Lockwood Publishing

About Lockwood Publishing

Lockwood Publishing is a British independent mobile game developer responsible for the creation of Avakin Life, a 3D social metaverse. Founded in 2009 by Halli Bjornsson, Joel Kemp, and Justin Johnson, the company initially operated as Outso, a work-for-hire studio developing experiences for PlayStation Home. This work with Sony, completing around 60 projects, provided the foundation for their shift into self-publishing. Bjornsson's prior experience includes roles as an artist at Bizarre Creations, Electronic Arts, and Climax Online, working on titles for PlayStation, EA, and Sega.

Sensing a shift in the market towards mobile and social platforms, the founders pivoted the company to focus on mobile development, launching Avakin Life in December 2013. The game gained significant traction following the closure of PlayStation Home in 2015, positioning itself as a spiritual successor on mobile. Avakin Life allows players to create and customize 3D avatars, design and decorate personal apartments, and socialize in a variety of virtual locations and events. The platform emphasizes social interaction, self-expression through fashion, and community engagement.

The business model is free-to-play, generating revenue through in-app purchases of virtual goods, such as clothing, accessories, and furniture, using virtual currencies like 'Avacoins' and 'Crowns'. The game has surpassed 250 million registered users, with over a million daily active players at its peak. In November 2020, Lockwood Publishing secured a $25 million Series A funding round led by Tencent, with participation from existing investors including Novator Partners, David Helgason (co-founder of Unity), and Hilmar Pétursson (CEO of CCP Games). The company has also implemented age verification technology to create safer, age-gated spaces for adult players.