Snapshot Games

Snapshot Games is a video game development studio headquartered in Sofia, Bulgaria. The company was founded in 2013 by British game designer Julian Gollop and David Kaye. Gollop is best known for creating the X-COM series during the 1990s, including X-COM: UFO Defense and X-COM: Apocalypse, and serves as Snapshot Games' chief executive officer. Although the company was incorporated as a privately held corporation in California on November 12, 2013, its practical development base is in Bulgaria. The studio's location reflects the country's established game-development community and comparatively lower development costs. Its team has included a small group of experienced developers with backgrounds at Ubisoft Sofia, Crytek Black Sea, and other Bulgarian studios. Snapshot Games established its identity through crowdfunded, turn-based strategy projects. Its debut title, Chaos Reborn, was financed through a Kickstarter campaign launched in April 2014. The campaign raised more than $210,000, allowing the studio to develop a modern successor to Gollop's earlier Chaos concept. Chaos Reborn entered Steam Early Access in December 2014 and received its full release in October 2015. It was positively reviewed, earning an 86/100 score on Metacritic and an 87 percent review from PC Gamer. The game was also nominated for Best Indie Game at the 2015 Golden Joystick Awards. The studio's next major project was Phoenix Point, a turn-based tactical strategy game positioned as a spiritual continuation of the design ideas associated with X-COM. Gollop publicly teased the project in March 2016. After investing approximately $450,000 during the first year of development, Snapshot Games used a Fig crowdfunding campaign in April 2017 to seek a further $500,000. The campaign ultimately raised more than $765,000 from over 10,300 contributors. Phoenix Point was released in 2019 and became the studio's most prominent commercial project. In November 2020, Embracer Group announced that it had acquired Snapshot Games through Saber Interactive. When Embracer later sold Saber Interactive and a group of associated studios to Beacon Interactive in March 2024, Snapshot Games was not included in that transaction and remained within Embracer's corporate structure. In 2025, Snapshot announced Chip 'n Clawz vs. The Brainioids, published by Arc Games, another Embracer subsidiary. The project represented a change from the studio's earlier self-publishing approach. The supplied reference material states that the game was released in August 2025 to positive reviews. In March 2025, Arc Games also announced a Snapshot-developed adaptation of the board game Frosthaven. That title entered Early Access in July 2025. Snapshot Games therefore operates as a small, strategy-focused studio whose portfolio combines original intellectual property, established genre expertise, crowdfunding, and projects developed within the Embracer publishing ecosystem.

Snapshot Games was founded in 2013 by Julian Gollop and David Kaye. The company was legally established as a privately held corporation in California on November 12 of that year, but its operating base was built in Sofia, Bulgaria, where Gollop lived and where the studio could draw on an experienced local development workforce. The team included developers with prior experience at Ubisoft Sofia, Crytek Black Sea, and other Bulgarian studios. The studio's first project was Chaos Reborn, a turn-based strategy game rooted in the design tradition associated with Gollop's earlier Chaos games. Snapshot launched a Kickstarter campaign in April 2014 and raised more than $210,000. The game subsequently entered Steam Early Access on December 9, 2014, giving players access during continued development. Its official release followed on October 26, 2015. Critical reception was favorable: the game received an 86/100 Metacritic score and an 87 percent evaluation from PC Gamer. It was also nominated for Best Indie Game at the 2015 Golden Joystick Awards, although it did not win. Snapshot's second major project, Phoenix Point, was teased publicly by Gollop in March 2016. Development continued during the following year, with the company investing approximately $450,000 in the initial phase. To fund completion, Snapshot launched a Fig campaign in April 2017 with a stated target of $500,000. The campaign raised more than $765,000 from over 10,300 contributors. Phoenix Point was released in 2019, reinforcing Snapshot's focus on turn-based tactical strategy and its association with the creative lineage of X-COM. A major ownership change occurred in November 2020, when Embracer Group announced that it had acquired Snapshot Games through Saber Interactive. The acquisition placed the formerly independent-origin studio within a large international games group while leaving it identified with its own development brand. In March 2024, Embracer sold Saber Interactive and numerous related studios to Beacon Interactive. Snapshot Games was excluded from that transaction and remained under Embracer. The studio announced another project in February 2025: Chip 'n Clawz vs. The Brainioids. Arc Games, an Embracer subsidiary, served as publisher, making the project the first cited example of Snapshot working with an external publisher rather than self-publishing. The supplied reference material reports an August 2025 release and positive reviews. In March 2025, Arc Games also announced Frosthaven, a Snapshot-developed adaptation of the board game. The game entered Early Access in July 2025. Snapshot's documented history thus moves from small-scale crowdfunding and self-publishing toward participation in Embracer's broader development and publishing network, while retaining a core emphasis on tactical and turn-based games.

