The newly formed, all-remote indie studio Stoke Games has announced a $5.5 million funding round after attracting investment to its “shooter-adjacent” debut–a title it believes will offer a competitive PvP experience with an innovative and less frenetic approach to the genre.
Stoke Games was launched by industry veterans and co-founders Veigar Bouius and Jon Diesta, who share decades of industry experience, contributing to games including League of Legends, Hogwarts Legacy, MultiVersus, and Disney Infinity. Their first release at Stoke places a major emphasis on “strategy and deliberate action over twitch reflexes,” which was well-received by its new backers.
The fund, led by BITKRAFT Ventures, saw participation from League of Legends and VALORANT developer Riot Games, industry fund 1Up Ventures, and several unnamed angel investors. The studio plans to use the funding to ramp up playtests with early community members and plan further expansion through 2024.
Stoke Games, which currently employs 14 people, has already attracted veterans from Riot, Blizzard, Respawn, Epic Games, Bungie, and Phoenix Labs. It plans to develop its initial game in line with community feedback, with regular updates, cross-platform play, and “fair monetization practices.”
Bouius said his team was building an experience that would feel “very fresh for players coming from more traditional shooters.”
He explained: “It’s a slower-tempo game that emphasizes judgment, game knowledge, and strategy, hence why we’re calling it a strategic shooter. 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.”
Jasper Brand, the partner at BITKRAFT Ventures who helped with the fundraiser, added: “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.
“We believe they validated the core tenets of a high-potential vision already early in development, so we’re incredibly excited to support them both as players and investors.”
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