Fanatical (company)

Fanatical

Formerly	Bundle Stars, rebranded to Fanatical 1 November 2017
Company type	Subsidiary
Industry	Video games, electronic commerce, Digital distribution
Founded	2012 (2012)
Headquarters	Rugeley, Staffordshire, England
Products	Digital game keys, Bundles, Software, Comics, E-books
Parent	Focus Multimedia Limited Fandom, Inc. (since February 2021)
Website	www.fanatical.com

Fanatical (formerly Bundle Stars) is a United Kingdom-based e-commerce and digital distribution platform specialising in video game keys, software, e-books, and e-learning courses.

It is a subsidiary of Focus Multimedia Limited, which was acquired by Fandom, Inc. in February 2021.¹ The company is based in Rugeley, Staffordshire, and emphasises the sale of only officially authorised keys acquired directly from publishers and developers ².

Fanatical's origin lies with its parent company, Focus Multimedia Limited, a British publisher of PC CD-ROM software and games established in 1995.²

Focus Multimedia Limited was founded in October 1995 by family relatives Craig Johnson and Lawrence Reeves, operating out of Rugeley, England ². The company was a publisher and distributor of PC CD-ROM software, with a diverse catalogue that included the flagship brand Driving Test Success, a popular CD-ROM revision tool for learner drivers in the UK ². The company sold its products through major high street retailers globally ².

Online game store based in the United Kingdom. In 2012, in response to the industry's digital shift, Focus Multimedia launched its first e-commerce platform, Bundle Stars². The platform quickly gained recognition for curating collections of games and offering them in significantly discounted bundles, primarily for the Steam platform ³.

On 1 November 2017, Bundle Stars officially rebranded as Fanatical ³⁴. The change was initiated to reflect the platform's expanded focus beyond just bundles to include a large catalogue of single games, new releases, and titles from both AAA and indie publishers ². At the time of the rebrand, Bundle Stars had sold more than 45 million game keys to over one million customers ³. The company expanded its team and redesigned its website for faster load times and better search functionality ³,⁵. Existing customers' login credentials and previously purchased game keys were seamlessly transferred during the transition ⁶.

In February 2021, Focus Multimedia Limited (and Fanatical) was acquired by the San Francisco-based digital media company Fandom, Inc. for an undisclosed sum ¹.

At the time of the acquisition, Fanatical reported having sold over 80 million game keys and e-books to more than two million customers across 200 countries ¹. Fandom stated that the acquisition was part of a strategy to diversify its revenue base through e-commerce by connecting its massive audience to digital game purchases ¹. Fanatical maintained its own brand identity and continued to operate from its UK base ¹.

Fanatical operates a digital storefront that sells officially licensed PC game activation codes, primarily for Steam, purchased and/or licensed directly from the developers and publishers ²³. As of a recent company update, the platform has sold over 145 million game keys to more than 4 million customers worldwide ²,⁷ and has broadened into ebook, graphic novel and software content.

The company’s inventory includes more than 16,000 officially licensed titles from over 1,800 publishers and developers ². Key partnerships include Bethesda Softworks, SEGA ⁸, Bandai Namco, Capcom and Konami ⁹.

• Game Bundles: This cornerstone product includes "Build Your Own Bundles", themed bundles and Charity Bundles, where all proceeds are typically donated entirely to the partnered organisation ¹⁰,¹¹. Fanatical frequently partners with organisations such as the NSPCC ¹², War Child ¹³, the Movember movement ¹⁴,¹¹, and the mental health charity Safe In Our World ¹⁰,¹⁵.
• Digital Keys: Offers individual purchases of new releases and back-catalogue titles.
• Non-Gaming Products: The platform sells software, e-learning courses, and e-books.

In November 2024, Fanatical launched Fantasyverse, a dedicated section for digital comics, graphic novels, manga, and tabletop games, expanding its digital entertainment offerings ².