Spekter Games Inc., a publisher specializing in roguelite mobile games with integrated Web3 incentives, has announced the completion of a $5 million pre-seed funding round. This funding coincides with the official launch of the company’s inaugural title, Spekter Agency, a rogue-lite action game now available on Telegram.
The pre-seed round saw participation from multiple investment firms, including a16z speedrun, London Venture Partners, BRV Capital, Chamaeleon, Accelerator Ventures, Impact46, Versus Ventures, and Alumni Ventures. Spekter Agency draws inspiration from titles like Vampire Survivors, offering arcade-style gameplay. The game is designed to incorporate passive blockchain rewards without the operational complexity typically associated with Web3 gaming.
Taehoon Kim (TK), CEO and founder of Spekter Games Inc., stated, “We’re building games that people love for the gameplay, not just the rewards. Web3 incentives can supercharge retention and virality, but they should never get in the way of the fun. By keeping these systems passive and behind the scenes, we’re showing that it’s possible to bring Web3-enhanced games to the mainstream without compromising gameplay.”
Spekter Agency leverages Telegram’s Mini Apps infrastructure, utilizing its user base of over 1 billion monthly active users. This integration aims to facilitate frictionless onboarding and instant native gameplay, with Telegram’s built-in wallet capabilities simplifying crypto transactions to reduce barriers to entry for blockchain gaming.
Robin Guo, investment partner at a16z speedrun, commented, “We believe there is a real opportunity to improve the early tap-to-earn games on Telegram with deep mechanics that resonate with real gamers. We’re thrilled to back TK and his seasoned team as they push the boundaries of what’s possible in gaming on chat-based super apps.”
The capital raised will support Spekter Games in expanding Spekter Agency to additional platforms, including other chat-based super apps and traditional mobile stores such as the App Store and Google Play. Funds will also be allocated to the ongoing development of the publisher’s second game.
Spekter Games was founded by Taehoon Kim, an industry veteran and serial entrepreneur with over 20 years of experience in the gaming sector. Kim previously led nWay, where he oversaw the development of real-time, cross-play multiplayer titles like Power Rangers: Legacy Wars and Battle for the Grid, which collectively garnered over 100 million downloads. Following nWay’s acquisition by Animoca Brands, Kim continued to lead Web3 gaming initiatives, collaborating with partners such as Yuga Labs and Dapper Labs. The Spekter team’s background in both Web2 and Web3 game development positions the company to develop games that bridge traditional mobile gaming with blockchain technology for broader adoption.
