Proxima raises $1.6M and announces Lumari as 1st game

Proxima is coming out of stealth today as a new game studio with $1.6 million in funding. It also unveiled its first game, Lumari, a social sandbox adventure game.

Based in the U.S. and Canada, Proxima aims to build upon an emerging model in the video game industry, which the company has termed “game-as-a-platform.” In this model, the game acts as a canvas for player communities, economy, and creations.

“We’re excited to be building at such a pivotal point in the gaming industry,” said Ran Mo, founder and CEO at Proxima, in a statement. “More and more, games have evolved from offering content, into becoming a ‘third place’ where players can discover new communities, find belonging, unwind, and collaborate. We aim to build upon these foundations with new technologies that have the potential to advance player-created and player-centric economies.”

Proxima is making a social sandbox adventure game dubbed Lumari.

In addition to coming out of stealth, the Proxima team is also excited to announce its inaugural title, Lumari, a social sandbox adventure game centered around exploration, creativity, and belonging. While the game is still in development, Lumari is kicking off its first community playtest this month. Players can learn more about the game and the playtest at playlumari.com.

Proxima previously raised $1.6 million in pre-seed funding from industry investors. The pre-seed round was led by London Venture Partners, with participation from Konvoy Ventures, Progression Fund, and Valhalla Ventures.

Water Ankorstone in Lumari.

Are Mack Growen, General Partner at London Venture Partners, said in a statement, “In today’s world, games are more than a place of entertainment. They’re a medium for connection and expression. Ran and his team have a bold vision on the future of gaming. We are incredibly impressed with the team’s vision and speed of execution. LVP is confident in Proxima’s ability to pioneer the next gaming frontier, and is eager to support them throughout their journey.”

The core team at Proxima is made of veterans of the game industry, from Electronic Arts, Unity, Storm8, Wildlife Studios, and Riot. The company has five people.

Proxima has five people.

Asked about the inspiration for the game, Mo said in an email to GamesBeat, “The team has been fascinated with the idea of what creature collections as a genre could look like for today’s generation, given advancements in design and technology. We take inspiration from social sandbox games, such as Valheim and Terraria, in which players can fully inhabit their environment and build homes for themselves as a form of their own expression and belonging. For us there is a strong connection between the home and creatures as companions (as is in life), and this is a key concept that underlies what we are building with Lumari.”