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JJ Abrams’ Bad Robot Games Raises $40M

New funding will be used to build ‘cross-medium stories and worlds.’

Bad Robot Games, the videogames division of JJ Abrams’ Bad Robot production company has secured over $40 million in a series B raise, to create games ‘that are as compelling to watch as they are to play’.

The funding round was led by Galaxy Interactive, with participation from existing investors Horizons Ventures, ICONIQ Capital and Tencent. The studio will use the new capital to ‘further evolve towards its goal of building cross-medium stories and worlds’

Founded in early 2020, Bad Robot Games‘ first internally developed title will be an original AAA game, created in collaboration with Bad Robot’s film, TV and animation departments, as well as tapping into Bad Robot’s network of artists and creatives. 

Bad Robot achieved early success with augmented reality content, with the release of Action Movie FX, which was released in 2011 and named Apple’s App of The Year in 2012. The app allowed mobile users to drop themselves into an action movie and subject themselves, or loved ones, to monsters, explosions, natural disasters, or effects from several of Abram’s movie releases including Mission Impossible, Star Wars and Star Trek.

The company has already made several key appointments of experienced games industry executives as it builds out its team. In addition to CEO Ann Sweet (Valve, Oculus, Facebook VR), Bad Robot Games also named Michael Booth (Valve) as the General Manager,  Joe Rumsey (Activision Blizzard, Facebook) as Technical Director and Oneil Howell (Oculus, Avalanche) as Senior Level Designer.

Ann Sweet, the CEO of Bad Robot Games, said:

Galaxy, Horizons and ICONIQ Capital comprise a veritable VC Dream Team, and we are grateful to have their continued support as we look to change the way people interact with and view video games. With this funding, we are able to build out both the studio and co-development sides of our operation, and create games that cross platforms, cross mediums and are based on IP originating from both games and linear content. We are very much looking forward to announcing our first titles.

Ann Sweet – CEO of Bad Robot Games

Led by General Partners Sam Englebardt and Richard Kim, Galaxy Interactive invests at the intersection of content and finance, with a particular focus on infrastructure technologies powering the interactive sector, from videogames and social platforms, to marketplaces, blockchain and other ‘Web3’ platforms.

“Bad Robot is one of the most forward-looking and creative companies in the industry” said Englebardt.  “I’ve known Brian (Weinstein, President and COO of Bad Robot) and Anna for many years and the opportunity to join forces with them as they grow their videogame division was something we couldn’t miss. Consistent with Bad Robot’s long history of creative innovation, I’m certain they’re going to develop and bring to market revolutionary titles that will change and advance the way that we visualize, interact with and, more broadly, define games.”

Brian Weinstein, President and COO of Bad Robot said:

In closing this round of financing, we are incredibly grateful for the confidence and faith our financial and strategic partners have showed in all of us and particularly in the leadership team at Bad Robot Games.  Under Anna’s guidance and with a growing, creative and experienced leadership team, we can’t wait to build and release our games. 

Written By

Brian has been working in the games industry since the mid-1990s, when he joined the legendary studio DMA Design, as a writer on the original Grand Theft Auto. Since then he's worked with major publishers, founded his own digital agency, and the Scottish Games Network. At various times he's worked as a journalist, editor, narrative designer, lecturer, executive producer, and director.

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