Play Ventures

Play Ventures is an early-stage gaming venture capital firm founded in 2018, with offices in Singapore. The firm specializes in investing globally in pre-seed, seed, and Series A stage startups within the gaming industry. Play Ventures focuses on opportunities in free-to-play and web3 gaming, along with gaming services startups, positioning itself to support innovative projects that shape the future of gaming.

Harri Manninen

Founding Partner

57 past transactions

Tower Pop

Seed Round in 2023
Tower Pop is a mobile gaming industry that focuses on tower defense. Tower Pop was founded in 2020 and was headquartered in Finland.

99math

Venture Round in 2022
99math OÜ is an Estonian company that has created a learning platform aimed at teaching mathematics through an engaging, eSports-style format. Founded in 2018 and based in Tallinn, the platform hosts global online tournaments for children, where they can participate in real-time math battles. These competitions not only make learning math exciting but also encourage students to improve their skills while competing in a lively environment with live viewers. By integrating gaming elements into mathematics education, 99math aims to foster enthusiasm for the subject among young learners and enhance their academic achievements.

Ring Games

Venture Round in 2022
Ring Games is a blockchain game developer, mainly engaged in the development, design and operation of chain games.

Parallelz

Pre Seed Round in 2022
Parallelz is a technology company that specializes in creating a platform that allows users to instantly create and share innovative versions of popular mobile games. The company focuses on enhancing human creativity and improving the internet experience for all. By developing a unique computing architecture, Parallelz offers a solution that enables developers to easily transform their existing native mobile applications into fully native web applications without requiring modifications or additional software development kits. This approach facilitates new methods for delivering, distributing, and discovering mobile applications, thereby broadening accessibility and engagement in the digital space.

Odeeo

Seed Round in 2022
Odeeo operates an audio advertisement platform designed to enhance the in-game experience for both gamers and brands. The platform enables game studios to incorporate in-game audio ads, providing an additional monetization avenue while maintaining user engagement. By leveraging audio data analysis, Odeeo allows advertisers to gather valuable insights that help target users effectively and improve retention rates. This innovative approach aims to create a user-centric experience that resonates with gamers, ultimately driving higher engagement and response rates for brands.

Ancient8

Seed Round in 2022
Ancient8 is a decentralized autonomous organization focused on creating the infrastructure for GameFi, emphasizing community development and software solutions. As Vietnam's largest blockchain gaming guild, it facilitates access to the Metaverse through various initiatives, including scholarships, blockchain education, and comprehensive research. Ancient8 aims to democratize social and financial opportunities within the Metaverse, striving to educate and empower a new generation of users. By providing tools and resources, the organization enables individuals to engage in play-to-earn video games while earning rewards, fostering a collaborative environment for the growth of blockchain technology and its applications in gaming.

Cypher Games

Pre Seed Round in 2022
Cypher Games is a mobile gaming company that specializes in developing casual and puzzle games for users. The company is focused on creating innovative mobile merge games and aims to lead in this segment of the gaming industry. By collaborating with colleagues, investors, and thought partners, Cypher Games seeks to shape the future of mobile gaming and provide a diverse range of gaming experiences. Its mission is to empower gamers and contribute to a global success story in the mobile gaming landscape.

Azra Games

Seed Round in 2022
Azra Games is a blockchain-based developer of collectable combat role-playing games for core gamers. Azra Games is led by Mark Otero, a world-renowned online strategy game developer whose most recent game generated over $1 billion in sales. Their crew has over 70 years of combined gaming industry expertise. They are now providing the core gaming experience that core gamers desire to Web3. Azra Games is headquartered in Sacramento, United States.

Sizzle

Seed Round in 2022
Sizzle is a new web service that leverages AI to automatically create gaming highlights from Twitch and YouTube videos. For instance, Sizzle can automatically convert a full 20 minute Fortnite gameplay video into a "sizzle", or a 5 minute condensed game, with all of the highlights in chronological order. Today, many of the 700 million gaming fans find 8 hour livestreams on Twitch too much, and a mish-mash of highlights on YouTube too limiting. Sizzle offers a clear third choice: these fans can watch condensed versions of full streams from top streamers such as Ninja or Daequan, getting the full arc of the story. Sizzle is available at www.sizzle.gg.

