Novaquark pushes total funding for Dual Universe to $7.4 million

Novaquark has raised $3.7 million for its ambitious MMO Dual Universe, taking total funding for the project to $7.4 million.

The new funding mostly came from private investors in the French tech sector, but the London-based firm Andurance Ventures also contributed a "significant" amount.

The $7.4 million Novaquark has now raised for Dual Universe also includes a successful Kickstarter campaign last year, which raised $670,000 from more than 8,000 backers - the third highest total raised by any game project on the platform in 2016.

According to Novaquark CEO JC Baillie, this $3.7 million round will allow Dual Universe to "reach its full potential," and potential is hardly in short supply.

Built around a proprietary technology called CSSC (continuous single-shard cluster), Dual Universe will allow vast numbers of players to exist in the same virtual world at the same time. The engine will also support players' modifying the terrain and building objects, "from space ships to orbital stations, at any scale they desire."

"Our ambition is to become the number one platform for user-generated entertainment, all happening in the same universe, to create an ecosystemic amplification mechanism similar to that of social networks" Baillie said in a statement.

"The emergent content acts as a collectively created story and universe, with the players directly involved in the content evolution. This content is potentially much more exciting and rewarding than traditional pre-made content, and it could have the potential to draw in millions of viewers via Twitch or similar online broadcasting services."

Novaquark currently has a team of 25, working in an office in the centre of Paris. It is preparing to launch the Alpha version of Dual Universe.