Intervju med Jussi Tähtinen, Vd för Nitro Games

1.Where are you right now, and what do the next few years look like?

Nitro Games is currently at an all-time high in many ways. We turned our business profitable at the end of 2023 and have continued strong since then. We're a games company focusing on action and shooter brands across platforms. This means we work with many leading brands, as well as our own game IPs, across platforms ranging from mobile and web to PC and console.

At the moment, we're busy managing a portfolio of games. For example, our own IP, Autogun Heroes, is currently available on mobile and web, with a PC release coming soon. Additionally, we collaborate with leading brands and partners, such as NERF by Hasbro, Netflix, and Warframe by Digital Extremes. We've followed a portfolio strategy for a long time, meaning better and better projects come and go as the years go by.

Looking ahead, we aim to pursue even more ambitious collaborations. Our track record and reputation continue to grow, exposing us to exciting new opportunities. This is not only good for our business but also allows us to continue diversifying and strengthening our revenue streams.

2. What has, in the near future, affected/is affecting the company's position the most?

There has been some turbulence in the gaming market in recent years, affecting companies of all sizes. Overall, there's been a greater focus on profitability in the games industry following a long period of investment, M&A activity, and growth.

For us, these conditions have been an opportunity to stand out. While we’re not entirely immune to the negative impacts—such as fewer new business opportunities and heightened uncertainty—we’ve remained resilient in many ways. Thanks to our portfolio strategy, we’ve never been dependent on any single project or part of our business.

In times like these, when buyers are more selective and prioritize mitigating risk and ensuring profitability, companies like Nitro Games shine. While we’re not known for offering the lowest prices, we are recognized for our quality and reliability. We have a wealth of experience, a proven track record with satisfied clients, and numerous games that demonstrate player satisfaction with our creations.

I believe we’ve successfully turned tough industry conditions to our advantage. If we can deliver growth and success during challenging times, I’m incredibly excited to see what we can achieve as the industry continues to improve.

3. What are your biggest challenges?

One of the reasons I love the games business is that it’s never boring. This industry is in constant flux—hardware evolves, monetization models shift, marketing strategies change, and so on.

This constant change is also our biggest challenge. While our nearly 20 years of experience in the business prove we’ve been good at navigating industry changes, it remains a challenge we must tackle daily.

 From a long-term strategy perspective, this creates both threats and opportunities. We believe in continuous learning and improving with every game we develop. This means we must be selective in our focus to ensure our efforts move us closer to perfection in our chosen category:

action and shooter games. At the same time, we need to maintain flexibility in our long-term strategy to adapt to the ever-changing environment.

Our portfolio strategy provides a significant advantage. With a tight focus on action and shooter games, we constantly improve and strengthen our reputation. Simultaneously, we operate across multiple platforms, business models, and partnerships, diversifying our revenue streams and allowing us to seize new opportunities as they arise.

4. Tell us a little about your vision. Where are you headed?

Our vision as a company is to be a leader in bringing action and shooter brands across platforms. In many ways, we’re already living this vision, as our current project portfolio reflects it strongly. But at the same time, I feel we’re just getting started—this is where the fun begins.

Gaming hardware generations may come and go, but some evergreen categories always rise to the top. If you look at the top 10 games on PC, PlayStation 5, or iPhones, you’ll often see many action and shooter titles. These games dominate because gaming, at its core, is entertainment that lets us live out our fantasies. And let’s face it—there’s nothing quite like blowing stuff up and enjoying some action after a long day at school or work. Games offer a perfect, safe, and most importantly, fun way to do that.

In the long run, I believe games will become increasingly platform-independent. Eventually, we’ll all access our favorite games on various screens—big or small—depending on where we are when we want to play. This is already becoming a reality with cross-platform functionality, cloud saving, and multi-platform availability. However, there are still challenges to overcome, such as reconciling platform-native stores with platform-agnostic ones. Naturally, Nitro Games is well-positioned for this future, as we already operate across platforms and have firsthand experience with cross-platform games.

5. What can a shareholder expect from you as a company?

More great things benefitting our shareholders. We’ve already demonstrated our stability, resilience, and ability to grow even under challenging market conditions. Our ability to navigate change successfully and achieve revenue and profitability growth is a strong testament to the strength of our foundation and unique way of working.

As we often say, we feel we’re just getting started. We’re excited about new, bigger, and better opportunities on the horizon. We believe this will have a positive impact on our business moving forward.

The games industry continues to grow and expand, and we are determined not just to grow alongside it, but to continue doing so better and faster. Naturally, we expect this progress to benefit our shareholders as well.

Read more about Nitro Games