Blast Royale

Initial Coin Offering in 2022
Blast Royale is a blockchain-based play-to-earn platform that allows players to earn Craft Spice while playing matches. The game uses two tokens, the primary token Blast (BLST) and Craft Spice (CS), the in-game P2E token of the Blast Royale Metaverse. BLST is used for trading NFTs on the Blast Royale marketplace and crafting new NFTs, whereas CS has numerous utility uses, including crafting and repairing equipment. Players earn CS by taking part in Blast Royale matches.

Fractal

Seed Round in 2022
Fractal is a blockchain marketplace platform focused on in-game assets and virtual worlds, allowing users to find, purchase, and sell gaming NFTs. Founded in 2021 and headquartered in Solana, United States, Fractal provides a digital arcade that enhances the gaming experience while enabling developers to transition in-game assets to non-fungible tokens (NFTs). This shift facilitates real ownership for players and introduces new levels of programmability and interoperability within games. Through its platform, Fractal aims to revolutionize how gamers interact with and own digital assets.

Battlebound

Seed Round in 2022
Battlebound is a developer of a multiplayer social platform that utilizes blockchain technology to enhance the creature-collecting genre of video games. The platform allows players to engage in play-to-earn experiences, enabling them to share in the value generated through gameplay. Players can create their own servers, participate in mini-games, and connect with other collectors within a collaborative gaming environment. By fostering community interactions, Battlebound aims to evolve the gaming experience and provide opportunities for players to earn rewards while enjoying their favorite games.

Gamefam

Series A in 2022
Developer of video game platform designed to increase the monetization of games through increased engagement. The company's platform combines the efforts of experienced developers, mobile free-to-play producers, and live ops managers to produce games, enabling the gaming community to have a rich and diverse gaming experience.

C2x

Funding Round in 2022
C2x is a blockchain gaming platform focused on setting a standard within the blockchain game industry. The company offers an end-to-end solution for blockchain games, incorporating elements such as token economics, NFT marketplaces, and digital wallets. C2x aims to provide a stable, fair, and transparent environment for both users and creators, facilitating the continuous advancement of blockchain gaming.

Trailblazer Games

Seed Round in 2022
Trailblazer Games is a Web3-native game studio established by a team of experienced entrepreneurs and gaming industry veterans from prominent companies such as King, EA, and Microsoft. The studio focuses on creating engaging entertainment content through major titles set in a fantasy universe filled with dragons, magic, and mystery. With a strong emphasis on developing large-scale, sustainable free-to-play economies, Trailblazer Games combines its expertise in gameplay design with significant blockchain development experience to deliver fun and meaningful gaming experiences.

Block Tackle

Seed Round in 2022
Block Tackle is a San-Francisco-based studio dedicated to creating the first generation of fun-first blockchain games. It is actively building an engaged community around its debut game, SkateX, in the run-up to its highly anticipated drop of a collection of 3D animated skateboard NFTs.

Potato Play

Seed Round in 2022
Potato Play Pte. Ltd. is a mobile game publisher based in Singapore, established in 2018. The company focuses on transforming mobile games from Asia into global successes through a data-driven approach. Its portfolio includes titles such as Merge Quest, Pocket Racing, and Crossing Gaps, which span various genres including puzzles, action, and racing. The leadership team at Potato Play possesses over 50 years of combined experience in the gaming industry, having worked with notable companies such as Microsoft Game Studios, Ubisoft, and King. This expertise supports the company's mission to deliver engaging and entertaining games to a worldwide audience.

IndiGG

Seed Round in 2022
IndiGG is an NFT based play-to-earn game in the web3 frontier. IndiGG is the India sub-decentralized autonomous organization(subDAO) of YGG.

Burnt

Series A in 2022
Burnt Finance is a decentralized auction protocol to enable fast and seamless auctions for a diverse array of assets. It provides an intuitive interface for minting new assets. These assets can be synthetics, NFTs, and even new digital assets. In less than a few minutes a user can mint a new asset and set up an entirely decentralized auction. Burnt allows users to customize their auctions which allows asset minting and trading to take place in a completely permissionless ecosystem. It is based in Solana Beach, California.

Cosmic Guild

Seed Round in 2021
Cosmic Guild is a community-focused organization dedicated to the play-to-earn gaming sector. It develops online games that blend entertainment with the opportunity for players to earn income. The company provides a gaming platform where users can participate in competitive battle modes and explore various minigames. Additionally, Cosmic Guild manages a collection of NFT game assets from leading cryptocurrency games, which are lent to its members. This structure allows players worldwide to engage in gaming while generating tangible earnings from their activities.

