold War setting and combined tactical combat with espionage management. It reportedly sold 100,000 copies during its first three months, but its critical reception and commercial performance were described as disappointing. The resulting corporate instability led to the resignation of CEO Łukasz Żarnowiecki in October 2018. Former lead designer Kacper Szymczak served as an interim replacement, but left in January 2019, explaining that he believed the CEO position functioned primarily as an instrument of shareholders. Twenty-nine employees also departed from a workforce of roughly forty people. The leadership crisis affected the company’s public-market valuation, with its NewConnect share price reportedly declining by approximately 12% after the resignations became known. Piotr Karbowski assumed the chief executive position in February 2019. The staff departures also contributed to the formation of Artificer by former CreativeForge employees; Good Shepherd later acquired a majority stake in that studio. In February 2019, CreativeForge described two projects. Hard West 2 was being developed by an external team, with CreativeForge providing the license and publishing services in return for 50% of sales revenue. Aircraft Carrier Survival was an internally developed title that had completed pre-production. In March 2022, Good Shepherd announced Hard West 2 with the involvement of Ice Code Games, a Polish independent developer. The available material does not provide sufficient evidence to confirm CreativeForge Games’ current ownership, management, website, operating status, or the final release and commercial results of every announced project.

• 2022

  Hard West 2 announced with Ice Code Games involvement

  [1]CreativeForge Gamesen.wikipedia.org

  Good Shepherd announced the upcoming game with Polish studio Ice Code Games involved in development.

• 2019

  New projects disclosed

  [1]CreativeForge Gamesen.wikipedia.org

  CreativeForge disclosed development involvement in Hard West 2 and Aircraft Carrier Survival.

• 2018

  Phantom Doctrine released

  [1]CreativeForge Gamesen.wikipedia.org

  Good Shepherd Entertainment released the alternate-history Cold War tactics game.

• 2015

  Hard West released

  [1]CreativeForge Gamesen.wikipedia.org

  Gambitious Digital Entertainment published the turn-based Western tactics game.

• 2014

  Ancient Space published

  [1]CreativeForge Gamesen.wikipedia.org

  Paradox Interactive published CreativeForge’s debut real-time strategy game.

• 2014

  Hard West crowdfunding completed

  [1]CreativeForge Gamesen.wikipedia.org

  Hard West raised approximately CA$94,000 through Kickstarter against a CA$70,000 target.

• 2011

  Company founded

  [1]CreativeForge Gamesen.wikipedia.org

  CreativeForge Games was founded in Warsaw on 21 November by Jakub Rozenek and Łukasz Żarnowiecki under an investment agreement with PlayWay.

A Polish independent game developer and publisher focused on strategy and turn-based tactical experiences, often combining historical, alternate-history, espionage, and Western themes with partnership-based publishing and development.

• Real-time strategy game · 2014

  Ancient Space

  Ancient Space was CreativeForge Games’ debut title and a real-time strategy game published by Paradox Interactive in September 2014. The available reference material identifies it as the company’s first released game but does not provide detailed information about its gameplay systems, setting, platforms, or commercial performance.

• Turn-based tactical game · 2015

  Hard West

  Hard West is a Western-themed turn-based tactics game developed by CreativeForge Games. Its crowdfunding campaign on Kickstarter surpassed its stated target, raising approximately CA$94,000 against a CA$70,000 goal. Gambitious Digital Entertainment published the game in November 2015. The title helped establish CreativeForge’s association with tactical games using distinctive historical or alternate-history settings.

• Turn-based espionage tactics game · 2018

  Phantom Doctrine

  Phantom Doctrine is a turn-based tactics game set in an alternate-history 1983 Cold War. Good Shepherd Entertainment published it in August 2018. The game reportedly sold 100,000 copies within three months, although the reference material describes its critical reception as poor and its sales performance as disappointing. Its post-release performance preceded substantial leadership and staff changes at CreativeForge.

• Turn-based tactical game

  Hard West 2

  Hard West 2 was announced as a follow-up project involving CreativeForge Games, with an external team responsible for development and CreativeForge providing licensing and publishing in exchange for half of sales revenue. Good Shepherd Entertainment later announced the game with Polish studio Ice Code Games involved. The available material does not establish CreativeForge’s precise final development role or the game’s final commercial outcome.

• Simulation or strategy game

  Aircraft Carrier Survival

  Aircraft Carrier Survival was identified in 2019 as an internally developed CreativeForge project. The company stated that the title had completed pre-production at that time. The reference material does not supply a confirmed release date, publisher, platforms, detailed design description, or final development status.

• 2014Hard West Kickstarter campaign

  International

  CreativeForge used Kickstarter to fund Hard West, a Western-themed turn-based tactics game. The campaign closed with approximately CA$94,000 raised against a CA$70,000 goal.

  Outcome. The campaign exceeded its funding target, and Hard West was subsequently released by Gambitious Digital Entertainment in 2015.

  Source

• 2019

  Adopted an external-development and revenue-sharing model for Hard West 2Strategy

  Background

  CreativeForge disclosed that Hard West 2 would be developed by an external team rather than solely by its internal staff.

  Action taken

  The company retained licensing and publishing responsibilities and was to receive 50% of sales revenue.

  Aftermath

  Good Shepherd later announced the game with Ice Code Games involved, but the available material does not establish the final contractual or commercial outcome.

  Source

• 2019

  Maintained an internally developed Aircraft Carrier Survival projectStrategy

  Background

  Following major staff departures after Phantom Doctrine, CreativeForge identified Aircraft Carrier Survival as an internal project that had completed pre-production.

  Action taken

  The company continued to present Aircraft Carrier Survival as part of its development pipeline.

  Aftermath

  The supplied material does not confirm a release or later development status.

  Source

1. 1CreativeForge Gamesen.wikipedia.org