Darkbright Studios has successfully raised $6 million in an oversubscribed seed funding round to develop their anticipated life simulation RPG, Smolbound. The funding round, led by Bitkraft Ventures and supported by several notable investors such as Play Ventures, Anthos Capital, and Offchain Labs, will help Darkbright bring Smolbound to life. The game aims to blend traditional life sim mechanics with seamless web3 integration.

Smolbound Cover Banner on X (Twitter)

Smolbound: A Hybrid Life Sim RPG

Set to launch next year on the Treasure Layer-2 blockchain, Smolbound is positioned as a unique hybrid between a life simulation and an RPG. The game is designed to offer an open, infinite world filled with diverse mechanics including farming, exploration, travel, and collection. With its whimsical, colorful fantasy art style, Smolbound has been described by Darkbright as “a quirky marriage of Animal Crossing and Raft.”

The game also aims to build a rich user-generated content (UGC) ecosystem, where players can create and contribute to the in-game world in meaningful ways. The integration of web3 allows for player-created content to be tokenized, offering ownership of in-game assets, which can be monetized.

While Smolbound takes cues from popular life sim games, it differentiates itself with its zany humor and deeper, layered storytelling. “Don’t let the humor fool you,” Song said. “There’s actually something much deeper going on in our story beneath the surface level, with the fate of several worlds at stake.” This blend of irreverence and narrative depth, combined with player-driven economies and web3 technology, is designed to offer a fresh experience in the well-established life sim genre.

Smolbound Key Character Art

Web3-Driven Player Ownership 

One of the key features setting Smolbound apart is its emphasis on web3 technologies and player ownership. According to Yujie Song, CEO of Darkbright Studios, the game leverages blockchain technology to create shared ownership within its community. “For us, web3 shines in building next-generation live services. That is, shared ownership with users,” Song explained in an interview with GamesBeat.

This player-centric approach allows users to actively participate in the success of the game, blurring the lines between developer and player by enabling players to have a stake in the game’s economy. Smolbound’s web3 integration also allows players to easily create their own in-game items, characters, and environments, transforming them into NFTs (non-fungible tokens).

Song noted that players could design everything from clothing and houses to tools and even entire islands, with the ability to monetize these creations. “You can define the functionality, personality, and even storylines of items you create,” Song said, adding that players can profit not only from selling their creations but also from events and player interactions within the game.

Darkbright Studios Secures $6M for Smolbound

Investor Confidence and $6M Raised

The $6 million funding round was spearheaded by Bitkraft Ventures, with Jonathan Huang, Principal at Bitkraft, expressing confidence in the studio’s ability to capitalize on the growing demand for cozy life simulation games.

“Smolbound addresses a massive and secularly growing audience of gamers seeking comfort over competition,” Huang said, highlighting the appeal of life sim games that emphasize creativity and community over competitive gameplay. He further praised the Darkbright co-founders for their balanced approach to creative vision and execution.

Bitkraft Ventures Logo

Final Thoughts

With $6 million in fresh funding, Darkbright Studios is set to deliver a unique gaming experience through Smolbound, blending life sim mechanics with RPG elements and web3 integration. By giving players ownership of in-game assets and enabling them to contribute to the game world, Smolbound offers a new approach to community-driven game design.

The game’s seamless blockchain integration and commitment to player creativity could potentially redefine what it means to engage with a virtual world. Smolbound is expected to launch in the near future, with closed beta tests already underway. As the game continues to develop, both the gaming and blockchain communities will be watching closely to see how this hybrid of cozy simulation and web3 ownership unfolds.

Source: GamesBeat