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Wicked Saints Studios is a technology company.
Wicked Saints Studios creates interactive story games merging digital entertainment with real-world impact. Their flagship, World Reborn, is a mobile adventure engaging players through narratives that promote social good. The studio employs behavioral technology to craft immersive experiences, integrating in-game actions with tangible positive change opportunities.
Co-founded in 2020 by Jessica Murrey and Alicia Clifton, the company stemmed from recognizing interactive media's power to inspire societal contribution. Jessica Murrey, an Emmy-winning storyteller with conflict resolution expertise, alongside Alicia Clifton, saw gaming's potential to empower individuals as agents of activism.
The studio targets audiences seeking purpose-driven entertainment that fosters societal contribution. Wicked Saints Studios envisions a future where gaming offers both escapism and effective motivation to address real-world challenges. Their mission is to pioneer a new gaming category, cultivating active global citizenship through engaging, meaningful play.
Wicked Saints Studios has raised $4.5M across 2 funding rounds.
Wicked Saints Studios has raised $4.5M in total across 2 funding rounds.
Wicked Saints Studios is a Black/Female-led video game studio founded in 2020, headquartered in Medford, Oregon, that develops interactive story games blending behavioral technology with activism to promote positive real-world change.[1][2][3][5] Their flagship product, World Reborn, is the world's first adventure-activism mobile game—a free app featuring graphic novel-style visuals, augmented reality (AR) quests, and real-life actions that fuel in-game progress, targeting Gen Z players passionate about planetary issues, equality, and mental health.[1][2][6] The studio serves gamers and young activists, solving the problem of engaging youth in social movements through "wickedly fun and actively good" experiences that combine gaming pleasure with behavioral nudges for good.[2][3][5] Backed by seed funding including $3.5 million and investors like Origins Fund, they emerged from Niantic's incubator (makers of Pokémon GO) and continue to attract interest from nonprofits and brands.[2][3]
Wicked Saints Studios was co-founded in 2020 by Jessica Murrey (CEO) and Alicia Clifton (COO), a Black/Female-led team challenging gaming industry norms.[2][3][5] Murrey, with a decade in nonprofits training young activists, and Clifton, a behavioral change researcher, identified mobile gaming as a novel way to scale activism after recognizing teens' deep concerns for the planet, equality, and mental health but limited engagement channels.[3][5] The idea crystallized post-Niantic incubator, leading to World Reborn as their debut—a real fantasy game where players' real-life quests via AR advance the story.[2][6] Early traction included seed investment from Origins Fund ($100k-$500k range) and a $3.5M raise for expansion, validating their unique fusion of behavioral tech and gaming.[2][3]
Wicked Saints rides the wave of gamified activism and AR social impact, capitalizing on Gen Z's demand for purpose-driven entertainment amid rising climate, equality, and mental health awareness.[3][5] Timing aligns with AR/VR growth post-Pokémon GO and Niantic's ecosystem, plus surging interest in behavioral tech for change—evidenced by their incubator exit and funding from consumer tech VCs like Origins Fund.[2] Market forces like nonprofit-brand partnerships and mobile gaming's dominance (e.g., free-to-play models) favor them, positioning Wicked Saints to influence the ecosystem by proving games can drive real activism, inspiring diverse creators and expanding interactive media beyond pure entertainment.[1][3]
Wicked Saints Studios is poised to scale World Reborn into a movement-defining app, leveraging its $3.5M funding for team growth and global reach while deepening AR integrations for broader quests.[3][6] Trends like AI-enhanced behavioral nudges, Web3 activism rewards, and inclusive gaming will shape their path, potentially amplifying influence through partnerships with top brands and nonprofits.[3][5] As pioneers in fun-for-good gaming, they could redefine interactive media, turning players into real-world changemakers and solidifying their role at the nexus of tech, entertainment, and social progress—proving that games can indeed build a better world.[2][5]
Wicked Saints Studios has raised $4.5M in total across 2 funding rounds.
Wicked Saints Studios's investors include Oregon Venture Fund, Riot Games, Katie Jansen, Holly Liu, Reid Hoffman, Caroline Lewis, Paul Joffe, Van Jones, Accelerator Ventures, Greylock, Liquid 2 Ventures, Mantis VC.
Wicked Saints Studios has raised $4.5M across 2 funding rounds. Most recently, it raised $3.5M Seed in September 2023.
| Date | Round | Lead Investors | Other Investors |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 13, 2023 | $3.5M Seed | Oregon Venture Fund, Riot Games | Katie Jansen, Holly Liu, Reid Hoffman, Caroline Lewis, Paul Joffe, Van Jones |
| Nov 1, 2021 | $1.0M Seed | Accelerator Ventures, Greylock, Liquid 2 Ventures, Mantis VC, Richard Branson |