The creators of “Golf Clash,” Paul Gouge and Alex Rigby, have announced the launch of ForthStar, a new mobile free-to-play game studio based in Manchester, UK. This marks their fourth venture, following the successful sale of their previous company, Playdemic, to Electronic Arts in 2021 for $1.4 billion. Backed by a $10 million investment from venture capital firm Griffin Gaming Partners, ForthStar aims to develop exceptional games that captivate millions of players and become essential daily entertainment.
The studio’s first game is expected to be revealed “more than a year away,” and the founders have emphasized their commitment to recruiting top creative and technical talent. They have also been joined by key figures from Playdemic who contributed to the success of Golf Clash, which garnered over 150 million installs.
Paul Gouge, CEO and co-founder of ForthStar, expressed the company’s clear mission to create games that millions of people love to play every day for years, a feat they have achieved in the past and are confident they can accomplish again. Alex Rigby highlighted their extensive experience in the mobile gaming industry, having led and built successful studios with talented teams.
Gouge and Rigby’s entrepreneurial journey began with the founding of BattleMail in 2001, which was later sold to (M)Forma. They then established Rockpool Games, subsequently acquired by Eidos/Square Enix, before creating Playdemic.
Griffin Gaming Partners, with over $1 billion in assets under management, is focused on the global gaming market and has a strategic partnership with LionTree. The firm has recently made significant investments in the gaming industry, including a $100 million Series B investment in Second Dinner, the studio behind the digital collectible card game Marvel Snap.
