Investors Back Blockchain-Gaming Startup Led by FarmVille Co-Creator
A blockchain-gaming startup led by Amitt Mahajan, co-creator of FarmVille, has raised $33 million in a seed round. The funding was contributed by prominent investors including a16z crypto, Anchorage Digital, and Naval Ravikant. Greenoaks and a16z co-led the round, while other participants included Balaji Srinivasan, Justin Kan, Emmett Shear, Mercury, Firebase, Zynga, and Alchemy.
The startup, called Proof of Play, aims to develop accessible and enjoyable blockchain games. Its first title, Pirate Nation, is a social role-playing game that entered beta testing in December. Mahajan expressed his motivation for creating these games after witnessing the passion and investment players put into FarmVille before its shutdown in 2020.
FarmVille is Facebook’s most popular game of all time, with over 300 million players. Mahajan’s experience as an executive at Zynga and his previous venture Toro (acquired by Google) have provided him with valuable insights into the gaming industry.
Searching for Pirate Gold in Pirate Nation
Pirate Nation is a free-to-play game where players embark on quests to find digital tokens called PGLD (Pirate Gold). The game was developed by industry veterans from companies like Epic Games, Zynga, EA, Riot Games, Activision, Google, Facebook, Disney, and Warner Brothers.
Hot Take: Blockchain Gaming Startup Secures Funding from Prominent Investors
A blockchain-gaming startup led by FarmVille co-creator Amitt Mahajan has successfully raised $33 million in a seed round. This funding round attracted notable investors such as a16z crypto, Anchorage Digital, and Naval Ravikant. The startup, Proof of Play, aims to create accessible and entertaining blockchain games, with its first title, Pirate Nation, already in beta testing. Mahajan’s experience in the gaming industry, including his involvement with FarmVille and Zynga, has given him valuable insights into creating engaging games. With the support of prominent investors and a team of industry veterans, Proof of Play is poised to make a significant impact in the blockchain gaming space.