Finland Attracts Game Studios and Talent With It’s World’s Top Mobile Game Development Expertise.

November 23rd 2021, Helsinki, Finland

Icelandic game studio 1939 Games announced today that it has opened a subsidiary in Helsinki, Finland, which will concentrate on mobile game development. The company, founded in 2015, launched its first successful game KARDS on Steam in 2020 and is currently developing a mobile version of the game, aimed for launch in summer 2022. In September the studio announced its recent $5,3M funding round, which will be used for the KARDS mobile game development. The studio investors also include a Finnish venture capital fund Sisu Game Ventures.

Independent Icelandic games studio 1939 Games secures funding from multiple investors, including Korea Investment Partners, Woori Technology Investment Co. Ltd, Seoul Investment Partners, Sisu Game Ventures, and Crowberry Capital, to self-publish its hit PC title KARDS on mobile in 2022. 

30 September 2021, Reykjavik, Iceland

Independent game developer 1939 Games today announced that it has successfully raised $5.3 million to bring its hugely successful PC digital collectible card game KARDS to mobile gamers in 2022. This investment comes from a collection of private and public sources, including Korea Investment Partners, Woori Technology Invest Co. Ltd., Seoul Investment Partners, Sisu Game Ventures, and Crowberry Capital. 

The majority of the investment will be used towards self-publishing on mobile and realizing 1939 Games’ vision of making Kards a truly cross-platform title. 

Photo courtesy of Birgir Ísleifur

1939 Games, together with representatives of the Association of Game Producers (IGI), the Icelandic Electronic Sports Association (RÍSÍ), and Game Makers Iceland (GMI), signed an agreement on a safe working environment on September 16, 2021.

This Charter is unequivocal and sends a clear message about a healthy working environment in the video game industry. The Charter states that the organization does not tolerate harassment, sexual or gender-based harassment, or violence of any kind and will work systematically to prevent such unwanted behavior, take action to stop it, and prevent its recurrence in addition to supporting victims.

The organization believes that managers and leaders within its ranks are pivotal in shaping the video game industry's constructive culture and good image in Iceland. A safe working environment can only be created by working in the spirit of the Charter and by showing a professional approach characterized by consideration, courtesy, respect, and tolerance.

The group involved in the preparation of the charter, from left, Nanna Elísa Jakobsdóttir from the Confederation of Icelandic Industries, Haukur Steinn Logason from CCP, Ívar Kristjánsson from 1939 Games, Erna Arnardóttir from CCP, Þorgeir F. Óðinsson from Directive Games, Ólafur Hrafn Steinarsson from Rafíþróttasamtök Íslands, Alexandra Diljá Bjargardóttir at Game Makers Iceland and María Guðmundsdóttir at Parity.

Media coverage:

• mbl.is, 16 September 2021
• Indicator, September 16, 2021
• Fréttablaðið, 16 September 2021
• The present, September 16, 2021
• Troll, September 16, 2021

The video game company 1939 Games received the Growth Sprout award after the company's turnover increased sixteenfold last year.

From left: Ingólfur Ævarsson, CMO of 1939 Games, Guðlaugur Þór Þórðarson, Árni Sigurjónsson, Guðmundur Kristjánsson, one of the founders of 1939 Games, Sigurður Hannesson and Hekla Arnardóttir, chairman of the board of 1939 Games.

The company 1939 Games has been awarded the Icelandic Growth Sprout of the Year, which is a recognition for the strong development of this start-up company.

Foreign Minister Guðlaugur Þór Þórðarson handed over the Growth Sprout award this morning on September 2nd, 2021, at Kaffi Flóra in Grasagarðurinn in Laugardalur, Reykjavik.

The 1939 Games team is proud that KARDS has been chosen as one of the best card games for 2021.

Below is the article with the nominated best card games this year, published by PCGamesN:

Many of the card games on this list revolve around mythical beings and beasts, but WW2 card game, Kards, is very different. The CCG by 1939 Games instead focuses on the conflict surrounding World War 2. You play as one of the nations involved, using tanks, planes, and artillery accurate to their resources, and battle against liveries of other players.

Nations have particular strengths corresponding with their real-life abilities in the 1940s, such as America’s production power exceeding that of other countries. Perhaps the most interesting aspect of Kards outside of gameplay is the cards’ artwork.

Sourced from books, posters, comics, magazines, and more, the artwork for most of the cards in the game are genuine pieces of history. In our preview of Kards, Imogen further talks about the historical landscape created by these details. Kards is currently in Steam Early Access and has received its first expansion called Allegiance, with plans for a full release in early 2020.

— Published in PCGamesN