Ankama
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Video games, publishing, animation, web development |
| Founded | 2001 in Roubaix, France |
| Founder | Anthony Roux, Camille Chafer, Emmanuel Darras |
| Headquarters | Roubaix , France |
Area served | Worldwide |
Key people | Olivier Comte (General Manager) |
| Products | Dofus, Dofus Arena, Wakfu, Islands of Wakfu, Abraca, others |
| Website | www |
Ankama is a French-based entertainment firm located in Roubaix, France, with expertise in creating massively multiplayer online role-playing games such as Dofus, Dofus Arena, and Wakfu. The company was established by , , and Emmanuel Darras, with its name derived from the combination of their first names: ANthony, KAmille, and MAnu. Besides gaming, Ankama is also active in publishing, animation production, and web development services.
Video games
handles both the development and distribution of its proprietary video games:
- Dofus, Ankama’s inaugural title, is an MMORPG fully developed using Flash technology. Set within the medieval fantasy realm known as the "World of Twelve," it features a distinct turn-based tactical combat mechanism. The core game can be played for free, while subscriptions provide access to enhanced content.
- Dofus Arena serves as the player-versus-player extension of Dofus, introduced in public beta in 2006. Players assume the role of coaches who manage teams competing with the same combat mechanics, striving to ascend leaderboards determined by the Elo rating system.
- Voya Nui Online Game is a single-player role-playing game created for the Lego Group's website in 2006.
- Islands of Wakfu, an action-adventure RPG set within the Wakfu universe, was released on Xbox 360 via Xbox Live Arcade in 2011.
- Wakfu, launched in 2011 as an MMORPG, is set a millennium after Dofus within the same world and focuses heavily on player-driven interaction without NPC involvement.
- Template:Interlanguage link multi, a puzzle-platformer, was released on November 9, 2012.
- Template:Interlanguage link multi, a multiplayer title, debuted in 2015.
- Template:Interlanguage link multi, a single-player mobile application, also launched in 2015.
- Additional games include Template:Interlanguage link multi, Nindash, Template:Interlanguage link multi, and Template:Interlanguage link multi.
- Template:Interlanguage link multi is a free-to-play multiplayer tactical RPG available on mobile platforms, PC, and Mac, which entered early access in August 2023.
Comic book publishing
Founded in 2006, Ankama Éditions publishes comic books that include works based on Ankama Games' Dofus universe as well as successful independent titles such as Mutafukaz. Noteworthy publications encompass:
- Artbooks Dofus
- Dofus (manfra)
- Original SoundTrack Dofus
- The comic book series Mutafukaz
- The comic book series Dofus Pandala
- Dofus Arena (manfra)
- The comic book series Maliki
- The manga series Dofus Monster
- The manga series Kuma-kuma
- The comic book series Chaosland
- The artbook titled Café Salé
- The magazine Dofus Mag
- The manga series Debaser
- The comic book series Freaks Squeele
- The comic book series Kanvict
- The manga series Radiant
Web
Ankama Web, created in 2001 as Ankama’s initial division, operates as an interactive communications agency focusing on digital media solutions, website creation, and marketing buzz campaigns. It designs websites and develops internet applications tailored to professional clientele.
Press
Established on June 15, 2007, Ankama Presse concentrated on magazine publishing aligned with Ankama’s cross-media approach, predominantly covering its gaming franchises. Its main publication was Dofus Mag, a hybrid magazine-book inspired by the Japanese mook format intended for both retail sale and sustained readership. This magazine along with other titles were eventually discontinued.
was founded in March 2007. MadLab Animations followed later in 2017.
In 2008, the animated television series Wakfu: The Animated Series, based on the video game Wakfu, premiered. Comprising four seasons (2008, 2011, 2017, and 2024) with a total of seventy-eight episodes each lasting twenty minutes, it narrates Yugo’s journey to discover his birth family. The animation utilizes Adobe Flash technology.
In 2013, the animated show Dofus: The Treasures of Kerubim, inspired by the game Dofus, aired with fifty-two episodes of ten minutes each. Set two centuries before the MMORPG timeline, it chronicles Kerubim’s exploits as told to his adopted son Joris and their housekeeper Simone. A feature film adaptation was planned for late 2015.
The movie Dofus, livre 1 : Julith directed by Anthony Roux and Jean-Jacques Denis debuted in French cinemas in 2016.
In 2018, the film adaptation of Mutafukaz created by Guillaume Renard and Shōjirō Nishimi premiered in France and became available on Netflix US on December 25, 2019.
Internationally
Beginning in the 2000s, Ankama pursued international growth by establishing subsidiaries in the United States and Japan. Under the leadership of general manager Olivier Comte, the company accelerated its expansion by launching several new studios.
Founded in 2006, Ankama Studio specializes in creating games for external clients, with a primary focus on the North American market. In early 2009, Ankama Japan was inaugurated in Tokyo, concentrating mainly on animation production.
Ankama Canada was launched on August 1, 2013, in Montreal by two employees and developed the game Abraca. To facilitate the growth of Wakfu within China, an office was opened in Singapore during early 2014. Nevertheless, both the Singapore and São Paulo studios were soon closed to reallocate resources toward operations in Japan and Paris.
Ankama Asia, headquartered in Manila and targeting Asian markets, was acquired by Keywords Studios on March 22, 2016. As part of a four-year agreement, Keywords intended to increase staffing by approximately twenty employees.
In 2018, Studio No Border was established as a Tokyo-based subsidiary responsible for producing Japanese animation and video games. Thomas Romain, renowned for his work on Code Lyoko, took on the role of artistic director.
By 2019, Ankama had achieved a position as the twelfth most profitable company in France.