Praetura Ventures-backed XR Games has developed and published Zombieland VR: Headshot Fever, an exciting new virtual reality (VR) game set in the “Zombieland” universe, as it presses ahead with its expansion plan.
Headquartered in Leeds, XR Games was founded in 2017 and specialises in VR and augmented reality (AR) games for licensed intellectual properties. It secured the support of Praetura Ventures in November 2019 following a £1.5m funding round, and since then has invested in the development of its portfolio and expanded its partnerships with major Hollywood film studios and media companies.
The latest release is inspired by the arcade light-gun games of the 90s and the racing games of today, and Zombieland VR: Headshot Fever rewards skill, speed and accuracy with addictive gameplay. It has been released for Facebook’s Oculus Quest VR headset.
Bobby Thandi, founder and CEO of XR Games, said: “Being trusted with bringing an iconic franchise to life is extra rewarding and exciting when you’re a huge fan of Zombieland. The Zombieland world is a no-nonsense kind of place, and to this end we’ve made one of the purest shooting games for VR.
“As a games developer with roots in Yorkshire, it’s fantastic for our team to secure such an iconic, international partnership and that wouldn’t have been possible without the hard work and talent of our homegrown team here in Leeds. The expert support we’ve had from everyone at Praetura Ventures has also helped to make this possible and we can’t wait to build on this success.”
Mark Lyons, director at Praetura Ventures, added: “The launch of the new game is exciting not just because of the content and how it’s going to be received, but also because it demonstrates how well XR Games is developing and the team’s ability to secure such major deals.
“When we first partnered with XR Games at the end of 2019, it was clear to the see the team had a vision of international growth by fostering partnerships with global media brands. To see this come to fruition is particularly rewarding, and I’m confident the team will take down the next goal in their sights just as easily as the players of Zombieland: Headshot Fever.”
Notes to editors
Praetura Ventures is a Manchester-based venture capital firm which invests in early-stage, high-growth businesses across the UK, with a particular focus on supporting entrepreneurs across the North of England.
Praetura Ventures is committed to adding value post-investment and providing the ‘more than money’ support that businesses need to grow, including additional expertise, resources, networks and guidance, to its investee companies.
Since 2019, Praetura Ventures has invested more than £20m in 21 businesses, including North West headquartered businesses Sorted, Culture Shift, LCC and Peak.
The firm also launched a Venture Partner programme – an innovative and collaborative programme that is aimed at experienced, connected and successful individuals who have a desire to add value and potentially provide mentorship, advice, introductions and investment to the next generation of entrepreneurs. In just a few months, the firm has grown its Venture Partner base to 50+ members, typically C-suite level individuals.
