Exploding Kittens

Exploding Kittens is a Los Angeles game publisher and entertainment studio working across tabletop games, digital games and adaptations of its original intellectual property. Founded in 2015 by Elan Lee, Shane Small and Matthew Inman, creator of The Oatmeal, the company grew from a crowdfunded card game into a broader publishing business. Its games emphasize accessible rules, absurd humor and social interaction, making the people around the table a central part of the entertainment.

The studio’s tabletop work spans party games, card games, physical challenges and expansions of its flagship game. Its design approach combines comic illustration and humor writing with mechanics that encourage conversation, quick decisions and direct interaction between players. Alongside developing original concepts, the business handles visual assets, prototyping, game testing, manufacturing oversight and worldwide retail distribution. The supplied research reports more than 60 million games sold across over 50 countries.

Beyond the tabletop

Exploding Kittens has extended its games and characters into mobile applications, console releases, virtual reality and streaming entertainment. Its digital portfolio reaches iOS, Android, Nintendo Switch and Netflix Games, reflecting an approach that adapts its ideas for several kinds of play. The business also works in intellectual property licensing and content co-production, connecting its tabletop publishing activity with animation and consumer merchandise.

A Netflix adult animated comedy based on the company’s central property was released in 2024. This expansion sits alongside the studio’s continuing development of physical games, rather than replacing its original tabletop focus. Across these formats, illustration, character design and irreverent comedy remain recurring elements of its work.

Asmodee acquired a controlling stake in December 2021 and completed its purchase of the remaining ownership in early 2026. Exploding Kittens continues to operate as a dedicated creative studio and publisher within the group. The acquisition connected its titles to Asmodee’s international distribution network while preserving the Los Angeles studio’s creative autonomy.