In The News

ProbablyMonsters closes fundraise with $250M for new game studios

ProbablyMonsters closes fundraise with $250M for new game studios

VentureBeat -

ProbablyMonsters announced that it has closed its latest round of fundraising, revealing the final amount of $250 million – the largest raise in video gaming history.  ProbablyMonsters plans to put the money towards its various development teams, with the goal of building the whole company into a more stable home for developers.

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The Tech Tribune names ProbablyMonsters in Top 10 best tech startups

The Tech Tribune names ProbablyMonsters in Top 10 best tech startups

Tech Tribune -

The Tech Tribune staff has revealed its 2022 line up of Best Tech Startups in Bellevue, Washington. This annual series celebrates the hottest technology startups from all over the world, and reflects several factors including revenue potential, leadership team, brand, and competitive landscape. Companies must be independent, privately owned, at most 10 years old, and have received at least one round of funding in order to qualify.

ProbablyMonsters is honored to be the only gaming company recognized in the Bellevue edition, and we’re also proud of how they chose to spotlight our founder Harold Ryan within their prestigious “Profile of a Founder” series which you can read below.

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A Sustainable and People-First Gaming Company in the Pacific Northwest

A Sustainable and People-First Gaming Company in the Pacific Northwest

425 Business Magazine -

Seattle-based magazine speaks with Harold Ryan about what makes ProbablyMonsters a new category of game company. Bellevue-based ProbablyMonsters has yet to release a game, but it has raised significant money from investors sold on Ryan’s vision to create a gaming company that puts developers first in the belief that great games will follow. On Sept. 1, the company announced that it raised $200 million in a Series A preferred stock financing round.

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ProbablyMonsters raises $200 million in Series A funding

ProbablyMonsters raises $200 million in Series A funding

GameDaily.biz -

ProbablyMonsters was founded to change the way AAA development is viewed. The goal is to create a sustainable development model that avoids many of the pitfalls associated with the business. “This raise secures our future beyond any one game or partnership and allows us to go even further to provide our teams at ProbablyMonsters with stable, sustainable, and long-term game development careers – which has been a key goal from the start,” Harold Ryan told GameDaily.

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Video-Game Developer ProbablyMonsters Raises $200 Million

Video-Game Developer ProbablyMonsters Raises $200 Million

Bloomberg -

ProbablyMonsters Inc., a game developer founded by former Bungie executive Harold Ryan, pulled off what it said is the largest first round of venture capital financing in the video-game industry. “It’s proof beyond our resume that what we are doing is real,” Ryan, who is chief executive officer, said in an interview. “I’ve always been the leader that put my people first, and seeking to build a place where people can thrive, and be and feel safe, is critical,” he said.

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ProbablyMonsters Raises $200 Million In Record-Breaking Series-A Game Funding

ProbablyMonsters Raises $200 Million In Record-Breaking Series-A Game Funding

Forbes -

ProbablyMonsters, an independent game company headed by ex-Bungie CEO Harold Ryan, offers a different approach to most: it recruits developers and builds triple-A game studios around their strengths, delivering new IPs. Today, ProbablyMonsters announced it has raised $200 million through a Series A preferred stock financing round–the largest amount of money ever raised in such a way by a video game developer.

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ProbablyMonsters raises $200m to make games with a “people-first” culture

ProbablyMonsters raises $200m to make games with a “people-first” culture

GameIndustry.biz -

As an upstart AAA studio system led by long-time CEO and president of Bungie Harold Ryan, ProbablyMonsters was probably always going to garner interest from investors. But today’s announcement that it has raised $200 million in Series A funding puts it in rare company.

“The investor people tell me it’s the biggest Series A raise in gaming ever,” Ryan says. “But it’s also something that when we looked at our long-term business plan, $200 million was our target for accelerating our growth and continuing to invest in our team and put our people first, so it really is a sweet spot number for us that lets us hold to our focus and growth plans.”

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ProbablyMonsters Unveils $200M Funding Round to Support Long-Term Growth

ProbablyMonsters Unveils $200M Funding Round to Support Long-Term Growth

Hollywood Reporter -

Video game developer ProbablyMonsters has raised $200M in Series A funding, the company announced Wednesday. Funding will expand long-term features for its three studios and enhance employees’ benefits, while also opening the door for future teams and IP’s in new genres. “We have three big priorities that we’re moving forward with right now,” Ryan told The Hollywood Reporter, adding that the first is proving his teams with “meaningful gaming careers over the long term” and ensuring they will be able to eventually retire well from the company.

