Mobile game developer AviaGames vowed to use fresh funding to address perceived limitations in the sector by further developing a series of person-to-person titles catering to casual players.

The company scored $40 million in a funding round in which ACME Capital, Washington Harbour Partners and Powerhouse Capital joined previous backers Makers Fund and Galaxy Interactive. The process brings the total raised by AviaGames since its foundation in 2017 to $48 million.

AviaGames explained in a statement the cash would go towards developing new titles, speeding player acquisition and growing its international presence.

Founder and CEO Vickie Chen (pictured), noted the majority of competitive games today “cater to male audiences and core gamers”, while casual titles typically pit players against an AI.

“We know the gaming universe is much broader than that. We aim to provide entertainment value for everyone to enjoy a couple of minutes a day to compete with other real players with a more accessible easy in, easy out approach.”

Chen explained the company matches players “with similar skill sets” and takes gender out of the equation.

AviaGames launched its Pocket7Games platform in 2019, today offering more than ten unique titles covering genres including gambling, puzzles and action.

The company stated Pocket7Games is available through an “all-in-one app” with others covering specific games and player communities.

AviaGames is in the process of recruiting engineers and data scientists as part of domestic and international expansion plans, targeting an overall increase in staff from 90 currently to 130 by the year-end.