Griffin gaming, warner music group invest in ugc game platform overwolf

Overwolf, a platform that allows creators to build, distribute and monetize in-game apps, has raised $52.5 million led by Griffin Gaming Partners and Insight Partners. The company, which is

also announcing the launch of a new platform for user-generated content, additionally received financing from Ubisoft, Warner Music Group, former Quibi CEO Meg Whitman and Gen.G co-founder

Kevin Chou. “Similar to how developers use Unity to build a game, we see Overwolf as the framework for everything UGC related to games,” said Griffin Gaming co-founder and LionTree managing

director Nick Tuosto. “Overwolf allows for one of the only means of monetization for the thousands of creators, in turn, this translates to increased engagement for the publishers and more

content for gamers. Services like Overwolf set the stage for the industry to see a new generation of user-generated content and we are excited to invest in the leading company moving this

space forward.” Insight managing director Teddie Wardi added, “We’ve been following UGC in gaming for many years and believe Overwolf has established itself as a leader in this category. AAA

game studios will want to allow creators to build and express themselves, and Overwolf is positioned as the platform to make this possible by ensuring that creators are recognized for their

contributions, and easily integrating creations into games. Overwolf has proved themselves to be strong champions of the creator community and we look forward to helping them scale up in

2021.” Tel Aviv-based Overwolf works with some 30,000 creators and has 18 million monthly active users. In 2020, it acquired CurseForge, a repository of modifications — or “mods” — for video

games including _Warcraft_ and _Minecraft_, from Twitch. The company is now launching CurseForge Core to help users discover and install mods in-game, across platforms and storefronts.

Overwolf says it has seen 300 percent growth as the market for gaming content expands. “We are at a new user-generated content inflection point, and the strong growth of gaming lies largely

in the hands of ‘in-game creators,’ a term we coined to categorize this new generation of in-game app creators and mod authors,” said co-founder and CEO Uri Marchand. “The more content and

customizability a game has, the more likely a gamer will keep experiencing its content and by that extending the longevity of the game and generating more value for game developers and

publishers in the long run.” He continued, “By offering CurseForge Core, we are accelerating the community-created content movement by enabling publishers to easily integrate mods safely and

seamlessly into their existing and new games. With the backing of the most notable investors in the space, we are confident that the Overwolf platform will lay the groundwork for a new era

of AAA game creation.” The company will use its new round of funding to continuing to provide services for creators and to create opportunities to invest in and with the in-game creator

community. Warner Music sees the opportunity to invest as in-game music experiences are on the rise. “At Warner Music Group we’re constantly experimenting and innovating to find new

opportunities to serve our artists and music fans around the world,” said Oana Ruxandra, executive vp of business development and chief digital officer at the record label. “We’re excited to

invest in a likeminded company like Overwolf who is pushing the boundaries on what’s possible in gaming, and we look forward to exploring more ways in which our worlds can intersect.”

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