TL;DR
- Psychedelic Games secures $3.5 million from KRAFTON, FlyQuest, and Arbitrum Gaming Ventures.
- Golden Tides removes lanes and towers, replacing them with treasure-based naval combat.
- Matches last 20 to 25 minutes, emphasizing flexible strategies and ship-to-ship battles.
The Dallas-based independent studio closed a $3.5 million investment round. The funding will support the development of Golden Tides, a multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) game that breaks with genre conventions. The deal brought together three heavyweights: KRAFTON, known for PUBG: Battlegrounds; esports organization FlyQuest; and Arbitrum Gaming Ventures, the gaming investment arm of the Ethereum layer‑2 network.
Each investor contributes more than capital. KRAFTON brings global publishing expertise and experience in mass-market audiences. FlyQuest steps in during the early phase to build the competitive framework and connect the esports community to the game. Arbitrum Gaming Ventures opens the door to integrating distributed ledger technology into gameplay and the in-game economy.
A MOBA Without Lanes and Towers: Treasure Collection as the Core Objective
Golden Tides removes two traditional pillars of the genre: pushing lanes and defensive towers. Instead, teams compete to accumulate treasure in matches lasting 20 to 25 minutes. The premise shifts the focus from destroying the enemy base to resource management and tactical navigation.
Some opt for direct ship‑to‑ship combat, others prefer taking on bosses on the map to secure high‑value loot, and a third group relies on stealth or ambushes to steal treasure from rivals. The flexibility of approaches aims to make each match play out differently, rewarding team adaptation over rigid execution of a formula.
We closed a $3.5M funding round.
KRAFTON / PUBG: BATTLEGROUNDS, FlyQuest, and Arbitrum Gaming Ventures are joining the pirate crew.
Full announcement: https://t.co/iOBmVcQw4V— Golden Tides (@GoldenTides_gg) March 24, 2026
Brothers Devin and Mason Richman, founders of Psychedelic Games, previously worked on League of Legends, Fortnite, and PUBG: Battlegrounds. Their track record at top‑tier studios allows them to identify friction points that often push new players away from traditional MOBAs, while preserving the strategic depth that veteran audiences demand.
KRAFTON, through its investment division, bets on a small studio with proven technical leadership. FlyQuest, on the other hand, enters at an early development stage to help define the competitive framework from the ground up. This alliance between an esports organization and a game still in production could set a precedent: the tournament structure and community involvement become part of the design from day one instead of being a later addition.
Arbitrum Gaming Ventures brings the possibility of integrating blockchain into Golden Tides
The developers did not reveal concrete details on how they will apply the technology, but they indicated they aim to use it to enhance player interaction and generate new forms of value inside the game. Ethereum’s layer‑2 network enables fast transactions and low fees, features that align with short matches and a model where items or ships could carry digital ownership records.
Teams must decide whether to split their forces to gather resources across multiple zones or concentrate firepower to sink adversaries and steal collected loot. The 20‑to‑25‑minute match length targets a faster pace than other MOBAs, where encounters often stretch longer. This duration seeks to adapt to shorter gaming sessions without sacrificing tactical depth.
FlyQuest’s participation also aims to build a competitive scene from launch
The organization has experience building communities around games and connecting professional teams with player bases. By getting involved during development, the company can influence the design of ranking systems, tournament modes, and spectator tools—elements that often determine a game’s success as an esport.
Psychedelic Games plans to use the funds to expand the team, accelerate development, and conduct closed playtests. The coming months will include play sessions with selected communities to fine‑tune the balance between different strategies and polish the navigation and combat experience. The company also plans to open direct communication channels with players to receive feedback during the pre‑launch phase.
Golden Tides joins a wave of proposals seeking to diversify the MOBA genre
While dominant titles have maintained similar structures for over a decade, smaller studios are experimenting with hybrid mechanics. The bet on removing lanes and towers, replacing them with a dynamic objective like treasure accumulation, positions the game in a middle ground between traditional MOBAs and naval action games with extraction mechanics.
The $3.5 million investment round, though modest compared to major studio budgets, allows Psychedelic Games to retain creative control while accessing the experience and networks of its partners. KRAFTON contributes global distribution channels, FlyQuest offers a direct connection to the competitive scene, and Arbitrum Gaming Ventures opens technical possibilities that other games in the genre have yet to explore in depth.
The studio did not confirm specific release dates but said the first playable tests will begin before the end of the year. With the development team established and a round closed with strategic investors, Golden Tides moves toward its goal of offering an alternative within a genre that rarely dares to change its fundamental rules.
