JoWooD Entertainment AG

Austrian video game publisher known for publishing winter sports, casual games, and licensed European children's titles in the early 2000s.

Racing

Driving

Sports

Action

Role-playing (RPG)

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Website

Founded

1995

Acquired

2011

HQ

Liezen, Austria

Parent

THQ Nordic (Embracer Group)

Known for

Action / Adventure / RPG

19

Games

2000–2010

Years

8

Platforms

$27.56

Ø CIB

+86.5%

24M change

About

JoWooD Entertainment AG published a variety of niche and licensed titles during the early 2000s, including winter sports games like Ski Racing 2005 and Alpine Ski Racing 2007. The company also handled casual and family-friendly releases such as YetiSports Arctic Adventures, Keep the Balance, and Santa Claus Junior. Additionally, they published localized German licensed games including Ottifanten: Kommando Stortebeker and Das Geheimnis der Happy Hippo-Insel.

Founded in Austria, the publisher utilized these early 2000s releases to establish a foothold in both the European handheld and home console markets. Santa Claus Junior (2001) for the Game Boy Color and its follow-up Santa Claus Jr. Advance (2002) for the Game Boy Advance demonstrated the company's focus on seasonal, side-scrolling platformers. Meanwhile, the physics-puzzle title Keep the Balance (2001) and the arcade-style YetiSports Arctic Adventures (2000) allowed the brand to capitalize on popular casual gaming trends of the era.

In the simulation sector, Ski Racing 2005 (2000) and Alpine Ski Racing 2007 (2000) targeted regional European enthusiasm for winter athletics. JoWooD also specialized in localized media tie-ins, adapting famous German cartoon and toy brands into games like Ottifanten: Kommando Stortebeker (2001) and Das Geheimnis der Happy Hippo-Insel (2001). This diverse software lineup sustained the company's rapid expansion phase prior to its eventual financial restructuring and the acquisition of its assets by Nordic Games in 2011.