RAIVO PRESS KIT
Fact sheet
Game: Raivo
Developer: Utopos Games
Release: 2021 on Windows
Console and mobile versions later
Platforms: Windows, Mac, Xbox One, PS4, Nintendo Switch, iOS, Android
Website: www.utoposgames.com/raivo
Press release: Download here
DESCRIPTION
Raivo is an auto-battler game where the players collect a team of robots and train them into fighters. Training is based on machine learning. The player needs to teach the robots how to choose targets, how to use tools and weapons and how to work together as a team.
The players will enter their teams to an online arena to match against robots trained by other players. During the match the players cannot control their robots - they are fully autonomous. The players will get to enjoy an eSports match where the stakes are high - their own team is playing!
IN A NUTSHELL
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Auto-battler / Auto Chess game
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First game to gamify Machine Learning
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Cross-platform multiplayer
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Free-to-play, no pay-to-win
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PC first, other platforms to follow
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New studio formed by veteran game developers
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$1 million seed funding raised
THE WORLD OF RAIVO
It’s the late 21st century and arena battles using bots called “Raivos” and now the biggest spectator sport in the world. Culture has centered around these events boasting viewership bigger than anything in the known universe. Various manufacturers have come up with entire lines of Raivos, each with their own unique personality, but reflecting the overall design aesthetic of the designers at the manufacturer.
The Raivo league is broken up into 4-month seasons. There is a pre-season before each regular season where a new standard arena layout is built for all arenas. The new arenas have always been a test of the trainers to train their Raivo to fight on the layout. The greatest trainers rise to glory if they can continue to be successful on each iteration. Sometimes, new manufacturers will come forth and create a new line of Raivos for trainers to use.
UTOPOS GAMES
Raivo is the first game developed by Utopos Games. The studio was founded in May 2019 by a veteran team of game designers, artists and programmers who first worked together 20 years ago on Command & Conquer games at Westwood Studios.
The three founders, Jani Penttinen, Elie Arabian and John Comes, got together early 2019 and started talking about how great it would be to get back to the roots and build fun games together again.
Investment funds byFounders and Sisu Game Ventures agreed with the idea, and so Utopos Games was founded. The whole founding team includes 8 people, all of whom have worked together previously in various combinations. The average industry experience is around 20 years per person.
COMPANY
Utopos
Las Vegas, Nevada
Founded May 2019
FOUNDERS
Jani Penttinen
Elie Arabian
John Comes
INVESTORS
byFounders
Sisu Game Ventures
$1 million seed
UTOPAI
Raivo is powered by UtopAI, a machine learning engine that makes it really easy to use powerful reinforcement learning algorithms in games. UtopAI has been developed in-house at Utopos Games.
Machine learning allows behaviors that are totally unique and based on training the player does. The robots will become pets with their own personality.
We have developed UtopAI for the purpose of being able to make this game, as there is nothing in the market that would meet our demands. One of the most important aspects of UtopAI is that it doesn't have any dependencies of other libraries, so it is very easy to integrate into any game project.
UtopAI has libraries for C++ and C#, and it supports both Unreal Engine and Unity.
UtopAI will be released for use by other game developers in 2021.
IMAGE GALLERY
LOGOS
CORE TEAM
Jani Penttinen, Founder & CEO
One of the first game developers to come out of Finland. During the past 27 years Jani has worked for EA, Westwood Studios, Housemarque, Remedy Entertainment and founded a mobile game studio in China.
Elie Arabian, Co-founder
A seasoned Art Director with over 27 years of game industry experience. He started his career in 1992 at Westwood Studios and has also worked for Electronic Arts, Petroglyph Games, Instant Action, Garage games, Shuffle, Bally Technologies and is the founder and CEO of Arabian Art Studios.
John Comes, Co-founder
Having built games for over 18 years as a designer, engineer, producer, and more. He's been involved in major franchises such as Command & Conquer, Lord of the Rings, Supreme Commander, Planetary Annihilation, and Hello Neighbor.
Hector Yee, AI guru
One of the world’s leading AI programmers and visionaries. At Google AI, he wrote an Emmy award winning recommendation system for YouTube. At AirBnB, he wrote the dynamic pricing algorithm. And at Utopos, he is writing the best AI middleware for games.
TEAM PHOTOS
Utopos Games founders Jani Penttinen, John Comes and Elie Arabian in the final design meeting before opening the office on April 30, 2019.
CONTACT US
For more information please contact CEO Jani Penttinen:
Email: jani@utoposgames.com
Phone: +1 (408) 499-1321