Manticore Games operates Core, a creator-focused game engine and discovery platform that emphasizes drag-and-drop creation and remixing of pre-made environments and 3D assets. The platform targets a 13+ crowd that may have outgrown Roblox and aims to grow a creator economy with flexible monetization. Creators can implement their own in-app purchase models and keep a 50% revenue share from their games. Manticore works closely with Epic Games—Epic invested $15 million last year—and embeds game discovery directly into the engine. The company faces platform-level challenges such as stacked revenue shares on consoles and mobile and platform gatekeeping (Sony was singled out). Financially, Manticore has raised significant VC backing to scale its creator multiverse. Manticore Games develops and operates Core, an accessible game construction kit and social game-playing platform built in Unreal Engine that aims to create an "endless gaming multiverse." The platform lowers barriers to game creation and publishing, enabling creators to produce a wide range of multiplayer game genres. Core opened to creators in Alpha and has already seen rapid content creation, including more than 150 Dungeons & Dragons–themed games released during a contest. The company has launched a $1 million Creator Payouts Pilot Program to seed a creator economy on the platform. Manticore positions Core as a metaverse playground where players discover user-generated worlds and creators monetize their work. The recent funding led by Epic Games is presented in the article as validation of Core's vision and progress. Manticore Games is a stealth startup building CORE, a game-making platform designed to let users create and monetize custom experiences without deep technical skills. CORE is built on Unreal Engine and the company describes it as a collaborative social ecosystem that supports a variety of shared online experiences. The founders compare user engagement with creators’ content to platforms like Twitch or YouTube, and position CORE more as a platform than a traditional game engine. Manticore has not disclosed a launch timeline but indicated something will be available soon while remaining in stealth and withholding many product details. Financially, the company has raised at least $45 million in financing to date, all before shipping a product. Founders Frederic Descamps and Jordan Maynard previously ran A Bit Lucky, which was acquired by Zynga in 2012; both stayed at Zynga until launching Manticore. Manticore Games is a stealth gaming studio developing an undisclosed PC multiplayer experience that leverages user-generated content. Founders Frederic Descamps and Jordan Maynard, both former executives who worked at Zynga, are leading the effort. The company aims to tap community-driven innovation to extend gameplay and game design, drawing on player passion. Manticore says its first title will offer complexity and strategic gameplay similar to leading PC hits. The startup completed a $15 million financing round to fund development. Investors include Benchmark, BITKRAFT Esports Ventures, Correlation Ventures, CrunchFund, Macro Ventures, SV Angel and several high-profile gaming and tech entrepreneurs.

Total raised

$160M

Funding rounds

4

Latest round

Series C

Latest activity

Mar 2021