Blue Ocean Games has launched a $30 million early-stage venture fund, backed by PUBG creator Krafton, with the goal of supporting 100 indie developers over the next three years. The initiative aims to help developers who typically fall outside traditional investment criteria.

The fund introduces a Structured Agreement for Indie Launch (SAIL) funding model that offers:

• Investment at concept stage (before playable builds)
• Financing of $100,000 per developer (up to $300,000 per team) over two years
• Market-validation milestones instead of subjective checkpoints
• Hybrid equity and revenue share agreements
• Full IP ownership retention for developers
• Additional support including incorporation assistance and mentorship

Damian Lee, former head of investments at Krafton, established the fund to address what he calls "a structural problem in the indie game industry" where there's a growing gap between investor funding, developer aspirations, and player demands.

The fund will launch "Rising Tide," an online competition series starting May 1, 2025, in partnership with Global Game Jam. This program will help developers validate ideas and gain recognition, regardless of whether they seek funding.

Key Benefits for Developers:

• Early-stage concept funding
• Practical business support
• Industry veteran mentorship
• Community collaboration through cohort groups
• Market validation assistance

While the initial fund focuses on solo developers and small teams led by first-time founders, Blue Ocean Games plans to expand support to larger, more experienced teams in the future.

About the Author Chris Kerr is the News Editor at GameDeveloper.com, an award-winning journalist with over a decade of experience covering the game industry. He has written for Edge, Stuff, Wireframe, and other notable publications.

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