• 2025

  New projects announced

  [1]Snapshot Gamesen.wikipedia.org

  Snapshot announced Chip 'n Clawz vs. The Brainioids and a Frosthaven adaptation developed for publication by Arc Games.

• 2024

  Snapshot remains outside Saber sale

  [1]Snapshot Gamesen.wikipedia.org

  Snapshot Games remained with Embracer after Embracer sold Saber Interactive and associated assets to Beacon Interactive.

• 2020

  Acquisition by Embracer Group

  [1]Snapshot Gamesen.wikipedia.org

  Embracer Group acquired Snapshot Games through Saber Interactive.

• 2019

  Phoenix Point released

  [1]Snapshot Gamesen.wikipedia.org

  Snapshot Games released Phoenix Point, its major tactical strategy title following Chaos Reborn.

• 2017

  Phoenix Point crowdfunding campaign

  [1]Snapshot Gamesen.wikipedia.org

  A Fig campaign raised more than $765,000 from over 10,300 contributors.

• 2015

  Chaos Reborn released

  [1]Snapshot Gamesen.wikipedia.org

  The studio released Chaos Reborn commercially on October 26.

• 2014

  Chaos Reborn crowdfunding campaign

  [1]Snapshot Gamesen.wikipedia.org

  Snapshot Games raised more than $210,000 through Kickstarter to develop Chaos Reborn.

• 2014

  Chaos Reborn enters Early Access

  [1]Snapshot Gamesen.wikipedia.org

  Chaos Reborn became available through Steam Early Access on December 9.

• 2013

  Company founded

  [1]Snapshot Gamesen.wikipedia.org

  Julian Gollop and David Kaye founded Snapshot Games; the company was incorporated in California while operating from Sofia, Bulgaria.

A specialist independent-origin game developer focused on turn-based strategy, tactical decision-making, and systems-driven gameplay, with its creative identity strongly associated with Julian Gollop's legacy in the X-COM tradition.

• Turn-based strategy game · 2015

  Chaos Reborn

  Chaos Reborn is Snapshot Games' debut title and a modern continuation of Julian Gollop's earlier Chaos design concept. It combines turn-based tactical combat with fantasy spellcasting and strategic risk-taking. The game was crowdfunded through Kickstarter, entered Steam Early Access in December 2014, and received its full release in October 2015. It was positively reviewed and nominated for Best Indie Game at the 2015 Golden Joystick Awards.

• Turn-based tactical strategy game · 2019

  Phoenix Point

  Phoenix Point is a turn-based tactical strategy game and Snapshot Games' best-known major release. It places players in command of a force confronting an evolving global threat, combining squad combat, strategic management, research, and campaign-level decision-making. The project was funded in part through a successful Fig campaign in 2017 and was released in 2019. Its design drew on the tactical strategy tradition associated with Gollop's work on the X-COM franchise.

• Video game · 2025

  Chip 'n Clawz vs. The Brainioids

  Chip 'n Clawz vs. The Brainioids is a Snapshot Games project published by Arc Games. According to the supplied reference material, it was the first cited Snapshot title to be published externally rather than self-published by the studio. It was announced in February 2025 and released in August 2025 to positive reviews.

• Digital board-game adaptation · 2025

  Frosthaven

  Frosthaven is a video game adaptation of the board game of the same name, developed by Snapshot Games and announced by Arc Games in March 2025. The project entered Early Access in July 2025, allowing development and player feedback to continue before a stated final release.

• 2017Phoenix Point Fig campaign

  International

  Snapshot Games launched a Fig campaign after investing approximately $450,000 in the first year of Phoenix Point's development. The campaign sought $500,000 to complete the project.

  Outcome. The campaign raised more than $765,000 from over 10,300 contributors, and Phoenix Point was released in 2019.

