Nordeus is a Serbian mobile game developer headquartered in New Belgrade, Serbia, best known for its football management simulation game Top Eleven. Since 2021, it has operated as a subsidiary of Take-Two Interactive.
Overview
| Attribute | Details |
|---|---|
| Type | Subsidiary |
| Industry | Video games (mobile) |
| Founded | 12 March 2010 |
| Founders | Branko Milutinović, Milan Jovović, Ivan Stojisavljević, Tomislav Mihajlović |
| Headquarters | Belgrade, Serbia |
| Key people | Branko Milutinović (CEO), Ivan Stojisavljević (CTO), Tomislav Mihajlović (COO), Uroš Sretenović (Director of Finance) |
| Products | Top Eleven – Be a Football Manager, Heroic – Magic Duel, Golf Rival |
| Parent | Take-Two Interactive (2021–present) |
| Website | nordeus.com |
History
Nordeus was founded in March 2010 by former Microsoft employees. The company initially launched Top Eleven on Facebook in May 2010, before releasing it on mobile platforms (iOS and Android) in November 2011. The game became a significant success, accumulating over 240 million registered users by 2021.
In March 2013, Portuguese football manager José Mourinho became the official promoter of Top Eleven, appearing on the game's icon and in-game content. His partnership with the company was extended through at least 2022.
On 2 June 2021, Take-Two Interactive announced the acquisition of Nordeus for up to US$378 million. The upfront consideration consisted of US$225 million, comprising cash and US$90 million in newly issued Take-Two common stock, with additional earn-out payments contingent on Nordeus achieving certain EBITDA targets. The founding team retained leadership of the company following the acquisition.
Products
Top Eleven – Be a Football Manager
Top Eleven is a freemium football (soccer) management simulation game. Players build and manage their own football clubs, competing against other players worldwide. The game features officially licensed kits from clubs including Liverpool F.C., Real Madrid CF, Arsenal F.C., Juventus FC, and Borussia Dortmund. As of 2021, it had over 240 million registered users. In March 2022, Nordeus deployed a 3D live match engine on Google Kubernetes Engine, enabling real-time 3D match simulations.
Heroic – Magic Duel
Heroic – Magic Duel is a fantasy-themed player-versus-player deckbuilding mobile game.
Golf Rival
Following the Take-Two acquisition, Nordeus took over Golf Rival (originally launched in 2018) as part of Take-Two's Zynga label. It is a head-to-head golf game available on mobile platforms.
Technology
Nordeus migrated its infrastructure to Google Cloud in 2019, citing the need for greater scalability and reduced maintenance overhead. The company uses Google Kubernetes Engine (GKE) to run its services, including the compute-intensive 3D live match engine for Top Eleven. The migration enabled the company to scale from approximately 400 CPUs on regular weekdays to 6,000–8,000 CPUs during peak weekend periods using autoscaling.
Corporate Structure and Workforce
As of 2019, Nordeus employed approximately 250 people. At the time of its acquisition in 2021, the company had around 180 employees. The workforce has since grown to over 260 employees (as of 2026), with the majority based in Serbia and smaller offices in Germany, Ireland, India, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, and Portugal.
Community and Philanthropy
Nordeus has been active in developing Serbia's digital economy. The company co-founded the Digital Serbia Initiative, a non-governmental organization aimed at building a competitive digital economy in the country, and the Serbian Games Association, which supports the local video game sector.
In 2021, the company launched the Nordeus Foundation, focused on helping children acquire skills for the digital economy through educational support in Serbia.
The company also operated the Nordeus Hub, a co-working space designed to support startups and individuals entering the gaming industry.
Financial Information
In 2018, Nordeus reported revenues of €17.15 million and net income of €4.56 million. As of 2026, the company's annual revenue was estimated at approximately US$39.8 million.