MetaSoccer

Seed Round in 2021
MetaSoccer is an earn-to-play online soccer metaverse.

GuildFi

Seed Round in 2021
GuildFi is a gaming platform that empowers all gamer communities and creates interoperability across the Metaverse.

mod.io

Series A in 2021
mod.io Pty Ltd, founded in 2018 and based in Melbourne, Australia, provides a cross-platform and store-agnostic modding solution for game developers. The company specializes in enabling user-generated content (UGC) through its software development kits (SDK) and comprehensive documentation. Its clientless application programming interface (API) allows developers to efficiently harness player creativity, facilitating the creation and sharing of content and modifications. Additionally, mod.io offers tools for setting up and managing marketplaces for UGC, thereby enhancing the gaming experience and fostering a vibrant community of creators.

Kek Entertainment

Pre Seed Round in 2021
Kek Entertainment makes multiplayer mobile games.

Order of Meta

Seed Round in 2021
Order of Meta is a gaming studio focused on developing free-to-play mobile games, specializing in the mid-core and hardcore genres. The company is comprised of professional game creators who have a track record of multiple successful projects. Order of Meta aims to introduce innovative elements to familiar action genre games, particularly in the shooting category, providing gamers with fresh and exciting experiences. Through its unique approach to game design, the studio seeks to engage players with new metagames that enhance the overall gaming experience.

Alter

Seed Round in 2021
We're committed to making the internet more expressive, and to build a digital identity layer that is accessible to all.

Original Games

Seed Round in 2021
Original Games develops various mobile games with different themes. It works with developers from different countries for engaging games. Original Games was founded in 2019 and is headquartered in Tallinn, Estonia.

Alter

Seed Round in 2021
We're committed to making the internet more expressive, and to build a digital identity layer that is accessible to all.

Mobile Premier League

Series E in 2021
Mobile Premier League is a skill-based eSports platform where users can play their favorite mobile games and win real cash. Its application offers an arcade, sports, and adventure games, that enable game enthusiasts to showcase their talent, win prizes, and enjoy with their friends. Mobile Premier League was established in 2018 and is headquartered in Bengaluru, Karnataka.

Odeeo

Pre Seed Round in 2021
Odeeo operates an audio advertisement platform designed to enhance the in-game experience for both gamers and brands. The platform enables game studios to incorporate in-game audio ads, providing an additional monetization avenue while maintaining user engagement. By leveraging audio data analysis, Odeeo allows advertisers to gather valuable insights that help target users effectively and improve retention rates. This innovative approach aims to create a user-centric experience that resonates with gamers, ultimately driving higher engagement and response rates for brands.

LoupeDeck

Funding Round in 2021
Loupedeck Ltd, established in 2016 and headquartered in Helsinki, Finland, specializes in the design and manufacture of photo and video editing consoles. The company aims to enhance the editing experience for both professional and amateur creators by providing intuitive tools that improve user workflows and ergonomics. Its products allow users to focus on their craft by streamlining the editing process, thus eliminating barriers between vision and execution. Loupedeck markets and sells its consoles through various retailers and distributors worldwide, enabling a broad audience to unlock the full potential of their editing software and create stunning visual content.

Community Gaming

Seed Round in 2021
Community Gaming is an online platform that connects gamers and streamlines the organization of esports competitions. By integrating game data, match automation, and blockchain technology, it simplifies the tournament experience for both organizers and participants. The platform provides tools that enable players to enter competitions, compete, and receive automated payments for their victories, enhancing the overall experience. Additionally, it serves as a comprehensive esports payment infrastructure that offers cryptocurrency rewards for gameplay. With a network comprising thousands of gamers, various venues, and multiple brands, Community Gaming has successfully facilitated over 200 live and online esports events, fostering a vibrant community within the gaming industry.

MondayOFF

Seed Round in 2021
Operator of a mobile gaming company intended to provide audiences with hyper-casual games. The company creates games and offers publishing and partnership deals to developers with game ideas and helps them with year-long expertise in marketing, data analysis, and development, enabling developers to bring their games to the top of the charts.

Deftouch

Seed Round in 2021
Deftouch is a game development company that currently focuses on winning the Cricket gaming market, by providing a billion cricket-mad followers with a platform to engage & interact with their daydreams with a social, Realtime multiplayer game.

