NDUS Interactive, a South Korean game studio, has successfully raised $7.5 million in a pre-Series A funding round to support the development of their third-person shooter game, Xociety. The round was spearheaded by prominent investors Hashed and the Sui Foundation, with additional contributions from Spartan, Neoclassic, Bigbrain Holdings, and Krafton.

Third-Person Shooter Xociety Secures $7.5 Million

Fresh $7.5 Million in Funding

This funding surge follows a successful beta test for Xociety, which saw participation from over 3,000 users across 76 countries, amassing more than 11,000 hours of gameplay. Notably, NDUS Interactive reported that over 77% of players remained engaged for a week or more, highlighting the game’s strong retention capabilities.

Xociety is set to innovate within the web3 gaming space by combining RPG mechanics with a unique reward system that prioritizes player engagement and skill. A standout feature is the in-game corporation system, which allows players to own shares and manage their own companies within the game's virtual economy.

Jeffry Kim, founder of NDUS Interactive, emphasized the company’s vision: “We are focusing on creating a sustainable player engagement model, moving away from the short-lived earning models seen in some web3 games. This investment will help us blend the best aspects of traditional gaming with the possibilities of web3.”

Xociety: Shoot, Eaarn, Pioneer

More About NDUS Interactive?

Founded in January 2022 and incubated by UNOPND, NDUS Interactive has a team of 33 professionals. The core leadership team includes veterans from global gaming giants such as NCSoft, Nexon, and Krafton. Jeffrey Kim, the lead director, brings 20 years of experience, including multiple lead roles in development projects at NCSoft and Nexon.

Simon Kim, CEO and managing partner of Hashed, commented: “Our team’s experience is crucial in developing a high-quality, engaging game that stands out in the web3 space.” Greg Siourounis, managing director of Sui Foundation, added, “Xociety is a natural partner for Sui. Thanks to Sui’s high throughput, instant settlement speeds, and dynamic on-chain assets, players will be able to experience the best of what gaming powered by web3 has to offer.”

Xociety Gameplay

Development Team Led by Industry Veterans

The development team at NDUS Interactive boasts industry veterans, including Myoungjin Lee, renowned for his work on Ragnarok, and Sang Chung, former Head of PlayDapp. Their collective experience is instrumental in building a high-quality, engaging game that aims to stand out in the evolving web3 space.

More About Xociety?

Xociety is described as a triple-A game featuring both player-versus-player (PvP) and player-versus-environment (PvE) elements, combined with RPG mechanics. The game aims to redefine the gaming experience by offering FPS players economic control, transforming them into key economic agents within the game world. Unlike traditional FPS games, where individual actions have minimal impact, decisions in Xociety create dynamic ripple effects throughout the gameplay and environment.

Why Build a Game on the Blockchain?

NDUS Interactive says it sees blockchain technology as a pivotal solution for enabling safe and transparent transactions of all in-game assets, without reliance on centralized authorities or intermediaries. By adopting web3 technology, the company aims to create a fair and decentralized gaming ecosystem, empowering players with true ownership and control over their digital assets.

Additionally, web3 interoperability is set to enhance content expansion by leveraging partner assets as additional game content. With this substantial funding, NDUS Interactive is well-positioned to advance the development of Xociety, helping set a new standard in the gaming industry.