From esports team to interactive game developer — Tempo Storm plans to blaze that trail with a $3.3M funding round from tech investor Galaxy Interactive via its Galaxy EOS VC Fund. The company will grow beyond the limits of a traditional esports group by developing a brand new deck-building game, as well as investing in their Game Changers franchise, a live show that lets viewers influence what they see on stream. This funding round is precisely the kind of start Tempo Storm needs to execute this vision.
Tempo Storm was founded in 2014 by Hearthstone player Andrey “reynad” Yanyuk, and quickly became a contender in the Hearthstone scene. The company also became notable for games like Shadowverse, PUBG Mobile, Super Smash Bros., Magic: The Gathering, and Rainbow Six Siege. Regarding the investment by Galaxy and the future it will bring his company, Yanyuk said, “While Tempo is well-known in the competitive gaming world, we’ve always operated more as a media company than a sports team.”
In a release, Sam Englebardt, a managing partner of Galaxy Interactive, said, “What impressed us most about Tempo Storm is their vision beyond the traditional esports organization. Starting with the company’s founder and CEO, Andrey Yanyuk, this group is truly innovating in areas such as interactive productions and game development. Sure, they are successful esports competitors, but they are so much more, and it was an easy decision to invest in them.”
On the topic of interactivity and the Game Changers show, Yanyuk added, “We believe that interactivity is the future of entertainment, and we’re incredibly grateful to be working with investors who share that vision. Our upcoming game and audience-driven shows are blazing the trail in the world of interactive media, and it’s exciting to see that future being realised.”