Proletariat

About Proletariat

Proletariat Inc. is a video game development studio acquired by Blizzard Entertainment in July 2022, now operating as a subsidiary focused on the World of Warcraft franchise. The company was established in Boston, Massachusetts, in 2012 by a team of five founders, including CEO Seth Sivak, who were industry veterans from studios like Zynga, Harmonix, Turbine, and Insomniac. The founders' extensive background in engineering, design, and specifically in building MMORPGs, shaped the studio's direction.

The studio's journey began after the closure of Zynga's Boston studio, with the founders quickly establishing Proletariat. Their first major title was "World Zombination," a mobile real-time strategy game launched in early 2015, which achieved recognition as an "Editor's Choice" on the iOS App Store. The company later shifted its focus to PC and console gaming, releasing "Streamline" in 2016, a game noted for its deep integration with the Twitch streaming platform, allowing viewers to interact with live gameplay. This was followed by their most well-known project, "Spellbreak," a free-to-play, cross-platform battle royale game where players assume the role of battlemages. Released in 2020, Spellbreak attracted over 10 million players. However, development for Spellbreak ceased in early 2023 following the acquisition announcement.

Prior to its acquisition, Proletariat operated as an independent studio, funding its projects through several venture capital rounds. It secured $6 million in a Series A round in 2015 and a significant $20 million in a Series C round in 2019, with major investors including Spark Capital, FirstMark Capital, and Take-Two Interactive. The business model primarily revolved around free-to-play games, likely monetized through in-game purchases and cosmetic items, a common strategy for the battle royale market. Following the acquisition by Blizzard, the 100-person team was integrated to bolster the development of World of Warcraft, including its "Dragonflight" expansion.