Mobile developer Netspeak Games has raised $12 million to broaden its staff and fund its first recreation, Sunshine Days. The recreation is a comfortable on-line village simulator that emphasizes on-line multiplayer and inventive play in a shared surroundings.

Netspeak’s present spherical of funding comes from Lakestar and Project A, with fellow individuals together with recreation developer Catherine Chew of Sifu writer Kepler Interactive. Last yr, Kepler raised $120 million, which has been used to deliver extra studios into its fold.

Sunshine Days is a cross-platform recreation for iOS and Android, and its artwork type could make some consider Nintendo’s Animal Crossing. The recreation has been in Early Access since 2021.

The UK-based Netspeak was based in 2019, and its employees has beforehand labored at large identify firms similar to Sony, Rockstar, and Sega Europe. CEO Callum Brighting informed GamesBeat that Netspeak intends to be taught from these larger studios to make sure it may possibly have a wholesome work tradition, which is able to then mirror its video games.

“At Netspeak, we try to get previous our trade’s obsession with the newest pattern or latest know-how and make video games which actually specific the potential of our medium,” mentioned Brighting. “By being supportive, sort & persevering with to prioritize our studio tradition above all the pieces else, we are actually a world-class staff backed by trade main buyers.” 

Multiple unbiased studios have brazenly mentioned making well being and constructive collaboration as a part of their general mission assertion. Last week, the newly fashioned Sprocket Games introduced that it will characteristic prime healthcare protection for trans and non-binary staff.

Similarly, Jeff Gardiner, founder of recent studio Something Wicked Games and former producer on Fallout 76, talked about guaranteeing that his studio would have a constructive office tradition.