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ProbablyMonsters CEO: How to manage multiple triple-A game projects

ProbablyMonsters CEO: How to manage multiple triple-A game projects

GamesBeat -

In April, ProbablyMonsters Studios revealed more details about its team Firewalk. Its leader is Tony Hsu, and it is making an exclusive multiplayer game for Sony Interactive Entertainment. In an exclusive interview with GamesBeat, Ryan said that the deal with Sony shows that its innovative approach to managing multi-genre triple-A games is working. “It really […]

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PlayStation to Exclusively Publish Multiplayer Game from Firewalk Studios

PlayStation to Exclusively Publish Multiplayer Game from Firewalk Studios

IGN -

Sony Interactive Entertainment and ProbablyMonsters have announced a new partnership in which PlayStation will be the exclusive publishing partner for the first game from ProbablyMonsters’ Firewalk Studios. Firewalk’s Tony Hsu, Ryan Ellis, and Elena Siegman, along with Head of PlayStation Studios Hermen Hulst, spoke with IGN about why both parties wanted to partner for this […]

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PlayStation signs AAA multiplayer game from former Destiny veterans

PlayStation signs AAA multiplayer game from former Destiny veterans

GameDaily.biz -

The debut game from AAA multiplayer developer Firewalk will be published by PlayStation. Firewalk is a subsidiary of ProbablyMonsters Studios, a company founded by former Bungie CEO Harold Ryan. ProbablyMonsters formed Firewalk in 2018 and its leadership team includes studio head Tony Hsu (previously general manager and senior vice president of Destiny at Activision), game […]

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Sony Partners with Veteran AAA Developers at Firewalk Studios to Create New Multiplayer Game

Sony Partners with Veteran AAA Developers at Firewalk Studios to Create New Multiplayer Game

Push Square -

Sony has signed a publishing partnership deal with Firewalk (alongside parent company ProbablyMonsters), and together, they’re developing a brand new multiplayer property. Firewalk is a subsidiary of ProbablyMonsters Studios. It is spearheaded by veteran developers, many of whom have worked on AAA titles in the past. “Ryan Ellis, our Game Director, was a Creative Director […]

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PlayStation Studios Signs Exclusive Deal for New Multiplayer Game — Market Talk

PlayStation Studios Signs Exclusive Deal for New Multiplayer Game — Market Talk

Dow Jones International | Sarah Needleman, Wall Street Journal -

1001 ET – Sony’s PlayStation Studios says it has signed an exclusive deal to publish a new multiplayer game already two years into development from the startup Firewalk Studios. Exclusive games can help console makers stand apart from one another and last fall both Sony and Microsoft launched next-generation consoles that are still in high […]

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Better Together: How ‘Halo’ Veteran Harold Ryan Plans To Revolutionize Game Studio Culture

Better Together: How ‘Halo’ Veteran Harold Ryan Plans To Revolutionize Game Studio Culture

Forbes -

Harold Ryan, the former CEO of Bungie, plans to revolutionize the gaming industry with ProbablyMonsters

This month, ProbablyMonsters took another step towards shaping how games could be made, and it’s one you shouldn’t overlook.

Each studio built by ProbablyMonsters is formed around a game director, who has a particular focus for the experiences they want players to have in their games. Around this, the company assembles a team with a shared passion and vision for what they’re building and set to work in creating a game based on this. Yet while every studio has a different specialism, they maintain the same access to assistance, expertise and mentorship from the wider company.

The bottom line is that each member of the team, at every level, must uphold values of respect, trust, approachability, and accountability.

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ProbablyMonsters adds a third development studio, is building a next-gen co-op RPG

ProbablyMonsters adds a third development studio, is building a next-gen co-op RPG

Gamedaily -

CEO Harold Ryan talks to GameDaily about how the new studio fits into the ProbablyMonsters business philosophy, and the importance of “sustainable AAA development.”

“Video games are the largest entertainment category, and it’s time to evolve it by treating the artists and developers with respect, caring for their careers, their health, and their families,” Ryan said. “Putting people first should be the benchmark for the entire industry so that we see great games and healthy careers on a wide scale.” – Harold Ryan

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ProbablyMonsters Opens a Next-Gen Co-Op RPG Studio

ProbablyMonsters Opens a Next-Gen Co-Op RPG Studio

80 Level -

ProbablyMonsters expands its family of studios with a third studio led by Torchlight and Borderlands creative leaders.

“People-first game developers with a passion for their craft, who foster trust, respect, and approachability, belong at ProbablyMonsters. John, Marsh, Patrick, and Allen are a perfect fit at ProbablyMonsters, and have joined us to lead the growth of a new co-op RPG studio, adding a new core genre to our family of studios.

“Not only do the four leaders have a passion for crafting original co-op RPG games, they’re people-first developers who have a decade of collaborating on successful original RPG franchises. With ProbablyMonsters resources and support behind them, I’m confident they can fulfill their vision of creating outstanding next-gen co-op RPG games.”

