Next Games’ first funding round raises $6m

Finnish games company Next Games has raised $6 million in financing in its first external investment round.

Next Games’ Series A round funding round was co-led by IDG Ventures and the company’s original investor, Jari Ovaskainen, who was also an early investor in Supercell.

Co-founded by former Rovio developer Teemu Huuhtanen, Next Games has two titles in development, one of which is a collaboration with AMC Networks on a mobile game based on TV drama, The Walking Dead.

Joining IDG Ventures is Lowercase Capital, one of its first ventures into the mobile game sector, as well as a number of other VC firms including IDG Capital, AMC Networks Ventures and York Ventures.

“Our funding was made possible by the pioneering work by established Scandinavian game development studios. It is a testament to the talent in the Nordic region where many of the most successful games in recent years have been created,” said Next Games CEO Teemu Huuhtanen.

“The majority of our private investment is rooted in the United States and Asia, the world’s leading mobile app markets. I’m confident this diversity will lead to compelling games with broad global appeal and unique opportunities for partnerships, such as the one we currently have with AMC.”

Next Games founder and chiefproduct officer Joakim Achrén: “We are prepared to define the next wave of playful innovation. Our plan is to build titles that people will enjoy for years and a dream team of people passionate with the art of making games,”

The studio has appeared in Develop’s 2013 guide to the Best European Start-ups.