$1 Million of Indie VR Empowerment
Why now is the right time to launch the SideQuest X Creature Indie VR Fund
We started SideQuest in May 2019, and since then, we’ve often been asked why we haven’t published or signed any games ourselves… which is a fair question!
After all, we built SideQuest to represent the ultimate community in standalone VR — with over 2,000 developers, 4,000 apps, and 2 million active monthly users all in one place. We’ve always intended to create a space where developers, players, and VR fans around the globe can create, share, and get excited about the apps they love.
But the simple answer to why we don’t publish games ourselves is: we’ve never done it before — and we had a few things to learn before we could start! Finding the right partner to bring those skills to the table was our number one priority.
While we always recognize incredible games and support them as much as we can, we haven’t had the much-needed experience to guide them through the rigorous release processes and pitfalls of publishing to get them shipped to the major stores — and beyond.
But we know some talented folks who have it.
It’s all about that Creature feature
Creature is a fresh VR gaming studio and label that launched in January 2023 — but don’t let their newness fool you. CEO and Creative Director, Doug North Cook is a true industry veteran, with all the knowledge, skills, and a track record of spotting hit studios in the making and guiding them to success.
Between them, Doug and the Creature team have built their experience working on classic titles like Among Us VR, Gravity Lab, SUPERHOT® VR, Space Pirate Trainer, Pistol Whip, Tilt Brush, The Last Clockwinder, and more. And since Creature launched, they’ve worked with some of VR’s highest-rated games to date, including titles like ‘The Light Brigade’ by Funktronic Labs, ‘Cubism’ by Thomas Van Bouwel, and ‘Budget Cuts Ultimate’ by Neat Corporation.
They’re even working behind the scenes on their own mixed-reality game — details TBC, shhhh!
Creature know exactly what they’re doing: fostering a vibrant and empowering community of studios building best-in-class games. Creature has already announced their first 3 outstanding partner studios to their label — with more announcing later this year!
So, who better for us to partner with to launch our Indie VR Fund?
What is the $1 Million Indie VR Fund?
The SideQuest X Creature Indie VR Fund is our latest exciting initiative designed to empower indie VR developers, uncover the next treasure trove of gaming gems, and get more quality titles launched for the whole VR community to enjoy.
“Indies rule the world,” says SideQuest CEO, Shane Harris. “That is clearly evident in the most successful titles — both in and out of the VR space. Today’s generation of one-man bands and indie studios will be tomorrow’s AAAs if they’re given the chance to flourish today. With this Fund, we’re in a unique position to pay forward and help pave the way for this next generation of champions for the medium.”
That’s why we set aside a whopping $1 million of funding during our Series A investment to help get indie developers and their ideas off the ground. Because we know how difficult self-publishing and the fundraising process can be.
“Today’s generation of one-man bands and indie studios will be tomorrow’s AAAs if they’re given the chance to flourish today.”
— Shane Harris, SideQuest CEO
While the $1 million was safely ring-fenced in 2022, we’ve waited until the time was right to team up with Creature, who’ll take over management of the Fund — responsible for selecting those independent developers and studios they’re convinced will do great things with the Fund’s help.
So, why is now the right time?
The VR industry is poised to take the world by storm. With groundbreaking tech on the horizon and the biggest names in the industry tinkering away with new products to carry it, we’re convinced that the very biggest and best VR years so far are approaching fast. But to help drive more rapid adoption of the latest tech, consumers will need more and more good reasons to put it to use.
AKA a library of cool new games that are fun to play.
With a proven track record of partnering with innovative studios and signing games that are a blast to experience, Creature knows what our community of players wants to see. Meanwhile, SideQuest (in addition to fronting the funds) will still act as a reliable proving ground for those up-and-coming developers to get their ideas out into the wild for testing, feedback, and community engagement.
“We know that the best VR games have yet to be discovered and that many of those games will come from unexpected places — like most of our current favorite VR games,” said Creature CEO, Doug North Cook. “The teams making those next great games will benefit from the collected experience, support, and funding that this collaboration will provide.”
That’s right: to sweeten the deal, all developers who successfully apply for a share of the $1 million fund will get a full package of support from both teams at SideQuest and Creature. That includes advice and guidance on business development and strategy, artwork and design, approaching major platforms, and more — everything an indie dev needs to know to build a sustainable and profitable studio, allowing them to focus on what they do best: making amazing games.
How to apply for your share of the Indie VR Fund
This partnership between SideQuest and Creature was created to help you close your funding gap while offering you the support you’ll need to launch on the major platforms — and beyond!
To submit a pitch for funding consideration, please contact Creature — who will check out every application in detail (please be patient while you wait to hear back).
Ready to get in with the Creature team?
About SideQuest
SideQuest represents the ultimate community in standalone VR. A place where developers and players around the globe can create, share, and get excited about the virtual reality apps they love.
Developers (like us) are free to experiment with mechanics and modes on their journey to official stores, while players can safely explore thousands of apps across the wonderful world of VR — the largest collection all in one place, actually.
Because who needs limits, right?
Let’s keep your SideQuest going…
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