Messenger Gaming
HTML5 and chat app games specialist FRVR secures $3 million investment
CEO Brian Meidell labels chat app platforms "the next paradigm shift" in game distribution and content discovery
Competition
Win a chance to pitch your blockchain game to investors free, $15,000 prize pool
Roadshow Pitching Sessions comes to Blockchain Gamer Connects Helsinki
Augmented Vision
Machine learning-driven AR outfit Octi raises $7.5 million
Eyes up clients in gaming, fitness and fashion industries
Stanga Scores Investment
Underworld Football Manager dev Stanga Games picks up further $500k investment
Studio aims to hire new staff and increase marketing efforts
Branded
Mobile publisher Animoca Brands raises $4.5 million through over-subscribed share placement
The Hong Kong-based publisher also entered a partnership with HTC
Tilted
Tilting Point out to invest $132m in mobile games user acquisition annually
The mobile games publisher is out to solve fundamental challenges in the free-to-play mobile games marketplace
Excellent
Oasis Games heads up $3 million investment in Austrian indie developer Iron Mountain
Beijing publisher set to snag a minority stake in the company along with publishing rights to an unannounced title
Oh Mymy
After early struggles French dev Oh BiBi has its eyes on the big time with $21m investment
Studio set to launch multiplayer shooter FRAG
Playing The End Game
It’s raised another $100 million but where next for Scopely?
Looking for the perfect combination
M&a
Tencent-backed Chinese developer Seasun eyes Western partnerships
JX Online studio set to wrap up US investment
Winner Winner
Report: Tencent set to acquire 10% of PUBG developer Bluehole for $500 million
Sale is not intended to raise capital for Bluehole but instead is a chance for early investors to cash out
Be Careful What You Wish For
The madness and method of Supercell’s M&A philosophy
A double-edged sword
Funding News
Australian developer iCandy receives $1 million investment from esports.com
Blockchain and esports firm to take 19.5 per cent stake in studio
Cash Royale
Supercell invests $5 million in US mobile developer Redemption Games
Deal marks first M&A activity outside of Europe
Nice
Mail.Ru teams up with Unity to invest in games developers
Devs will also receive technological, marketing and analytical support
Investment
Ludia co-founder Marcoux’s VC White Star Capital raises $180m in second fund
The company will use the fund to help start-ups for international
Competitive Investment
Tencent invests in Chinese esports tournament operator VSPN
Company already runs Honour of Kings and Clash Royale competitions
Destined To Be Partners
Destiny developer Bungie could be set for mobile push following $100m investment from NetEase
US studio could be set to explore the mobile games market
Unreal
Interactive Gaming Ventures and Epic Games out to invest in indies using Unreal Engine 4
IGV plan to invest $1 to $5 Million in one to three indie teams per year
Debt Collection
Codemasters plots $20 million mobile games investment following IPO
But most of the money raised will go to paying off debt to current majority shareholder
Investment Magic
Casual mobile games publisher Voodoo raises $200 million
Publisher has more than 150 million monthly active users; plots further growth
Growth Investment
Why Playtika has created a warchest to invest up to $400 million in companies around the world
Playtika Growth Investments MD Eric Rapps discusses the social casino giant's new funding arm
Funded
Nokia phone manufacturer to “aggressively expand” in 2018 after raising $100 million
Round of investment was led by Ginko Ventures
Well Now
Epic puts up $100 million for Fortnite esports tournament prize pools
And that’s just for the first season
Funding News
Riot Games amongst investors in new mobile esports-focused studio Gamelynx
Studio raises $1.2 million
What's Next?
Monster Strike publisher Mixi plots $900m investment in biz dev and M&A over next five years
$100 million earmarked for Monster Strike and new IP development
New Studio
QuizUp creators secure $9m funding for new studio to develop real-time social gaming platform
Teatime Games set to expand team in Iceland
Star Deal
Nordisk Film invests $18 million in Star Stable Online dev
Game has more than 14 million registered users
Witness The Fitness
Animoca Brands nabs investment to create AI-based exercise app
Animoca Brands’ subsidiary OliveX to lead the development
Big Deal
Tencent eyes investment in Playerunknown's Battlegrounds outfit Bluehole
Local media reports investment could equal around $468 million
Big Deal
New mobile ad tech firm WeQ secures $50 million to challenge Facebook and Google ‘duopoly’
Claims exclusive global publishing network and machine learning can support UA campaigns
Heading East
Tencent backs Fortnite China release with $15 million investment
Chinese publisher plans esports push
Head Of The Pack
Tencent leads the way in $22 billion spent on games deals in last 12 months
The internet giant participated in over $4 of every $10 invested in games companies and was involved in over three-quarters of all games M&A
Funding Round
Mobile ad tech firm AppOnboard secures $15 million investment
Total funding raised to date stands at $20 million
Investment News
New VC fund Altered Ventures plots $36 million investment focusing on emerging markets
Fund works by revenue share, rather than equity stake
Joining The Band
Publishing giant Netmarble picks up stake in K-pop label Big Hit Entertainment for $190m
Becomes the second largest shareholder
Money Pot
Makers Fund raises $200 million to invest in interactive entertainment industry
Group has already invested in Bossa, SuperData, TinyBuild, Genvid and more
Group Up
China’s Shanda Games invests $9.4 million in Kakao Games
Kakao Games received a $131.6 million investment from multiple investors in February
Raw Funds
Multiplay founder invests $125,000 into indie publisher Raw Fury
"Thanks for the money, dude"
Crypto Korea
South Korean cryptocurrency operator Dunamu to invest $93 million in blockchain technology
Dunamu to spread investment over three years
Capital Investment
Mayor of London pledges $1.7 million to Games London
Funding helps programme support local industry
Moving Day
Outsourcing specialist Virtuos eyes acquisitions after raising $15 million
The development studio also hopes to double in size over the next three years
Blast Off
Blast closes $5 million round to let gamers earn money while they play
Start-up wants to improve engagement and retention for developers while letting players make real money
Money Stream
Tencent pumps $632 million into Chinese online games streaming platform Douyu
Follows $462 million funding in rival Huya
Big Deal
Chinese games livestreaming service Huya picks up $462 million funding from Tencent ahead of IPO
Tencent has rights to up stake to controlling 50.1 per cent of shares
Funding Round
Mobile developer Kixeye raises $20 million for machine learning platform
Tech to help studios optimise marketing, monetisation and retention
Another Way
Alternative Android game store Flexion raises $10 million prior to 2018 IPO
Levelling up
Investment News
HQ Trivia dev scoops up $15 million funding round
Company valued at $100 million
Magic Money Tree
Mixed reality start-up Magic Leap scores another $461 million investment
Total investment to date reaches $2.3 billion
Competitive Gaming
Vision Esports raises $38 million to power competitive gaming investment
Plans to fund more companies in the space