financial backing Archives

AppWizard

March 16, 2025

Wyrdsong, the RPG from ex-Bethesda talent, isn’t dead—but it’s no longer an open world: ‘We’re down to a skeleton crew’

Wyrdsong, an open-world RPG developed by Something Wicked Games, was announced at Gamescom three years ago and is set in a warped medieval Portugal with mythological references. The studio, founded by veterans of titles like Skyrim and Fallout, received a million seed investment from NetEase in 2022, but this funding has been insufficient for the project's ambitions. Co-founder Jeff Gardiner mentioned that the team is adapting by adding a rogue-lite element to the game, which required repurposing existing assets. The studio has faced challenges, including layoffs and the departure of key team members, leaving them with a "skeleton crew." Gardiner is actively seeking investment or publishing offers, expressing hope for a breakthrough this year. The gaming industry is experiencing a downturn, with increased competition for funding and player attention, leading to a cautious purchasing approach among consumers. Gardiner noted that the success of established titles can hinder new projects, as players tend to stick with familiar games. Despite these challenges, Gardiner remains committed to realizing Wyrdsong.

AppWizard

December 20, 2024

Moon Beast Productions lands $4.5m in seed funding

Moon Beast Productions has secured million in seed funding, led by 1AM Gaming with participation from 1UP Ventures, The Mini Fund, Overwolf, Versus Ventures, and various angel investors. The funds will be used to develop a new action RPG title. The studio was founded in March 2022 by Peter Hu and Phil Shenk, who were involved in the creation of Diablo 2. Erich Schaefer, another co-creator of Diablo 2, joined as chief creative officer in 2023.

AppWizard

December 16, 2024

Polish studio Dark Passenger lands $3m funding

Polish game developer Dark Passenger has secured funding for its inaugural project, a third-person multiplayer stealth action game set in feudal Japan. The investment was led by The Games Fund, with participation from Blite Fund. CEO Jakub Ben highlighted the transformative impact of this funding on team expansion and project development. Ilia Eremeev, co-founder of The Games Fund, noted a market gap for bold gaming experiences and praised the quality of Dark Passenger's early work.

AppWizard

November 27, 2024

Even if Avowed does well, it doesn’t sound like we’ll get Pillars of Eternity 3, at least not from Josh Sawyer: ‘I am more interested in doing original IP’

Pillars of Eternity 2: Deadfire was inspired by the Infinity Engine games and explored themes like colonialism through a pirate adventure but did not perform well commercially, disappointing game director Josh Sawyer. He reflected on the crowdfunding model that influenced Obsidian's cautious approach. Sawyer mentioned his advisory role in Avowed, contributing some writing and system design. Despite the lack of success for Pillars 2, the idea of a Pillars 3 persists, but Sawyer's enthusiasm has waned, suggesting that the Pillars universe may evolve into Avowed. He also expressed interest in creating original intellectual properties rather than revisiting established ones.

Winsage

October 5, 2024

Get ready to meet your AI best friend

The latest version of Microsoft Copilot features a warmer, more approachable interface, reflecting Microsoft's goal to redefine AI as more than just a productivity tool. The concept of "agentic" AI, which can interact with apps and devices on behalf of users, is gaining interest, although many implementations still feel incomplete. OpenAI has secured .6 billion in funding and must now demonstrate effective investment strategies. A group of students has integrated facial recognition technology into smart glasses, and Sonos is attempting a comeback after app-related issues. The future of WordPress is uncertain, and the lightning round included farewells to cohost Alex Cranz, discussions on the Dish and DirecTV merger, Nintendo's actions against emulators, and Google's new web app for headphone management.

AppWizard

September 5, 2024

Black Myth: Wukong hits 18m sales

Black Myth: Wukong has sold over 18 million units to date, according to Daniel Wu, the largest external shareholder in its developer, Game Science. The game's budget is reported to be significant, with a substantial portion funded by Wu's company, Hero Games. Wu believes the game could exceed 30 million units sold. He noted that Game Science's success is built on overcoming four previous failures and highlighted the game's exceptional narrative and cultural elements. Hero Games acquired a 20 percent stake in Game Science for 60 million yuan in 2017, which has appreciated in value due to the game's success.