Ruckus Games secures $19 million in Series A funding to revolutionize multiplayer gaming with its debut title.
November 14th, Frisco, Texas – Ruckus Games has raised $19 million in Series A funding to fuel its mission to disrupt the multiplayer landscape. Their debut title, a third-person, cooperative, session-based RPG shooter, promises to deliver a unique blend of style, humor, and explosive action.
Ruckus Games was founded in 2021 by a spirited team of award-winning industry veterans led by CEO and Game Director, Paul Sage. Renowned for his work as Creative Director on the multi-billion-dollar franchise Borderlands 3 and the massively popular Elder Scrolls Online, Sage brings unparalleled experience to the helm. Joining him is Art Director, Scott Kester, whose visionary work was key in transforming the original Borderlands aesthetic into the iconic graphic novel style that defined the series. Together with founders Carl Shedd, Kevin Penrod, Keith Schuler, Chris Strasz, and Jesse McIntyre, this all-star team, hailing from gaming giants like Gearbox, Riot Games, Blizzard, Epic Games, and more, is poised to redefine the multiplayer landscape.
Ruckus Games’ new title will offer co-op for up to four players in an evolving world that will be updated with new emergent content over time. Featuring a large roster of playable characters and thousands of unique make-shift weapon combinations — like a toaster kitted to shoot saw blades or a modded power washer turned flamethrower — players will “Smash, Grab, and Grow” as they blast their way through thrilling suburban invasion scenarios. Set in a reminiscent era amongst the backdrop of the American heartland, destroy whatever you want, find cool new weapons and resources, rescue NPCs to take back to your Hometown, then upgrade your weapons and abilities to head out even stronger for another round of chaotic fun.
To bring this ambitious vision to life, Ruckus Games secured $5.5 million in seed funding led by Transcend Fund in late 2022. This investment was instrumental in developing a high-quality prototype that showcases the game’s immense potential. Made by only 14 people in 12 months, this prototype proved that Ruckus Games’ development costs remain much lower than AAA, while the team still delivers that same level of quality and fun of titles with exponentially bigger budgets.
“Ruckus Games is the epitome of what we seek in our investments—a visionary team with an extraordinary track record in games as a service, poised to carve out a blue ocean in the multiplayer gaming space,” said Andrew Sheppard, GP at Transcend Fund and a board member at Ruckus Games. “This Series A, the strongest in its category this year, not only validates our early belief in their potential but also underscores their capacity to innovate and lead.”
The momentum generated by this early success led to a $19M Series A funding round led by KRAFTON, with participation from BITKRAFT Ventures, Transcend, HYPERGRYPH, and others.
“We believe in the future of co-op gaming, and the Ruckus team has demonstrated incredible progress with a small team in a short period of time,” said Maria Park of KRAFTON, who will be joining the Board of Directors. “They’ve crafted something so on-trend, with stylish action and humor, that it not only entertains but also connects players in memorable ways – a vision that strongly resonates with KRAFTON.”
Clare Yang, Head of Investment at HYPERGRYPH added, “We’ve had the privilege of witnessing how Ruckus Games is pushing the boundaries of the looter shooter genre with their player-centric development approach. Chinese players represent one of the largest and most passionate gaming communities in the world, with a strong demand for something new, authentic, and fun. That’s exactly what we believe Project Bobcat offers. We are excited to partner with Ruckus Games and support their creative vision in the long term.”
“Successfully raising a $19M Series A in the current environment is truly remarkable,” said Jasper Brand, Partner at BITKRAFT. “It is a testament to the team’s long-standing bond together and their ability to build a highly polished game proving fun moment-to-moment, a compelling style, and depth of systems with high replayability after raising a Seed round.”
This incredible support from such a distinguished group of investors is a testament to the potential of Ruckus Games. As Paul Sage, CEO and Game Director, put it, “Having KRAFTON and HYPERGRYPH join us is amazing. They bring not only a global reach, but as developers themselves, they bring a unique perspective to our team. I felt incredibly lucky to have great investors like Transcend, BITKRAFT and 1Up Ventures in our Seed Round and this level of support is a great show of confidence that bodes well as we search for the right publishing partner going forward.”
As development continues at a rapid pace, the team is expanding their roster of talented game developers. Ruckus Games is currently accepting applications for experienced candidates seeking to craft unparalleled gameplay experiences for today’s audience.
Those eager to get their hands on Ruckus’ breakout title will not have to wait long, as sign-ups for early playtest opportunities this Winter are currently open on the Ruckus Games’ Website.
About Ruckus Games
Ruckus Games was founded in 2021 by a powerhouse team of award-winning industry veterans hailing from gaming giants like Gearbox, Riot Games, Blizzard, Epic Games, Monolith and more. Led by CEO and Game Director, Paul Sage, best known for his work as Creative director on Borderlands 3 and Elder Scrolls Online, Ruckus Games is working on its debut title, the third-person cooperative, session-based, beautifully stylized, suburban invasion game.
