CAMEROON – Kiro’o Games, a gaming startup, has announced it has raised US$342,000 as part of a fundraising campaign it launched in 2019. Buoyed by the funding, the startup has announced the launch of its very first game on PlayStore.
Kiro’o Games, sometimes known as Kiro’o Studios, is a Cameroonian privately held video game, animation, development and publishing company based founded in 2003 by Madiba Olivier, and headquartered in Yaoundé.
Entitled “The Mboa Manager”, this game, explains Olivier Madiba, the founder of Kiro’o Games, marks the entry of the Cameroonian video game studio into the smartphone game market in Africa.
The crowdfunding campaign, initiated in 2019, saw Kiro’o Games raise around 190 million FCFA (US$342k) to date from 258 shareholders, with a further pledge of 473 million FCFA (US$852k) from 693 people.
“It is the first time in world history that the life of the African elite has been portrayed on video games by an African studio.”
Olivier Madiba – Founder, Kiro’o Games
Since this fundraising, Kiro’o Games has notably delivered Aurion comics to Amazon, but nothing was yet available in the area of the smartphone market
“We have delivered ‘Early Access’ our game, which allows any player to experience the life of a high official of the Imaginary Republic of Mboa in a comic fashion. It is the first time in world history that the life of the African elite has been portrayed on video games by an African studio,” said founder Olivier Madiba.
“Beyond satire (which is respectful), we offer young people the opportunity to experience the temptations and consequences of social problems such as corruption, modern management of couples, etc.,”
Between 2013 and 2018, the startup successfully raised US$305,000 through equity crowdfunding and in 2019 launched a US$1 million crowdfunding target through its own crowdfunding platform called Rebuntu Equity Crowdfunding.
One of the investors in this round is Cameroonian tech entrepreneur Rebecca Enonchong. She invested an undisclosed amount through her business angel network Cameroon Angels Network.
Kiro’o Games has previously secured funding in 2015 for the development of its first title, 2D African fantasy role-playing game “Aurion: Legacy of the Kori-Odan.” It aimed for US$44,600 but raised US$55,500 from 1,310 backers through Kickstarter.
The Rebuntu Equity Crowdfunding platform allows investors to buy shares starting at around US$500. In return, these investors receive voting rights and participation in the management of the startup. The company has not disclosed how much ownership it is giving up to investors.
Kiro’o Games says it hopes to reach at least one million customers in Africa by 2025, with an annual turnover of US$20 million, according to its business plan. The business plan was made public to boost interest in its crowdfunding effort.
“This is the first time in world history that the life of the African elite is depicted in a video game by an African studio. Beyond the satire (albeit respectful), we are offering the youth the opportunity to experience the temptations and consequences of social problems like corruption, modern couple management, etc.”
In an official release, Kiro’o Games indicates that barely a week after being put on Playstore, “Le responsable Mboa” has been downloaded 3, 300 times with some very positive comments praising the quality of the game.
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