PlayFirst raises $16.5 million funding

Casual games publisher PlayFirst has completed its latest round of financing by raising USD 16.5 million, bringing its total of venture capital to USD 26.5 million.

The Diner Dash publisher intends to use the financing to further its casual games model and web development, as it takes its titles to social networking sites such as FaceBook.

"PlayFirst has a history of breaking new ground and with our introduction of virtual goods into Diner Dash, we continued that trend in 2007,â commented CEO John Welch.

"We are thrilled to have the backing of DCM and the continued support of our existing investment partners to help us grow the casual games industry into the mass-market, highly profitable business that industry insiders and analysts expect it will be."