Le financement des startups de jeux vidéo progresse légèrement en 2026
Global gaming startup funding is recovering in 2026, surpassing the total raised in 2025 with approximately $2 billion secured year-to-date, largely driven by investments in artificial intelligence and gaming intersections.
Funding for global gaming-related startups is showing signs of recovery in 2026, bouncing back from a multi-year low recorded last year.
Year-to-date, companies across seed to growth stages have secured approximately $2 billion in financing. This figure already surpasses the total raised throughout all of 2025, largely propelled by substantial capital injections into companies operating where artificial intelligence and gaming intersect.
Lead fundraisers
A handful of exceptionally large investment rounds account for a major portion of this year’s total capital raised.
Sunnyvale, California-based Meshy AI, which creates foundation models for AI-driven 3D generation, secured the largest sum with a $400 million Series B round in July, reaching a valuation of $1.5 billion. Although not exclusively a gaming company, Meshy identifies gaming as a primary application for its 3D AI agent.
Decart, an AI model training platform developer, also attracted significant investor interest by bringing in $300 million. Based in Israel, Decart is similarly not a dedicated gaming firm, but it has gained recognition for video simulation technology marketed as a powerful tool for game development.
Several dedicated gaming startups also secured spots among the largest funding rounds. These include motion-based family game developer Nex, which secured $150 million recently, and Turkish mobile gaming enterprise Grand Games, which raised $70 million in May. A list of nine standout funding recipients this year follows below.
Investors are also scaling up
Venture capital firms specializing in gaming are successfully raising new capital as well. San Francisco’s Makers Fund closed one of the larger pools last month, securing $250 million for its fourth flagship fund. This closure comes on the heels of profitable prior investments, such as an early seed stake in popular puzzle game creator Dream Games, which later achieved a $5 billion exit valuation.
Crunchbase data indicates that Makers Fund maintains an active investment pace, participating in at least 10 known rounds this year. Their investments include high-profile startups like Novig, a sports betting platform that recently generated buzz through a contentious advertising campaign.
Earlier in the year, Griffin Gaming Partners revealed a new capital raise, bringing in $100 million dedicated to independent games. The firm’s Special Opportunities Fund aims to offer financing in exchange for a percentage of a game’s revenue, presenting an investment structure designed to attract indie studios.
The beginning of an up cycle?
Although investments in gaming startups still sit well below the historical peaks of previous years, the meaningful year-over-year growth is a positive sign. The current trajectory of funding metrics indicates an early-stage recovery.
Related Crunchbase query:
- Gaming-Related Startup Funding, 2026
Related reading:
- Gaming Startup Funding Levels Down Further In 2025
Foire aux questions
01Why is gaming startup funding increasing in 2026?
The rebound is driven largely by substantial funding rounds for startups positioned at the intersection of artificial intelligence and gaming, such as 3D generation and video simulation developers.
02How much have gaming startups raised so far in 2026?
Companies across seed- through growth-stage funding have accumulated around $2 billion so far this year, already outpacing the full-year total for 2025.
03Which startups secured the largest funding rounds?
Meshy AI led with a $400 million Series B, followed by Decart with $300 million, Nex with $150 million, and Grand Games with $70 million.
Illustration : Dom Guzman
