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§ Private Profile · Austin, TX, USA
Portalarium is a company.
Portalarium has raised $9.0M across 2 funding rounds.
Key people at Portalarium.
Portalarium has raised $9.0M in total across 2 funding rounds.
Portalarium builds online social games and virtual worlds, prioritizing player agency and community-driven narratives. It develops massively multiplayer online role-playing games blending classic fantasy with intricate social mechanics. Its approach integrates crowdsourcing, incorporating player feedback into evolving virtual environments and gameplay systems, fostering collaborative creation.
Established in September 2009, Portalarium was founded by industry icon Richard Garriott, joined by Dallas Snell and Fred Schmidt. Garriott, known for his pioneering Ultima series, brought extensive virtual world design expertise. The founding insight aimed to reignite immersive, player-centric experiences from early online worlds, applying this legacy to new digital realities.
Portalarium’s products attract audiences seeking profound, evolving online role-playing adventures impacting the game world. Its vision emphasizes crafting spiritual successors to pioneering virtual worlds, focusing on robust in-game economies, dynamic storytelling, and social interaction. It delivers interactive digital realities offering freedom and lasting engagement.
Portalarium has raised $9.0M in total across 2 funding rounds.
Portalarium's investors include Joseph Kim, Scout Ventures, Richard Garriott, BHV Capital, FF Angel.
Key people at Portalarium.
Portalarium has raised $9.0M across 2 funding rounds. Most recently, it raised $2.0M Other Equity in April 2013.
| Date | Round | Lead Investors | Other Investors | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 8, 2013 | $2M Venture Round | — | — | Announced |
| Jul 1, 2012 | $7M Series A | Joseph KIM | Scout Ventures, Richard Garriott, BHV Capital, FF Angel | Announced |
Portalarium is a game development studio founded in September 2009 in Austin, Texas, focused on creating immersive role-playing games (RPGs).[1][2][3] The company builds products like *Shroud of the Avatar: Forsaken Virtues*, a single-player and online RPG that serves gamers seeking deep, narrative-driven experiences reminiscent of classic titles.[1][2] It solves the problem of modernizing traditional RPG mechanics for social media and online platforms, blending single-player storytelling with multiplayer elements to revive the genre's depth amid fast-paced, mobile-first gaming trends.[3]
Portalarium was co-founded by Richard Garriott de Cayeux, a legendary game developer known for creating the Ultima series at Origin Systems, marking his return to the industry after his 2007 title *Tabula Rasa*.[1][2][4][5] Joining him were Origin veterans Dallas Snell and Fred Schmidt, bringing decades of experience from the golden era of PC RPGs.[4] Other key early collaborators include Starr Long, Jason Yenawine, and Scott Jones.[1] The idea emerged as Garriott sought to innovate social RPGs, leading to the studio's formation amid a shift toward browser and social gaming in 2009.[3][5]
Portalarium stands out in the RPG space through:
Portalarium rides the retro RPG revival trend, capitalizing on nostalgia for deep, open-world games amid fatigue with battle-royale and live-service titles dominating the 2010s.[1][5] Timing was ideal post-2009, as social platforms and crowdfunding (e.g., Kickstarter) enabled indie studios to challenge AAA publishers without massive budgets.[2][3] Market forces like growing demand for player-driven stories and cross-platform play favor it, especially with partnerships expanding reach.[2] The studio influences the ecosystem by proving veteran creators can sustain niche communities, inspiring similar throwback projects in a market projected to value RPGs at billions annually.
Portalarium's path forward hinges on expanding *Shroud of the Avatar*'s universe through updates, sequels, or new IPs, potentially leveraging VR/AR for immersive worlds or blockchain for player-owned assets.[1][2] Trends like AI-driven narratives and metaverse integration could amplify its social RPG vision, while partnerships like Travian Games signal scaling potential.[2] Its influence may evolve from niche pioneer to ecosystem shaper if it adapts to mobile/esports shifts, sustaining Garriott's legacy in an industry craving substance over spectacle—echoing its origins as a bold return to gaming's roots.[1][5]
