How Outfit7 built Talking Tom into a mobile gaming behemoth in 15 years

Outfit7 has been in business for 15 years, during which time it has evolved its Talking Tom & Friends franchise into a mobile gaming behemoth.

Formed in 2009, after successfully growing the IP, the developer was acquired by United Luck Consortium and swiftly sold on to Chinese chemical firm Zhejiang Jinke Entertainment Culture in a €1 billion deal.

With 20 titles in its current portfolio and over 24 billion downloads, the IP has continued to stand the test of time and the company has no plans of slowing down anytime soon. 

In this interview, we speak with Outfit7’s senior VP of distribution and business intelligence Jernej Česen who discusses the developer's mission, how it's overcome the challenges with maintaining a franchise for the long-term, and the growing link between games and other media.

PocketGamer.biz: It’s Outfit7’s 15th anniversary. How do you reflect on the 15-year journey?

Jernej Česen: Like many companies in gaming, we’ve had our ups and downs. At the start, we were lucky to be in the right place at the right time, with many chances to grow. Most importantly, we focused on the needs of our team and players, and we stayed true to our purpose: creating memorable experiences that look, play, and feel good.

This focus has pushed us and helped us become one of the most successful gaming brands of the decade. For 10 years in a row, Outfit7 has ranked in the list of top 10 publishers worldwide on iOS and Google Play for game downloads. Over the last 15 years, we’ve faced challenges, but our continued success shows we’re on the right path. 

How has your growth developed over the years? Were there key moments that marked significant shifts?

Initially, our founders had a big vision: to create something new. They didn’t want to follow trends; they wanted to set them. And the launch of Talking Tom was a huge part of that.

It wasn’t just about making an app – it was about bringing a character to life, one with personality and charm. And then Tom introduced the world to his friends, each with their own unique traits that appealed to different fans.

Over time, we added runner games to our portfolio, allowing us to connect with a much larger audience while still offering our popular virtual pet games. We brought our characters into this genre, introducing runner mechanics to fans who were already invested in our brand.

This approach not only attracted new users to our brand but also helped the entire runner segment grow by over 20%. We made runner games accessible to players who hadn’t engaged with them before, expanding our community and creating more fun for everyone!

Another key shift for us was entering the Chinese market. To make sure we kept the quality of our products high, we decided to enter on our own, publishing our games ourselves and building the ecosystem we wanted. We also saw growth in other markets, like Brazil and India, and used a unique approach for each one, always putting quality first.

Throughout this journey, we’ve learned to mix our passion with good planning. Early on, we knew that we shouldn’t put out games to hit targets. Instead, we focused on our main goal: making high-quality products that we’re proud of. We kept creating products that look good, play well, and feel good. This focus is what has helped us grow.

How has your audience grown and developed over time?

From the beginning, we aimed to build a loyal audience. We didn’t just want to make great games; we wanted to create a place where people of all ages could have fun for years. Talking Tom became popular quickly, attracting millions of players, but we didn’t stop there. We reached out to whole families, including older players who enjoyed spending time with our games. This connection across generations has helped our audience grow and strengthen over time.

Today, our audience goes far beyond game players. It includes people who watch our videos, play with our toys, and connect with our brand in many different ways. Our commitment to giving back has also helped us reach new people who share our values.

We’ve built playgrounds for underserved kids, partnered with organisations to create meaningful work for people with disabilities, and started coding programs. For us, growing our audience means building a community that brings fun, support, and positive change.

Our team has grown, too, with dedicated employees who believe in our mission. We have low turnover because we carefully hire people who share our values, and we invest in their growth, helping them develop their skills alongside our brand. Together, our employees and audiences have shaped a strong, connected community that keeps us moving forward.

There have been many changes and industry challenges over the past 15 years, particularly recently. How has Outfit7 responded to these challenges?

We have consistently responded to industry challenges with a proactive and innovative approach. As a leader in the virtual pet game genre, holding a 65% market share, and with a strong presence in the runner genre, Outfit7 has not only sustained but expanded its position through continuous enhancement of its games.

Regular updates to existing titles are key to maintaining high-quality, engaging player experiences. A great example is the 10th-anniversary celebrations for My Talking Tom, which saw 49 million players joining in, underscoring the game’s lasting appeal.

