financial backing Archives

AppWizard

May 29, 2025

Amplitude secures $13.6m in funding

Developer Amplitude Studios has secured €12 million (.6 million) in funding from a Series A round led by Griffin Gaming Partners, which contributed €10 million. The funds will be used for developing projects like Endless Legend 2 and expanding the studio's capabilities. This funding follows Amplitude's management buyout from Sega. Amplitude CEO Romain de Waubert de Genlis emphasized the studio's commitment to its indie identity and creative vision, while Griffin partner Frankie Zhu highlighted the studio's success in creating strategy-based franchises.

AppWizard

May 29, 2025

The Game Informer archive just got upgraded with its entire backlog, so go experience the eye-melting world of ’90s game advertising

Game Informer has made a comeback after its closure last fall, supported by financial backing from Gunzilla. The publication announced a return to print and has made its complete archive of physical issues available online, spanning from 1991 to the present. Users can access the archive by creating an account on the Game Informer website. Editor-in-chief Matt Miller mentioned plans to highlight specific legacy articles in the future.

AppWizard

May 22, 2025

‘Just stick to your guns’: Neil Druckmann isn’t phased by all the hate Intergalactic got, ‘There’s stuff happening with media right now that you just have to ignore’

Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet debuted at The Game Awards, where Naughty Dog showcased the game towards the end of the event. The trailer received mixed reactions, with viewers criticizing it as a "DEI game" and expressing discontent over its "woke" agenda due to the protagonist being a Black woman. Doug Cockle, voice actor for Geralt in The Witcher series, defended diversity in storytelling, while Neil Druckmann, co-president of Naughty Dog, expressed excitement for the game, describing it as having the "deepest gameplay" the studio has produced. The trailer featured a retro spaceship and introduced a new bounty hunter protagonist, with a nod to classic anime.

AppWizard

May 14, 2025

Mobile firm Brightika to invest $3m in PC and console titles

Brightika is investing a substantial amount over the next two years to enter the PC and console gaming market, aiming to support indie game development with financial backing, marketing, and publishing assistance. The company has nearly 200 million installations of its mobile games and plans to replicate this success in the new markets. Discussions are ongoing with various development teams, and some titles may be showcased at the Steam Next Fest from June 9th to 16th. Founder Alexander Rodichev highlights the goal of providing marketing and distribution support to developers in these sectors.

AppWizard

May 14, 2025

Brightika charts $3M expansion into PC and console space

Mobile game publisher Brightika is expanding into PC and console gaming with a commitment of one million dollars to develop new titles. The funding will be allocated over the next 12 to 24 months, focusing on marketing, user acquisition, localization, and community support for indie developers. Brightika plans to offer financial backing, marketing strategies, and operational assistance, including creating demos and trailers for its partners' games. The first PC title from this initiative is Bullet Yeeters, a PvP third-person shooter set to launch in the spring. Brightika will announce the first recipients of its funding during the upcoming Steam Next Fest. Founder Alexander Rodichev highlighted the company's goal to apply its marketing expertise to support developers in the PC and console space.

AppWizard

April 17, 2025

Kingsley: Game Pass helped mitigate risk on new IP Atomfall

Rebellion's new game, Atomfall, has benefited from its inclusion in the Xbox Game Pass subscription service, which helped attract 1.5 million players since its March debut. CEO Jason Kingsley mentioned that Microsoft's financial support reduces risks by guaranteeing a certain level of income. However, he raised concerns about potentially cannibalizing hardcore gamers who might purchase new IPs. Kingsley emphasized the importance of budget management, stating that Rebellion cannot afford to invest large sums like 0 million into a single project and aims to keep budgets appropriate for their games. He acknowledged that larger games, like Assassin's Creed, will sell better but operate on significantly higher budgets.

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.