A16z, Laton and Sisu have backed the former Supercell and King staff at Antihero Studios with $4.5m in pre-seed funding.
Antihero was formed in 2024 by former Supercell art director Brice Laville Saint-Martin, ex-Brawl Stars game designer Frank Yan and former King technical director Andre Parodi.
Other staff at the firm have credits on Clash Royale, Clash of Clans and Candy Crush Saga. Antihero also recently took on former Supercell CMO Fernanda Romano as marketing advisor.
Antihero’s debut game Misfitz is a Brawl Stars-like extraction shooter which will be opened up for alpha testing in the next few months, says the studio.
Misfitz has already been tested by over 70k players, says Antihero, and the studio has collaborated with influencers like KairosTime to start building a community around the game. KairosTime is also a notable figure in Supercell’s creator program.
Antihero CEO and cofounder Brice Laville Saint-Martin says the game’s extraction mechanics and art style are designed to encourage younger players to socially engage with the game, creating greater organic reach.
“In extraction, unlike a deathmatch or Battle Royale, players don’t necessarily need to compete against each other to win – they can decide to collaborate, fight, or even team up for a short time and betray each other later,” Saint-Martin says.
“This social emergence is the real opportunity of the genre, and we’re bringing it to the most popular gaming device in the world, in a time where Gen Z mostly connect with their friends through games.”
The studio also notes that while UA will be an important part of the game’s launch, it is also keen to build out the studio as a consumer brand that resonates organically.
“Studios haven’t had to earn love through brand, so we continue to build boring, uninspiring companies that stay out of touch with today’s players,” adds Saint-Martin.
“We’re leaving a massive opportunity on the table, and we’re here to claim it. While the team remains focused on the product at this early stage, we’re using the development time to build strong brand foundations, and I’m excited for the potential we’re already unlocking.”