French game developer Drama Studios has raised $2.5 million in seed funding and plans to invest that money in its debut title, the bodycam shooter Not registered.
Most of that funding came from VC firm The Games Fund. That’s a lot of money at a time when game funding has declined, in turn leading to layoffs and closures for studios of all sizes.
Drama says the funding will help “strengthen” its core development team. Once its game is in a “solid” demo state, it will explore publishing and “strategic partnership opportunities.”
Not registered puts players in the role of a tactical police officer only from the perspective of his bodycam. In real life, bodycam footage is used as evidence of police brutality, leading many to label the game a “cop simulator.”
At that time, Drama explained to PC Gamer that the actual game would be more in line with a crime thriller, but also acknowledged that people would be “disturbed by the game's visuals.”