gaming
Gaming site Haste Arcade raises $1.5M in oversubscribed fundraising round
Haste Arcade has just closed its $1.5 million seed round. The fundraising was oversubscribed, Haste was able to exceed the $1 million target that it had set for itself.
“We were originally seeking $1MM to lay a good solid foundation for the product/vision and then have some working capital to start testing our assumptions around product/market fit, specifically with marketing outside the ‘crypto’ community,” said Dan Wagner, the co-founder of Haste Arcade.
“After pitching the concept to a handful of investors, it became obvious that we weren’t the only ones thinking ILP™ Gaming could potentially become a ‘thing.’ We stopped pitching a couple of months ago but due to word of mouth and interest from other investors we were able to secure an additional $500K on top of the original goal bringing the total to $1.5MM,” he added.
The gaming industry
According to Wagner, there are several elements of the Haste Arcade that make investors confident in Haste’s future.
“First and foremost, the idea; its novel, it’s new, and it’s easy to understand. Get on the leaderboard. Get paid. It’s not rocket science by any means and at the same rate, it’s not hard to imagine something like ILP™ Gaming catching on and taking off.
“Secondly, the market. Online gaming is absolutely massive and even if you’re only able to capture a small fraction of the gamers in the world, you can build a business with millions or hundreds of millions of users.
“And finally, our team. It’s not our first rodeo, meaning, we’ve raised capital before and we’ve shown what it takes to build a business. Many don’t know this, but the four co-founders of Haste, Inc. have been working together for basically seven years at this point. We move fast, are great at failing, iterating, pivoting, and quite frankly just getting stuff done and keeping the ball rolling.
“Add in the rest of the folks we’ve brought on and our core team of 8 forms a solid foundation. When you realize the core team’s skill set and experience, you realize that in a lot of ways, it’s not your average startup. Since we started building beta, everything has been done first class. If we are right, Haste Arcade has uncovered an entirely new category in gaming, and there is most likely some money to be made from being the market leader for something like that,” said Wagner.
The lead investor in the round was Jonathan Cogley, the CEO of Logic Boost Labs. Cogley has a long and successful history in the cybersecurity field and recently sold his cybersecurity company Thycotic for $1.4 billion. Now, he spends his time at Logic Boost Labs, a San Diego-based accelerator that invests in early-stage leaders.
Other notable investors that participated in the seed round include Thomas Vu, who formerly worked at Riot Games helping bring League of Legends to market; Anthony Borquez, the CEO of Grab Games and a professor at the University of Southern California; Craig Brennan, the Silicon Valley veteran with decades of experience in software leadership/management that sits as the CEO of private and public companies; and Brad Powers the CIO of Passport.
Seeing new investors throw their hats in the ring is a positive sign. Investors provide companies with the resources they need to succeed because they see value in the company’s business model and have the belief that their business will be worth significantly more in the future. Businesses like Haste that find a way to implement innovative ideas that have the potential to revolutionize an industry will always be sought after by investors.
The fact that the latest haste fundraising round was oversubscribed confirms that theory and supports the idea that there is a tremendous amount of value that can be realized by the businesses using the Bitcoin blockchain as a core component of the app, service, or experience that they are creating.
The Haste Arcade future
“We are highly focused on a couple of things at the moment like capturing and analyzing data from our marketing efforts and sharpening the unit economics so that we have a compelling story when we start raising growth capital. We are also highly focused on creating new and more engaging experiences throughout the arcade. We’re very excited about certain items on our roadmap and believe the online gaming community will be too,” said Wagner.
Ultimately, the money Haste Arcade has raised will bring them closer to having their overall vision come to fruition.
“In the future, you will come to Haste Arcade for awesome experiences. You will play games, compete, and have fun, but you will also drop in just to hang out, be social, and communicate with the friends that you’ve made from all around the world. You will enjoy immersive experiences in the metaverse. You will make some money and some will even quit their jobs and become professional gamers in the arcade,” Wagner said.
“You will see Haste Arcade on national television. You will see Haste Arcade promoted by the biggest celebrities and pro athletes in the world. You will buy a Haste console. You will play ILP™ games at your local bar. You will even walk into a physical arcade and play skeeball or shoot hoops for ILP™. If you are involved now, you will be proud to have been a part of it all in its early stages,” he added.
Xsolla, a leading global video game commerce company, is deepening its commitment to mobile game developers through a strategic partnership with Pocket Gamer Connects (PGC) in 2025. As the industry leader in Web Shop development and management, with over 500+ Web Shops generating revenue, Xsolla is also leading the way in direct-to-consumer monetization in the video game industry. Xsolla will showcase its latest innovations in mobile game monetization, user acquisition, and cross-platform analytics throughout key global PGC events.
