Venture Capital
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Smed’s MMOFPS Reaper Actual is still alive and just hauled a fresh pile of venture capital cash
Distinct Possibility Studios announced that its MMOFPS title, Reaper Actual, has secured a new round of venture capital funding led by Decasonic. The company plans to launch the game on Steam Early Access in May. Gaming industry veterans Bing Gordon and Paul Hsu have also joined the company's Board of Directors.
Anthropic aims for $900 billion valuation in upcoming investor funding round
Artificial intelligence firm Anthropic is reportedly aiming to raise new funding at a valuation of approximately $900 billion. This significant valuation reflects the company's ambitions in the rapidly growing AI sector.
Why publishers and investors are increasingly backing user-generated games over conventional ones
Investment in user-generated content (UGC) games, particularly on platforms like Roblox, is rapidly increasing, attracting venture capital and publishers who are shifting focus from traditional PC and console titles. Investment firm Double Black Capital notes that while major publishers are still observing, mid-market companies are actively acquiring UGC developers and games due to their high profitability and rapid deal cycles compared to conventional gaming acquisitions. This trend is also extending to platforms like Minecraft, with investors drawn to the potential for significant returns on investment with lower operating costs.
Google plans to invest even more money into Anthropic
Google plans to invest up to $40 billion in AI startup Anthropic, with $10 billion committed now and an additional $30 billion contingent on performance milestones. This follows Anthropic's recent agreements with Google and Broadcom for TPU capacity, and a similar $5 billion investment from Amazon. The deals highlight a pattern of significant investment and hardware commitments within the competitive AI industry.
'I know a bubble when I see one': US senator's grave warning about the AI industry
US Senator Elizabeth Warren has issued a stark warning about the artificial intelligence industry, likening it to a bubble four times the size of the 2008 housing crisis. She argues that AI companies' revenues are not keeping pace with massive investments and debt, posing a significant risk to the financial sector. Warren calls for restored financial regulations and increased taxation on big tech to mitigate potential economic instability.
Firstpoint VC launches with €50m fund to invest in AI-driven games and entertainment startups
Firstpoint VC has launched with a €50 million fund dedicated to investing in AI-driven gaming and entertainment startups, focusing on emerging markets in Türkiye, Eastern Europe, Southeast Asia, and Central Asia. The firm is led by general partners Burak Yılmaz and Mike Fischer, who bring extensive experience from companies like Square Enix, Epic Games, Amazon, and Microsoft. Firstpoint aims to identify and support early-stage companies that integrate AI at the core of their product development and growth strategies.
Playruo raises €2.1 million to become the leading platform for testing and sharing video games via streaming
Playruo, a cloud gaming solution for video game studios and publishers, has secured €2.1 million in funding led by Kameha Ventures and Blast Club. This investment will accelerate the commercialization of its services, which include instant game playtests, QA, press previews, and playable demos accessible via streaming. The company also announced a strategic partnership with PulluP Entertainment to streamline testing phases for titles published by Focus Entertainment and Dotemu.
"You cannot think of game development without thinking about AI" – Ex-NCSoft president Songyee Yoon on investing in the AI future
Former NCSoft president Songyee Yoon, now founder of Principal Venture Partners, discusses the essential role of AI in modern game development, from predicting player churn to generating NPC dialogue. She emphasizes the need for AI-native companies and addresses concerns about an AI bubble, advocating for transparency and respect for human creativity and intellectual property rights in AI's evolution.
Outersloth shares contract terms and game funding lessons
Outersloth, the developer behind Among Us, has shared insights into game funding and contract terms based on its experience investing in 24 projects over four years. The company has committed nearly $20 million to these ventures, offering lessons learned from its investment strategy.
NVIDIA (NVDA) makes 'significant investment' into Mira Murati's Thinking Machines Lab company
NVIDIA is making a significant investment in Mira Murati's company, Thinking Machines Labs. In exchange, Thinking Machines Labs will deploy at least one gigawatt of its Vera Rubin AI systems.
Cheer Games raises $4.5m in pre-seed funding
Cheer Games has successfully raised $4.5 million in pre-seed funding. This investment will likely support the company's development efforts and expansion within the gaming industry.
Cheer Games raises $4.5m in pre-seed funding
Cheer Games, a Barcelona-based mobile game studio founded by former AppLovin leads, has secured $4.5 million in pre-seed funding. The round was led by Makers Fund with participation from Play Ventures and will be used to accelerate game development and expand the company's Barcelona headquarters.
Turkish mobile developer Vento Games secures $4m in seed round funding
Turkish mobile game developer Vento Games, founded by former executives from Peak Games, Fungo, and Zynga, has secured $4 million in seed funding. The round was led by Makers Fund and Arcadia Gaming Partners and will be used to accelerate the growth of their portfolio of mobile puzzle games and create new titles. CEO Mustafa Dağlı stated the company focuses on creating innovative, family-friendly puzzle games that are mentally stimulating and spark joy.
Tencent's TiMi Studio Group reportedly funded Highguard dev Wildlight Entertainment
Tencent subsidiary TiMi Studio Group reportedly served as the lead financial backer for Wildlight Entertainment, the developer of Highguard. Wildlight, formed in 2023 by former Respawn Entertainment developers, has not publicly commented on the funding details. This news comes after Wildlight recently laid off an unspecified number of employees.
Why Hiro is bullish on UK and EU game dev funding after helping The Chinese Room and Bulkhead go independent
Hiro Capital, through its new advisory division, is bullish on the UK and EU game development funding landscape, seeing a rise in independent studios formed by experienced teams. The firm has already assisted The Chinese Room and Bulkhead Interactive in regaining independence from larger corporations. Factors like regulatory limitations on US investment for Asian companies and the availability of talent exiting larger firms contribute to Europe's attractiveness for game dev investment.
