Finnish start-up raises $2M for cross-platform mobile and browser games

Helsinki-based start-up Grand Cru has picked up $2 million in seed funding to create cross-platform adventure games for mobile and browsers, beginning with its first title The Supernauts. Grand Cru aims to create unique experiences that work on any device or platform, including tablets, smartphones, Facebook, and the web. CEO and co-founder Markus Pasula also says the company was founded on the principle that the next generation of mobile gaming will be built on real-time mulitplayer interaction and user-generated content. The new developer is made up of veterans from a variety of Finnish studios -- Pasula previously headed RealNetworks' mobile outfit Mr. Goodliving (Playman Sports), which closed last year. He's joined by other ex-Mr. Goodliving employees, and talent from Sulake Corporation (Habbo Hotel), RedLynx (Trials series), and Digital Chocolate (Army Attack). Grand Cru's first title, The Supernauts, will release later this year with support for Facebook, web, iOS, and Android. The game features a persistent sandbox virtual world in which users can play with each other even if they're on different platforms. They can also pick up where they left off if they decide to play on a different platform. This new funding round was led by Idinvest Partners, with participation from Rick Thompson, co-founder of Playdom (Gardens of Time); Henric Suuronen, former studio head for Wooga (Diamond Dash); Nicolas Beraud, founder of European betting company Betclic; and Anil Hansjee, former head of mergers and acquisitions for Google EMEA (Europe, the Middle East and Africa).