Vinci Games, a virtual reality (VR) game studio with a global presence, has successfully raised $5.1 million in a seed funding round. Led by Makers Fund, the round also saw participation from Y Combinator, Soma Capital, Pioneer Fund, Anorak Ventures, BonAngels, and Twitch co-founder Kevin Lin. The funds raised will be used to support the development of Blacktop Hoops, the studio’s first game, which promises an engaging, socially-driven VR basketball experience.
The founders of Vinci Games bring extensive experience in VR and game development, with backgrounds at Oculus/Reality Labs, Google, Unity, and The Witcher series. CEO Nathaniel Ventura, formerly at Oculus, and CTO Maciej Szcześnik, former lead game designer of The Witcher series at CD Projekt Red, are uniquely positioned to create a groundbreaking virtual experience.
Blacktop Hoops is an immersive arcade VR basketball game that transports players to the world of competitive streetball. The game features intuitive dribbling, dunking, and shooting mechanics specifically designed for VR, full-body avatars, and immersive environments. With a focus on fun and arcade-style gameplay, Blacktop Hoops has already garnered a 4.9 rating on App Lab and a 90% positive rating on Steam.
In addition to announcing the successful seed funding round, Vinci Games has also revealed an Open Beta for Blacktop Hoops. This Beta offers players the opportunity to experience authentic, fast-paced VR street basketball gameplay. The Beta launch introduces the Rising Legends Pack, the first downloadable content for Blacktop Hoops, which includes five new bosses inspired by real-world streetball legends, as well as new customization features such as emotes, custom courts, and dunk explosions.
For multiplayer experiences, the Beta now supports competitive and casual matches in various formats, including 1vs1, 2vs2, 3vs3, and 4vs4.
With its innovative approach to VR sports gaming, Blacktop Hoops aims to cater to both casual and competitive players. The recent funding round will enable Vinci Games to expand its team and develop new features and content that push the boundaries of virtual reality, bringing the excitement of street basketball to life in the virtual world.
Platforms: Microsoft Windows, MEta Quest 2
