Party Icons, a mobile-first gaming platform with three fully playable modes, said it has raised $9 million in funding despite market headwinds.
This significant investment underlines the strong institutional confidence in Party Icons’ potential to revolutionize the gaming landscape with its innovative gameplay design and open ecosystem, powered by its unique “Party-as-a-Service” live operating model and integrated Web3 infrastructure, the company said. .
Bitkraft Ventures led the round, bringing Party Icons’ total funding to $20 million. Other investors include IDG Capital, Gam3Girl Ventures, Leap Capital, Mantle Network, King River Capital, Mask Network, Yield Guild Games, Zentry, 32-Bit Ventures, Ed3n Ventures, Palm Drive Capital and individual investors Sebastien Borget, co-founder of Sandbox, and Cristian Manea, a Web3 Angel.
“Party Icons is designed to offer more than just traditional gameplay,” Party Icons CEO Sim said in a statement. “Our vision is to create a space where players can not only enjoy immersive game mechanics, but also participate in a thriving, player-driven economy. This round of funding will enable us to…
limits of what is possible in gaming today.”
Funds from this round will accelerate the development of Party Icons’ diverse gaming and social experiences, expand Web3-enabled features and infrastructure, and fuel global expansion into key markets by 2025.
Bitkraft CEO Jonathan Huang said in a statement: “Party Icons is on an ambitious mission to combine the social glue of party games with the intensity of extraction shooters, creating a next-gen, vertical UGC.
platform only made possible through smart integration of Web3 technology. We’re very impressed with the team’s masterful ability to combine Web2 game design with Web3 token-unlocked features, and we couldn’t be more excited to lead this round. ”
Fast sessions and deep progression
The company said it designed its games for the modern player. When players first enter Party Icons, they will find themselves on Miragio, a fully customizable interactive island that serves as the lobby of the Partyverse.
Miragio is home to entertainment facilities, social hubs, marketplaces and portals for the various game modes. There are currently three different modes available, with more to come, each offering a unique experience tailored to different gameplay styles.
The core game mode, Party Heist, pits four teams of two against each other in whimsical maps for a high-
deploys party royale experience with an extraction shooting mechanism. Extraction gameplay offers multiple
paths to victory and strategic depth – whether securing treasure and detecting it early, hunting
enemies and bosses for greater rewards, or ambush others at extraction points.
“It’s important to note that our approach to Party Heist isn’t about competing with the heavily tactical shooters out there; the key word here is ‘celebration,’” Sim said.
Party Brawl shifts the pace to a 3v3 team deathmatch, where action and teamwork unfold quickly
new maps, delivering intense, adrenaline-fueled shootouts. Meanwhile, Carnival Clash offers even more
light-hearted experience, with more than 25 well-known party games that are easy to learn for a fast-paced, casual atmosphere
pleasure.
All game modes are designed with modern gaming habits in mind, with most sessions lasting under 12s
minutes – reflecting today’s “bite-sized” entertainment trend. Players take on the role of Hero Icons,
characters inspired by art toys and pop culture, equipped with narrative combat skills and
upgradeable party talents and weapons.
Hero icons and higher rarity weapons, earned through gameplay and chained, also serve as important assets for mining within the Partyverse. This combination of fast-paced gameplay and character progression provides modern gamers with both instant gratification and long-lasting depth.
God mode
In addition to the three game modes, there is a fourth, secret mode: God mode. Open to OGX̅ NFT only
holders, God Mode introduces a twist.
Inspired by Squid Game, Hunger Games, and the original Japanese film Battle Royale, OGX holders – Partyverse’s genesis PFP collection – take on the role of all-powerful game masters who exist outside the arena.
These gods wield immense power to alter the course of the game, dropping valuable loot, reshaping the battlefield, and influencing outcomes with strategic precision or reckless abandon. Their unpredictable nature keeps the competition exciting and dynamic, giving all players, regardless of skill level, a chance at victory.
“OGX̅, or Orsus Grandis X̅, is Latin for ‘ten thousand great beginnings’. They are up to no good and lie
the heart of Partyverse lore,” Sim said. “With God Mode we challenge gamers with the idea of ’Play, or
Get played.” This mode lends itself perfectly to interactive livestream content, creating a new dimension
involvement for both players and spectators.”
In Party Icons, players can take on the role of the hero, the famous protagonist of battle royale games, or embrace the power of the God. The game also introduces a third, innovative role: the spectator.
Spectators will have the opportunity to actively participate during livestreams, interacting with both Gods and the
game world itself. Using cutting-edge technology, Party Icons will empower spectators to exert influence
gameplay in real time, adding a new layer of interactivity and immersion. This feature is expected to roll
will be released in 2025, with testing already underway in collaboration with select streaming platforms.
Party-as-a-Service
Party Icons introduces Party-as-a-Service (PaaS), an evolution of the traditional game-as-a-service model that decentralizes live operations and economic interests. Instead of developers controlling every aspect of the game, Party Icons allows guilds, streamers, whales, and players to engage with the game in a way that best suits their needs.
Mirship NFTs, available by invitation or request, allow holders to create Mirship Clubs within Party
Icons, which give them access to a dashboard that allows them to organize events and tournaments
player data and manage their club members’ in-game experiences. With built-in tools and data analysis,
Guilds can tailor experiences to the needs of their community, democratizing and enabling esports
players – and not just the elite – to participate in competitive gaming.
Gabby Dizon, founder of YGG, said in a statement: “As we bring more users and communities into the chain, platforms like Party Icons are a great way to show how they can own a piece of an economy while having fun a game with their friends. Through the YGG Mirship, the guilds in YGG can have a new meeting place in the metaverse to play together and share rewards.
By fully integrating Web3 technology into the gameplay, Party Icons creates a secure, open ecosystem
digital assets have real value. From in-game loot airdrops to the influence of God Mode, everything
player plays a meaningful role in the ecosystem. This decentralized live-ops model transforms players from
passive consumers turn into active operators, giving them the opportunity to own the success of the game.
A vision of the future for gaming
As the gaming industry continues to evolve, Party Icons is leading the way, pioneering a new era of player-driven economies and decentralized live operations. Bolstered by this recent round of funding, the team will continue to innovate in gameplay and monetization, guided by their belief in the impact of
decentralized ownership.
IGG Capital, an early investor in Coinbase and a leading global venture capital fund, said in a statement: “We fully believe in the future of gaming and we are confident that Party Icons can lead this revolution.”
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