Observed Signal · Jun 30, 2026 · Company Profile · Source: PocketGamer.biz · Impact: 1/5 · Sentiment: Positive
Inside Midjiwan, Maker of The Battle of Polytopia
Midjiwan studio, creator of mobile strategy game The Battle of Polytopia (launched 2016), attributes its longevity to a strong core gameplay loop and a distinctive low-poly art style. The title has exceeded 25 million downloads and is available on mobile, PC, Mac and Nintendo Switch. Midjiwan operates a small core team (six full-time staff), sells content via DLC rather than aggressive free-to-play monetisation, runs global tournaments (including a World Championship with a $10,000 prize pool), and is developing a physical card game. The studio also opened Game Town, a Stockholm co-working hub housing 20+ game companies, to support local indies and knowledge sharing.
Studio profile with product milestones and community initiatives; relevant to games and indie studio trends but has limited direct impact on the broader AdTech/MarTech industry.
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Key Takeaways & Evidence Grounding
- The Battle of Polytopia launched in 2016 and has surpassed 25 million downloads across mobile platforms.
- The game is now also available on PC, Mac and Nintendo Switch.
- Midjiwan uses a DLC-based monetisation model on mobile—free-to-play without adverts—with profits from DLC purchases and merchandise.
- Midjiwan runs a global World Championship (second year) with a $10,000 prize pool and is developing a physical card game based on Polytopia.
- Midjiwan created Game Town, a co-working space in Södermalm, Stockholm that now houses 20+ companies.
Connected Companies & Entities
5 Entities mapped““He essentially built a game that he wanted to play,” Midjiwan CEO Christian Lövstedt tells PocketGamer.biz....”
“This article is part of our region report on the games industry in the Nordics, published in association with Xsolla, coming soon....”
“It’s based in Södermalm, an island in Stockholm that is also home to the likes of Paradox, DICE, Fatshark, Star Stable, Avalanche Studios an...”
“The Battle of Polytopia has surpassed 25 million downloads across mobile platforms and is now also available on PC, Mac and Nintendo Switch....”
“It’s based in Södermalm, an island in Stockholm that is also home to the likes of Paradox, DICE, Fatshark, Star Stable, Avalanche Studios an...”
Related Market Signals & Shifts
Recent verified developments and strategic activity across this market segment.
Nordic Indies Triband and Midjiwan Outlast Boom-Bust
Two independent Nordic game studios, Copenhagen-based Triband and Stockholm-based Midjiwan, have sustained long-term success without following the free-to-play, loot-box-driven model that dominates mobile. Triband (founded 2015) grew to 60+ staff while targeting subscriptions and platform partnerships (notably Apple Arcade); its What The Clash? won Apple Arcade Game of the Year and other awards. Midjiwan grew from a 2016 solo project (The Battle of Polytopia) into 25 million organic downloads and launched an esports World Championship while monetising via expansions and cosmetics rather than in-game currency. Pocket Gamer Connects Nordics (PGC Nordics) is promoting indie visibility through its Big Indie Pitch and has rolled back indie ticket prices to 2016 rates. The piece frames these studios as part of a resilient Nordic indie tradition distinct from large live-ops publishers.
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