VentureBeat reports today that publisher SouthPeak (I was just there yesterday seeing Ninjatown) has picked up $12.9 million in private investments. It's worth pointing out, as Dean Takahashi does in his story on the financing, that rarely do console and PC video game publishers pick up venture capital - most VC dollars these days are going to more nouveau-media stuff like online games, social networks, virtual worlds and so-called "Web 2.0."
SouthPeak's apparently betting big on Ninjatown, X-Blades, Edge of Twilight and the rest of its lineup, which will include follow-ups to Two Worlds, hoping for big hits. According to Takahashi, SouthPeak is hoping to ride Two Worlds, which it considers its biggest to-date success, to fiscal year revenues of $30 million.
The publisher just went public in April, through a semi-complicated "reverse merger" situation it recently went through in April with Global Services Acquisition Corp - the quick story on that deal is the merger let SouthPeak go public without an IPO.
SouthPeak Interactive raises $12.9 million for indie games [VentureBeat]
DISCUSSION
Two Worlds did have a system in place of running from one end of the map
to the other: Teleporters. Problem was, if you'd found a horse and
stashed all your heavy loot on it, you were forced to ride it as the
Teleporters were too small for them + you. There was a exploit you could
pull off to 'port with them, but it was hit-and-miss.
Despite all its issues and horrendous dialogue, it had some compelling
qualities, so I have hopes for Two Worlds 2 (Three Worlds?). They should
spend a bit more on hiring vocal talent, and save some by firing whoever
thought Ye Olde English was tolerable in all-speaking RPG.
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