Ares Interactive has successfully raised $70 million in Series A funding for its "AI-enabled development, marketing, and live-ops" initiative

Area Interactive has secured $70 million through a Series A funding round aimed at cultivating "a new generation of player-loved franchises."

This funding round, spearheaded by General Catalyst, is highlighted by the company as "one of the most significant early-stage investments in a gaming company in recent times, enhancing Area Interactive's mission to establish a next-generation, cross-platform, free-to-play game enterprise."

Operating from San Francisco and Berlin, Area boasts a "veteran team" complemented by an advisory panel. They leverage AI-driven development, marketing, and live operations workflows to enable their teams to iterate rapidly, efficiently expand content, and swiftly address player feedback.

Currently, Ares is focused on Baseball Hits 26, a game "crafted by baseball enthusiasts for baseball enthusiasts, featuring officially licensed professional baseball players." The company has also launched the roguelike RPG Heroes vs Hordes, which has exceeded 13 million downloads.

"This funding confirms our vision, approach, and the exceptional team behind it," remarked Mike DeLaet, president of Ares Interactive.

"Ares Interactive combines exceptional operational expertise with a long-term strategy, as our leadership team has extensive experience in developing, scaling, and managing hit free-to-play games for some of the most prominent publishers in the sector.

"While many companies are retreating in the current market, this investment allows us to advance, expand judiciously with outstanding partners, and focus on developing the games we've always envisioned, creating experiences and communities that will keep players returning for years ahead."