Games startup and AI-leveraged platform GameTree has raised $1.7 million in its seed funding round, intending to use said funds toward creating inclusive and non-toxic video game communities around the world.
The round saw participation from venture capital firms Corazon Capital, Full Stack Ventures, Goodwater Capital, 32-Bit Ventures and Expert Dojo, in addition to angels such as former Activision Blizzard CEO Coddy Johnson, former CEO of Match Group Sam Yagan, Tinder’s Phil Schwarz, and even the third president of Ukraine, Victor Yushchenko.
Creators guild Overwolf also supported via a grant.
Players united
GameTree’s USP as a gaming app is that it builds upon in-house AI’s foundations in psychology. Through this tool, GameTree determines which other players are your best match on the service before letting them play together. The idea is that they share ideals and values around inclusion and thereby have a better group experience in-game. It also allows players to discover new games they may like, upcoming events and more.
It’s estimated that 70% of players have suffered from toxic behaviour in online gaming, and that 21% experience it every time they play, therefore the potential to avoid toxic players clearly has its uses. And although the new funding is via a seed round, GameTree was actually established in 2019 and has more than half a million people in its userbase.
“At GameTree, our vision is to create a gaming community that transcends boundaries, fosters meaningful connections, and puts an end to toxicity. Having witnessed the power of teamwork and camaraderie during my time as a paramedic and CEO, I believe that every gamer deserves a safe and welcoming environment, too,” said GameTree founder Dana Sydorenko.
“We chose to support GameTree because they are utilising fantastic, well-researched tech to tackle one of the most acute issues in gaming – the ability to connect socially and find companionship, real friendship through play, while also minimising the toxicity inherent in current social gaming environments,” added 32-Bit Ventures general partner Jason Perkins.
Through GameTree, players are able to schedule their own gaming sessions with a group, find users and connect based on their profile intros, and play all manner of games together from Counter-Strike 2 to Genshin Impact, the massive miHoYo title that quietly celebrated its third anniversary this autumn.
