Animoca Brands subsidiary Anichess has successfully completed its oversubscribed funding round, securing $1.5 million in investment. Notable participants in the round include GameFi ventures, Koda Capital, and 708 Capital, among others. Anichess plans to utilize this funding to further develop its decentralised chess game, expand its team, and cultivate its community.

The development of Anichess is being carried out in collaboration with Play Magnus Group and its Champions Chess Tour. While preserving the traditional rules and essence of chess, the game introduces a novel spell mechanic that adds a new layer of strategy, offering players innovative offensive, defensive, and counter tactics. The objective is to introduce millions of players worldwide to the game of chess, while empowering them through decentralization.

Animoca Brands co-founder and executive chairman Yat Siu expressed his appreciation for the strong support from investors and highlighted the company’s vision of delivering unparalleled experiences for chess players, gamers, and fans. Siu also emphasized the incredible opportunity of partnering with Chess.com and working with some of the leading chess players and influencers across the world, enabling Anichess to bring chess into the open metaverse.

Reviving Chess Through Modernization

Anichess aims to infuse chess with new energy by modernizing the game and leveraging the potential of Web3 technology. The goal is to offer an esports-like experience to both experienced players and newcomers through captivating visuals and skill-based gameplay. The alpha version of Anichess is set to launch in Q1 2024.

Grant Lee, chief strategy officer of Chess.com, the parent company of Play Magnus Group, expressed excitement about the collaboration with Animoca Brands. Lee stated that they are eager to provide top players and influencers in their ecosystem with a unique and enjoyable chess experience as part of their mission to expand the game by presenting chess in different ways to diverse audiences.

We previously recognized Animoca Brands as one of the top 50 mobile game makers of 2022.