MMO house Acclaim hopes that a new multi-million dollar injection organized through David Perry’s GameInvestors will further the free-to-play model.
Venture capital firm Mayfield Fund said that Acclaim’s “disruptiveness” and large userbase were contributing factors in the funding decision.
Acclaim rose from its ashes in 2006 under the watch of new CEO Howard Marks, who was co-founder of Activision. Instead of focusing on typical packaged products, Marks’ new Acclaim would bring Asian MMOs to the West utilizing an ad- and micropayment-supported model that allows players to download and play games for free.
GameInvestor CEO Perry, who in a former life founded Earthworm Jim developer Shiny, is expectedly pleased with his startup’s first multi-million dollar deal. “Analysts have been calling us from around the world, very focused on this sector of the market,” he said in a statement. “Acclaim was perfectly positioned in the game space, being entirely focused online, delivering micro-transactions, pre-paid cards, digital distribution, massive audiences, in-game advertising, user-generated content, and with a portfolio of games for both casual and core demographics."Aside from helping Acclaim nab significant funding, Perry is also working with Acclaim on games such as the innovative "Top Secret" MMO, which is being built by the game development community (amateurs, pros, students, indies, etc.) rather than a traditional studio staff.
(Acclaim’s 9Dragons pictured.)
Acclaim Nabs Multi-Million Investment : Next Generation
