Japanese mobile games firm Mixi has invested in avatar tech company Genies.
The new agreement is the first to be made through Mixi’s new entertainment fund, which has been designed to aid the Monster Strike creator in its expansion to Asian markets.
As such, Genies presents an opportunity for the Japanese firm to bring the avatar tech to Asia. It will aid in the development of games, social platforms and entertainment.
“With the current state of the world turning more digital and with the announcement of Mixi’s new entertainment-focused fund, we are looking to build platforms that enrich communication through the power of entertainment and technology,” said Mixi CEO and president Koki Kimura.
“Genies has proven its acute ability to fuse cultural and social experiences in the virtual world, through the thousands of global celebrity talent they work with and with the launch of their new avatar & digital goods SDK technology.
“As the first investment of our new fund, Genies will be a huge player for our network of platforms as we continue to advance how people connect in this ever-growing digital-first world.”
Japanese backing
Founded in 2017, Genies has already worked with numerous big names including singers such as Rihanna, Cardi B and Justin Bieber, It has also worked with professional streamer Pokimane.
“We’ve seen a lot of interest and opportunity for our avatar and digital goods SDK within the Asian markets, so we couldn’t imagine a better partner and investor than mixi to support our efforts in bringing our avatar technology overseas,” said Genies director of Asia operations Allison Sturges.
“With mixi’s new entertainment-focused fund and their many years of experience in building social and gaming platforms, we share a vision in how these industries can be impacted by technological advancements that enhance how people experience the virtual world. Now, with our Asia headquarters set up in Tokyo, we’re excited to work with mixi to leverage Genies for the platforms within their network.”
Mixi is not the first Japanese games firm to offer Genies its support. Last month, Bandai Namco backed the avatar tech specialist with a $3 million investment.
