Atelier 801

Atelier 801 is an independent French video game developer and publisher focused on online multiplayer games. Founded in 2011, the studio grew out of the success of Transformice, a browser-based physics platformer first released in May 2010. Its games combine approachable 2D presentation with shared online spaces, competitive or cooperative play, and community participation.

In Transformice, players control mice gathering cheese while a player acting as a magical Shaman helps the group navigate obstacles. The game began as a weekend project by two former Ankama colleagues and attracted a worldwide audience before the company was established. Forming the studio allowed its creators to support the growing player community full-time. The title later reached Steam in 2015 and remains the company's flagship project.

Multiplayer development and publishing

The studio's portfolio extends across several multiplayer formats. Dead Maze explores zombie survival through a 2D isometric MMO, while Tomb Rumble uses pixel art for competitive platforming. Other releases include the bomber-style strategy game Bouboum, the team-based building and shooting game Fortoresse, the rhythm game Nekodancer, the mobile runner Run for Cheese, and the science-fiction exploration game Antarès.

Atelier 801's capabilities encompass game design, programming, online server architecture and infrastructure operation. Its work also includes community moderation, live operations, user-generated content systems, pixel art and 2D character animation. The company's platform experience spans browser gaming, standalone PC distribution and mobile releases, with web and Steam versions forming part of its ongoing publishing activity.

Beyond games, Atelier 801 co-produced Transformice: The Cartoon Series in 2015, extending its flagship property into an animated web series. As of October 2026, the studio continues to develop games independently, maintain its global community platform and operate its existing online titles.