Harold Ryan, CEO and Founder of ProbablyMonsters

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ProbablyMonsters launches RPG studio with former Torchlight team members

ProbablyMonsters launches RPG studio with former Torchlight team members

VentureBeat -

ProbablyMonsters has started a new co-op role-playing game studio with former Torchlight and Borderlands creative leaders at the helm. The new studio is the third triple-A game house from parent company ProbablyMonsters. The Bellevue, Washington-based company now has more than 150 employees in three studios, including its previously announced Cauldron and Firewalk dev houses.

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ProbablyMonsters Unveils New Studio For Co-Op Role-Playing Games

ProbablyMonsters Unveils New Studio For Co-Op Role-Playing Games

Hollywood Reporter -

Video game developer ProbablyMonsters on Thursday unveiled its third studio, which will be dedicated to next-gen co-operative role-playing AAA games. The currently unnamed studio will join story-driven Cauldron Studios and multiplayer-focused Firewalk Studios in Bellevue, Washington. The core team is comprised of Patrick Blank, an original lead level designer on action-RPG series Borderlands, John Dunbar, […]

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The 4 biggest challenges — and 2 surprise benefits — to staffing up and building out a multimilion-dollar company during a pandemic

The 4 biggest challenges — and 2 surprise benefits — to staffing up and building out a multimilion-dollar company during a pandemic

Business Insider -

Building a company from scratch during relatively normal times in history is tough. Building one during an unexpected global pandemic is another beast entirely. Probably Monsters CEO Harold Ryan is doing just that, and he’s doing it — like millions of people right now — from home. “It’s hard to build and maintain a creative […]

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How Blizzard, Ubisoft, and other studios went remote in the time of COVID-19

How Blizzard, Ubisoft, and other studios went remote in the time of COVID-19

Gamasutra -

It’s April 2020 and COVID-19 has begun to reshape the video game industry. While game studios are not suffering the damage afflicting the travel, live sports, or concert businesses, convention cancellations and retail limitations have begun to rewrite how the industry does business. But while the future lies uncertain, what’s become clear early in the […]

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Fighting Boredom During Coronavirus Quarantine

Fighting Boredom During Coronavirus Quarantine

Seattle Mett -

With events cancelled, bars and schools closed, and offices citywide realizing how many of those meetings really could have been emails, Seattle is taking self-quarantine pretty seriously. If you’re able to stay home, showing signs or symptoms of what may be COVID-19, or have been in contact with anyone with the virus, it’s time to […]

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Op-ed: The upsides, downsides, and future of AAA game development

Op-ed: The upsides, downsides, and future of AAA game development

Gamasutra -

As a developer, AAA games have always been my passion. I know it is a space where I can put the focus on the team and in the end, maximize the impact of everyone’s efforts. The highest level of quality can be achieved by an excellent team that’s given time to polish, with their work […]

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Why Bungie’s Former CEO Is Building a New Kind of Video Game Company

Why Bungie’s Former CEO Is Building a New Kind of Video Game Company

Built In Seattle -

Every year, video games get more immersive, with better graphics and more intricate gameplay thanks to technological advancements. But there’s another side that goes into the making of video games — the human side. The video game industry is notorious for the pressure placed on its workers. Behind every highly anticipated video game release, there […]

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EX-BUNGIE CEO HAROLD RYAN RESURFACES WITH A NEW GAME COMPANY CALLED PROBABLYMONSTERS

EX-BUNGIE CEO HAROLD RYAN RESURFACES WITH A NEW GAME COMPANY CALLED PROBABLYMONSTERS

MMOs -

Over the past couple of weeks, new game development studios have been popping up like mushrooms after a rainy day. Here’s another one from former Bungie CEO Harold Ryan. After being MIA for more than three years, Ryan re-emerges to announce a new multi-studio game company called ProbablyMonsters. ProbablyMonsters employs a non-traditional business structure to […]

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Harold Ryan anuncia la apertura del estudio ProbablyMonsters

Harold Ryan anuncia la apertura del estudio ProbablyMonsters

Eurogamer.es -

Harold Ryan, CEO de Bungie hasta 2016, ha anunciado la apertura de un nuevo estudio: ProbablyMonsters. Según dice, será un cruce entre desarrolladora y editora, trabajando desde el inicio de los proyectos con compañías en las que tendrán accionariado mayoritario. Su objetivo es financiar y dar soporte (tanto técnico como creativo) a las empresas para […]

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ProbablyMonsters Launches New Business Plan For Gaming Industry

ProbablyMonsters Launches New Business Plan For Gaming Industry

Bleeding Cool -

ProbablyMonsters made an announcement this morning that the company would be changing its business plans to adapt to a changing video game market. Lead by Harold Ryan, who has worked on Halo, Age of Empires, and MechWarrior, the company released a new plan of how they’ll proceed in the future. Starting today, the company will […]

