We R Interactive Raises $5M In Second Round Of Funding

We R Interactive, a London, UK-based social games studio that combines the film and gaming industries to create interactive social games, has raised $5 million in a second round of private investment funding. When the studio opened last year, it immediately attracted investors, with CEO David Rose noting that the company was "backed by some of the most influential people in media and finance". It has now secured a second round of funding, and is adding a number of high-profile figures to its shareholders, including Paul Fitzsimons, an ex-media sector partner at Apax Partners, and Elio Leoni-Sceti, formerly CEO at EMI Music. This second round of funding will go towards the ongoing development of We R Interactive's first game I AM PLAYR, which was launched in March. It will also be used to allow the studio to branch out into other genres including music and fashion. Rose explained, "Our mission at launch last year was to develop a new social games experience - we have created a media format that combines high-end film and gaming to offer something fresh and immersive for users." "Our approach allows innovative brand integration opportunities that actually enhance the player’s gaming experience. With our first game, I AM PLAYR, we featured five such integrations at launch and our goal is to create a portfolio of games based on this diversified revenue model." He concluded that the latest funding will allow the studio to "progress with our ambitions."