Mobile F2P strategy game studio PlayRaven nabs $4.1M in funding

Finnish mobile game studio PlayRaven closed a round of funding to the tune of $4.1 million this week after launching its debut title Spymasters. The money comes courtesy of investment from new partner Northzone, as well as existing investors like Creandum and London Venture Partners. PlayRaven has now managed to raise a total of $7.5 million since its 2013 debut, and with the recent influx of cash it plans to expand both its staff and its office space. PlayRaven was founded by experienced developers from studios like Remedy, Wooga and Digital Chocolate, with a rare focus on producing F2P strategy games for mobile. Company CEO Lasse Seppanen told Gamasutra early this year that investors seem to appreciate the "crystal clear focus on just one genre, as they know the market is very crowded and to pierce all the noise we need to have great focus." "I think the genre really hasn't realized its full potential yet," he added. "I'm a big board gamer and I see lots of innovation going on there because the cost and risk associated with board game design is small - now mobile strategy is in a similar situation."