Flying Wild Hog

Flying Wild Hog Sp. z o.o.
Company typeSubsidiary
IndustryVideo games
Founded1 April 2009 (2009-04-01)
Headquarters
Warsaw
,
Poland
Number of locations
3 studios[a]
Area served
Worldwide
Key people
Michał Szustak (CEO)
Products
Number of employees
330
Parent
  • Supernova Capital (2019–2020)
  • Plaion (2020–present)
Websiteflyingwildhog.com

Flying Wild Hog is a Polish video game developer headquartered in Warsaw. The studio was founded in April 2009, and its first title, Hard Reset, was released in 2011. It has since become known for its work on action games including Trek to Yomi (2022) and the Shadow Warrior series. The studio is also co-developing Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis (2026) with Crystal Dynamics.

History

Flying Wild Hog was established on April 1, 2009. The studio created their own proprietary video gaming engine called Road Hog Engine. In September 2011, their first game, Hard Reset, was released.[1][2][3] It was a cyberpunk themed first-person shooter that received positive reviews thanks to its visual style and fast-paced gameplay. This title was later re-released as Hard Reset Redux[4][5][6], with updated content and technical improvements.

In September 2013, the studio released Shadow Warrior, a reboot of the 1997 title of the same name. The game combined melee combat with shooting mechanics, and marked the beginning of Flying Wild Hog’s long-term collaboration with publisher Devolver Digital.[7][8]

In December 2014, the studio released Juju, a family-friendly platform game developed in cooperation with other partners. The title represented a stylistic departure from the studio’s core focus on action shooters and represented the studio’s ability to work on different genres of games.

In December 2015, Flying Wild Hog opened a new division in Kraków, led by Michał Kuk.[9]

In October 2016, Flying Wild Hog released Shadow Warrior 2, expanding the formula of its predecessor with procedural level design and cooperative multiplayer elements. The same year, Hard Reset Redux was launched as an enhanced console and PC version of the original title.

In March 2019, Flying Wild Hog was acquired by Supernova Capital, an investment firm started by Paul Wedgwood - the former CEO of Splash Damage, and other members from the same company. The acquisition provides financial security for Flying Wild Hog to focus more on its game development.[10]

In July 2020, the studio released Devolverland Expo, a free promotional first-person experience created in close collaboration with Devolver Digital as a satirical digital event space. In November 2020, Embracer Group acquired Flying Wild Hog through Koch Media (now Plaion), integrating the studio into the Embracer Group structure.[11][12]

2022 marked Flying Wild Hog’s biggest year-to-date, as the studio released four titles. Shadow Warrior 3, released in March, is a continuation of the franchise focusing on linear level design and fast-paced combat.[13] Trek to Yomi, released in May, is a black-and-white side-scrolling action-adventure inspired by classic samurai cinema.[14] Space Punks (published by Jagex), released in July, is a cooperative online action RPG with looter-shooter mechanics.[15] Evil West, released in November, is a third-person action game set in a dark fantasy version of the American frontier.[16]

In 2022, the studio also transitioned from its proprietary Road Hog Engine to Unreal Engine for future productions.[17]

Upcoming projects

In 2025, Flying Wild Hog announced its involvement in the development of Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis, in collaboration with Crystal Dynamics and Amazon Games. The title is part of the long-running Tomb Raider franchise and is the studio’s first project within the series. The game is a remake of Tomb Raider (1996), powered by Unreal Engine 5 and featuring new graphics and gameplay mechanics. The game is being developed for PC and consoles, and is set for release in 2026.[18]

As of 2026, Flying Wild Hog is working on additional unannounced projects. The studio has confirmed that these projects are being developed using Unreal Engine and are aligned with its focus on action-oriented AAA productions.

Studio name origins

The name Flying Wild Hog was established at the time of the studio’s founding in 2009. According to the company, the “Wild Hog” element was inspired by the founders’ enthusiasm for the video game World of Warcraft, which was highly popular at the time. The name references in-game elements associated with the fictional city of Orgrimmar.

The “Flying” component was added to symbolize freedom and independence. As described by the studio, flying represents creative freedom, autonomy, and the ambition to build an independent game development company. The combined name reflects both the founders’ gaming roots and their aspiration to operate as a bold, self-directed studio within the global games industry.

