OpenFeint Founder Jason Citron Raises $8.2M Series A Funding for Hammer & Chisel to Bring League of Legends-style Games to Tablets

BURLINGAME, Calif – November 21, 2013 – Today Jason Citron, founder of OpenFeint, is announcing that he has raised $8.2 million for his new company, Hammer & Chisel. The funding will be used to help launch Fates Forever ( www.fatesforever.com ), a new tablet-only reinterpretation of the multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) genre popularized by League of Legends. The funding round is led by Benchmark’s Mitch Lasky, who was the Series A investor in League of Legends developer Riot Games. Additional investors include Studio 9+, Accel Partners, IDG Capital Partners, GC Capital Partners, Time Warner. Lasky will join Citron and Silicon Valley technology veteran, Peter Relan, on Hammer & Chisel’s board of directors.

Citron’s new project addresses a growing trend in modern gaming. Research firm Gartner has estimated that tablet sales are likely to eclipse PCs by 2015. However, the majority of the mobile gaming marketplace is dominated by casual games. Citron believes that tablets are the next destination for AAA gameplay, and is building a studio committed to blending AAA-title fundamentals with mobile game mechanics.

“As I was building OpenFeint I would often look around and wonder why there weren’t any fantastic core games to play on my iPad like World of Warcraft or Magic the Gathering ,” said Citron. “Millions of gamers are going to grow up in a world where their first Personal Computer is a tablet, not a desktop PC. It seems like a no-brainer that these gamers will want to sit down and play a game like League or Dota 2 .”

“We are strong believers in tablet-based gaming at Benchmark. We were particularly attracted to Hammer & Chisel’s commitment to quality and Jason’s history of building robust community features in mobile at OpenFeint. We’re excited to help realize the promise of core gaming on tablets,” said Lasky.

Fates Forever is a reinterpretation of the MOBA genre for tablets. MOBAs generally consist of two teams attempting to destroy each other’s bases. In Fates Forever, Citron and his development team are translating complicated keyboard-and-mouse mechanics into simple touchscreen gestures such as swiping and flicking. Gameplay footage can be seen here: http://youtu.be/5Qscs6ezrEE

Filled with folks from id Software to ArenaNet, Hammer & Chisel is also currently hiring to help create the next generation of core games. Those interested in creating great games can apply here: http://hammerandchisel.com/#JoinUs

Hammer & Chisel was first announced last July when it closed $1.1 million in funding from top Silicon Valley investors including Studio 9+, Accel Partners, General Catalyst Partners, and IDG Ventures.

A mobile gaming veteran, Citron’s previous company OpenFeint was acquired by GREE for $104 million in 2011. Citron also recently competed in TechCrunch Disrupt Battlefield 2013 and was the only game developer to place as a finalist in the competition.

About Hammer & Chisel:

Started by Jason Citron, the guy behind OpenFeint, we’re a small startup with a big vision: to be the first big core gaming company exclusively focused on tablets. We’re funded by a bunch of smart angels & the folks at Studio 9+, Accel, IDG, General Catalyst, and TWI. We are driven by a deep calling to our craft: the day to day building of a holistic experience that blends technology and art into something magical. We hope you enjoy playing our games as much as we’ve enjoyed making them.

Contact Information

Ken Johnston

Senior Manager

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