Supporting Mobile Developers at PGC Events Worldwide
Xsolla will sponsor Pocket Gamer Connects events in 2025, bringing its expertise in direct-to-consumer monetization and engagement strategies to the following locations:
- PGC San Francisco (March 17-18)
- PGC Dubai (May 7-8)
- PGC Barcelona (June 3-4)
- PG Summit Shanghai (July 30)
- Mobile Games Awards at Gamescom (August)
- PGC Helsinki (October 7-8)
Xsolla will engage with developers at each event through thought leadership sessions, panel discussions, and networking opportunities. It will offer data-driven insights and solutions to help mobile developers maximize revenue beyond traditional app stores.
Advancing Web Shop Monetization with AppsFlyer Integration
A key component of Xsolla’s presence at PGC will be its partnership with AppsFlyer, the global leader in mobile measurement and data analytics. Together, they have developed a first-in-the-industry integration that solves cross-platform attribution challenges, giving mobile game developers the tools to:
- Measure Web Shop purchases as in-app events for accurate LTV and ROAS tracking.
- Seamlessly attribute Web Shop revenue to mobile user acquisition, re-engagement, and retention campaigns.
- Optimize ad spending across mobile and Web Shops with real-time analytics, all without requiring coding from developers.
Xsolla’s Web Shop solution has already transformed mobile game monetization, enabling 500+ developers to generate direct-to-consumer sales online while pushing players to pay on their mobile devices. By integrating AppsFlyer’s measurement tools, Xsolla ensures that mobile developers gain a complete, end-to-end understanding of the user journey across platforms, allowing them to make smarter business decisions and improve ROI.
“Xsolla’s Web Shop has revolutionized how mobile game developers monetize online, and our integration with AppsFlyer takes it to the next level,” said Berkley Egenes, Chief Marketing & Growth Officer at Xsolla. “By bridging the data gap between Web Shops and mobile applications, we empower developers with the insights they need to optimize performance, increase revenue, and engage players more effectively. We look forward to engaging directly with the community and hearing from the Pocket Gamer community throughout the year at each event around the world.”
Strengthening the Global Mobile Gaming Ecosystem
Xsolla’s continued investment in mobile game commerce solutions aligns with Pocket Gamer Connects’ mission to support and connect game developers worldwide. With the combined power of Web Shop, AppsFlyer integration, and a direct presence at major industry events, Xsolla is committed to helping mobile game creators navigate monetization challenges and drive sustainable growth.
“Pocket Gamer Connects is the world’s leading event series for mobile game developers (and others) and we’re thrilled to have Xsolla as a key partner in 2025,” said Chris James, CEO at Steel Media, Pocket Gamer’s parent company. “Xsolla’s expertise in mobile commerce, cross-platform engagement, and Web Shop monetization makes them an invaluable resource for developers looking to scale their businesses.”
By partnering with Pocket Gamer Connects, Xsolla ensures mobile developers worldwide can access the latest technology, insights, and business models to thrive in today’s competitive gaming market.
For more information on Xsolla Web Shop and its integration with AppsFlyer, visit: xsolla.blog/xsolla-appsflyer
Join us at Pocket Gamer Connects 2025 to connect, learn, and explore new opportunities in the gaming industry.
The post XSOLLA PARTNERS WITH POCKET GAMER CONNECTS TO EMPOWER MOBILE GAME DEVELOPERS IN 2025 appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
gaming
Portside Game Assembly: Studios behind Dead Cells, Dungeon Clawler, Dorfromantik, Blasphemous on board and ticket sales for brunch and party launched
With Portside Game Assembly, Gamecity Hamburg is welcoming studio heads and directors from successful indie game studios on a conference ship and other extraordinary locations in Hamburg on June 27. Benjamin Laulan, Co-Founder of Evil Empire, (Dead Cells, The Rogue Prince of Persia) will give a keynote on the Triple-i Initiative started by the French studio. At the Triple-i Showcase 2024, over 30 “iii games” were announced in 45 minutes, and 150,000 views were achieved on YouTube alone. Further speaker on board is Philomena Schwab, Founder of Stray Fawn Studio (Dungeon Clawler, The Wandering Village).
Portside Game Assembly celebrates its premiere as B2B-conference for international indie game leaders on June 27. There will be no direct ticket sales for the conference; instead, a curated list of participants will ensure that only studio heads and decision makers attend the conference on board a ship sailing through the port of Hamburg.
At the same time, the Networking Brunch and the Games Industry Party are open as networking events for interested contacts from the games industry to bring platform holders, publishers, and game companies into contact with the international conference participants. Studio leads from Denmark, Sweden, Switzerland, the UK, France, Spain, Canada, the USA, and Germany are already on board for the conference.
