Story 6: From eight figures to ashes: through a 99.6% wipeout

What happens when an eight‑figure paper dream collapses—and
becomes your chance to take back control? For Dieter Schöller,
founder of Headup Games, it meant a near‑total stock wipeout, a
buyback of his studio for EUR 500,000, and rebuilding on his own
terms.


In this episode of “behind the scenes,” Dieter traces his arc
from law student and Wolfenstein modder to indie publisher just
as digital distribution upended boxed retail. Early flops forced
a pivot to a flexible, “no‑BS” licensing model—then an unexpected
hit, Bridge Constructor, shot to #1 in 91 countries and spawned
mash‑ups with Portal and The Walking Dead. COVID’s boom brought
an acquisition by Thunderful—and then the bust. Faced with sell,
shut, or buy back, Dieter chose the hard path: protect most jobs,
split publishing and development, and keep empathy and no crunch
at the core.


You will learn:


How Headup’s licensing‑first pivot saved the company after
early failures.

How Bridge Constructor became a global premium hit and landed
the Portal license.

Why a COVID‑era “dream exit” turned into a near‑wipeout—and
what that revealed.

What it takes to buy back your studio and rebuild with clear
focus.

Why mid‑sized indie groups may be the healthiest path between
giants and micro‑studios.






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Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/cw/behind_the_scenes_show


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