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Build a Rocket Boy , a Scotland - headquarter game exploitation ship’s company founded by one of the former lead developers behind the Grand Theft Auto dealership , today annunciate it has evoke $ 110 million in a Series D stave of funding .
The financing comes ahead of the much - anticipated launching of the company ’s first titles and immersive subject - world platform .
Leslie Benziesis perhaps well have a go at it as the former prexy ofRockstar North , driving development of its bang hit Grand Theft Auto series start from the third instalment in 2001 , througheach subsequent titleuntildeparting the caller in 2016 following a 17 - month sabbatical . That same year , Benziesinitiated legal actionagainst his former employer , argue that he had effectively been kicked out and denied a share of the game ’s profits . A significant portion of the complaintswere thrown out in Margaret Court two years later , with the partiesfinally reaching a secret settlementin 2019 .
Throughout much of this , Benzies was lay the groundwork for his next big labor .
Initially called Royal Circus Games ( named after a prestigious address in the company ’s home urban center , Edinburgh ) , lawyers representing Rockstar parent company Take - Two Interactiveargued thatthe “ RCG ” acronym was strikingly similar to Rockstar Games ( RSG ) , and was purposely designed to confuse . Whether its name - variety was a direct issue of this accusation is n’t clear , but Royal Circus Gamesmorphed into Build a Rocket Boyin 2018 and went on toraise at least $ 40 millionin financing to develop and commercialize a cortege of novel titles .
While these have yet to see the official light of 24-hour interval , the company has teased a new immersive open - world program calledEverywhere , tilt as “ biotic community - driven play ” where players can build their own creation — in what could perhaps be see assomething akin to Roblox . Andthen there is MindsEye , touted as a “ story - driven action adventure . ”
Both titles are slated for launch “ in the near future , ” while the society is also premise a suite of substance abuser - generated substance ( UGC ) design tool it promise Arcadia .
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“ I set off Build A Rocket Boy so that I could continue to share the stories I love with players and give them a seat to make and share , ” Benzies say in apress expiration . “ We believe in a future where game institution is put in the hands of the players , and we will authorise them with the tools to facilitate shape this vision with us . ”
Build a Rocket Boy ’s Series D round of golf was led by New York - based investment firmRedBird Capital Partners , with participation from NetEase Games , Galaxy Interactive , Endeavor , Alignment Growth , Woodline Partners and GTAM Partners , among others .
Aside from its headquarters in Edinburgh , Build a Rocket Boy has open additional evolution hub in Budapest ( Hungary ) and Montpellier ( France ) .