Portside Game Assembly is set to be a platform for decision makers and studio leads to exchange ideas, learn from each other, and face the challenges of the games industry through collaboration.
As the first announced talk of the conference, Benjamin Laulan (Co-Founder of Evil Empire) will present a keynote on the Triple-i Initiative and how to create your own announcement space and talk directly to your audience when you can’t really relate to other existing showcases. In addition, Philomena Schwab (Founder of Stray Fawn Studio & Publishing) will give a short talk about ways for game idea validation.
The program of the Portside Game Assembly will consist of keynotes, short talks, and roundtables.
Selection of already confirmed participants:
- Evil Empire (Dead Cells, The Rogue Prince of Persia) / France
- Stray Fawn Studio (Dungeon Clawler, The Wandering Village) / Switzerland
- The Game Kitchen (Blasphemous I & II) / Spain
- Toukana Interactive (Dorfromantik)/ Germany
- Ghostship Publishing (Deep Rock Galactic) / Denmark
- Landfall Games (Content Warning, Totally Accurate Battle Simulator) / Sweden
- Chasing Carrots (Halls of Torment) / Germany
- Foulball Hangover (Hydroneer) / UK
- Siege Camp (Foxhole) / Canada
The post Portside Game Assembly: Studios behind Dead Cells, Dungeon Clawler, Dorfromantik, Blasphemous on board and ticket sales for brunch and party launched appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Fourth Star, the cutting-edge virtual reality immersive media streaming platform, is officially available to the public. This innovative platform transforms traditional entertainment by enabling users to seamlessly watch standard 2D, 180 and 360 immersive media content and movies. Fourth Star redefines how audiences engage with immersive storytelling, offering an unparalleled first-person centric perspective on entertainment.
“Fourth Star is more than just a platform – it’s a revolution in entertainment,” said Greg Simon, Co-Founder & CEO of Fourth Star. “We’ve created an immersive experience where users can not only consume content but also actively participate in it. Our vision is to transform how people experience media content and movies in a way that has never been done before.”
A New Era of Interactive Entertainment
The largest immersive media streaming platform available on Sidequest, users can explore nearly forty unique environments, interact with AI-driven crew, and experience entertainment in an entirely new way. Fourth Star offers a groundbreaking approach to digital engagement, whether socializing in the Cafe, customizing avatars in private Apartments or Ships, or stepping directly into a movie’s storyline.
“The combination of VR, AI, and blockchain in Fourth Star sets a new standard for immersive entertainment,” said Craig Wiltshire, CTO of Fourth Star. “Our vision is to seamlessly integrate all three technologies into the user experience. We are redefining the entertainment experience from passive observation to active creation.”
Built for Content Partners
Fourth Star is a self-serve platform designed for content partners of all sizes, from individual creators to blockbuster studios. Content partners can set up an account, create content channels, and begin monetizing their work immediately. No integration is required, allowing for seamless onboarding and instant access to a global audience. The Creator Portal empowers partners to distribute and profit from their immersive media with ease, making Fourth Star a truly open and accessible metaverse for digital entertainment.
Key Features of Fourth Star
- VR Streaming Platform – Users can access nearly forty environments and own their own luxury apartments and ships all equipped with an immersive media streaming entertainment hub.
- Social & Customization – Connect with others in dynamic social hubs, personalize your avatar, and invite your friends to your own luxury apartment and ship.
- Player Portal – Users can access the web-based marketplace to explore content, invite friends,
- Creator Portal – Set up an account, create content channels, and begin monetizing your work immediately. No integration is required, allowing for seamless onboarding and instant access to a global audience.
- Blockchain Integration – The FSTR token, built on the Polygon blockchain, powers the ecosystem, providing secure transactions and exclusive rewards.
- AI-Powered Companions – Coming soon
FSTR: The Utility Token Powering Fourth Star
FSTR serves as the primary ecosystem currency within the Fourth Star platform, enabling users to purchase Apartments, Ships, AI Companions, and exclusive content. Token holders benefit from:
- VIP Access – Exclusive events, early screenings, and red carpet experiences.
- Discounts – 25% savings on in-app purchases (IAPs) and entertainment content.
A New Paradigm in Entertainment
Fourth Star is designed to deliver the future of entertainment through merging cinematic storytelling with interactive gaming, offering:
- A seamless transition from passive to interactive experiences.
- A thriving community for players, creators, and investors.
- Advanced AI integration for interactive AI characters.
- Don’t just watch the star in the movie, become the star.
Availability and Access
Fourth Star is now live and available for users worldwide on Sidequest. Whether you’re an explorer, content creator large to small, storyteller, or entertainment enthusiast, Fourth Star provides an immersive space to experience digital entertainment like never before.
The post Fourth Star Launches Immersive Media Streaming Platform appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.
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