Kinetic Games

What is Kinetic Games?
Kinetic Games Limited is a privately held British indie game development studio founded in 2020 by Daniel Knight in Southampton, Hampshire, United Kingdom. The company is best known for Phasmophobia, a co-op horror game that has sold approximately 24 million copies since its September 2020 early access launch. The studio employs approximately 43 people and reported turnover of £17.47 million for the fiscal year ending October 2023.

Is Kinetic Games publicly traded?
No, Kinetic Games is not publicly traded. The company is privately held and owned entirely by its founder, Daniel Knight. Knight holds 75 to 100 percent of the company's shares, voting rights, and director appointment power. The company has not raised external funding and is self-financed through game sales revenue. No IPO plans have been announced.

Who founded Kinetic Games?
Kinetic Games was founded by Daniel Knight, also known online as Dknighter, in 2020. Knight began developing the game that would become Phasmophobia as early as 2018 under the working title Spectrophobia. On March 3, 2020, he renamed the game to Phasmophobia and the company to Kinetic Games. The company was formally incorporated on October 21, 2020, with Knight as the sole director.

Where is Kinetic Games based?
Kinetic Games is headquartered in Southampton, Hampshire, United Kingdom. The company's registered office is at Stag Gates House, 63/64 The Avenue, Southampton, SO17 1XS. The company has acquired additional office space in Southampton as part of its expansion. The workforce is distributed primarily across the United Kingdom, with a small presence in the United States.

How many brands does Kinetic Games own?
Kinetic Games owns one released game title, Phasmophobia. The company's portfolio is maximally concentrated on this single product, with all resources dedicated to its development and expansion. The 2026 registration of the "Kinetic Publishing" trademark suggests the company may expand into publishing titles by other developers, though no specific titles have been announced.

Who owns Kinetic Games?
Kinetic Games is owned entirely by its founder, Daniel Knight. According to Companies House filings, Knight holds 75 to 100 percent of the company's shares, 75 to 100 percent of voting rights, and the power to appoint directors. There is no parent company, no external investors, and no publisher. The company is registered with Companies House under company number 12966685.

What is Phasmophobia's 1.0 release date?
The 1.0 full release of Phasmophobia is planned for 2026, though a specific date has not been announced. Kinetic Games stated in its January 2026 roadmap that the 1.0 launch will release simultaneously across all platforms. The launch will incorporate the Horror 2.0 update and will be accompanied by a Nintendo Switch 2 release, a player character overhaul, and a Unity 6 engine upgrade.

Daniel Knight began developing the game that would become Phasmophobia as early as 2018, under the working title Spectrophobia. The earliest available changelog for the game in early alpha dates to December 2019. At this stage, Knight was working alone, developing the game as a solo project. On March 3, 2020, Knight renamed the game to Phasmophobia and the company to Kinetic Games. It is not publicly known what the company was named prior to this date.

Kinetic Games Limited was formally incorporated on October 21, 2020, with Daniel Knight as the sole director. The company was registered with an initial capital of £10.00. Knight was appointed as director and person with significant control on the same date, holding 75 to 100 percent of shares, voting rights, and director appointment power.

The Steam page for Phasmophobia launched in March 2020, followed by an announcement trailer three months later that revealed VR support and an early access release date. Phasmophobia launched on Steam Early Access on September 18, 2020, priced at $14. The game was developed by Knight alone at launch. The combination of co-op horror, VR support, and a low price point resonated with streamers and players during the COVID-19 pandemic, when demand for online co-op games was high.

The game experienced rapid commercial success. Within weeks of launch, Phasmophobia became one of the most-played games on Steam and a viral hit on Twitch and YouTube. The all-time peak concurrent player count on Steam reached 112,241. Knight initially canceled a planned PvP mode to focus on the co-op experience, citing the game's unexpected reception and the need to prioritize core content.

In June 2021, Knight announced the addition of two new team members: Corey J. Dixon (cjdxn) as Art Director and Benjamin Lavender as a Senior Developer. Lavender subsequently became Lead Programmer and then Tech Director. These hires marked the beginning of the company's transition from a solo developer to a studio.

Over the following years, Kinetic Games released major content updates for Phasmophobia including new ghost types, new maps, equipment reworks, and difficulty adjustments. The game's price was increased from $14 to $19.99 as the content scope expanded. The company filed trademarks for both "Kinetic Games" and "Phasmophobia" in the United Kingdom in December 2021.

