Build a Rocket Boy, a game development company based in Scotland, has announced raising $110 million in a Series D round of funding. This funding precedes the highly anticipated launch of the company’s first titles and immersive open-world platform.
Leslie Benzies, the former president of Rockstar North popular for leading the development of the Grand Theft Auto series from the third installment in 2001 until leaving the company in 2016 following a 17-month break. In 2016, Benzies initiated legal action against his former employer, alleging that he had been effectively removed and denied a share of the game’s profits. A significant portion of the complaints were dismissed in court two years later, and the parties reached a confidential settlement in 2019.
Throughout much of this, Benzies was laying the foundation for his next big project.
Leslie Benzies. Image Credits: Austin Hargrave / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 3.0
Originally named Royal Circus Games after a prestigious address in Edinburgh, lawyers representing Rockstar parent company Take-Two Interactive argued that the “RCG” acronym was too similar to Rockstar Games (RSG) and was deliberately designed to confuse. While it’s unclear if the name change directly resulted from this accusation, Royal Circus Games transformed into Build a Rocket Boy in 2018 and raised at least $40 million in funding for the development and commercialization of new titles.
While these titles are yet to be officially released, the company has hinted at a new immersive open-world platform called Everywhere, described as “community-driven gaming” where players can build their own world—a concept similar to Roblox. There is also MindsEye, touted as a “story-driven action adventure.”
Both titles are scheduled for launch “in the near future,” with the company also introducing a suite of user-generated content (UGC) design tools known as Arcadia.
“I started Build A Rocket Boy so that I could continue to share the stories I love with players and give them a place to create and share,” Benzies said in a press release. “We believe in a future where game creation is put in the hands of the players, and we will empower them with the tools to help shape this vision with us.”
RedBird Capital Partners, a New York-based investment firm, led Build a Rocket Boy’s Series D round, with NetEase Games, Galaxy Interactive, Endeavor, Alignment Growth, Woodline Partners, and GTAM Partners also participating.
In addition to its headquarters in Edinburgh, Build a Rocket Boy has established additional development hubs in Budapest (Hungary) and Montpellier (France).
