Leeds-based independent games studio and virtual reality developer XR Games has secured 拢5.9 million investment.
The round, led by existing investors act media ventures, Praetura Ventures and Maven, will support XR Games鈥� expansion as it moves to a brand-new studio in the centre of Leeds later this year.聽
It will enable the business to grow its team as it invests in intellectual property, the development of new games and research into VR and augmented reality technologies, following the success of its Zombieland: Headshot Fever launch in 2021.
XR Games initially raised 拢1m in a round led by act media ventures – formerly known as ACT Capital Partners – and subsequently raised 拢1.5m in a round led by Praetura Ventures alongside act media ventures in 2019.聽
XR Games raised a further 拢1.5m in 2021 as part of an investment round led by Maven utilising both Maven managed VCT Funds and NPIF 鈥� Maven Equity Finance, which is part of the Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund, with backing from act media ventures.
In less than a year, XR Games has tripled its headcount to employ more than 85 people and continues to grow. In March, XR Games acquired specialist VR game studio Fierce Kaiju to expand its games portfolio and scale its teams. The expansion of XR Games鈥� team has allowed the company to take on larger projects, and revenues at the business grew tenfold last year.
XR Games works with major partners and internationally-renowned brands, including Sony Pictures VR and Rovio Entertainment, to create games for the rapidly-growing VR and AR market.聽
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Bobby Thandi, XR Games Founder and CEO, said: 鈥淲e are extremely proud of the fantastic work and success the team at XR Games continues to achieve. This latest investment will enable XR Games to continue to bring new innovations to the AR/VR sector over the next few years.聽
鈥淥ur new Leeds studio will allow us to continue to grow our team, and the number of projects we鈥檙e working on. And with the hundreds of applications we are receiving for each job vacancy, it鈥檚 clear there鈥檚 a growing appetite for this space. We鈥檒l continue to push XR Games to the forefront of the new virtual reality revolution we are seeing in the creative industries.鈥