Network Next is building a way to make games more responsive over the Internet, believing that their technology can overcome the limitations of the Web which has so far been optimized to deliver static and streaming content, not interactive content that's very sensitive to latency. Network Next just announced that they have raised $4.4 million in a seed round led by BITKRAFT Esports Ventures.
Glenn Fiedler, CEO of Network Next, is a 20-year industry veteran who worked on games like Freedom Force, Tribes: Vengeance and L.A. Noire before specializing on network programming with games like Mercenaries 2, God of War Ascension, and Titanfall. You can read some of his thoughts on the matter on his blog, 'Gaffer on Games'.
In a statement to the press, he said:
We believe that game traffic should be prioritized above other internet traffic and could not be more thrilled to partner with investors who share that belief. With this new investment, we'll be able to grow our team and continue the development of our technology, which will ensure that we can deliver on our vision.
Jens Hilgers, BITKRAFT Esports Ventures Founding Partner, added:
The gaming industry is dependent on reliable, consistent network connections. Playing at your best for gamers means playing on a stable network with low latency - and that's where game developers don't find great solutions. Network Next makes it easier for developers to operate on the highest quality infrastructure and make sure that gamers get the fastest and most consistent experience. As gamers as well as industry supporters, we at BITKRAFT could not be more excited to invest in this team and technology.
Additional investment is coming from Bain Capital Ventures, Velo Capital Partners, and Psyonix. This is why the first game to integrate this new technology will be Rocket League, with the update due to go live in the coming months.
About the author: With over two decades of experience in gaming journalism, Alessio Palumbo has led the gaming vertical at Wccftech since August 2015. He started working at a young age for Italian websites like Everyeye.it, Gamestar.it, Nextgame.it, and Multiplayer.it before kickstarting the indie English-language publication Worlds Factory as its founder and Editor in Chief. In the last decade, he has coordinated the overall output of Wccftech's gaming section, managed PR relations, assigned reviews, produced daily news coverage, edited gaming content as needed, and delivered game reviews. Arguably, his trademark content is the long series of exclusive developer interviews that have been cited by Wikipedia and by the biggest news media and gaming publications. His passion for technology also makes him knowledgeable when it comes to gaming hardware and tech. His favorite genres include RPGs, MMORPGs, and action/adventure games.
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