We are delighted to announce the latest addition to our portfolio, Jam & Tea Studios, who are leveraging technological innovations in AI to brew novel multiplayer games with an infusion of creativity.
Founded by industry veterans (J) Aaron Farr, (M) Yichao & (T) Carl Kwoh, steeped with a breadth of experience from major studios such as Phoenix Labs, Wizards of the Coast, Riot Games and our very own Singularity 6. They’ve assembled a stellar team and started work on their first game taking players on a journey to worlds both new and familiar, where they are free to explore and push the boundaries of what is possible, and where players’ actions will directly change the course of the story. In the words of Aaron, co-founder and CTO, they plan to ‘use AI to unlock capabilities in games we’ve never seen before’.
A New Dawn for Multiplayer Games
Until now, multiplayer role playing games (RPGs) where players can change the course of the story have been best executed via pen and paper, where a human game master can improvise responses, solutions, and story to respond to the unexpected input from the players. This is seen in games like Dungeons and Dragons and other tabletop systems. Collaborative and uncompromisingly RPG experiences, especially with multiplayer, have previously been impossible to do in the digital domain, due to the complexity, costs and technical constraints associated with enabling the myriad of possible branching outcomes from multiple players impacting the direction of events. That is, until now…
Jam & Tea’s vision is for games and virtual worlds that allow players to experience infinitely replayable and collaborative adventures together, impacting and changing the fantastical realms they inhabit and share. They were deeply inspired by their experiences playing collaborative games, and in particular, their discovery of unforgettable moments shared with friends and strangers alike. They know it is those moments that leave players wanting to play again and again.
By providing players with a high degree of agency to influence the story of the game they are playing, even as it is unfolding, this unlocks higher levels of emergent play and impact on the story which has so far only ever been found in single player or tabletop games.
While technological advancements in gaming continue to dazzle us all, their true worth lies in their ability to enhance the player’s experience, which is at the heart of Jam &Tea’s core proposition. In an era where AI is rapidly expanding the volume of content creation with user-friendly tools, the imperative to maintain a strong emphasis on player experiences within games has never been more crucial. Technology and gaming, particularly in the current age, is never separate from social connections and interactions. The team’s vision for games that not only deliver truly novel and immersive experiences, but also serve as a social square for users to form positive and playful social connections, is one that proved too good for us to resist at Lvp.
We already see how AI is impacting processes like concepting or how tools like Copilot are driving very meaningful productivity gains, but what makes us at Lvp even more excited is how AI will impact the nature of games themselves. These advances and innovations will allow us to deliver on some long held player fantasies and potentially give birth to formats and engagement modes that we can’t fully envision today. So when Jam & Tea presented their vision, we immediately wanted to join them on this journey, and feel incredibly fortunate to have been able to lead their seed round earlier this year. We are really excited to see what they create!
To learn more about them check out their website (www.jamandtea.studio) and give their socials (Twitter, Linkedin, Twitch) a follow to keep up to date with their journey. If you’re a game developer and a creative who is excited to explore new frontiers of possibilities within gaming, then the team would love to hear from you.
Bonus Round:
There are four Jam & Tea related puns in this story; see if you can spot them all.
