US-based augmented reality (AR) mobile game developer Niantic has raised $200m in a series B round that included internet company NetEase, the Wall Street Journal reported yesterday.
Brand services provider You & Mr Jones also participated in the round, which was led by Spark Capital and included Founders Fund, Meritech and Javelin Venture Capital.
Niantic was originally established in 2010 as an internal startup at internet company Google, before being spun out in 2015. The company has developed a range of massively-multiplayer online role-playing games, such as Pokémon Go, that incorporate real-world landmarks.
Niantic announced earlier this month that it was developing a game based on the Harry Potter franchise in partnership with Warner Bros Interactive, the game publishing arm of mass media conglomerate Warner Bros. Harry Potter: Wizards Unite is scheduled for a 2018 release.
Megan Quinn, partner at Spark Capital, will join Niantic’s board of directors as part of the deal.
Niantic most recently obtained $5m in funding from Fuji Television, Alsop Louie and assorted angel investors in March 2016, adding to a $30m series A round in 2015 provided by Google, game and toy producer Pokémon Company and gaming company Nintendo.
The series A round consisted of a $20m investment upfront and an additional $10m in further commitments dependent on milestones, though Niantic has not provided further updates.