Treehouse Games Raises $2.6M to Make Collaborative Games

by Ellen Glover
June 24, 2020
LA-based Treehouse Games raises $2.6M seed fund, plans to make cooperative games
Image: Treehouse Games

Treehouse Games, a new studio out of Los Angeles dedicated to developing cooperative games, has closed on a $2.6 million seed round led by London Venture Partners.

Online games like Fortnite and Animal Crossing have been thriving during the pandemic, providing a place for friends and strangers alike to socialize with one another safely. This is a wave founders Michael Chu and Ryan Sullivan are hoping to ride with Treehouse Games.

“As a game developer, I can’t help but feel some pride about the impact games are having for people quarantined at home,” Chu said in a recent blog post. “There are millions of players who don’t think of themselves as ‘gamers’ but use games every day to interact with friends. For them, games are simply a wonderful way to socialize — just as fun as going out to dinner or meeting up for coffee.”

However, Chu says many of the leading titles in the multiplayer landscape focus on “hardcore, competitive experiences” that may not be conducive to what many casual gamers are hoping for. “This extreme focus on competition is such a missed opportunity because it reflects just a tiny part of how people spend time together,” Chu continued. “When we think about our best times with friends, we think of laughter, adventures, and warm memories. This is where Treehouse comes in.”

Treehouse wants to focus on creating games that “evoke the camaraderie of a road trip, allow generosity among friends, and celebrate lasting accomplishments.” Both founders are veterans in the gaming industry, with Chu spending nearly a decade at Riot Games and Sullivan co-founding Sirvo Studios, another LA-based developer. The two are joined by a small team of people with backgrounds at both AAA companies and startups.

The company revealed to the Los Angeles Business Journal that it is working on its first title but has remained tight lipped about any specifics and claims it doesn’t know when the title will be released. The company’s website lists a handful of open positions for designers and engineers to help make the game.

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