Drawing inspiration from classics like Ultima Online and Runescape, Ember Sword’s classless combat system, open-world PVP, and player-driven economy, promises an engaging and persistent universe where the idea of a player-controlled world is taken one step by letting players own an actual parcel of land in-game, much like Second Life.

Whether you're a peaceful forager of goods and rares making a name for yourself or a fierce warrior of no alignment, there is a place for you in Ember Sword - a place where peace and war is chosen by the players themselves. A place built by you!

Ember Sword promises to re-define the MMORPG genres negative pay-to-win reputation by removing the traditional cash shop.

Bright Star Studios (previously known as So couch Studios) announced a US$700K pre-seed investment led by Play Ventures, with participation from Galaxy Interactive via its Galaxy EOS VC Fund.  The studio will use the investment to expand the team and accelerate the launch of its first game, Ember Sword. Allan Kirkeby, former Unity Studios CEO, has already come on board as Senior Producer. 

“We’ve really thought about the player experience at every step. MMORPGs have traditionally been slow to get into, but our zero-friction play means you jump straight into action without lengthy downloads and installs. Our business model is also free of loot boxes and pay-to-win practices, which creates a fair and competitive environment for our players,” said Bright Star CEO Mark Laursen.

The team consists of experienced entrepreneurs with a combined 70+ years of experience in game development, developer software tools, and competitive esports. The studio also has a unique approach to in-game items. The team is building player-centric economies, where players can securely trade in-game items with one another on legitimised marketplaces, instead of on third-party grey markets.

"We’ve all experienced the billion-dollar insecure grey markets for in-game items where people get scammed every day. It only makes sense to us that when we reward players with digital collectible cosmetics for participating in end-game content, they should truly own those items. They should be free to trade them inside our games or on third-party marketplaces,” adds Laursen.

Bright Star Studio’s US$700K seed investment round was led by Play Ventures, a leading early-stage gaming-focused fund, with participation from Galaxy Interactive via its Galaxy EOS VC Fund. 

“As investors and gamers, we’re 100% aligned with Bright Star Studio's vision of accessible, player-driven MMORPG experiences with open game economies. We believe increased player-ownership of game worlds allow for deep and engaging gameplay, and are confident that this is the right team to deliver this new experience to players,” says Anton Backman, Venture Partner at Play Ventures. 

"We often look for game developers that are on to something in terms of moving a particular genre forward,” said Sam Englebardt, Head of Galaxy Interactive. “Bright Star is doing that for the MMORPG sector and we’re really excited to see how ‘Ember Sword’ changes the MMO experience.”

The studio has already lined up Allan Kirkeby, former CEO of Unity Studios and Senior Business Advisor at Game Hub Denmark, to come on board. Kirkeby brings 26 years of game development and leadership experience from his time at the award-winning interactive 3D development company started by the founders of Unity Technologies, among other gaming companies. He will be leading game production and operations at Bright Star. 

Kirkeby says, “I’m excited to join Bright Star to work on the ambitious Ember Sword project. Combining the classic and proven MMO formula while empowering players to own and trade in-game cosmetic collectibles will create entirely new item ecosystems and strong community structures that the gaming world has never seen”.

Key Features:

• Cross-Platform: Accessible in a browser or through a desktop client at release, a mobile version is planned for later release.
• Artist Workshop: Release your creativity by designing models, skins, and emotes, the best of which will appear in-game.
• True Ownership and Control: With players evolving the world every day and truly owning their own cosmetic items, Ember Sword is run by the players.