Colossi Games

Seed Round in 2021
Colossi Games Ltd, founded in 2020 and based in Limassol, Cyprus, specializes in designing and developing mobile games, particularly in the action role-playing genre. The company was established by a team of industry veterans from notable Russian gaming firms, including Nexters and Game Insight. Colossi Games aims to create genre-defining experiences by integrating socially engaging elements with familiar mechanics to attract a midcore audience. By focusing on action and engaging gameplay, the company seeks to entertain and captivate players through its innovative mobile offerings.

Mobile Premier League

Series D in 2021
Mobile Premier League is a skill-based eSports platform where users can play their favorite mobile games and win real cash. Its application offers an arcade, sports, and adventure games, that enable game enthusiasts to showcase their talent, win prizes, and enjoy with their friends. Mobile Premier League was established in 2018 and is headquartered in Bengaluru, Karnataka.

Savage Game Studios

Seed Round in 2021
Savage Game Studios is a dynamite team with expertise across all operational functions from art to tech and gameplay.

mod.io

Seed Round in 2020
mod.io Pty Ltd, founded in 2018 and based in Melbourne, Australia, provides a cross-platform and store-agnostic modding solution for game developers. The company specializes in enabling user-generated content (UGC) through its software development kits (SDK) and comprehensive documentation. Its clientless application programming interface (API) allows developers to efficiently harness player creativity, facilitating the creation and sharing of content and modifications. Additionally, mod.io offers tools for setting up and managing marketplaces for UGC, thereby enhancing the gaming experience and fostering a vibrant community of creators.

Bigger Games

Seed Round in 2020
Bigger Games is a mobile gaming company that started in 2019 with a passion for creating games that millions of people play every day.

Potato Play

Seed Round in 2020
Potato Play Pte. Ltd. is a mobile game publisher based in Singapore, established in 2018. The company focuses on transforming mobile games from Asia into global successes through a data-driven approach. Its portfolio includes titles such as Merge Quest, Pocket Racing, and Crossing Gaps, which span various genres including puzzles, action, and racing. The leadership team at Potato Play possesses over 50 years of combined experience in the gaming industry, having worked with notable companies such as Microsoft Game Studios, Ubisoft, and King. This expertise supports the company's mission to deliver engaging and entertaining games to a worldwide audience.

Traplight

Venture Round in 2020
Traplight Oy, established in 2010 and located in Tampere, Finland, specializes in developing mobile game communities that emphasize user-generated content. The company focuses on creating free-to-play games that are both accessible and engaging, offering players enjoyable gameplay and a sense of progression. Traplight encourages players to create and share their own games, integrating player-generated levels into the core gaming experience. The company has garnered support from prominent investors and has a team of 28 dedicated professionals working on multiple projects. Their notable title, Big Bang Racing, received recognition as one of the best apps in 2016 on the App Store. Traplight is currently preparing to soft launch its next major game, aiming to provide lasting entertainment that evolves with player preferences.

Bright Star Studios

Pre Seed Round in 2020
Bright Star Studios is a passionate team of Award Winning Venture Founders, former Pro-Players, World Champions, Game Industry Veterans and MMO fanatics carving a new path forward for MMORPGs across PC, Browser, and Mobile through a modern rewrite of the games industry business models in favor of the user, exciting competitive gameplay, and instant playability. Ember Sword is our love-letter to MMORPG gamers across the world. Bright Star Studios was founded in 2018 by Mark Laursen, Joris Huijbregts, Sage Durain, Sune Thorsen and Founding Investor Lars Henriksen & Co-Founder Loren Roosendaal. The studio is working on their flagship title, Ember Sword, a modern rewrite of the games industry business model in favor of the user, and a love letter to MMORPG (Massively Online Role Playing Game) gamers. Ember Sword has the fast-paced combat of aRPGs, combined with the isometric view and skill-based abilities of MOBAs, set in a persistent MMORPG fantasy universe. Nominated as "Best Company to Internship at in 2021" in Denmark Ember Sword: Free2Play Platform-Agnostic MMORPG ✔ Player-driven economy ✔ Classless combat system ✔ Scarce, tradable cosmetics (NFTs) ✔ No Pay2win, LootBoxes or Predatory Monetization ✔ Become a landowner, mold the gameworld ✔ Artist Workshop for community NFTs, create your own dances, hats and skins ✔ AI endures an epic player experience ✔ Proprietary custom built engine ✔ Would you like to know more? www.EmberSword.com www.BrightStar.Studio

Reworks

Venture Round in 2020
Next Generation Mobile Lifestyle Games

unrd

Venture Round in 2020
unrd is creating a new genre of entertainment by combining Hollywood quality plots with mobile storytelling techniques.

