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§ Private Profile · San Francisco, CA, USA
Game developer creating mid-core mobile and social games with multiplayer features for iOS, Android, and Facebook platforms.
Funzio has raised $20.0M across 1 funding round.
Key people at Funzio.
Funzio has raised $20.0M in total across 1 funding round.
San Francisco-based Funzio develops mid-core mobile and social games featuring strong multiplayer elements and competitive gameplay for iOS, Android, and Facebook platforms. The company generates revenue through game monetization strategies integrated within its graphical role-playing titles. Its flagship portfolio, which includes recognizable titles like Crime City, Modern War, and Kingdom Age, collectively achieved over 20 million total downloads across the global mobile and social digital storefronts. Prior to its eventual exit, the developer raised approximately $20 million in venture capital funding from prominent investors such as IDG Ventures, Signia Venture Partners, and Playdom co-founder Rick Thompson. While reportedly seeking additional capital at a $350 million post-money valuation, the studio was instead acquired by Japanese gaming corporation GREE for $210 million in an all-cash transaction in May 2012. Funzio was founded in 2009 by chief executive officer Ken Chiu.
Key people at Funzio.
Funzio has raised $20.0M across 1 funding round. Most recently, it raised $20.0M Series A in May 2011.
| Date | Round | Lead Investors | Other Investors | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 1, 2011 | $20M Series A | IDG Capital, Phil Sanderson | Griffin Gaming Partners, Rick Thompson | Announced |
Funzio has raised $20.0M in total across 1 funding round.
Funzio's investors include IDG Capital, Phil Sanderson, Griffin Gaming Partners, Rick Thompson.
Funzio was a San Francisco-based mobile game developer specializing in mid-core, free-to-play graphical RPGs like *Crime City*, *Modern War*, and *Kingdom Age*, which amassed over 20 million downloads across iOS, Android, and Facebook platforms.[1][4] The company served gamers seeking engaging, social action experiences, solving the demand for high-quality mid-core titles in the early mobile social gaming boom by monetizing through in-app purchases while building strong social features.[1][4][5] Funzio raised $20 million in Series A funding from investors including IDG Ventures before its acquisition by Japanese gaming giant GREE for $210 million in cash in 2012, marking a rapid growth trajectory from startup to high-value exit.[1][2]
Founded around 2010-2011 by CEO Ken Chiu, Funzio emerged in San Francisco as a developer of action games for Facebook and mobile devices, quickly gaining traction with its mid-core RPGs.[1][2] The idea capitalized on the rising popularity of social and mobile gaming, leading to a $20 million Series A round in May 2011 led by IDG Ventures, which fueled expansion.[2] By 2012, with over 20 million downloads and institutional investors holding 58.1% stake, Funzio attracted GREE's acquisition to bolster Western market entry, as announced by Chiu: “GREE shares our vision of a mobile world where people can play together wherever and whenever they are.”[1]
Funzio rode the 2010-2012 explosion of mobile social gaming, where platforms like iOS, Android, and Facebook enabled free-to-play models to disrupt traditional gaming.[1][4] Its timing aligned with market forces like smartphone adoption and social integration, filling a gap for mid-core titles amid saturation in Japan (prompting GREE's global push) and Zynga-like dominance in the West.[1] By delivering highly regarded games, Funzio influenced the ecosystem, boosting GREE's Western expansion via acquisitions like OpenFeint and enhancing cross-cultural game distribution.[1][3]
Funzio's 2012 acquisition by GREE represented a peak in early mobile gaming M&A, validating mid-core social RPGs amid the free-to-play surge.[1] Post-acquisition, its titles integrated into GREE's platform, but as an independent entity, Funzio's story ended there—its legacy endures in shaping GREE's global roster and inspiring subsequent mobile developers.[1][3] Looking ahead, trends like cross-platform play and live-ops monetization trace back to Funzio's playbook, though GREE's evolving focus on emerging markets may relegate its games to archives, underscoring how early movers like Funzio accelerated the industry's shift to always-on, social mobile experiences.