Studio369, the developer behind the blockchain-integrated multiplayer shooter MetalCore, has closed a $5 million funding round led by BITKRAFT Ventures, Delphi Digital, and Sanctor Capital, with backing from a range of additional investors.
"We are excited to see that some of the most prominent companies and influencers in gaming continue to share and support our vision of MetalCore," said Studio369 CEO Matt Candler. "The additional funding will help us hone and sharpen MetalCore even further to deliver the most fun, engaging, and awesome experience."
New $5M investment round
MetalCore is an NFT-integrated, open-world mechanized combat game set in a sci-fi universe. Players compete for economic and military dominance on foot or piloting futuristic vehicles, including towering mechs. The game combines real-time armored combat with tactical aerial and ground warfare, plus empire-building mechanics.
The round also drew participation from SpartanGroup, King River Digital Assets, Arrington Capital, Amber, Auros, Zeneca, Grail, Spirit Dao, LiquidX, Aggero, FatCats, Sonic Boom Ventures, Rarestone, Cypher Capital, Cogitant Ventures, EllioTrades, and Citizen Capital.
Studio369 plans to direct the new capital toward continued development, including a dynamic mission system powered by artificial intelligence (AI) that generates unique assignments and objectives. The system aims to deliver infinite replayability through constantly shifting scenarios.
Partnership with Immutable
Studio369 is working closely with Immutable (IMX). MetalCore will launch on Immutable's zkEVM mainnet, positioning it among the first games on that infrastructure. The open beta is scheduled for spring 2024, giving players an extended window to explore the game's evolving world.
MetalCore was built by industry veterans with over a decade of experience at Activision, Lucasfilm, Midway, and Phosphor. Their credits include MechWarrior 2, Gears of War, Mortal Kombat, Silent Hill, Killer Instinct, Front Mission, LOTR Return to Moria, and World of Mechs VR. The game previously won the GAM3 2022 Award for Best Shooter Game and secured $15 million in an earlier funding round.
What is MetalCore?
MetalCore is an open-world combined arms game featuring large-scale battlefields where players fight for territorial control across competing factions. Players can craft and trade vehicles and gear, recruit pilots, develop land, and participate in other activities while vying for planetary dominance.
Players engage in large-scale player-versus-player (PVP) battles and confront AI-enhanced enemies on foot or piloting a variety of combat vehicles and giant mechs.
Customizable loadouts and unique variants provide extended gameplay variety. The game includes a scanning system that lets players capture Vehicle Blueprints from defeated enemies, craft new weapons and vehicles, convert them into Web3 assets, and trade them on the marketplace.
About Studio369
Studio369 is an Unreal Engine-focused studio specializing in PC and console development. The team brings decades of collective experience from projects including MechWarrior 2, Mortal Kombat, Gears of War, The Walking Dead, Star Trek, MechWarrior 2, Nether, and Outpost Zero. The studio's core expertise centers on developing and operating multiplayer open-world games.
About Immutable
Immutable is a global leader in web3 game development and publishing, backed by a team with proven experience delivering games to millions of players. The gaming-focused division of web3 gaming company Immutable created the first blockbuster NFT trading-card game Gods Unchained. Alongside its own titles, Immutable partners with third-party developers to provide strategy and execution expertise. The company aims to redefine gaming for future generations.
