Nordeus

Company History & Founding

Nordeus was officially founded on 12 March 2010 in Belgrade, Serbia, by three former Microsoft employees: Branko Milutinović, Ivan Stojisavljević and Milan Jovović. The trio had previously worked together at Microsoft in Copenhagen and returned to Serbia to launch their own game development studio. Their first product, Top Eleven – Be a Football Manager, debuted on Facebook in May 2010 and quickly became a hit, later expanding to iOS and Android in November 2011. The game’s freemium model and deep management mechanics attracted millions of players globally.

Over the next decade, Nordeus expanded its portfolio: in 2013 Top Eleven partnered with football manager José Mourinho as its global brand ambassador; in 2017 it launched Golden Boot on Facebook Messenger and soft‑launched Spellsouls; in 2018 it co‑founded the Serbian Games Association and the Digital Serbia Initiative; in 2019 it globally launched Heroic – Magic Duel (a fantasy deck‑building game) and Golden Boot on mobile, and moved into a new 6,000 m² custom‑built headquarters; in 2020 it celebrated Top Eleven’s 10th anniversary and donated €150,000 to UNICEF for COVID‑19 relief; in 2021 it was acquired by Take‑Two Interactive for $378 million and joined Take‑Two’s Zynga label; in 2022 it introduced 3D live matches in Top Eleven, powered by an in‑house football engine; and in 2023 it led mobile sports efforts within Zynga and expanded to Central Europe and Beijing for Golf Rival.

Products & Platforms

Nordeus operates several key titles. Top Eleven – Be a Football Manager is a freemium football management simulation in which players build and manage their own club, compete against real opponents, and use officially licensed kits from clubs such as Liverpool, Real Madrid, Arsenal, Juventus and Borussia Dortmund. Golf Rival is a realistic golf game featuring real‑time PvP matches, licensed equipment and courses, and is part of Zynga’s mobile sports portfolio. Heroic – Magic Duel is a fantasy‑themed PvP deck‑building game (formerly known as Spellsouls) where players collect and upgrade cards to battle opponents. Golden Boot is a casual football‑themed game focusing on quick matches and goal‑scoring challenges.

Technology & Infrastructure

Nordeus migrated from on‑premise infrastructure to Google Cloud to achieve scalability, stability and cost efficiency. The company also developed an in‑house 3D football simulation engine for Top Eleven’s live match feature, leveraging advanced AI, animation and motion capture.

Corporate Structure & Acquisition

On 2 February 2021, Take‑Two Interactive announced its acquisition of Nordeus for $378 million. The deal closed in June 2021, and Nordeus now operates as a subsidiary within Take‑Two’s Zynga label, where it leads mobile sports development.

Social Impact

Nordeus launched the Nordeus Foundation in 2021, focusing on helping Serbian children acquire digital skills for the modern economy. The company also co‑founded the Serbian Games Association (2018) and the Digital Serbia Initiative (2017) to support the local tech ecosystem.