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Thirdverse announced that it has raised $15 million in capital through a third-party funding round so it can create Web3 and virtual reality games.
Tokyo-based Thirdverse will use the money to bolster its global recruitment of game makers and other professionals. And it will develop new Web3 and VR titles.
MZ Web3 Fund is the lead investor. This latest round brings the total amount of funding raised for Thirdverse to $33 million.
“We are excited to partner with MZ Web3 Fund for the future growth of our team and investments in Web3 and VR,” Thirdverse CEO Hironao Kunimitsu said in a statement. “Following significant growth over the past year and with many projects in development and on the cusp of development, we are proud to be entering a new phase of more accelerated growth for Thirdverse.”
He added: “While this can be a challenging environment to raise funding, we have been quite successful and we are very grateful for the support of our newest investors who have joined this round during this time. I believe it speaks to the excitement of our team and partners about how we will push the boundaries of what we can create on these platforms. I am confident that we will create games that will appeal to many audiences and are critical to the future of this industry.”
Kunimitsu will be a speaker at our online event, GamesBeat Summit: Into the Metaverse 3, February 1-2, 2023.
“Thirdverse’s team has an exceptional pedigree of veteran VR and blockchain gaming professionals that I’ve never seen before, and the company is at an exciting point in its rapid global expansion,” said Yusαku Maezawa, CEO of MZ Web3 Fund, in a statement. “We believe that both the VR and Web3 gaming industries have a bright future ahead and that Thirdverse is uniquely positioned to capitalize on market growth trends and the team’s remarkable experience.”
Thirdverse chief business officer Masaru “Nogi” Ohnogi said in a statement: “We are committed to innovation and pushing the boundaries of VR and Web3 gaming. Our latest projects showcase Altair Breaker, X8 and Captain Tsubasa: Rivals. all our team’s exceptional talent, creativity and desire to drive new experiences in gaming for a global audience.”
Thirdverse’s total investor list includes 8DAO, B Dash Ventures, Double Jump.tokyo, Fenbushi Capital, Flick Shot, Holdem Capital, Kusabi, MZ Web3 fund, OKCoinJapan, Yield Guild Games, and OKX Ventures.
Thirdverse blockchain business
After Sword PTE. LTD. was incorporated in Singapore as a subsidiary with jurisdiction over
blockchain related business in January 2022, the company announced a basic agreement regarding the development and operation of Web3 games in partnership with Drecom Co. in March and later with Blocksmith & Co., a strategic subsidiary of KLab Co., Ltd. in April .
In September, Isao Moriyasu, former CEO and Representative Director of DeNA Co., Ltd
appointed as director of the blockchain business department.
In October, the companies announced a new Web3 game, Captain Tsubasa: Rivals, which is being created in partnership with Blocksmith & Co. Professional football player Yuto Nagatomo was appointed as the game’s official ambassador.
The company plans to release more than 10 Web3 games through 2023 and is currently recruiting more game developers to expand the line of development.
VR games from Thirdverse
In August, Thirdverse released the sword-fighting VR title Altair Breaker for Meta Quest 2 and PCVR. In September, a new multiplayer VR tactical hero shooter title called X8 was unveiled at the Tokyo Game Show. It is being developed by the American studio of Thirdverse.
Finally, it was announced in November that both titles will be part of the lineup for Sony’s PlayStationVR2, debuting in February 2023. In the near future, the company plans to strengthen the recruitment of VR game creators for the development of new titles, slated for release in 2023 and beyond. The company has a total of 120 employees.
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