Sweden & Estonia-based Crypto Rogue Games raises $1.5M to forge the future of web3 gaming

Umeå-based game studio Crypto Rogue Games has successfully concluded a $1.5 million seed funding round, attracting prominent investors such as Merit Circle and Avalanche. Other participants in the funding round include SNZ, Coinfund, Lyrik Ventures, Devmons, and Bryan Pellegrino, CEO, and co-founder of Layer Zero. Specializing in the creation of web3 gaming experiences, the studio is currently focused on developing Crystals of Naramunz, an action-packed hack ‘n’ slash RPG set in a post-apocalyptic steampunk universe. This infusion of capital is earmarked to expedite the game’s development and establish the studio as a leader in blockchain technology within the gaming industry.

Crypto Rogue Games is a game studio founded in 2021, with offices in Umeå, Sweden and Tallinn, Estonia and focuses on developing innovative web3 gaming experiences. The team, which includes industry veterans with experience from award-winning titles like Path of Exile, Stellaris, and Pillars of Eternity, is dedicated to pushing the boundaries of gaming technology. Their upcoming game, Crystals of Naramunz, is a hack ‘n’ slash action RPG set in a captivating post-apocalyptic steampunk world. The studio’s mission is to pioneer the use of blockchain technology in gaming, offering players a seamless and immersive gaming experience while ensuring true ownership of in-game assets.

“For a small studio in Umeå, Northern Sweden, it’s a monumental boost to have these international VCs on our cap table. They bring a wealth of knowledge and a strong global network benefitting our studio moving forward. Even more importantly they share our vision for how web3 should be used in games. This vision is coming to life in our upcoming hack ‘n’ slash ARPG Crystals of Naramunz which will be showcased at GDC this year.”

Crystals of Naramunz (CoN) is an upcoming free-to-play hack ‘n’ slash loot-driven action RPG set in a post-apocalyptic steampunk world centuries after a global disaster known as “The Nexus.” Players take on the role of different heroes and explore a world filled with ruins, dungeons and powerful relics. Inspired by Diablo and Path of Exile, Crystals of Naramunz offers an exciting gaming experience with high replayability due to its deep itemization, power progression, seasonal resets and multiplayer features. Currently in development, the Closed Beta is aimed for June this year.

“At Merit Circle Investments, we live and breathe quality game play. Crystals of Naramunz scored very high in our internal extensive playtests. The founders’ extensive experience in the realm of action role-playing games, coupled with their skills in crafting captivating gaming economies, perfectly matches the best use cases of blockchain gaming. We’re thrilled to be part of their adventure and can’t wait to see them reach millions of players!” states Steven Bryson-Haynes, Head of Investment & Partnership Merit Circle.

With a game-first and player-centric approach, Crystals of Naramunz aims for a seamless and frictionless web3 experience that stays true to the player while providing added value, allowing players to craft items that can be traded in an open market, ultimately enabling true ownership of players’ hard-earned loot.

“The Avalanche gaming team partners with projects based on team quality, game design, and vision for web3 gaming. Crypto Rogue Games excels in all three areas. With their A-tier team and expertise (spanning from e-commerce to designing Path of Exile), Crystals of Naramunz promises to redefine web3 ARPGs. Its intuitive gameplay, accessible web3 elements, and engaging core loop make it a standout project. We’re thrilled to support Naramunz in shaping the future of web3 gaming,” says Parker Heath, Avalanche.

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