The hog has since become the company’s official mascot and visual symbol.[19]

Games developed

Year Title Platform(s) Publisher(s)
2011 Hard Reset PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Windows Flying Wild Hog
2013 Shadow Warrior Linux, macOS, PlayStation 4, Windows, Xbox One Devolver Digital
2014 Juju PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Windows Flying Wild Hog
2016 Hard Reset Redux PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Windows Gambitious Digital Entertainment
Shadow Warrior 2 PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Windows Devolver Digital
2020 Devolverland Expo Windows
2022 Shadow Warrior 3 PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Windows
Trek to Yomi PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch, Windows
Evil West PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Windows Focus Entertainment
Space Punks PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Windows Jagex
2026 Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Windows Amazon Game Studios

Further reading

  • Olszewsk, Paweł (4 July 2011). "Polskie studio Flying Wild Hog pracuje nad cyberpunkowym FPS-em na PC". Komputer Świat (in Polish).

Notes

  1. ^ The three studios comprise the headquarters in Warsaw and two additional offices in Kraków and Rzeszów.

References

  1. ^ "Shooters Get a Hard Reset". IGN. 2 September 2011. Archived from the original on 22 July 2023. Retrieved 11 October 2013.
  2. ^ "Flying Wild Hog's first game, Hard Reset, shooting to PC in September". Joystiq. Archived from the original on 12 October 2013. Retrieved 11 October 2013.
  3. ^ "Hard Reset boots up September 13". GameSpot. Archived from the original on 19 November 2013. Retrieved 11 October 2013.
  4. ^ "Gift That Keeps On Gibbing: Hard Reset's Free DLC". Rock Paper Shotgun. 12 July 2012. Archived from the original on 12 October 2013. Retrieved 11 October 2013.
  5. ^ "Hard Reset Just Got Longer With Free Exile DLC". GameSpy. Archived from the original on 12 October 2013. Retrieved 11 October 2013.
  6. ^ "Hard Reset Extended Edition, Exile DLC finally available on Steam". vg247. 12 July 2012. Archived from the original on 12 October 2013. Retrieved 11 October 2013.
  7. ^ "Shadow Warrior launching Sept. 26, decapi-tastic trailer released". Polygon. 21 August 2013. Archived from the original on 12 October 2013. Retrieved 11 October 2013.
  8. ^ "Shadow Warrior Launch Date Revealed for PC". IGN. 20 August 2013. Retrieved 11 October 2013.
  9. ^ Morawski, Łukasz (8 December 2015). "Flying Wild Hog z nowym studiem". Ekspert Ceneo (in Polish). Archived from the original on 10 December 2015. Retrieved 8 December 2015.
  10. ^ O'Conner, Alice (18 March 2019). "Splash cash: Shadow Warrior studio Flying Wild Hog bought up". Rock Paper Shotgun. Archived from the original on 9 December 2019. Retrieved 18 March 2019.
  11. ^ "Embracer Group acquires 34BigThings, Flying Wild Hog, Nimble Giant Entertainment, Purple Lamp Studios, Snapshot Games, Zen Studios, more". Gematsu. 18 November 2020. Archived from the original on 18 November 2020. Retrieved 18 November 2020.
  12. ^ Takahashi, Dean (17 November 2020). "Embracer Group acquires 10 game studios and a PR firm". Venture Beat. Archived from the original on 18 November 2020. Retrieved 17 November 2020.
  13. ^ Breczk, Bolesław (16 November 2019). "Legenda "ratuje" polskie Flying Wild Hog. "Po setnym pracowniku firmy upadają"". Wirtualna Polska (in Polish). Archived from the original on 17 November 2019. Retrieved 20 November 2019.
  14. ^ Yang, George (12 June 2021). "Trek To Yomi Launches In 2022 For PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, And Xbox Series X|S". GameSpot. Archived from the original on 23 June 2021. Retrieved 12 June 2021.
  15. ^ Takahashi, Dean (17 August 2020). "Jagex signs Flying Wild Hog's next game in third-party publishing deal". VentureBeat. Retrieved 18 May 2021.
  16. ^ Wallace, Chris (30 September 2020). "Focus Home Interactive partners with Flying Wild Hog for an upcoming title". MCVUK. Archived from the original on 28 June 2022. Retrieved 26 October 2020.
  17. ^ "Unreal Engine's tech unleashed Shadow Warrior 3's devs".
  18. ^ "Two Thrilling Tomb Raider Adventures Unveiled at The Game Awards". Tomb Raider. Retrieved 22 February 2026.
  19. ^ "So why is Flying Wild Hog called Flying Wild Hog? – Flying Wild Hog". Retrieved 17 February 2026.
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