Zoink Games

Zoink Games, also known as Zoink or Zoink AB, was a Swedish video-game development studio based in Gothenburg. It was founded in 2001 by Klaus Lyngeled, whose earlier experience included work at Unique Development Studios and Shiny Entertainment. The studio developed games across several formats and became known for distinctive stylized art, unusual narrative premises, and mechanically inventive adventure and platforming projects. Before concentrating on original full-length games, Zoink worked across animation, advertising films, and branded interactive projects. By the early 2000s it had produced advertising games and related work for clients including Sony, The Coca-Cola Company, Cartoon Network, and Google. This service work provided the studio with a commercial base while it developed its own intellectual properties. Zoink's first full game was The Kore Gang, a project revived after the cancellation of its original Xbox version. The studio achieved wider recognition with Stick it to The Man!, a surreal adventure-platform game built around a paper-and-collage visual style and a comic narrative. The title helped establish Zoink as an independent developer with a recognizable creative identity. Its later releases included Fe, an atmospheric adventure game focused on communication with nature, and Lost in Random, a story-driven action-adventure title built around chance, dice, and a dark fairy-tale world. Flipping Death served as a spiritual successor to Stick it to The Man! and continued Zoink's interest in offbeat storytelling and stylized presentation. The studio's ownership and organizational structure changed during the 2010s. Bergsala Holding acquired a 50 percent stake in Zoink in 2014 after Image & Form founder Brjánn Sigurgeirsson introduced Lyngeled to Bergsala. In December 2017, Zoink and Image & Form were combined with Bergsala's support under the newly created Thunderful parent structure. This arrangement brought the studios into a broader group intended to develop, publish, and commercialize games while retaining their separate creative capabilities. Zoink had approximately 25 employees in May 2018. In 2020, Thunderful merged Zoink with Image & Form and Guru Games to create Thunderful Development. Following that integration, Zoink no longer operated as an independent studio in the same form. Its creative legacy continued through its released games and through the wider Thunderful organization. Lost in Random, released in 2021, was among the final major projects associated with the Zoink development identity.

Zoink was founded in Gothenburg in 2001 by Klaus Lyngeled. Lyngeled had previously been involved in game development through Unique Development Studios and later worked for Shiny Entertainment in the United States, contributing to projects including Messiah and Sacrifice. He returned to Sweden during the development of Enter the Matrix after encountering visa-related difficulties and established Zoink. The studio initially operated beyond conventional game development. By 2003 it was involved in animated films and advertising films, and it subsequently produced advertising games for clients such as Sony, The Coca-Cola Company, Cartoon Network, and Google. Zoink later moved into original game production. Its first full game was The Kore Gang, a project that had been revived after the cancellation of an earlier Xbox version. Zoink gained broader attention with Stick it to The Man!, an adventure-platform game distinguished by a paper-like visual style and surreal comedic writing. The studio followed it with Flipping Death, which functioned as a spiritual successor and developed related ideas through a new setting and gameplay structure. In 2014, Bergsala Holding purchased half of Zoink after Image & Form founder Brjánn Sigurgeirsson helped connect the companies. Zoink and Image & Form were subsequently brought together with Bergsala under the Thunderful group, formally created in December 2017. Zoink released Fe in 2018 and had around 25 employees that year. Fe presented a more atmospheric direction, combining exploration with communication between the player character and the natural world. In 2020, Thunderful merged Zoink, Image & Form, and Guru Games into Thunderful Development. This reorganization removed Zoink's independent corporate identity while consolidating development resources within Thunderful. Lost in Random was released in 2021 and represented a later major project connected with the Zoink creative team. The studio is therefore best understood historically as a former independent Swedish developer whose game catalog and personnel became part of Thunderful Development.

• 2021

  Lost in Random is released

  [1]Zoinken.wikipedia.org

  Lost in Random launched as a dark fairy-tale action-adventure game associated with the Zoink development team.

• 2020

  Zoink is consolidated into Thunderful Development

  [1]Zoinken.wikipedia.org

  Thunderful merged Zoink with Image & Form and Guru Games to create Thunderful Development.

• 2018

  Fe is released

  [1]Zoinken.wikipedia.org

  Zoink launched Fe, an atmospheric adventure game, while the studio had approximately 25 employees.

• 2017

  Thunderful is formed

  [1]Zoinken.wikipedia.org

  Zoink, Image & Form, and Bergsala Holding established the Thunderful group in December.

• 2014

  Bergsala Holding takes a 50 percent stake

  [1]Zoinken.wikipedia.org

  Bergsala Holding acquired half of Zoink, creating a closer relationship with Image & Form and its founder Brjánn Sigurgeirsson.

• 2003

  The studio expands into animation and advertising work

  [1]Zoinken.wikipedia.org

  Zoink was working on animated films, advertising films, and advertising games, including projects for major international clients.

