BetaDwarf
Copenhagen, DK · 3 known investors
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BetaDwarf is a video game development studio founded in Copenhagen that creates and releases games, including the action title FORCED and the multiplayer game Minion Masters. The company grew from a small self-funded team into a studio reaching millions of players.
Also known as BetaDwarf Entertainment
Founders & leadership
Investors · 3
Company profile
researched Aug 2026BetaDwarf Entertainment is a video game developer based in Copenhagen, Denmark, with a founding date given as January 27, 2011. The studio's releases include FORCED (2013), Forced Showdown and Minion Masters, a real-time card game with co-op play on PC and console. FORCED has sold more than 500,000 copies and Minion Masters has reached millions of players.
The company describes its focus as co-op games intended to create lasting friendships between players, framing its product mission around addressing loneliness and stating an intent to build a new genre that applies the social mechanics of MOBAs and MMOs to "data driven bonding." That effort was initially referred to as Project Haven, described in 2019 as the studio's largest project to date. As of 2025 the studio was in production on Vaultbreakers, a top-down action RPG, which it has tested with players in more than 15 test rounds.
Investors associated with the company include Square Enix, London Venture Partners, Makers Fund, 1Up Ventures and Everblue Management. Square Enix became a minority stakeholder following an undisclosed investment round announced in July 2025.
Founding story
BetaDwarf started when a group of people squatted in a university classroom in Copenhagen for seven months while learning game development; after being discovered and thrown out, they found a house and lived together for three years while running a Kickstarter campaign, taking a private bank loan and completing their first game, FORCED. The company's stated founding date is January 27, 2011.
Business model
BetaDwarf develops and releases its own game titles across PC and console platforms, including Steam, Xbox and PlayStation 4. Minion Masters is operated as a free-to-play title aimed at core gamers, supported by ongoing content and balance updates, DLC and in-game items; FORCED and Forced Showdown are sold as premium titles with DLC.
Revenue derives from game sales on PC and console storefronts and from free-to-play monetization and DLC around Minion Masters and the FORCED titles.
Traction
FORCED has sold more than 500,000 copies since its 2013 launch and Minion Masters has reached millions of players. Vaultbreakers had been through 15+ tests with more than 50,000 players as of July 2025.
Latest developments
In July 2025, Square Enix led an undisclosed investment round into BetaDwarf, taking a minority stake to help finance development of the top-down action RPG Vaultbreakers; Square Enix general manager of business development Hideaki Uehara said the decision followed a visit to the studio. The company continued shipping Minion Masters updates through 2026, including version 2.32 in August 2026, and is hiring for the Vaultbreakers project.
▸Full profile — market position, technology, go-to-market, geography, history
Market position
An independent Danish studio known for FORCED and Minion Masters, recognised as Best Danish Game Developer of the Year at the Danish Game Awards 2013 and backed by games-focused investors including Square Enix, Makers Fund, London Venture Partners, 1Up Ventures and Everblue Management. Its 2025 funding was characterised in press coverage as reflecting growing publisher interest in high-concept multiplayer games built around cooperation and skill.
The studio positions its games around co-op play and social design intended to form lasting friendships between players, aiming to create a genre that combines MOBA and MMO social mechanics with data-driven bonding rather than conventional competitive play.
Technology
Development centres on real-time multiplayer PC and console games, with live-service operation of Minion Masters through regular versioned updates covering balance changes, new features such as deck sharing via deck codes, social and moderation tools, and bug fixes.
Go-to-market
Distribution is through PC and console storefronts including Steam, Xbox and PlayStation 4. The company runs a direct community program offering newsletter sign-ups with free in-game rewards and DLC codes, a streamer incentive program, playtest registration and wishlisting for upcoming titles, and public playtests — more than 15 tests involving over 50,000 players for Vaultbreakers.
Core PC and console gamers interested in co-op and competitive multiplayer, real-time card games and top-down action RPGs.
Geography
Headquartered in Copenhagen, Denmark, at Schiller Office Hotel, Nannasgade 28, 2400 Copenhagen, and distributing games globally through digital PC and console platforms.
History
The studio began in Copenhagen with a small group squatting in a university classroom for seven months to learn game development until they were discovered and removed, after which they lived together for three years. Funded through a Kickstarter campaign and a private bank loan, they released their first game FORCED in 2013, which sold over 500,000 copies. The company was named Best Danish Game Developer of the Year at the Danish Game Awards 2013. Forced Showdown followed, and the studio then focused on Minion Masters, which reached millions of players and continued to receive balance and feature updates through 2026. London Venture Partners came in as a seed investor, followed by a $6.6 million Series A in 2019 led by Makers Fund, and an undisclosed round led by Square Enix announced in July 2025 to finance Vaultbreakers.
Compiled by commissioned research from 8 cited public sources — announcements, filings, and press listed under research sources below.
Key figures
latest reportedCompany-reported or press-reported figures, each dated to when it was claimed — not independently audited.
Timeline · 6
launches, deals, and filingsBalance-change patch for Minion Masters posted on the official BetaDwarf blog.
Update adding deck sharing via deck codes, muting and reporting improvements, plus balance changes.
Square Enix led an undisclosed 'major investment' round, becoming a minority stakeholder, to finance development of the top-down action RPG Vaultbreakers and expand production capabilities.
Series A round of $6.6 million led by Makers Fund with additional financing from seed investor London Venture Partners and new investors 1Up Ventures and Everblue Management, to invest in a new genre of friendship-focused games (Project Haven).
$6.6M source ↗
BetaDwarf released FORCED, its debut title, funded via a Kickstarter campaign and a private bank loan.
Dated company events from announcements, filings, and press; legal rows summarize public dockets and regulator releases.
In the news
▸Research sources · 8
primary sources listed
- BetaDwarfbetadwarf.com · web
8 public sources were cited for this profile; the first-party ones are listed here.
Frequently asked questions
- What does BetaDwarf do?
- Copenhagen game studio behind FORCED and Minion Masters, building co-op multiplayer titles including Vaultbreakers.
- Who founded BetaDwarf?
- BetaDwarf was founded by Steffen Kabbelgaard.
- Who are BetaDwarf's investors?
- BetaDwarf's investors include Makers Fund, London Venture Partners, SQUARE ENIX.
- Where is BetaDwarf headquartered?
- BetaDwarf is headquartered in Copenhagen, DK.