It’s no question that the foundation behind how well video games can be developed relies on how well the production is funded. As the 2022 year begins, there have already been some amazing buyouts and fundings already, such as Microsoft purchasing Activision | Blizzard, Tencent partnering with BLACKTAIL developers, and Lucas Games teaming up with Respawn and Bit Reactor for some new Star Wars titles. Now, we have a few more funded teams.

Social First

A new Finnish game studio called Social First has received pre-seed funding from Play Ventures with a value of $2.5 million. With it, they aim to create highly social multiplayer games that can be enjoyed for decades. The Social First team is formed of games industry veterans, with a combined 100+ years of experience in the industry with dozens of titles shipped. Most of the team have worked together on previous projects, with successes at studios such as Kukouri, Paradox Interactive, Nitro Games, Ubisoft, and Housemarque.

The team is well versed in developing and managing cross-platform social MMOs - Creating games that encourage meaningful interaction and connection between the players and has first-hand experience in how to foster long-term retention and virality through game design, community management, and marketing. Social First has ambitious plans to grow fast in the coming years and deliver titles that will create lasting and meaningful social experiences to fans of multiplayer games.

Exit Plan Games

The small indie team from Poland, Exit Plan Games, has announced that Tencent has joined an investment round backing the studio and its upcoming title, Bang-On Balls: Chronicles. Tencent isn’t their only investor, however. This successful third funding round also includes SISU Game Ventures, Smok VC, One Two Play, and Venture Inc., which has confirmed the studio's financial stability over the next several years.

While their game is out now on Steam’s Early Access, it still has plenty of progress to be made ahead of it. With this studio, fun is what they want to deliver through new video games with fresh concepts designed to be easy to pick up and play – games they would like to play themselves.