Singularity 6, the start-up founded by ex-Riot Games developers that’s aiming to create a community-oriented game where players “can feel like they are valued and belong,” closed $16.5 million in Series A financing.
The funding round was led by venture-capital firm Andreessen Horowitz, with participation from seed investor London Venture Partners (LVP), which previously put $2.5 million into the L.A.-based start-up, and FunPlus Ventures, the investment arm of Chinese mobile games company FunPlus.
Singularity 6 was founded in 2018 by Aidan Karabaich and Anthony Leung, former leads at Riot Games, the company behind “League of Legends.” The company hasn’t spelled out exactly what it’s working on but says its first game will be a community-simulation environment that emphasizes multiplayer and virtual community building in a “stylized, high-fantasy world.”
Karabaich told Variety last fall that the Singularity 6 simulation is influenced by games including “Animal Crossing,” “Stardew Valley” and “The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild.”
“We started Singularity 6 because we knew that games are significant on a personal level, they are more than mere entertainment, but rather a path to community, friendships and a real sense of belonging,” Leung, who serves as Singularity 6’s CEO, said in a statement.
With the funding, Andrew Chen, general partner at Andreessen Horowitz, is joining the start-up’s board. “The Singularity 6 team is revolutionizing the way that people experience community and socialize within game experiences,” Chen said.
Pictured above: Singularity 6’s Anthony Leung (l.) and Aidan Karabaich