The investment aims to support Roar Games in developing its debut title, “Tenet of the Spark,” which will bring its distinctive art style and third-person action gameplay to PC and console platforms. “Tenet of the Spark” narrates the journey of a courageous young boxer endowed with an extraordinary ability to perceive the world through the powers of his ancestors, aiding him in confronting the criminal underworld.
At the core of the game lies a unique world-switching mechanic enabling players to seamlessly transition between immersive settings inspired by Ancient South American and Viking civilizations. Each environment presents striking visuals and sounds, significantly altering the dynamics of melee combat and NPC behavior.
Established in 2023, Roar Games originates from the founders of ZHEESHEE, a renowned CGI production studio with a history of collaborations with prominent entities like My.Games, Nexters, PUBG, and Dota 2. The company boasts a 30-strong global team, with a major hub in Tbilisi, Georgia, and additional bases across Europe and Asia.
The inception of “Tenet of the Spark” stems from a short animated movie, “The Spark,” crafted by the ZHEESHEE team, which garnered significant attention online. This was followed by the release of a gameplay concept in March 2023, accumulating tens of millions of views across various social media platforms.
Artem Shcherbakov, Founder and CEO of ROAR Games, said:
“I’m delighted to welcome The Games fund as our first investor. We were impressed by their human approach and willingness to buy into our team’s vision for an experience and an IP which can transcend the boundaries of gaming. ‘Tenet of the Spark’ has already captured the imagination of millions of potential players around the world and the community’s reaction made us realize that a vibrant, energetic story could get a new life in the form of a game.”
Ilya Karpinskiy, Co-Founder and General Partner of The Games Fund, said:
“ROAR Games is a natural fit for our approach of investing in people and content which can shape the future of gaming, even if they don’t have a traditional gaming background. With their animation skills, it’s clear the team can create striking visuals, but we were also able to get a feel for the crunching multi-civilization melee combat that will make ‘Tenet of the Spark’ a truly memorable experience. In a world of live service giants, there’s a clear opportunity for beautifully crafted AA experiences which push the creative envelope to build new cross-media IPs.”
The Games Fund’s inaugural fund, totaling $50 million, aims to support gaming companies and founders from emerging markets in Central and Eastern Europe, including Obelisk Studio, KEK Entertainment, Jarvi Games, and Red Rover Interactive.
