Polyarc released its adorable puzzle adventure, Moss, a couple of years ago now, expanding the experience in 2019. The studio has remained relatively quiet ever since but that changed today with new investment announcement, unveiling plans to venture into augmented reality (AR) development.
The studio has revealed the closing of a $9 million USD Series B funding round led by Hiro Capital – the venture capital fund which has also invested in LIV and FitXR – whilst also seeing Vulcan Capital and Galaxy Interactive’s involvement.
While there’s no word on what Polyarc’s next project will be, AR will now be part of the studio’s remit. “The thing we want people to remember about Polyarc in 40 years is our characters. Our means to make our characters the most memorable is to build a company oriented around introducing them directly to our players in person,” said Tam Armstrong, CEO and co-founder, Polyarc in a statement.
“VR, AR, and the spectrum in between, offer an opportunity to connect our players with our characters through physical interaction and emotional feedback in a way that no other medium can match,” Armstrong continued. “This round of funding was essential for us to expand our development focus to further embrace VR and AR games.”
The $9 million adds to the $3.5 million Polyarc raised in 2016, with Ian Livingstone, a founding partner of Hiro Capital now joining Polyarc’s Board of Directors. “Polyarc is a proven leader in developing innovative VR interactive entertainment, and Moss is their amazing game which showcases the beauty and possibilities of what the VR platform can deliver,” says Livingstone. “Hiro Capital is delighted to invest in Polyarc to help accelerate the studio’s future development of mixed reality experiences.”
Moss became one of the most popular VR titles of 2018 with VRFocus’ own review remarking: “Moss is a flawlessly crafted experience starring a character that absolutely deserves to be the face of modern VR. Every inch of the world shows attention to detail, and a story is woven that draws you in, making you truly invested in the world and in Quill as a person.”
As further details are released regarding Polyarc’s future plans, VRFocus will let you know.
