At InnoGames, leaders need to be committed to integrity as they act as role models for everyone in the company. We have therefore created Leadership Principles that are based on our company values and anchored in our daily work. Be it in trainings, our half-yearly appraisals, or in 360-degree feedback sessions for supervisors: We use them every day as our guideline and benchmark, so we can constantly advance and improve.
"We are proud that we are living up to the values set out by our Leadership Principles. These values are more than buzzwords or an inspirational wall hanging: they outline what we expect from ourselves and make sure that we stay true to our DNA. We have developed our Leadership Principles and processes around them to offer everyone in the company a clear guideline on what it takes to be a leader at InnoGames: a high level of expertise, long term strategies, social and personal skills, and a passion for what they are doing."
Michael Zillmer, COO and Co-founder
Sustainability
Step-by-step leaders continuously improve the whole company
Fair play
Leaders treat everyone with respect and reasonable in each situation
Open Information Sharing
Leaders embrace openness
Passion
Leaders build a passionate team by being a passionate leader
Result Orientation
Leaders set clear expectations, build commitment and set goals to challenge their teams
Speed
Leaders aim for quick decisions to empower their teams to act fast
Feedback
Leaders encourage feedback in all directions in a timely manner to improve constantly
Simplicity
Leaders aim for the simplest solution based on proven solutions
At InnoGames, leaders behave with integrity. They act as role models for everyone in the company.
Therefore, our Leadership Principles are anchored in our daily work.
Hendrik Klindworth
Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer
Michael Zillmer
Co-founder and Chief Operating Officer
Eike Klindworth
Co-founder, Creative Director and Board Member
Felix Janzen
Chief Marketing Officer
Christian Reshöft
Chief Product Officer
Michael Lenz
Chief Analytics Officer
Brothers Eike and Hendrik Klindworth start developing the browser game Tribal Wars together with their friend Michael Zillmer. They are motivated by the idea of creating a game that they enjoy playing themselves because it offers an extensive, fun gaming experience.
What was originally intended to be a hobby project grows much quicker than expected. After Tribal Wars is officially launched in June 2003, the number of players increases to several thousands by early 2004, which makes it necessary to introduce a second world.
Due to the ever-increasing popularity of Tribal Wars, Hendrik, Eike and Michael decide to work full-time on the development and operation of browser games.
InnoGames, as a company, is founded in early 2007 to handle the operation and continued development of its games.
The company's growth keeps accelerating. The founders are able to hire additional team members and start working on new games.
InnoGames' second browser game The West is voted "Browser Game of the Year" and receives awards for best game idea, best gameplay, and best role-playing game.
In May, investor group Fidelity Growth Partners Europe (currently known as Eight Roads) takes a minority share in InnoGames.
The most successful year in InnoGames history up to that point. The company employs 250 people at its Hamburg headquarters and reaches over 100 million registered players.
As of 2013, InnoGames focuses on the development of mobile apps.
In April, Forge of Empires scores “Best Browser Game“ at the German Computer Games Awards.
Tribal Wars 2 joins the InnoGames portfolio.
In March, InnoGames moves to new, bigger offices in Hamburg City South.
The company increases its overall revenue to over 80 million EUR and grows to more than 350 employees. Revenues from mobile games increase by more than 500%.
2015 is all about capturing an even bigger share of the mobile games market.
The Forge of Empires iPad and iPhone apps are followed by an app for Android devices.
Elvenar, a fantasy city builder, launches in April.
InnoGames announces revenues of 100 million EUR and an increase of mobile revenues of more than 100%.
In October, Swedish company Modern Times Group acquires 35% of InnoGames at a valuation of 260 million EUR. The shares come from Eight Roads and the company founders.
In February, InnoGames acquires the mobile strategy game Warlords of Aternum.
In May, Modern Times Group invests an additional 82.6 million EUR to increase its shares in InnoGames to 51%.
InnoGames becomes the first game developer to successfully complete the automated conversion of a complex browser game from Flash to HTML5 with Forge of Empires.
The company announces record-breaking revenues, fueled by mobile and continuous content updates.
In June, InnoGames' leading strategy game, Forge of Empires, reaches the 500 million EUR lifetime revenue milestone.
In November, InnoGames marks the 1 billion EUR total lifetime revenue achievement for its entire games portfolio.
13 years after its foundation, InnoGames still continues to grow, with revenues reaching more than 220 million EUR.
InnoGames introduces a hybrid work model. From now on, all employees will meet in Hamburg for 1 week every quarter. The rest of the time they can decide for themselves where they can work best, e.g. from home, from the office, or from other European countries.
InnoGames supports the Leaders for Climate Action initiative and its Time for Climate Action campaign in the fight against the climate crisis.
InnoGames launches two new mobile games, Rise of Cultures and Sunrise Village, while Forge of Empires celebrates its 10th anniversary.
InnoGames becomes the first German game company to voluntarily publish its salary bands, thus contributing to salary transparency and fairness.
