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§ Private Profile · Huntsville, AL, USA
Gaming network operating websites, mod hosting (CurseForge), wikis (Gamepedia), and tools for PC gaming communities, focused on MMORPGs and MOBAs.
Curse is a Huntsville, Alabama-based gaming media company that operates a network of video game websites, mod hosting platforms, and community wikis. The organization secured significant venture capital throughout its lifecycle, including a $5 million Series A financing round from AGF Private Equity and a nearly $30 million strategic investment from Riot Games in 2015. Its core product portfolio expanded beyond web portals to include desktop applications like the Curse Client for video game mod management and Curse Voice, an in-game communication tool that reached over 1 million active players. The enterprise operated as a subsidiary of Amazon before its various digital assets, including the CurseForge platform and Gamepedia, were subsequently acquired by entities such as Twitch and Wikia. Curse was originally founded in 2006 by Hubert Thieblot as a portal for World of Warcraft modifications.
Curse has raised $98.0M across 6 funding rounds.
Curse has raised $98.0M in total across 6 funding rounds.
Curse LLC was a gaming-focused technology company that built and managed platforms central to the modding and community ecosystem for video games. It operated CurseForge, the leading host for video game mods; Gamepedia, a wiki host; and the Curse Network, a collection of high-traffic gaming community sites covering MMORPGs like *World of Warcraft*, *RuneScape*, and games like *Minecraft* and *League of Legends*.[1] Headquartered in Huntsville, Alabama, with offices in San Francisco, New York, Los Angeles, Brighton, and Berlin, Curse served millions of gamers by providing mods, add-ons, wikis, forums, voice chat, and content like editorial pieces, videos, and live streams, solving the problem of fragmented resources for game customization and community engagement.[1][2] With 201-500 employees and estimated revenue of $5M-$20M, it empowered gamers through premium tools and partnerships, such as with GOG.com and YouTube creators.[1][2]
Curse originated from founder Hubert Thieblot's passion for *World of Warcraft*, where his "hardcore" involvement led him to launch CurseBeta in 2006 after leaving school, initially offering add-ons and modifications that quickly gained exponential traffic.[1] Thieblot turned this hobby into a business by developing in-house sites and acquiring established communities, focusing on MMOs like *RuneScape* and expanding to other titles.[1] Early traction came from high-profile acquisitions and organic growth, forming the Curse Network with sites like MMO-Champion, Minecraft Forum, and Diablofans; pivotal moments included partnerships like the 2012 YouTube deal with creator Athene and 2014 GOG.com collaboration for premium subscribers.[1] The company evolved from a mod host to a multimedia powerhouse, sponsoring an eSports team in *League of Legends*.[1]
Curse rode the explosive growth of MMO and modding communities in the mid-2000s, capitalizing on hits like *World of Warcraft* and the rise of user-generated content in games like *Minecraft*, which demanded centralized mod distribution amid fragmented forums.[1] Timing was ideal as broadband proliferation and free-to-play models amplified community needs, with Curse filling gaps in wikis, stats, and voice tools that game developers often overlooked.[1] Market forces like eSports emergence (via its sponsored *League of Legends* team) and streaming boomed in its favor, influencing the ecosystem by standardizing mod hosting—CurseForge became synonymous with safe, easy mod installs—and enabling creator economies through partnerships.[1] It shaped developer-gamer interactions, paving the way for modern platforms amid gaming's shift to player-driven content.
Curse solidified gaming's modding infrastructure but was ultimately acquired by Twinmotion parent Overwolf in 2018 (post-search data), evolving CurseForge into a cornerstone of the current mod economy while Gamepedia merged into Fandom—highlighting its lasting IP value.[1] Looking ahead, its legacy fuels AI-enhanced modding and cross-game ecosystems amid VR/AR gaming surges; expect successors to leverage its network for metaverse communities. As Curse pioneered passion-to-platform scaling, its model endures, reminding investors that community tech thrives on solving niche gamer pains in billion-user markets.[1]
Curse has raised $98.0M in total across 6 funding rounds.
Curse's investors include Riot Games, Angel investor, Patron, Resonado, Vamos Ventures, Hans Tung, Multiplier Capital, Notable Capital, 50 Partners.
Curse has raised $98.0M across 6 funding rounds. Most recently, it raised $30.0M Other Equity in July 2015.
| Date | Round | Lead Investors | Other Investors | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 9, 2015 | $30M Venture Round | Riot Games | — | Announced |
| Jul 1, 2015 | $30M Series U | Riot Games | Angel Investor, Patron, Resonado, Vamos Ventures | Announced |
| Jul 10, 2014 | $16M Debt Financing | Hans Tung | Multiplier Capital | Announced |
| Jul 1, 2014 | $10M Series B | — | Notable Capital | Announced |
| Dec 23, 2009 | $6M Series B | — | — | Announced |
| Jun 1, 2007 | $6M Series A | — | 50 Partners | Announced |