US-based online gaming services company Curse confirmed yesterday that it has raised $52m of funding in the past year, $30m of which was provided by game publisher Riot Games.
Curse had named Riot Games as the investor ahead of a regulatory filing in July this year that indicated a $30m fundraise, though it has not been disclosed who provided the additional capital. Brian Cho, head of business development at Riot, has joined Curse’s board of directors.
The company offers a range of services geared towards gamers, including tutorials, statistics and forums, but has increasingly focused on its voice-over-IP technology, Curse Voice. The company expects Curse Voice to have more than 10 million users by the end of 2015.
Venture capital firm GGV Capital supplied $10m of series B cash for Curse in July 2014, with Multiplier Capital providing an extra $6m in debt financing. Quantum, Curse’s parent company, secured $12.4m in 2010 acccording to a regulatory filing, but it is not clear what portion went directly to Curse.
IdInvest Partners, a private equity firm backed by insurance company Allianz and then known as AGF Private Equity, contributed to Curse’s $5m series A round in 2007 alongside various angel investors. AGF, SoftTech VC and Ventech Capital invested a further $6m in 2009.
Hubert Thieblot, chief executive of Curse, said: “This is, of course, exciting and positive news for us. We have known Riot for a long time, and know that Riot, like us, cares very deeply about the core gamer.
“I am excited and confident that this will be good for Curse and for the millions of players we serve via Curse Voice.”