Zoe Studios is a mobile game development studio founded last year by former members of Playtika. Recently, it secured support from eight private investors.
According to the portal PocketGamer, the investors in Zoe Studios include notable figures in the gaming industry. For instance, one of them is Phil Mansell, who led Jagex until this spring. The list also includes Space Ape Games co-founder Simon Hade, Trailmix CEO Carolin Krenzer, and former Luna Labs Vice President John Wright.
The amount of investment is not disclosed, but it is known that Zoe Studios will use the funds to develop their debut title. Currently, they are working on a mobile chess game primarily targeting a casual audience.
Zoe Studios acknowledges that competing in the chess niche will be challenging: the platform Chess.com has long established itself, and chess was introduced in the popular educational app Duolingo earlier this year. However, the developers are ready to take the risk. Specifically, they want to experiment with social elements and monetization.
In the future, Zoe Studios plans to conduct another round of funding, but this time with the help of venture firms instead of "business angels."