Spaceport.io, an HTML5, mobile game creation platform, has raised a strategic round of funding from a number of investors including BBC Worldwide and YouWeb, a previous investor. While financial terms of the funding were not not disclosed, we hear the round was in the millions.
Spaceport allows game developers to build a game once, using Javascript, and have it play across all smartphone operating systems, with a native app-like experience and fast performance. The web-based games run as a hybrid HTML5 – native app, and the code for the game is written once, in a simple scripting language, so that they can then run on any device. Developers can also create native iOS apps using Spaceport.
Basically, Spaceport allows developers continue writing games with Adobe’s Flash desktop-based authoring and content creation tools while making the games instantly usable on iOS, Android and HTML5. The platform automatically converts Flash animations created in Adobe tools as “SWF” files into Spaceport vector graphics. These are then rendered on iOS and Android devices by the high performance GPU-based rendering engine in Spaceport as opposed to the much slower and battery-hogging Flash plug-in which utilizes the CPU.
As part of the investment, BBC Worldwide will be using Spaceport.io’s technology to design a number of games and apps. Spaceport.io’s Chairman Peter Relan tells us that the BBC intends to develop three types of applications : pure games, edutainment apps, as well as pure entertainment apps.
Robert Nashak, BBC Worldwide EVP Digital Entertainment & Games said of the partnership: “Spaceport is the leading HTML5 game development platform for creating high-performance game applications. This partnership signals our continued support of innovative new businesses like spaceport.io and will allow fans of BBC Worldwide brands to access to our latest games on a wide variety of platforms and operating systems.”
BBC Worldwide has already been playing in the game development space, releasing almost 40 titles with over 6 million physical and download versions of games such as Top Gear Stunt School and Doctor who Mazes of Time. The first project from BBC Worldwide and Spaceport.io is due for launch summer 2012.
The new funding will be used to hire additional staff as well as develop Spaceport.io’s HTML5 technology and flash compatible native performance technology.
A deal with the BBC is a big deal for the company. Until now, Spaceport.io has been focused on the Indie game developer community, explains Relan. A partnership with a major media organization should help to expand the reach of the platform.