Berlin studio Torpor Games by Ata Sergey Nowak has hooked a big fish: Krafton is investing into the team's hit narrative and strategy game universe Suzerain, including upcoming The Conformist, more DLC and new games.
Berlin studio Torpor Games, famous for their successful Suzerain game series that includes the DLC Kingdom of Rizia as well as the upcoming spin-off The Conformist, has grabbed financing from a big fish. As studio head Ata Sergey Nowak shared on LinkedIn, Krafton has invested in the studio for the full game universe, including more content for The Conformist, “new DLCs for Suzerain, including Project Aperture and Project Vanguard, as well as Project Fulcrum, a new standalone game set in the same universe”.
The concrete numbers of the investment are not yet public so far, but apart from Krafton, 1Up Ventures and Sisu Game Ventures are partners in the deal.
Krafton investment director Mike Hong said: “Suzerain has one of the most dedicated and loyal fanbases we’ve seen. It's the kind of community where some fans will create localizations for their own countries purely out of love for the game. It’s a testament to how community-driven the Torpor team is, making evolving games with their players in mind. We believe this strength will carry the studio and its IP to even greater heights.”
“And Ata is one of the most knowledgeable people in the industry when it comes to politics. Torpor is the only studio directly tackling modern and contemporary political themes, which require elegant design to handle such a sensitive subject. While this theme has already proven successful in other forms of media, it hasn’t yet been fully realized in games. If there’s one team that can truly grow this niche, we believe it’s Torpor."
Ed Fries, General Partner, 1Up Ventures added: “We’ve seen Torpor Games grow with steady focus and creativity. Their bold plans to expand their universe with innovative experiences make them an exciting part of the 1Up community, and we’re ready to support them on that path.”
Jere Partanen, Principal at Sisu Game Ventures commented: “Ata, İlke, and Özgün’s decades-long friendship and nuanced perspective on political life are at the core of Torpor’s strength. Suzerain manages to be thought-provoking and weighty while offering impactful choices, authentic portrayals of political actors, and moments of humanity and levity. The care they’ve put into the Suzerain IP is most visible in its uniquely engaged and appreciative community, and it’s hard to imagine a stronger foundation for shaping the future of political games."