In June 2023, Kinetic Games announced console versions of Phasmophobia for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S, originally targeted for August 2023. A fire at the Kinetic Games office caused the first delay, pushing the release to October 2023. In October 2023, the company announced a further delay due to unforeseen challenges related to the fire damage, with no confirmed release date. The console versions ultimately launched on October 29, 2024, including PS VR2 support for PlayStation 5.

The console launch significantly expanded the game's player base and revenue streams. Steam concurrent player counts increased following the console release, with average monthly players rising from approximately 12,800 in September 2024 to 22,500 in November 2024. The company filed its annual report for the fiscal year ending October 31, 2024 in July 2025, though the detailed financial figures from that filing have not been widely reported.

In January 2026, Kinetic Games unveiled the Phasmophobia 2026 roadmap. The roadmap includes the game's 1.0 full release, planned to launch simultaneously across all platforms during 2026. The 1.0 launch will incorporate what was previously known as the Horror 2.0 update. Additional planned content includes a player character overhaul, a Nintendo Switch 2 release, map reworks, seasonal events, and a Unity 6 engine upgrade with network improvements.

In 2026, Kinetic Games also registered the "Kinetic Publishing" wordmark and figurative mark, indicating a venture into game publishing beyond self-publishing its own titles. The company's annual report for the fiscal year ending October 31, 2025 was filed in April 2026. As of August 2026, the most recent game update was version 0.19.0.0, released on August 25, 2026.

Kinetic Games has not published a sustainability report or third-party environmental certification. As a digital game studio distributing exclusively through digital channels, the company does not have the physical manufacturing footprint associated with physical products. The company operates from office space in Southampton with a partially remote workforce, reducing commuting and office energy consumption relative to a fully in-office operation.

In terms of ethical practices, Kinetic Games has been noted for its player-friendly monetization approach. Phasmophobia is sold as a one-time purchase at $19.99 with no in-game purchases, loot boxes, battle passes, or cosmetic microtransactions. All content updates during the early access period have been free to existing owners. This approach contrasts with the free-to-play plus microtransaction model used by many multiplayer games and avoids the regulatory scrutiny associated with loot box mechanics.

The company maintains an active community presence through Discord, regular developer communications, and roadmap updates. Kinetic Games has been transparent about development challenges, including the office fire and resulting console delays. The company has not been involved in documented labor disputes, environmental violations, or major regulatory actions.

The game includes content warnings for horror themes and jump scares. Kinetic Games has not published formal accessibility audits, though the game includes some accessibility features such as text chat and adjustable settings. The company has not sought B Corporation certification.

• The Game Awards 2020: Best Debut Game: Phasmophobia won Best Debut Game at The Game Awards 2020, recognized as an outstanding game from a first-time studio. The award was notable because the game was still in early access and was developed by a single person at the time.
• PC Gamer Best Co-op Game 2020: PC Gamer named Phasmophobia its Best Co-op Game of 2020, recognizing the game's ghost-hunting cooperative experience.
• 2020 Global Game Awards: Best Horror Game: Phasmophobia won Best Horror Game of the Year in the 2020 Global Game Awards, as voted by the gaming community.

The game has also received critical acclaim from gaming publications. PC Gamer called it "the best ghost game ever made." Gamespot described it as "one of the best horror games in any era." These accolades were achieved while the game was in early access and developed by a solo developer.

Office Fire and Console Delays (2023): In June 2023, Kinetic Games announced console versions of Phasmophobia for August 2023. A fire at the Kinetic Games office caused the first delay, pushing the release to October 2023. In October 2023, the company announced a further delay due to unforeseen challenges caused by the fire damage, with no confirmed release date. The console versions ultimately launched on October 29, 2024, over a year after the original target. The extended delay frustrated some players who had pre-ordered or were awaiting the console release. Kinetic Games communicated the delays through social media but did not disclose the full extent of the fire damage.

Extended Early Access Duration (2020 to 2026): Phasmophobia has remained in early access for nearly six years as of August 2026. While the game has received continuous content updates and maintains a 94% positive Steam rating, some players have questioned the extended early access period. The 1.0 full release is planned for 2026, but the long timeline has drawn comparisons to other indie games that spent extended periods in early access. Kinetic Games has stated that the 1.0 launch will include the Horror 2.0 update and represent the biggest moment since the game's original launch.

Price Increase During Early Access (2022): Kinetic Games increased Phasmophobia's price from $14 to $19.99 during its early access period. Price increases during early access are relatively uncommon and can be controversial, as early access purchasers typically expect the final price to be higher than the early access price. The price increase was implemented as the game's content scope expanded, but some players expressed dissatisfaction with the change.