Mika Video games Invests $2 Million in Hybrid-Informal Sport Set to Surpass Vegetation vs. Zombies
A gaming fund launched by Wargaming co-founder Nick Katselapov invests in Agonalea Video games, the Buenos Aires-based studio behind Punko.io, the hybrid-casual tower protection sport that delivers the mid-core expertise gamers crave. With the product mannequin’s income surging 30%, Mika Video games continues its mission to again underfunded sport builders.
Nicosia, Cyprus, April 10, 2025 — Mika Video games, a gaming funding firm planning to take a position $50 million in cell sport studios, has introduced its third funding in a yr — a $2 million seed spherical in Buenos Aires-based Agonalea Video games. Based by gaming veterans from Sensor Tower and Pixowl, the studio will use the funding to additional develop and publish its free-to-play hybrid-casual tower protection sport, Punko.io, which was not too long ago nominated for Finest Cell Sport at gamescom latam BIG Pageant 2025.
With Punko.io, Agonalea Video games delivers precisely what Vegetation vs. Zombies 3 failed to offer — true strategic depth, good long-term development, and, above all, enjoyable. Impressed by Habby’s signature product mannequin, Punko.io affords tower protection with deep mid-core roots as a substitute of dumbed-down mechanics, aggressive monetization, and harsh punishments. The twist? Gamers can strategically equip their predominant character with RPG objects from a dynamic stock, mixing the nostalgic appeal of basic flash tower protection with trendy gameplay and smooth design.
“We’re investing in Agonalea Video games not simply with capital, however with strategic assist to assist them construct progressive, standout cell video games,” — mentioned Nick Katselapov, Founding father of Mika Video games. “Mid-core video games are going through excessive engagement calls for and a CPI usually exceeding $10 and typically reaching $30. Alternatively, hyper-casual video games wrestle with long-term retention. This makes hybrid-casual an ideal mix, providing sturdy LTV at decrease UA prices and making it some of the worthwhile segments in cell gaming.”
Punko.io integrates key mechanics from top-performing cell hits, like Conflict Royale and Archero — plus the perfect parts of Vegetation vs. Zombies. This extremely partaking combine is already delivering sturdy outcomes — beginning with an above-market retention price, which is on par with hit titles like Sweet Сrush Saga and Brawl Stars.
Based in 2018 by Pedro Aira (ex-Sensor Tower) and Vanina Fregoti (ex-Pixowl), Agonalea Video games has already earned trade recognition, together with successful the Google Play LATAM Indie Sport Fund 2022 and Cell Sport of the Yr within the Argentinian Videogames Expo (EVA) 2024. The Agonalea Video games group additionally performed a key position in creating profitable titles corresponding to Peanuts: Snoopy’s City Story and Goosebumps: Horror City.
“At Agonalea Video games, we construct experiences that evoke childlike surprise and pleasure,” — mentioned Pedro Aira, co-founder of Agonalea Video games. “In a world the place social media giants battle for each second of our consideration, Punko.io flips the script, boldly declaring that right this moment’s media shoppers are the actual zombies to battle. It’s not only a sport — it’s a rebellious, strategic revolution that challenges the distractions of recent life and units a brand new commonplace for the style.”
This marks Mika Video games’ third funding, as the corporate continues to construct a portfolio of high-potential cell sport studios. Its current investments embody Guli Video games and Sizzling Siberians. Backed by Boston-based VC agency Flint Capital, Mika Video games goals to deploy $50 million into gaming startups, serving to them scale past $1 million in month-to-month income, change into self-sufficient, and enhance valuations with the final word objective of an IPO. Apart from capital, Mika Video games offers hands-on assist in enterprise processes, sport design, monetization, advertising and marketing, and product technique.
The hybrid-casual gaming sector noticed vital progress in 2023, with over 130 new releases — an almost 40% year-over-year enhance. Whereas 2024 was a difficult yr for cell gaming — with downloads dropping 6% on the App Retailer and 11% on Google Play — hybrid-casual video games defied the pattern, posting a 30% income surge over the previous yr.
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About Mika Video games
Mika Video games is a Cyprus-based funding firm established in 2023. The corporate strategically invests in gaming studios with merchandise in tender launch, offering leverage to scale them globally. It’s targeted on free-to-play cell video games which have the potential to interact gamers for years, making it genre-agnostic. At the moment, Mika Video games portfolio consists of two studios — Guli Video games and Sizzling Siberians. The corporate is providing the mandatory sources, together with time, cash, and experience, to navigate by way of the tedious tender launch section and rework the sport right into a profitable enterprise.
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