In a recent announcement, Anichess, a subsidiary of the distinguished venture capital firm Animoca Brands, has successfully completed a seed funding round, exceeding its target to raise $1.5 million.
Among the investors were GameFi Ventures, The Operating Group, Koda Capital, Bing Ventures, 708 Capital, Asymmetry Capital, and more. These funds will enable Anichess to accelerate the development of its groundbreaking decentralized chess game, expand its team, and cultivate its community.
Anichess, partnering with Play Magnus Group (PMG) and Champions Chess Tour, aims to uphold the essential ethos of chess while enhancing the game’s appeal through innovation. The start-up plans to keep the traditional chess rules intact, introducing an ingenious spell mechanic and providing various offensive, defensive, and counter-tactics. This novel approach will add an esports flavor to the experience, presenting players with exciting and unique challenges.
Yat Siu, co-founder and executive chairman of Animoca Brands, commented: “The strong support expressed by investors validates Anichess’s vision of delivering unparalleled experiences for chess players, gamers, and fans. Partnering with Chess.com is an incredible opportunity to work with some of the leading chess players and influencers across the world and to bring chess into the open metaverse.”
Growing the Global Chess Community
After Chess.com’s acquisition of PMG in December 2022, Anichess has the potential to reach millions of chess enthusiasts, aiming to foster growth in the global chess community and empower players through decentralization. The project presents an extraordinary opportunity to introduce innovative experiences and champion chess in the open metaverse.
Upcoming Launch
Anichess expects to launch its Alpha version in Q1 2024. Potential users and interested parties can stay up-to-date with developments by following Anichess on Twitter, joining their Discord server, or registering on the website.