• 2001

  Zoink is founded in Gothenburg

  [1]Zoinken.wikipedia.org

  Klaus Lyngeled founded Zoink in Sweden after earlier work at Unique Development Studios and Shiny Entertainment.

An independent-style Swedish game developer associated with imaginative narrative concepts, expressive visual design, and unusual adventure and platforming mechanics. Before its integration into Thunderful Development, Zoink combined client and branded interactive work with original intellectual properties.

• Adventure game

  The Kore Gang

  Zoink's first full game was The Kore Gang, a project that returned to development after its original Xbox version had been cancelled for six years. The title represented the studio's transition from animation, advertising, and branded interactive work into original commercial game development.

• Adventure platform game

  Stick it to The Man!

  Stick it to The Man! was Zoink's breakthrough title. It combined platforming, exploration, puzzle solving, and a surreal comic narrative with a distinctive paper-and-collage visual presentation. Its reception and identity helped establish Zoink as a developer of unconventional, highly stylized games.

• Adventure platform game

  Flipping Death

  Flipping Death was described as a spiritual successor to Stick it to The Man! It continued Zoink's use of eccentric characters, comedic storytelling, and stylized 2D presentation while building a separate narrative and gameplay structure around its own fictional world.

• Adventure game · 2018

  Fe

  Fe is an atmospheric adventure game focused on exploration and communication with the natural environment. It marked a more reflective and ecological direction for Zoink while retaining the studio's emphasis on distinctive art direction and unusual interaction systems.

• Action-adventure game · 2021

  Lost in Random

  Lost in Random is a story-driven action-adventure game set in a dark fairy-tale world structured around chance. Dice and randomness are central to its fiction and gameplay, giving the title a thematic and mechanical identity consistent with Zoink's preference for imaginative premises.

• 2020

  Zoink is merged into Thunderful DevelopmentM&A

  Background

  Thunderful reorganized its development operations and combined several studios under a unified development entity.

  Action taken

  Zoink was merged with Image & Form and Guru Games to create Thunderful Development.

  Aftermath

  Zoink ceased to operate as a standalone studio, although games associated with its team and creative output continued within the Thunderful structure.

  Source

• 2017

  Zoink joins the Thunderful group structureStrategy

  Background

  Zoink and Image & Form were brought together with Bergsala Holding to create a larger development and publishing organization.

  Action taken

  The parties formed Thunderful as their parent group in December 2017.

  Aftermath

  Zoink continued developing games within the Thunderful organization rather than operating entirely as an independent studio.

  Source

• 2014

  Bergsala Holding acquires half of ZoinkM&A

  Background

  Bergsala Holding became a significant investor after a relationship was established between Klaus Lyngeled and Image & Form founder Brjánn Sigurgeirsson.

  Action taken

  Bergsala Holding acquired a 50 percent stake in Zoink.

  Aftermath

  The investment helped lead to a closer organizational relationship between Zoink and Image & Form and preceded the creation of Thunderful.

  Source

• 2021

  Lost in Random is released[1]Zoinken.wikipedia.org

  Product launch

  Lost in Random, a dark fairy-tale action-adventure game built around chance and dice-based systems, was released as a major title associated with Zoink.

• 2020

  Zoink is integrated into Thunderful Development[1]Zoinken.wikipedia.org

  M&A

  Thunderful merged Zoink with Image & Form and Guru Games to form Thunderful Development, ending Zoink's operation as a standalone studio.

• 2018

  Zoink releases Fe[1]Zoinken.wikipedia.org

  Product launch

  Zoink released Fe, an atmospheric adventure game centered on exploration, environmental communication, and a stylized natural setting.

• 2017

  Zoink and Image & Form establish the Thunderful group[1]Zoinken.wikipedia.org

  M&A

  Zoink, Image & Form, and Bergsala Holding created the Thunderful parent structure, bringing the two Swedish studios into a shared corporate group.

• 2017

  Zoink and Image & Form form the Thunderful group[1]Zoinken.wikipedia.org

  M&A

  Zoink and Image & Form were brought together with Bergsala Holding in the formation of Thunderful, creating a shared parent structure for the two Swedish game studios.

• 2014

  Bergsala Holding acquires a half stake in Zoink[1]Zoinken.wikipedia.org

  M&A

  Bergsala Holding acquired 50 percent of Zoink after an introduction between Zoink founder Klaus Lyngeled and Image & Form founder Brjánn Sigurgeirsson.

• 2014

  Bergsala Holding acquires a stake in Zoink[1]Zoinken.wikipedia.org

  M&A

  Bergsala Holding acquired half of Zoink after Image & Form's Brjánn Sigurgeirsson introduced Klaus Lyngeled to the company. The investment helped establish the relationship that later led to the creation of Thunderful.

1. 1Zoinken.wikipedia.org