It seems like all of us could use a little more time in a simulated universe with none of the travails of the world we actually inhabit. That’s probably one reason the interactive gaming space has been such a hot commodity lately.
Today, one of the larger early-stage investors in the space signaled that activity won’t be slowing down either. Makers Fund, a mostly early-stage investor in the interactive gaming space, reportedly raised $500 million in a third fund that will write checks in the $500,000 to $40 million range.
Search less. Close more.
Grow your revenue with all-in-one prospecting solutions powered by the leader in private-company data.
It’s the largest fund to date for Makers, which raised its first fund, a $200 million vehicle, in 2018. Since then the firm has backed at least 72 known funding rounds across the globe, per Crunchbase data. Deals this year include rounds for India-based trivia game show app Loco, Miami-based user-generated content gaming upstart Voldex and London-based esports betting company Midnite.
The new fundraise follows a period of stepped-up dealmaking and ballooning valuations for the gaming space. This year started on a peppy note with Microsoft in January announcing plans to acquire Activision Blizzard for $70 billion, its largest acquisition ever. A week earlier, Take-Two Interactive announced it will acquire mobile social gaming company Zynga for $12.4 billion.
Consolidation in the gaming industry also boomed in 2021. According to Crunchbase data, last year was the busiest year for acquisitions of gaming companies globally in at least a decade, with about 180 companies related to online games and video games acquired.
Illustration: Dom Guzman
