Pirate Nation Studio Secures $33M to Build Next-Gen Blockchain Games
Pirate Nation Studio, under Proof of Play, raises $33 million in a groundbreaking move to develop fully on-chain games, emphasizing community ownership and everlasting gaming experiences.
Proof of Play, the innovative game studio pioneering the blockchain-based game Pirate Nation, has announced a monumental $33 million seed funding round, co-led by renowned firms Andreessen Horowitz and Greenoaks Capital. The studio, spearheaded by CEO Amitt Mahajan, who previously co-created the iconic game FarmVille at Zynga, plans to utilize the funds to expand the company and advance its technology, focusing on developing games that can exist perpetually on the blockchain.
A Vision for Timeless Gaming
Amitt Mahajan’s inspiration stems from witnessing the offline pull of FarmVille by Zynga in 2020, leading him to explore blockchain technology to create “forever games.” Mahajan expressed his vision to develop multi-generational products, games that are not only timeless but are also owned by the communities that play them. The demise of FarmVille represented the loss of over a billion hours of playtime, creativity, and investment, prompting Mahajan to seek innovative solutions to make games everlasting.
Pirate Nation, initially deployed on Polygon, migrated to Arbitrum Nova, another Ethereum scaling network, earlier this year, aiming to benefit from lower network fees. Despite being blockchain-based, Proof of Play encourages players to remix and contribute their content to the game, allowing continuous customization and expansion. The game studio is also rolling out free-to-play access to Pirate Nation, enabling players to experience the game without owning an NFT, although NFT owners will enjoy added benefits.
Embracing Community-Centric Gaming
Proof of Play is not just creating games; it is fostering a community-centric gaming future. The studio plans to open-source its technology for building fully on-chain games, allowing other creators to develop their games and apps using the same tools. This approach emphasizes composability, interoperability, and permanence at the core of gameplay, enabling players to truly own their assets and create new games on top of another.
The substantial $33 million funding secured by Pirate Nation Studio marks a significant stride towards realizing the dream of fully on-chain, community-owned games. The vision of Amitt Mahajan and the innovative approach of Proof of Play are setting the stage for a future where games are not just played but are also owned and shaped by the community, promising a new era of interactive and everlasting gaming experiences.
