Red Rover Interactive Unveils Ambitious Plan to Revolutionize Survival Games

A new player has emerged in the gaming industry, as Red Rover Interactive sets its sights on shaking up the survival genre. Founded by a team of 17 seasoned multiplayer experts, the studio boasts an impressive collective resume, with experience working on notable titles such as DayZ, Conan Exiles, Crysis 2, Ryse, Ghost Recon, Dune Awakening, and Avakin Life. With studios in Oslo, Norway, and Newcastle, England, Red Rover has secured seed funding of nearly $5 million, led by Behold Ventures and The Games Fund, with additional investment from Lifelike Capital, Gem Capital, and Acequia Capital. At the helm of Red Rover is CEO Fred Richardson, formerly CTO at Funcom, who reveals that the studio was formed in response to the vast market potential of the survival genre. "The survival genre has immense potential for explosive growth," Richardson notes. "However, we've observed a trend towards more curated, PVE, or smaller-scale multiplayer experiences. We believe that multiplayer and social interactions are the most exciting and engaging form of gameplay, and our goal is to create novel and captivating online experiences, starting with the survival genre." Richardson is joined by a seasoned management team, including COO Joe Stevens, who previously led Lockwood's Newcastle studio, design director Marek Zilavy, formerly lead game designer at Funcom and Bohemia Interactive, technical director Daniel Rätzer, who spent over a decade at Funcom, and art director Sebastian Zimmerman, who has worked at Jagex, Crytek, Nordeus, and more. The team's extensive experience in the industry, combined with their work on leading survival games, gives them a unique advantage in disrupting the genre. Red Rover's team has also worked on a range of games, from massively multiplayer titles for PC to games-as-a-service titles for mobile, enabling them to efficiently develop and navigate the complexities of survival games. While Red Rover remains tight-lipped about its debut title, Richardson acknowledges the challenges ahead, particularly with the success of titles like Valheim. "The survival genre is gaining significant attention, and standing out can be challenging," Richardson admits. "Many competitors are adopting traditional AAA development approaches, trying to widen their audience through curated experiences. We've chosen not to compete on this front. Instead, we believe that player-driven content, particularly through multiplayer interactions and PVP gameplay, holds the key to breakout growth. Recent industry trends have shown that engaging multiplayer interactions drive growth, and we're confident this will be the case for the survival space as well.