Starberry

Seed Round in 2020
StarBerry Games is a mobile game developer and publisher of crafting outstanding games. It aims to craft genre-leading games by combining new with familiar to create unique gameplay experiences for broad audiences. The company was founded in 2017 and is headquartered in Berlin, Germany.

Mainframe

Series A in 2020
Mainframe Industries is a Reykjavik, Iceland and Helsinki, Finland-based startup working on the development of an open world, social sandbox MMO for cloud gaming.The company will will work on an open-world, social sandbox MMO specifically designed for cloud gaming, with cross-platform play across mobile, PC, and TV. Mainframe believes that the promise of friction-free access from social networks and streaming platforms on the device of your choice will greatly expand the creative canvas for game developers.

mod.io

Seed Round in 2020
mod.io Pty Ltd, founded in 2018 and based in Melbourne, Australia, provides a cross-platform and store-agnostic modding solution for game developers. The company specializes in enabling user-generated content (UGC) through its software development kits (SDK) and comprehensive documentation. Its clientless application programming interface (API) allows developers to efficiently harness player creativity, facilitating the creation and sharing of content and modifications. Additionally, mod.io offers tools for setting up and managing marketplaces for UGC, thereby enhancing the gaming experience and fostering a vibrant community of creators.

Potato Play

Pre Seed Round in 2020
Potato Play Pte. Ltd. is a mobile game publisher based in Singapore, established in 2018. The company focuses on transforming mobile games from Asia into global successes through a data-driven approach. Its portfolio includes titles such as Merge Quest, Pocket Racing, and Crossing Gaps, which span various genres including puzzles, action, and racing. The leadership team at Potato Play possesses over 50 years of combined experience in the gaming industry, having worked with notable companies such as Microsoft Game Studios, Ubisoft, and King. This expertise supports the company's mission to deliver engaging and entertaining games to a worldwide audience.

FunCraft

Seed Round in 2020
FunCraft Inc., founded in 2019 and based in San Francisco, California, specializes in developing mobile games aimed at becoming integral parts of players' daily routines. The company focuses on creating engaging casual games that emphasize entertainment, social interaction, and user progression. By offering friendly word games and immersive gaming experiences, FunCraft strives to cultivate a sense of community among players, making their gaming worlds enjoyable and inviting.

Flowstate Games

Seed Round in 2020
Flowstate Games is a mobile game studio based in Helsinki, Finland.

Dataseat

Seed Round in 2020
Dataseat Ltd is a technology company based in London, United Kingdom, founded in 2018. It specializes in software solutions for managing user acquisition and retargeting campaigns. The company offers a custom demand-side platform that enables app developers to buy advertising inventory directly from the source, as well as a data management platform for creating user segments and analytics. By providing these tools, Dataseat empowers brands to gain full control and transparency over their media buying processes, minimizing risks associated with app download and attribution fraud. This approach allows clients to effectively manage their campaigns without the interference of third-party networks, ensuring that their user data is handled securely and efficiently.

Mainframe

Seed Round in 2019
Mainframe Industries is a Reykjavik, Iceland and Helsinki, Finland-based startup working on the development of an open world, social sandbox MMO for cloud gaming.The company will will work on an open-world, social sandbox MMO specifically designed for cloud gaming, with cross-platform play across mobile, PC, and TV. Mainframe believes that the promise of friction-free access from social networks and streaming platforms on the device of your choice will greatly expand the creative canvas for game developers.

Starform

Seed Round in 2019
Starform, Inc. is a Seattle-based company that designs and develops online gaming applications for both computer and mobile platforms. Founded in 2018 by a team of industry veterans, Starform aims to transform the gaming experience by fostering collaboration between small, autonomous teams of skilled game developers and players. This approach allows the company to create high-quality games featuring state-of-the-art graphics and engaging entertainment. By providing developers with the necessary tools and support, Starform enables a partnership-driven model that enhances the way people play games together.

Redhill Games

Venture Round in 2019
Former Remedy CEO Matias Myllyrinne has collaborated with Wargaming and Remedy technical director Mikko Uromo and Wargaming development director Milos Jerabek to form a new Helsinki game studio, Redhill Games.

Reworks

Pre Seed Round in 2019
Next Generation Mobile Lifestyle Games
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