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Ex-Bungie Boss Harold Ryan Launches Triple-A Game Startup ProbablyMonsters

Yahoo! Entertainment -

Harold Ryan, after more than three years in stealth mode, is finally ready to talk about his next venture after leaving as head of Bungie, the game studio behind hits like “Halo” and “Destiny.” Ryan said he’s set up ProbablyMonsters as a different kind of game developer: It functions as a holding company and incubator […]

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Bungie alum Harold Ryan launches ProbablyMonsters to incubate AAA studios

Bungie alum Harold Ryan launches ProbablyMonsters to incubate AAA studios

Yahoo! Finance -

Game development, at times, can be an arduous task. Crafting the next big game is that much harder when you’re worried about whether you’ll have a job next month. Sustainability, particularly in AAA development, is a big buzzword and for good reason: we’ve seen far, far too many studio closures and layoffs over the last […]

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Ex-Bungie CEO Harold Ryan launches ProbablyMonsters with $18.8 million in funding

Ex-Bungie CEO Harold Ryan launches ProbablyMonsters with $18.8 million in funding

Gaming Street -

Harold Ryan, former CEO of Halo and Destiny studio Bungie, has unveiled ProbablyMonsters, a “developer of developers” that will incubate and oversee multiple studios. Ryan originally quietly founded the organization in 2016 after leaving Bungie. Last July, the company closed a Series A funding round that raised $18.8 million. The round was led by Dallas […]

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Ex-Bungie Boss Harold Ryan Launches Triple-A Game Startup ProbablyMonsters

Ex-Bungie Boss Harold Ryan Launches Triple-A Game Startup ProbablyMonsters

Variety -

Harold Ryan, after more than three years in stealth mode, is finally ready to talk about his next venture after leaving as head of Bungie, the game studio behind hits like “Halo” and “Destiny.” Ryan said he’s set up ProbablyMonsters as a different kind of game developer: It functions as a holding company and incubator […]

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Former Bungie CEO Launches New Game Studio Development Company

Former Bungie CEO Launches New Game Studio Development Company

Hollywood Reporter -

Harold Ryan, founder and CEO of ProbablyMonsters, has already launched two new development studios under the banner and is rapidly building a third: “The industry needs and deserves a place where it can reliably build a AAA game.” After three years of operating in “stealth mode,” ProbablyMonsters Inc., a new video game studio-building enterprise formed […]

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Harold Ryan sets up ProbablyMonsters

Harold Ryan sets up ProbablyMonsters

GamesIndustry.biz -

Former Bungie president and CEO Harold Ryan has revealed what he’s been up to since leaving the studio in 2016, today announcing his new business, ProbablyMonsters.

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Bungie alum Harold Ryan launches ProbablyMonsters to incubate AAA studios

Bungie alum Harold Ryan launches ProbablyMonsters to incubate AAA studios

Gamedaily -

Game development, at times, can be an arduous task. Crafting the next big game is that much harder when you’re worried about whether you’ll have a job next month. Sustainability, particularly in AAA development, is a big buzzword and for good reason: we’ve seen far, far too many studio closures and layoffs over the last […]

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ProbablyMonsters Forms, Launches New AAA Studios Led by Former Bungie & Sony Devs

ProbablyMonsters Forms, Launches New AAA Studios Led by Former Bungie & Sony Devs

Twinfinite -

ProbablyMonsters, a new type of game company described as neither a traditional developer or publisher, has officially announced its formation today and introduced its first two AAA game studios: Cauldron Studios, and Firewalk Studios. Under the leadership of CEO and founder, Harold Ryan, the company has actually been operating in a ‘stealth’ capacity since 2016, […]

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Former CEO of Bungie founds new multi-studio AAA game company

Former CEO of Bungie founds new multi-studio AAA game company

Gamasutra -

The person who for years led Halo and Destiny developer Bungie has re-emerged with a new multi-studio game company that plans to create triple-A games within a non-traditional business structure. Harold Ryan, who was CEO and president of Bungie for over 15 years (and orchestrated the 2007 divestiture from Microsoft) has unveiled ProbablyMonsters, which he […]

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ProbablyMonsters, Developer of AAA Game Studios, Establishes Itself as a New Category of Gaming Company

ProbablyMonsters, Developer of AAA Game Studios, Establishes Itself as a New Category of Gaming Company

Bloomberg -

ProbablyMonsters™ Inc., a developer of industry-defining video game studios and interactive entertainment, announced its formation under the leadership of CEO and founder, Harold Ryan, offering a new business model for games focused on creating world-class development studios and original entertainment. The privately held company, which has been operating in stealth mode since 2016, today revealed […]

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