Linux & ARM First
We build for Steam Deck, PinePhone, and ARM desktops. If it thrives there, everything else is just extra.
About Ghost Citadel
We turn the impossible into reality.
Then we do it again.
When no dedicated Linux gaming studio existed, we created the first one—fusing the art of game design with the precision of industrial-grade data science.
Founded by Swedish entrepreneurs and forged in Tallinn — in the district that once powered the Soviet lunar programme — we are now incorporated in the UK. A global team guided by open-source principles and a resolute commitment to Linux and ARM.
Games · Observatory · Consulting & R&D
Founded
2025
Focus
Linux · ARM
Tracks
Games · Analytics · Services
Offices
Distributed
From Tallinn With Voltage
Ghost Citadel was sketched at the same site in Tallinn where semiconductors for the first Soviet lunar rover were manufactured — a fitting backdrop for a studio obsessed with hardware.
Our founders come from cybersecurity, physics research, and fintech. We’ve chased fraud through data, reverse-engineered phone bootloaders, and built tools for high-stakes environments.
That mix of innovation, curiosity, and engineering discipline now flows into our games, analytics engines, and client solutions — all tuned for real metal.
From Idea to Industry
Ghost Citadel has outgrown the whiteboard. We are a living studio: compact, fast, and brutally focused.
The instincts that kept us alive in cybersecurity now drive everything we build: Linux-first, ARM-first, Hardware-first. If it doesn’t run on a Steam Deck, PinePhone, or Raspberry Pi, it’s not done.
Three Tracks
- Games: Frontline experiments. Every title tests input latency, physics, and power draw.
- Observatory: The refinery. Turning raw logs into value signals for designers and analysts.
-
Scriptorium & Forge: The consulting arm.
Scriptorium: Custom Python architectures, AI integration, and machine learning solutions.
Forge: Our Innovation Lab. Deep R&D, hardware prototyping, and experimental engineering.
Our Foundation
Systems + Story
We love complex systems—netcode, telemetry, physics—then we weave them into worlds that matter.
Open by Default
Open-source tools, transparent telemetry, and clear write-ups. If we can’t explain how it works, we don’t ship it.
Evidence, Not Hype
Every build generates logs and battery curves. We refine using real telemetry, not vibes or buzzwords.
How We Work
We operate on flow efficiency and a no-estimates mindset. Engineers closest to the code make the calls. Information is open. Any process that slows shipping is cut immediately.
Absolute ownership. Courage over consensus. Commits over credentials. That is how a small, distributed team keeps making the impossible happen.
In Practice
- Clear Objectives: Everyone knows the mission.
- Direct Access: No layers. Go straight to the source.
- Lightweight Planning: Just enough to guide, never to drag.
- Protected Focus: Uninterrupted time is critical infrastructure.
- Fast Validation: Build, test, adjust. No theatrics.
- Instant Adoption: New ML model drops? We test it today.
Where We Stand
Standing with Ukraine
We strongly support Ukraine in its fight against invasion. A free Europe and a free internet both depend on it.
Defending Openness
We oppose weaponized software patents. We back open standards, open protocols, and tools people can inspect.
Hardware Freedom
Your device belongs to you. We stand for unlocked bootloaders, repairable hardware, and the right to run your own code.