Brainium Studios

Brainium Studios is a mobile game developer and publisher based in Portland, Oregon. Founded in 2008 by Jake Brownson and Farhad Shakiba, the studio creates casual card, board, word, and logic games with an emphasis on accessible touchscreen play. Its approach combines clean visual design, intuitive interactions, responsive animation, and careful attention to the feel of familiar game mechanics.

The studio’s catalog draws heavily on enduring card and puzzle formats. Solitaire, Spider Solitaire, FreeCell, and Pyramid Solitaire offer different approaches to classic solitaire play, while Sudoku and Mahjong extend its focus into number puzzles and tile matching. Blackjack, Jumbline 2, and Word Search broaden the range into casino-style card play and word games. Alongside these familiar formats, Brainium developed ilu, an original atmospheric logic puzzle built around light beams and geometry.

Development and publishing

Brainium develops and publishes its own games, bringing together mobile engineering, interface design, animation, quality assurance, and ongoing product operations. Its capabilities cover full-cycle development, publishing and marketing, live operations, and content updates. The studio’s development specialties include iOS, Android, and macOS, and its games have also reached players on Amazon Fire OS devices.

Across its portfolio, Brainium emphasizes polished presentation and approachable interaction. The research describes a design philosophy centered on adapting timeless games to mobile devices through tactile feedback, modern aesthetics, and uncluttered interfaces. This focus helped the studio build its audience during its first decade of self-funded operations.

Company development

PLAYSTUDIOS acquired Brainium in October 2022. Brainium continues to operate as a distinct studio with its own brand and dedicated development team. Its work within the group includes integrating the playAWARDS loyalty program into its casual games, connecting its established card and puzzle portfolio with PLAYSTUDIOS’ rewards platform.