NetEase Invests In Finnish Startup Reforged Studios

NetEase, publisher of hit titles such as Fantasy Westward Journey, Tianxia, Revelation, and the Chinese releases of Blizzard's catalog, announced today that they have invested $2.5 million into Reforged Studios. Reforged Studios is a Finnish startup that was formed this year by "industry veterans who have played key roles at Riot Games, Electronic Arts, Blizzard Entertainment, DICE, Games Workshop, Ubisoft, LucasArts, and many more." According to NetEase Capital Assistant Vice President Amy Huang, "The leadership and talent that came together to form Reforged Studios really attracted us to make a strategic investment in them." She goes on to say that they "continue to aggressively pursue our vision for globalization and expansion westward based on our successes in Asia." This is but one "key step" in the direction that they want to go.

Reforged Studios' first title is set to be an "epic fantasy army battler" set to release on mobile in 2016. The team aims to "create world-class core games with strong mainstream appeal and high production values." According to the CEO of Reforged Studios, Teemu Vilén, "The partnership with NetEase, a company with tremendous experience on PC and mobile worldwide, allows us to be a part of the future of gaming globally." Reforged Studios follows Counterplay Games, Red Accent Studios, and Motiga in being a company invested in by NetEase.