Griffin Gaming Partners (Griffin), one of the world’s leading venture funds focused exclusively on gaming with $1.5 billion under management*, has revealed a new initiative that unlocks millions in potential funding for promising indie games.
The Special Opportunities Fund aims to provide a new model for venture capital investment in gaming, focusing on project-based financing with simple terms, in which funding is provided in exchange for a share of a game’s revenue.
This contrasts with commonly used equity-based investments and seeks to offer a better way of getting capital into the hands of indie studios, many of which are not equipped for or interested in traditional equity-based investment.
In recent years, the success of indie developers in achieving breakout hits with comparatively modest budgets has made clear both the need for and the opportunity in fair funding solutions for small studios. By combining industry-leading expertise and $100 million in funding, the Special Opportunities Fund aims to make substantial changes in the opportunities available to developers.
Tim Bender, CEO of Hooded Horse, also serves as Managing Director of the fund, which has already invested in fifteen titles, including nine announced projects:
- MENACE: Sci-Fi turn-based tactical RPG created by Overhype Studios (Battle Brothers), which has sold over 250,000 copies in less than 3 months (Steam Page | Trailer)
- Begone Beast: Top-down co-op horror game for up to four players, featuring a blend of exploration, combat, and character customization across an array of procedurally generated maps (Steam Page | Trailer)
- Expedition: Into Darkness: Dungeon crawler and extraction game in a dark fantasy setting with co-op gameplay (Steam Page | Trailer)
- Vaunted: Sci-Fi turn-based RPG featuring both singleplayer and co-op game modes, recently announced via the Xbox Partner Preview (Steam Page | Trailer)
- Gilded Destiny: Ambitious hex-based grand strategy title set in the Industrial Age (Steam Page | Trailer)
- Darkwood 2: Top-down survival horror sequel to the original best-selling Darkwood (Steam Page | Trailer)
- Kinstrife: High-fidelity medieval RPG set in an authentic open world with physics-based combat (Steam Page | Trailer)
- Highland Keep: Open-world survival craft game set in medieval Scotland, featuring base building, colony management, and real-time action combat (Steam Page | Trailer)
- Hellforged: Extraction/loot-driven bullet-heaven game with a focus on finding epic gear to fight off waves of demons (Steam Page | Trailer)
The SOF is also invested in six unannounced projects:
- A sci-fi grand strategy game based on a popular book and TV franchise
- A God game with physics mechanics
- A Gladiator management simulation
- A dinosaur multiplayer RPG
- A hard sci-fi space ARPG
- A fantasy ARPG with base-building
These projects represent a mix of situations, ranging from self-published games to those signed with a publisher, with several published by Hooded Horse.
Griffin Managing Director and co-founder Nick Tuosto said:
“Indie games represent one of the fastest-growing segments of the interactive entertainment market today. We know developers want a flexible, transparent financing solution, and we’re excited to support their ambitions through the dedicated Special Opportunities Fund. Griffin has been honing its strategy since its formation, and we are proud to bring this new initiative to market with an investment team we believe is uniquely positioned to help exceptional developers realize their full potential.”
Griffin Managing Director and co-founder Peter Levin said:
“We’re very excited for the transmedia potential of this fund. The very essence of these games and the contemplative nature of their development lead to sticky player communities and loyal followings. Having fund advisors such as film and television producer Dylan Clark (producer of The Batman, The Penguin, Miami Vice) and brand stewards such as Russell Binder (Five Nights at Freddy’s, Angry Birds, The Walking Dead, Dead by Daylight) shows we’re serious about unlocking opportunities for these titles outside of gaming.”
CEO of Hooded Horse Tim Bender said:
“The potential of indie game development is incredible. The $100 million this fund makes available to indie studios is going to result in so many more great games being brought to audiences that will love them.”
Griffinʼs investment in the indie game ecosystem extends outside the Special Opportunities Fund as well, with equity investments into a variety of independent studios and the recent acquisition of Playdigious, the premier mobile porting and publishing studio for premium PC indie games.
