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Revolving Games has raised $13.2 million in additional capital to create a three-block blockchain game. The team is led by three Pakistani veterans (and siblings) Saad, Ammar and Shayan Zaim. Among its advisors is Dan Houser, co-founder of Rockstar Games.
Overall, the company has raised $25 million in the past two and a half years. Funding was provided by Pantera Capital, Animoca Brands, Polygon, Houser, Dapper Labs, Permin’s Capital Partners, Kenetic, Sarmayacar and DWeb3 Capital.
It’s another sign of the tug of war between game developers and how the industry is leaning toward something shiny new. It uses blockchain technology to authenticate unique digital items, establish player ownership, and enable players to earn money in decentralized games. Of course, some hardcore gamers may be horrified to learn that Houser, one of the makers of blockbuster movies like Grand Theft Auto V, is endorsing blockchain gaming companies. But Hauser is among a sea of veterans on the same path.
Saad met Hauser’s leader a few years ago and began exploring ideas together. But they ended up doing different types of jobs. So Hauser became a consultant (and an investor) instead.
“Dan is an industry legend,” said Saad Zaim.
The brothers say FOMO is starting to happen on Web3, especially after Apple changed its privacy policy and removed a lot of targeted ads in mobile games.
“We were founded in the era of Web2,” Saad Zaim, co-CEO of Revolving Games, said in an interview with GamesBeat. “We were a mobile game company [first]But we made a change late last year when we realized Web3 was where we needed to be. “
Carousel will leverage capital over the next two years to develop fully scalable and decentralized gaming experiences for both its globally recognized franchise and proprietary intellectual property. The company has already created publishing tools and other technologies that allow Web3 games to run faster and more efficiently.
“We believe carousel has a bright future and are happy to support it,” Animoca Brands co-founder Yat Siu said in a statement.
The leader brothers have been in gaming for decades and saw a compelling opportunity to focus on blockchain gaming.
Revolving Games was first launched in 2020 as a free mobile game company. It currently consists of two studios and a team of 105 people working on blockchain games in North America, Europe and Asia. Its first game, previously published on the Galaverse in June 2022, is a blockchain game inspired by Battlestar Galactica in partnership with Gala Games and NBCUniversal.
This team includes a large group of about 60 people in Pakistan.
“One of the advantages we have is having a global team that takes away some of our costs and helps us become a more efficient organization,” Saad Zaim said. “From an operational point of view, Ammar and I have been running the company for over 15 years. We are in a very good place.”
The Battlestar Galactica-themed blockchain will be a four-way multiplayer online strategy game. Details will be announced in the fourth quarter. The game has been in production for about eight months already.
Skyborne Legacy
Its second game, Skyborne Legacy, is an RPG to explore and trade the social world on the Polygon Network. The company publishes the address itself.
Amar Zaim said in an interview that Skyborne Legacy is a co-op adventure RPG inspired by Nintendo classics like Animal Crossing and The Legend of Zelda.
“While you can think of it as a mix of Zelda and Animal Crossing, Zelda adventure, and Animal Crossing self-expression, this social MMORPG system is hidden in guild player dorms, clergy-run towns, crafting, raids, etc. till then. Amal leader said. “The whole Web3 concept works really well. [from Web3] to Web2. “
The team consists of seasoned game designers who have worked on great games like Star Trek Timelines, Warhammer, Kim Kardashian Hollywood, Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery, Shop Heroes, Zooba and Castle Age.
“Our vision is clear: build quality 3D games that stand out among the best releases on major gaming forums like Gamescom and E3,” said Saad Zaim. “As the world transitions from a developer-owned to a player-owned ecosystem, Revolving Games will continue to be at the forefront of this evolution, releasing titles that rival the best in the traditional video game industry. We are building the future out of games and play.”
The game will be officially announced on October 4, with teasers, roadmaps, technical papers, and more details about the game to be revealed during live game demos and the first AMA. The company uses Polygon blockchain technology to create games.
“Web3 Gaming is one of the most innovative and fastest growing areas of the cryptocurrency industry, and we are proud to be a pioneer in this digital revolution,” Paul, general partner at Pantera Capital, said in a statement. “Since 2013, we have been looking for new thematic ideas and innovative projects that disrupt traditional thinking and become an integral part of the global blockchain ecosystem. Carousel games are definitely the norm. suitable for her.”
“Revolving Games’ mission to create engaging and lasting Web3 experiences responds well to Polygon’s gaming DNA,” Urvit Goel, Polygon’s global game business development head, said in a statement. In line with our mission to empower gamers to truly own their assets and data, we support the studio’s long-term vision and goals and take another step toward a more inclusive and diverse future. I am excited about this opportunity to help advance. “
Revolving Games wants to build fun and lasting games first and foremost, and is surrounded by strategic investors who advise on everything from game development to marketing to brand partnerships to create truly immersive experiences.
Ammar Zaim says: “With this support and funding, we will be able to power our technology and create a more scalable, fully decentralized, and gaming-centric future.”
The team consists of industry veterans who have created several commercially and critically successful social games that have collectively generated more than $2.6 billion in lifetime revenue.
“These are strategic investors to help us get to where we want to go as long as the games journey continues,” Saad Zaim said.
“Our goal is to rethink how we design games for Web 3,” Saad Zaim said. “We want to be one of the companies that defines what it really means to be in this day and age and what it means to own player.”
“It’s more like a limited edition than just putting in that much money and withdrawing that amount. This is something we’re not really into. Our goal is to provide you with great gameplay that is owned by you.”
Saad Zaim said it’s like having a game that runs out of five generals and wants to sell it to someone who doesn’t own it.
For the winter and NFT slump, Saad Zaim said the team closed its tours in the spring, allowing it to raise money to help it get through tough times. By the time the company ships the game, the economic environment may be different.
Regarding hardcore gamers who hate blockchain technology, Saad Zaim said: They are very angry about it. Some developers say we will stop. We didn’t encounter any of that. The reason is that we can have individual discussions about what a blockchain gaming company means to society at large. “
He said that playing games for fun and making money from them should not be separate paths.
“I don’t think any game released in the last year or more has the level of blockchain that we saw in Clash of Clans or Game of War. And free play is also a really bad rap if you remember a lot of 2008 naysayers would say that free play never really worked, but it really evolved, right? “
He likened the ability to sell in-game blockchain items to being able to sell your used game to GameStop so you can buy another one. The company also plans to make it easier for players to join cryptocurrency wallets and other technologies.
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