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 . The company is based in Rugeley, Staffordshire, and emphasises the sale of only officially authorised keys acquired directly from publishers and developers .
Fanatical's origin lies with its parent company, Focus Multimedia Limited, a British publisher of PC CD-ROM software and games established in 1995 .
Focus Multimedia (1995âÂÂ2012)
Focus Multimedia Limited was founded in October 1995 by family relatives Craig Johnson and Lawrence Reeves, operating out of Rugeley, England . 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 . The company sold its products through major high street retailers globally .
Bundle Stars and Rebranding (2012âÂÂ2017)
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 Stars . The platform quickly gained recognition for curating collections of games and offering them in significantly discounted bundles, primarily for the Steam platform .
On November 1, 2017, Bundle Stars officially rebranded as Fanatical . 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 . At the time of the rebrand, Bundle Stars had sold more than 45 million game keys to over one million customers . The company expanded its team and redesigned its website for faster load times and better search functionality ,. Existing customers' login credentials and previously purchased game keys were seamlessly transferred during the transition .
Acquisition by Fandom (2021)
In February 2021, Focus Multimedia Limited (and Fanatical) was acquired by the San Francisco-based digital media company Fandom, Inc. for an undisclosed sum .
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 . 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 . Fanatical maintained its own brand identity and continued to operate from its UK base .
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 . As of a recent company update, the platform has sold over 145 million game keys to more than 4 million customers worldwide , and has broadened into ebook, graphic novel and software content .
Product Portfolio
The companyâÂÂs inventory includes more than 16,000 officially licensed titles from over 1,800 publishers and developers . Key partnerships include Bethesda Softworks, SEGA , Bandai Namco, Capcom and Konami .
Recent Expansion
In November 2024, Fanatical launched Fantasyverse, a dedicated section for digital comics, graphic novels, manga, and tabletop games, expanding its digital entertainment offerings .
Fanatical is consistently noted as a legitimate and trustworthy source for digital game keys because it exclusively sells keys sourced directly from official partners, thus avoiding the unauthorised "grey market" ,,.
On the independent review platform Trustpilot, the company holds an "Excellent" rating of 4.6 out of 5 stars based on over 81,000 customer reviews .