Double Loop Games

High-Level Overview

Double Loop Games was a San Francisco-based mobile game studio founded in 2019 that developed relaxing, narrative-driven games targeted at non-traditional gamers—people who don't typically identify as gamers—to broaden gaming accessibility.[1][2][3][4] It raised approximately $10.5M in funding, including a $2.5M seed round led by London Venture Partners and an $8M Series A led by Hiro Capital, from investors like Garena, Riot Games, and 1Up Ventures, but ceased operations in January 2024 amid a hostile funding and marketing environment.[1][3][4] The studio served a broad mobile audience seeking delightful, low-pressure experiences, solving the problem of gaming's inaccessibility for casual users through innovative, playful titles, though it achieved early accolades like IGDA awards without reaching sustained commercial scale before shutdown.[1][4]

Origin Story

Double Loop Games was co-founded in 2019 by Emily Greer (CEO) and Shelby Moledina (COO and Game Director), a veteran women-led team with backgrounds from Kongregate, Zynga, Warner Bros., and other studios.[1][3][4] The idea emerged from a mission to create mobile games for the "biggest audience in games: people who don't think of themselves as gamers," rejecting the "casual" label in favor of accessible, narrative-driven experiences that emphasized playful interaction over passive consumption.[1][3][4] Early traction included a $2.5M seed announcement, team wins at GDC's F2P Challenge and IGDA Global Industry Game Awards, and a soft-launched mobile-first title, building momentum until market challenges led to closure in 2024, with most staff joining Scopely.[1][4][6]

Core Differentiators

• Target Audience Focus: Built relaxing mobile games specifically for non-gamers, using innovative narratives and collaborative design to make gaming approachable and connective, rather than competitive or grindy.[1][2][3][4]
• Women-Led Expertise: Led by Emily Greer and Shelby Moledina, drawing from Zynga, Kongregate, and WB experience to prioritize data-driven design, enthusiast culture, and player respect in genres like puzzle, tower defense, and match-3.[3][4]
• Team and Culture: Small, passionate team (under 25 employees) with strengths in engineering, puzzle design, and production; earned recognition like GDC awards and podcast features for creative output.[1][4]
• Development Approach: Emphasized "games made with love" as enduring hobbies, with a mobile-first title in soft launch, though funding constraints limited full release.[4]

Role in the Broader Tech Landscape

Double Loop Games rode the trend of inclusive mobile gaming, targeting underserved non-gamer demographics in a market dominated by hardcore titles from giants like Zynga and Wooga, amid rising demand for relaxing, accessible experiences post-2019.[1][2][3] Timing aligned with VC interest in gaming studios—evidenced by investments from Riot Games and Hiro Capital—but coincided with a 2023-2024 downturn in mobile funding and marketing, exacerbated by economic pressures that felled many studios.[1][6] It influenced the ecosystem by highlighting women-led innovation and non-gamer potential, with alumni absorbed by Scopely, though its shutdown underscores market forces favoring scaled incumbents over niche innovators.[1][6]

Quick Take & Future Outlook

Double Loop Games exemplified ambitious mobile innovation but succumbed to industry headwinds, leaving a legacy of talented alumni now at firms like Scopely and founders Greer and Moledina eyeing new ventures post-GDC 2024.[1][6] Looking ahead, expect its co-founders to re-emerge in gaming, potentially leveraging lessons in inclusive design amid stabilizing markets; trends like AI-assisted development and casual gaming resurgence could revive similar studios, amplifying their influence on broader accessibility.[1][4] This story ties back to the core promise: even in shutdown, Double Loop proved relaxing games for all hold untapped potential in tech's evolving landscape.