Ex Populus

Ex Populus positions itself as a developer and publisher of Web3-based games, founded by a team of seasoned executives from the gaming and technology sectors. The company was established by Tobias Batton, who serves as CEO, alongside co-founders including Oscar-nominated Pixar animator Mark Harris, prolific NFT collector Soban Saqib, and others with backgrounds from notable companies like Activision, Blizzard, and Electronic Arts. Batton himself has a long history as a serial entrepreneur, having founded and exited two previous companies, including a social gaming platform, Resistor, which was acquired by IAC. His experience spans mobile game publishing, where his Signal Zero platform drove nearly a billion app installs, to building the foundation for what became Facebook Live.

The firm's business model is centered on publishing games that integrate blockchain technology, specifically non-fungible tokens (NFTs), to create new monetization channels and player engagement models. Ex Populus partners with independent development studios and also creates titles in-house, aiming to connect content creators with their audience through immersive gaming. The company secured $11.5 million in total funding over two rounds in 2021, including a $3 million seed round led by Animoca Brands and an $8.5 million Series A from investors such as Com2uS, Yolo Ventures, and Akatsuki Inc.

A key strategic move for the company was the complete acquisition of LAMO LLC in late 2022. Initially a publishing partner, Ex Populus merged with the development studio to fully integrate LAMO's flagship game, a fast-paced shooter with collectible and augmented reality features, into its ecosystem. The company's upcoming titles include *Final Form*, a fully on-chain trading card game, and *LAMOverse*, an expansion of the acquired PC game into a multiplayer ARPG. Recognizing the limitations of existing blockchain infrastructure for gaming, Ex Populus initiated the development of Xai, a Layer 3 blockchain built on Arbitrum technology in partnership with Offchain Labs. This gaming-centric chain is designed to offer a more seamless experience for traditional gamers by abstracting wallet complexities and providing developers with greater capabilities, underpinning the company's entire library of games.

Keywords: Web3 game publisher, blockchain gaming, NFT games, game development, Tobias Batton, Mark Harris, Animoca Brands, Ethereum gaming, Arbitrum, Layer 3 blockchain, Xai, LAMO, Final Form, play-to-earn, digital collectibles, metaverse development, venture capital, game publishing, independent game developer, on-chain gaming, augmented reality games, collectible card games