World Makers
Founded 2020 · 14 employees on LinkedIn · 1 known investors
World Makers is a UK-based independent game studio that designs, builds, and operates cross-platform online multiplayer and live-service social games. Its debut franchise Deceit is an online social deduction game, and it is developing a large-scale game called MVX.
Also known as Automation Games · World Makers Ltd.
Investors · 1
Company profile
researched Aug 2026World Makers is a UK-based independent game studio specialising in cross-platform online multiplayer titles and long-running live services. The studio designs, builds, ships and operates its games with a team of roughly 20 people, self-publishing on PC and console and iterating on player feedback.
Its debut franchise, Deceit, launched on Steam in 2017 as an online social deduction horror game and has since expanded to PlayStation and Xbox, receiving more than 500 game updates. The sequel, Deceit 2, continues as a live-service title with seasonal content such as Season 3: Wild West and an associated cowboy DLC and tournament. The studio has been working since 2019 towards a larger-scale project; MVX: LONDON, announced for 2026, is a massive-scale PvE shooter in which players use military hardware and 'flux' powers in a city environment.
The company states its mission as reducing the barrier between technical and creative work so developers can move from idea to playable build quickly, supported by a decade of internally built tooling and infrastructure.
Founding story
World Makers was founded in 2015 by James Thompson (CEO) and Jord Fox (technical director), previously operating as Automation Games. Early leadership also included platform director Shivam Mistry, design director Oliver Hodge and analytics director Joel Mills.
Business model
The studio develops and self-publishes its own games on PC and console, operating them as long-running live services with recurring content updates, seasons and downloadable content such as the Deceit 2 Cowboy DLC.
Revenue derives from self-published game sales and live-service content including downloadable content packs and seasonal releases.
Traction
The Deceit franchise has attracted more than 20 million players across PC, PlayStation and Xbox and has received over 500 game updates since 2016. At the time of the 2021 seed round, Deceit had reached 13 million downloads and 17,000 peak concurrent users.
Latest developments
Deceit 2 received update 2026.3.0 with a Cowboy DLC and Season 3: Wild West, followed by a Wild West tournament; an earlier season, Outbreak, and update 4.7 added ranked play and 'Forgotten Legends' content. The studio has announced MVX: LONDON, a large-scale PvE shooter due in 2026, and is hiring.
▸Full profile — market position, technology, go-to-market, geography, history
Market position
An independent studio positioning itself between indie agility and AAA ambition, recognised for pioneering work in the online social deduction genre through the Deceit franchise, which has drawn over 20 million players.
The studio emphasises a lean team supported by proprietary tooling and rapid iteration cycles, running frequent playtests and shipping updates at high cadence while self-publishing across PC and console.
Technology
The studio relies on a decade of internally developed tooling and infrastructure intended to shorten the path from idea to playable build, supporting cross-platform online multiplayer and live-service operations at a small team size.
Go-to-market
World Makers self-publishes its titles on PC and console storefronts, running frequent playtests and shipping regular updates informed by player data and community feedback, and sustaining engagement through seasonal content and in-game tournaments.
Players of online multiplayer and social deduction games on PC, PlayStation and Xbox.
Geography
Headquartered in the United Kingdom, with a registered address at 184 Cambridge Science Park Road, Cambridge. The studio operates a hybrid work model, and its games ship across PC, PlayStation and Xbox.
History
The company was founded in 2015 by CEO James Thompson and technical director Jord Fox, originally under the name Automation Games, and released its first title, Deceit, in 2017. In December 2021 it raised a $3 million seed round from Makers Fund and began preparing a console release of Deceit. A further $4 million round, also led by Makers Fund, funded Deceit 2, the studio's first home console release. The company describes exploring a massive-scale game since 2019, an effort that came together in 2021 when it became a VC-backed studio with Makers Fund support; following $7 million of investment, MVX is being unveiled in 2026.
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 · 5
launches, deals, and filingsWorld Makers announced MVX: LONDON, a massive-scale PvE shooter in which players use military hardware and 'flux' powers in a city setting; the game is slated for 2026.
Live-service update for Deceit 2 adding a Cowboy DLC and the Wild West season, alongside a Wild West tournament.
Makers Fund led a $4 million investment to fund development of Deceit 2, the studio's first home console release.
$4M source ↗
The studio, formerly named Automation Games, raised $3 million in seed funding from Makers Fund to continue development of Deceit and begin new game projects, including a console version of Deceit planned for 2022.
$3M source ↗
The studio's debut title, multiplayer social deduction horror game Deceit, released on Steam in 2017 and later came to consoles.
Dated company events from announcements, filings, and press; legal rows summarize public dockets and regulator releases.
▸Research sources · 8
primary sources listed
- World Makersworldmakers.com · web
8 public sources were cited for this profile; the first-party ones are listed here.
Frequently asked questions
- What does World Makers do?
- UK independent game studio behind social deduction franchise Deceit and upcoming PvE shooter MVX: LONDON.
- Who are World Makers's investors?
- World Makers's investors include Makers Fund.