A group of developers known for their work on the popular children’s video game Club Penguin have raised an undisclosed amount of funding to build its spiritual successor.
The news: Kelowna, BC-based game studio Magic Potion Games announced on Thursday that it has secured a Series A round, just as its child-friendly game Imagine Island exited its beta-testing phase.
Magic Potion was founded by veteran Canadian game developers Stephen MacDonald, Karin Johnson, and Sascha Williams, who all met while working on Club Penguin. Imagine Island is meant to be a safe online experience for Gen Alpha children to do quests, decorate digital homes, and socialize, much like Club Penguin was for older generations.
The studio said Imagine Island reached more than one million players during beta testing.
From the source: “As both game developers and parents, we’ve always believed Gen Alpha shouldn’t have to choose between fun and safety online,” MacDonald said in a statement. “Reaching one million players organically tells us that vision is resonating with families around the world [and] we’re excited to continue expanding Imagine Island while staying true to the values that brought us here.”
The context: In addition to its founders, Magic Potion’s advisory team is filled with industry experience, including Alex Seropian, the founder of Halo creator Bungie, and Lane Merrifield, the co-founder of Club Penguin. Merrifield, a Canadian, is also known for his stint as an investor on Dragons’ Den.
Magic Potion said it’s preparing a significant expansion of Imagine Island later this year that will include several “major entertainment partnerships,” new gameplay experiences, and a membership monetization model.
Final thought: Since the shutdown of Club Penguin in 2017, Roblox has become a game of choice for kids around the world. Despite its popularity with children, Roblox has been scrutinized for its apparent lack of, or weak, safeguards. Magic Potion says its game is specifically designed for children between the ages of six and 13, and uses live moderation and COPPA-compliant privacy protections to create a trusted online environment for kids.
Feature image courtesy Magic Potion Games.