We’ve also addressed industry challenges by introducing new mechanics and IPs to diversify our portfolio. For example, the blend of exploration and virtual pet gameplay in My Talking Hank: Islands demonstrates how we’re pushing the boundaries of established genres to offer fresh experiences.

Additionally, we’ve ventured into new genres with titles like Mythic Legends, a strategy RPG crafted to meet evolving player preferences. This relentless pursuit of innovation keeps us at the forefront of the entertainment industry.

For us, it’s not just about bringing new users in – it’s about keeping them engaged long-term. During COVID, while many companies focused on acquiring new players, we prioritised enhancing the experience for those who joined.

We made a conscious decision to give users unlimited in-game currency in our Tamagotchi-style games, for example, offering them a chance to explore all the possible content in the games.

We released frequent updates and introduced fresh features to provide players with a richer, more enjoyable experience. Rather than focusing purely on numbers, we invested in quality and value, which allowed us to build lasting connections with our audience.

What can you tell us about building your brand, and what advice would you offer to others?

The best advice is to stay true to your core but adapt as needed. Focus on people – your audience and your team. A company’s success is built on the talent and passion of its people. We’ve learned the most by surrounding ourselves with individuals who bring fresh ideas and new perspectives.

One of our core principles in the company is to hire people who are better than us, which gives everyone a chance to grow and evolve.

Building a brand is a journey that sometimes involves tough choices and unexpected turns. As you navigate this path, it’s important to remain grounded in your principles. While you may encounter new ideas or opportunities that seem appealing, always ensure they align with your core values.

By being flexible and open to learning along the way, you can enrich and evolve your brand meaningfully. This approach is our way, and it helps us keep our brand fresh, relevant, and true to who we are.

What role does IP play, and how important is it to succeed in today’s market?

IP is a crucial element. It’s more than logos or recognisable elements; it’s the philosophy and values behind them.

A strong IP resonates with people on a deeper level, and if a brand’s values are authentic and relatable, audiences will connect emotionally. This connection is what keeps them engaged and loyal.

You mentioned Talking Tom celebrating its 10th anniversary last year. How do you keep it fresh and relevant?

Keeping it fresh and relevant isn’t about a secret recipe; it’s about building strong emotional connections. Our fans connect deeply and personally with the Talking Tom & Friends characters. While that emotional bond is essential, staying in tune with trends is also key.

We’re always exploring new ways to engage our audience, and fans are in for a treat this November with the anniversary update of My Talking Angela 2! Players will soon be able to step into the role of Talking Angela’s personal stylist with the game’s new Fashion Editor feature. This exciting addition lets fans design custom outfits for Angela, allowing them to express their creativity and style.

Using a 360-degree view, they can create, save, and mix and match their unique fashion pieces in Angela’s wardrobe for endless fun and personalisation. For us, it’s all about giving our players fresh, meaningful ways to connect with the characters they love.

Beyond games, transmedia is gaining popularity. What role does it play for you?

I see transmedia as a nice, fresh buzzword. I believe that we’ve been living it since the beginning; it’s been a guiding principle for us from the start.

For the past 15 years, we’ve done more than follow trends or branch out for the sake of it. Every interaction with Talking Tom - whether through games, videos, or toys - stays true to our brand’s identity and values, creating a unified, meaningful experience. 

Thinking about it, I might say it’s more about trans-industry – blending complementary and also out-of-the-box industries with our vision. For example, our recent partnership with Kobi, a reading app designed to support young readers, shows how we extend our values beyond gaming.

By backing Kobi’s global launch, we’re expanding into new areas while staying aligned with our core mission. This approach keeps everything we do connected to our principles and ideas, building a cohesive, lasting ecosystem. 

Finally, is there anything we should look out for from Outfit7 in the near future?

This industry changes every day, so staying flexible while remaining true to our core is essential. As the industry evolves, so does Outfit7. For us, that means focusing on what matters most – creating memorable experiences while bringing in fresh talent and new ideas.

We’re celebrating big milestones, like the upcoming 10th anniversary of My Talking Angela, refreshing fan-favourite games, inventing new game mechanics, and even expanding into movies, theme parks, and physical products.

At Outfit7, there’s always something exciting on the horizon. Like the butterfly effect, even small changes we make today can lead to big, surprising impacts tomorrow. What we’re building now could completely transform the experience in the future, so stay tuned!