For mobile game developers funding is the extra leg up that can kickstart a new studio or developer’s career and can be used for a number of areas, from development, to labour, marketing costs and more.
The recent outbreak of COVID-19 however has brought fundraising amongst investors and developers to an almost standstill. As a result, many upcoming developers and studios have been unable to launch their games and are missing out on potential revenue.
However there are now organisations emerging to meet the dire need from developers to connect with VCs and investors alike.
Opening doors to fast investments
In these trying times, key industry players such as investors and CEOs are banding together to help open doors for investment opportunities. One company hoping to achieve this is Fast Forward Games, an initiative aiming to bring gaming CEOs, angel investors and VCs together to help jumpstart investment opportunities for developers and studios.
The organisation was founded by leading angel investors and experienced executives in gaming, such as: Chris Lee, Ben Holmes, Akin Babayigit, Akira Ushioda, Matteo Vallone, Lior Shiff, Sekip Gokalp, Alvaro Alvarez del Rio among others. Their main goal is to offer their time, expertise, network and experience to help “accelerate the funding process for gaming start-ups.”
The organisation aims to offer their services in three key areas aimed at helping to better facilitate the investment process during the pandemic. The first service is where they provide feedback on a pitch, offer advice on how to present your funding proposition and their input on the best people in the business to speak with. Their second service is fast-track, where they help speed up the process for developers by introducing them to major VCs collaborating with them on this initiative. Finally, concepts can be approved with lightning-fast decisions. Investments are provided through the group and are made quickly and remotely (often within 48 hours of Zoom meeting), so that studios can secure a quick decision and injection of capital.
There’s more than one way to fund your game
Alongside Fast Forward Games, there are other options available for developers looking to secure funding for their next gaming project. Government organisation, grants, crowdfunding as well as angel investors are popular options for studios starting out.
In certain countries, government funds or grants have been established to fund upcoming gaming studios in their latest projects. The UK Games Fund is one example of a government funded group aimed at boosting the UK’s gaming ecosystem by investing in start-up and established studios alike.
Developers and studios can also look to receive funding from the public directly through crowdfunding pages, such as GoFundMe and Kickstarter. Alternatively, sites such as Angel.co give developers and studios the chance to connect with Angel investors to pitch directly.
In a time when nothing seems certain, it’s comforting to know that your gaming pipeline won’t be halted by lack of investment opportunities. Fast Forward Games and other similar organisations are working to help speed up the process of investments and open doors for developers who may not have the connections or resources to launch their game during this unpredictable time. To learn more about Fast Forward Games’ initiative or to launch your next game, contact them at hello@ffwd.games.
