Venture Capital
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Nex Playground maker secures over $150 million to expand globally
Nex, the company behind the controller-free Nex Playground console, has secured over $150 million in financing to support its global expansion. The active play system has sold over 1 million units and is targeting Europe and Asia. The company also appointed Jeff Shouger as its new CFO.
1312 Interactive raises $1m in seed funding round
1312 Interactive, India's first dedicated PC and console game publishing house, has secured $1 million in seed funding led by T-Accelerate Capital and ChimeraVC. The investment will bolster its publishing infrastructure, expand into emerging markets, and support developers. The company also launched 1312 Playground for community feedback and has several games scheduled for release.
Jobs roundup: September 2026 | Amir Satvat joins 1Up Ventures as a general partner
This article rounds up recent personnel changes in the games industry, including Amir Satvat joining 1Up Ventures, Ilari Kuittinen stepping down from Housemarque, and Tamara Feiman appointed CEO of Lion Studios. It also notes new roles at Sega of America and Activision Blizzard for Call of Duty.
Why China’s Carmakers Are Racing Into Humanoid Robots — Tesla’s Bet, Copied
Chinese automakers, facing declining car profit margins, are heavily investing in humanoid robots, mirroring Tesla's strategy. Xpeng's robotics arm recently secured significant funding, highlighting a broader trend across the sector with companies like BYD and Chery also developing humanoid robots. While hardware manufacturing is a strength for these companies, catching up to Tesla in AI development remains a key challenge.
Godot Engine partner firm W4 Games secures $18m Series B funding, signs deal with Tencent to bolster Asia ecosystem
W4 Games, the commercial partner for the Godot Engine, has secured $18 million in Series B funding, led by Tencent. The company also signed a strategic deal with Tencent to expand the Godot ecosystem in Asia. This funding brings W4 Games' total raised to $33 million and will support international team expansion, particularly in the Asian market.
A year of DOJ scrutiny over a16z board seats — does the rest of venture capital blink?
The U.S. Justice Department has been investigating venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz for nearly a year regarding board seats held at competing AI companies. This probe, which began under the Trump administration, has puzzled industry observers due to the lack of enforcement on similar issues in the past. The article explores potential reasons for the investigation's duration and its implications for the broader venture capital industry's practices.
Starcloud banks another $250M for orbital data centers as launch slots dry up
Starcloud has secured an additional $250 million in funding, bringing its total valuation to $2.3 billion, to accelerate the development of its Starship-launched orbital data centers. CEO Philip Johnston highlighted the critical need to secure launch capacity, particularly with SpaceX's Falcon 9 retiring in 2028 and the Starship program facing timeline uncertainties. The company also received investment from Nvidia, indicating strong interest in Starcloud's unique in-orbit GPU operations.
a16z: AI Has Turned a Non-U.S. Address Into a Startup Advantage
Venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz believes that founders based outside the U.S. now have an advantage in the startup landscape, particularly in the AI sector. This shift is attributed to the global adoption of AI, changing enterprise buying cycles, and the difficulty of recruiting top talent in Silicon Valley. The firm is actively investing in international founders, recognizing that a global presence can be a significant asset.
Makers Fund expands game industry footprint through $250 million investment round
Venture capital firm Makers Fund has successfully closed its fourth investment round, raising $250 million to bring its total assets under management to $1.5 billion. The fund, which focuses on interactive entertainment businesses, plans to use this capital to further expand its investments in the video game and broader interactive entertainment industry, backing companies navigating new user behaviors and distribution models.
Makers Fund raises $250m in fourth round to support interactive entertainment startups
Venture capital firm Makers Fund has raised $250 million in its fourth funding round, bringing its total assets under management to $1.5 billion. The firm will invest in startups focused on games and interactive entertainment, expanding beyond its initial focus to include consumer apps and creation platforms. Makers Fund has a history of successful investments, including Dream Games and FaceIt.
