Today, Stoke Games announced a significant milestone in its journey towards crafting its inaugural title—a PvP game with a unique twist. Securing $5.5 million in funding, the fledgling studio is poised to make waves in the gaming industry.
Founded by Veigar Bouius, serving as the product director, and Jon Diesta, the creative mind behind the venture, Stoke Games emerges as a 14-person strong independent studio. Notably, both Bouius and Diesta bring with them a wealth of experience from their tenure at Player First Games, where they contributed to the development of the renowned Multiversus.
Bouius elaborated on the studio’s vision, emphasizing a departure from traditional shooter experiences. “Stoke Games is building something that will feel very fresh for players coming from more traditional shooters.
It’s a slower-tempo game that emphasizes judgment, game knowledge, and strategy, hence why we’re calling it a strategic shooter,” he explained. The focus lies not on frantic action but on calculated decision-making, appealing to a demographic craving deeper gameplay mechanics.
Speaking to the market demand for such an offering, Bouius expressed enthusiasm about meeting players’ expectations. “We’ve found that there’s a big group of players who are hungry for exactly this style of game, and we’re excited to try to deliver what they’re looking for with a gameplay-first approach.”
The funding round, a critical step towards realizing their ambitious project, saw prominent investors joining the venture. Bitkraft Ventures led the investment, signaling confidence in Stoke Games’ potential. Notably, Riot Games, 1Up Ventures, and several angel investors also participated, underlining the industry’s recognition of Stoke Games’ promising trajectory.
Jasper Brand, a partner at Bitkraft Ventures, commended Stoke Games’ deep understanding of untapped genre opportunities and their ability to leverage intellectual property effectively.
“The team at Stoke Games deeply understands dormant genre opportunities and executing on IP potential, creating some of the most successful multiplayer games of the last decade,” Brand remarked. He expressed excitement about supporting Stoke Games, both as an investor and as a player, highlighting the validation of their vision even in the early stages of development.
With this substantial funding secured and industry heavyweights backing their endeavor, Stoke Games is poised to redefine the gaming landscape with its innovative take on the PvP genre.