  Source
• 2014Chaos Reborn Kickstarter

  International

  Snapshot Games used Kickstarter to finance development of Chaos Reborn. The campaign raised more than $210,000 and established crowdfunding as an important part of the studio's early business model.

  Outcome. The campaign succeeded, and Chaos Reborn reached Early Access in 2014 before its full release in 2015.

  Source

• 2025

  Work with Arc Games as external publisherStrategy

  Background

  Snapshot Games had previously been associated with self-publishing its documented titles.

  Action taken

  Arc Games published Chip 'n Clawz vs. The Brainioids and announced the Snapshot-developed Frosthaven adaptation.

  Aftermath

  The arrangement expanded Snapshot's work within Embracer's publishing network and marked a departure from the studio's earlier self-publishing approach.

  Source

• 2020

  Join Embracer Group through Saber InteractiveM&A

  Background

  Snapshot Games had operated as a small independent-origin studio focused on crowdfunded strategy games.

  Action taken

  Embracer Group acquired Snapshot Games through Saber Interactive.

  Aftermath

  Snapshot became part of Embracer's international games portfolio. It later remained with Embracer after the 2024 sale of Saber Interactive to Beacon Interactive.

  Source

• 2017

  Use crowdfunding to complete Phoenix PointStrategy

  Background

  Snapshot Games had financed roughly the first year of Phoenix Point's development and needed additional funding to complete its planned tactical strategy game.

  Action taken

  The studio launched a Fig campaign with a stated $500,000 target.

  Aftermath

  The campaign exceeded its target, raising more than $765,000, and the game was released in 2019.

  Crowdfunding raised. $500,000 target → More than $765,000 raised (2017 campaign)

  Source

• 2025

  Snapshot Games announces Chip 'n Clawz vs. The Brainioids[1]Snapshot Gamesen.wikipedia.org

  Product launch

  The studio announced a new project published by Arc Games, marking its first title not self-published by Snapshot Games according to the supplied reference.

• 2025

  Arc Games announces Snapshot-developed Frosthaven adaptation[1]Snapshot Gamesen.wikipedia.org

  Product launch

  Arc Games announced a video game adaptation of the board game Frosthaven, developed by Snapshot Games.

• 2024

  Snapshot Games remains with Embracer after Saber transaction[1]Snapshot Gamesen.wikipedia.org

  M&A

  Snapshot Games was not included among the Saber Interactive assets sold by Embracer to Beacon Interactive and remained within Embracer's structure.

• 2020

  Embracer Group acquires Snapshot Games through Saber Interactive[1]Snapshot Gamesen.wikipedia.org

  M&A

  Embracer Group announced the acquisition of Snapshot Games as part of its expansion through Saber Interactive.

• 2017

  Phoenix Point crowdfunding exceeds target[1]Snapshot Gamesen.wikipedia.org

  Campaign

  A Fig campaign for Phoenix Point raised more than $765,000 from over 10,300 contributors, exceeding the studio's stated $500,000 target.

• 2016

  Snapshot Games reveals Phoenix Point[1]Snapshot Gamesen.wikipedia.org

  Product launch

  Julian Gollop publicly teased Phoenix Point, the studio's next major turn-based tactical strategy project.

• 2015

  Chaos Reborn receives full release[1]Snapshot Gamesen.wikipedia.org

  Product launch

  Chaos Reborn was officially released after its Early Access period and received generally favorable critical evaluations.

• 2014

  Snapshot Games launches Chaos Reborn Kickstarter[1]Snapshot Gamesen.wikipedia.org

  Campaign · Product launch

  Snapshot Games began crowdfunding its debut title, Chaos Reborn, through Kickstarter and raised more than $210,000.

• 2014

  Chaos Reborn enters Steam Early Access[1]Snapshot Gamesen.wikipedia.org

  Product launch

  The studio made Chaos Reborn available through Steam Early Access ahead of its full release.

1. 1Snapshot Gamesen.wikipedia.org
2. 2Snapshot Games official websitesnapshotgames.com
3. 3Embracer Group Acquired Twelve Gaming Studios, Including the Devs Behind Phoenix Point and Shadow Warrior 3dualshockers.com
4. 4Phoenix Point: Behemoth Edition Launches October 1 for PS4 and Xbox One, Later for Next-Genvgchartz.com
5. 5Snapshot partners with Koch Media for Phoenix Point's physical distribution - MCV/DEVELOPmcvuk.com