WINGS really, really wants to fund your neat indie video game
WINGS, an investor focused on supporting women and gender-marginalized developers, has rebranded and announced new flexible financing pathways. The organization is soliciting pitches for projects with budgets of $500,000 or less, offering investment options such as white label publishing, self-publishing partnerships, and finishing funds. CEO Astrid Refstrup emphasized that WINGS invests for profit in games with commercial potential, aiming for long-term sustainability and success for developers.
Nvidia halves its OpenAI backstop to $120B as Anthropic’s revenue laughs off the bubble chatter
Nvidia has reduced its financial backstop for OpenAI's AI infrastructure projects from $250 billion to under $120 billion, citing investor concerns about risk exposure. This move comes as Anthropic reports significant revenue growth, doubling its quarterly earnings and projecting substantial future revenue, creating a divergence between supplier caution and customer growth narratives.
How Equity-Backed Loans for Founders Actually Work
Equity-backed loans allow founders to borrow against their private company stock without selling it, providing a way to access cash without immediate tax implications or diluting ownership. However, these loans come with high interest rates, fees, and low loan-to-value ratios, meaning founders only receive a fraction of their equity's worth. While they solve short-term liquidity issues, they do not address the underlying risk of concentrated wealth in a single, illiquid asset.
Kepler Interactive acquires stake in indie publisher Oro Interactive from venture capital firm
Kepler Interactive has acquired a stake in Belgian indie publisher Oro Interactive from venture capital firm ForsVC. This marks ForsVC's first exit, yielding a significant return on investment in under two years. Oro Interactive will continue to operate independently with Kepler as its primary investor.
Griffin Gaming Partners invests in TinyBuild
Venture capital firm Griffin Gaming Partners has acquired a 3.24% equity stake in the developer and publisher TinyBuild. The investment highlights TinyBuild's focus on building its own intellectual property and sustainable franchises. TinyBuild's share price increased by 5% following the announcement.
"I literally built an investment firm that wouldn't have funded my own pitch" – Why the money isn't reaching the games that need it
A workshop at the Madeira Games Summit revealed a significant gap between game developers and investors, leading to funding being concentrated on established companies and risk-averse projects. Participants, including former PlayStation executive Adam Boyes, found that when tasked with designing investment funds, they prioritized tools and infrastructure over traditional game content. The core issue identified is a difference in mindset and communication, with developers needing to articulate financial returns more effectively to secure investment for original games.
VC fund VGames launches new $10m Indie Fund
Venture capital firm VGames has launched a new $10 million Indie Fund to provide project financing for premium PC and console titles. The fund will offer revenue share deals instead of equity, aiming to support commercially ambitious games that do not rely on free-to-play monetization. VGames plans to back 10 to 20 studios with investments ranging from $500,000 to $1 million, while allowing developers to retain IP rights and creative control.
Tencent, Xbox, Game Angels, Ansible and Flick to speak on Game Republic New Horizons investor stage
The Game Republic New Horizons conference will feature speakers from Tencent, Xbox, The Game Angels, Ansible, and Flick Games on its investor stage. The event, co-hosted by Games London, aims to connect game studios with investors and funders. Separately, Micron CEO Sanjay Mehrotra discussed the ongoing global chip shortage, predicting gradual improvement in 2028 due to increased demand from data centers powering AI.
Why new investment house Denmu has $50m to give to "auteur" developers
Denmu, a new investment firm founded by Ryan You and Michael Fan, has launched with $50 million to support "auteur" developers, prioritizing creative vision over traditional publisher advances. The firm aims to provide flexible capital solutions and leverage its East-West network to help games reach global audiences. Denmu has already invested in titles like The Hundred Line: The Last Defense Academy and is looking to back unique projects from both Asian and Western studios.
Nexon Announces Public-Private Partnership for Cultivating Next-Generation Game Development in Korea
Nexon, in partnership with Kona Venture Partners and Korea's Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, has established a public-private fund committing ₩250 billion over five years to cultivate early-stage game development studios in Korea. The initiative aims to address a funding contraction in the market and support the creation of next-generation games and globally scalable intellectual property, particularly leveraging emerging technologies like AI.