Klang receives additional funding, strikes a deal with Harvard Law professor
Unity founder David Helgason among backers for studio behind SpatialOS-powered MMO Seed
Berlin-based developer Klang has announced a flurry of updates and additions to its current project, including new funding and an unusual partnership.
Firstly, the studio has received "additional funding" of an undisclosed amount. Backers include Unity founder David Helgason, Reid Hoffman of Greylock Partners, and entrepreneurial investor Joi Ito. They join London Venture Partners and Riot Games' Adalsteinn Ottarson.
While the figures behind this finance have not been shared, Klang has said it is enough to "grow the studio and complete the development of the first internal release of Seed.
Seed is a simulation MMO build with Improbable's SpatialOS. The game challenges players to create a civilisation, much in the same vein as real-time strategy games, and help it to grow until it takes over an entire planet. The nature of SpatialOS means every decision or action has a persistent consequence, and the presence of other players on the planet further complicates their tasks.
To add an extra level of depth, Klang has teamed up with Harvard Law professor Lawrence Lessig to "construct the political framework" of Seed. The in-game political structure he helps to create is being positioned as "a defining moment in online multiplayer gaming."
The studio has also brought in 3D animator Eran Hilleli to lead the game's art direction.
"“We're building a virtual world filled with vast, player-created communities where every player-action has a repercussion in the game world," said CEO Mundi Vondo. For example, a player might chop down a tree, which affects the planet's ecosystem. This wood can then be sold on, which has an impact on the economy, and if the player chooses to, use the money to bribe another player, which affects the balance of power. We create and provide the tools and incentives to build these communities…the rest is up to the players.”
Klang was originally an Icelandic developer founded by ex-CCP devs drawing on their experience of persistent worlds from time spent working on Eve Online. The team hopes to release a playable version of Seed in early 2018.