Curio, a Web3 gaming studio, just hit a major milestone by raising $8.7 million. This comes as they launch the first season of their new title, Duper, a social strategy game that combines war, diplomacy, and wagering.
Curio’s Funding Success
Curio raised $5.7 million in a recent seed round led by Bain Capital Crypto and SevenX Ventures. The latest funding brings its total investment to $8.7 million, following an earlier $2.9 million round in 2022. OKX Ventures also took part in the most recent round, highlighting the growing confidence in Curio’s vision.
Kevin Zhang, Co-Founder of Curio, expressed the team’s excitement about the raise and their plans for the future. “We will utilize this funding to expand our core team further,” Zhang said. “Additionally, we intend to allocate extra resources toward our ongoing growth. For instance, we are developing our own first-party Duper game show, akin to a high-stakes live Poker show.”
Curio is known for building composable infrastructure for on-chain games. The successful raise will allow Curio to progress further, setting the stage for the launch of Duper.
Meet Duper: A Social Strategy Game
Duper, built on Arbitrum, is a social strategy game set on a faraway desert planet where players engage in a complex game of war, diplomacy, and wagering. Designed for five players, the game tests your ability to form alliances and make strategic moves to win.
Yijia Chen, another Co-Founder of Curio, described Duper as a game that blends the thrill of Poker with the strategic depth of classic war games. “Our goal for Duper is not to dethrone Poker,” Chen explained. “But we do believe that, in the 21st century, as awesome and immersive video games as a medium has gotten, there ought to be a great video game that is also a fun wagering game like Poker. A game which you can play casually with friends for a few dollars, or in a dazzling tournament with millions on the line.”
Duper’s unique gameplay mechanics offers something for every player. Whether you’re looking to test your skills or simply enjoy a casual game, Duper has it all.
Core Mechanics
Duper has 4 game modes, each offering a unique experience:
- Ranked Mode: The core mode of Duper, where players compete for real money against others in a random matchmaking system. The entry stake for Ranked games is 0.005 ETH, and a 5% game fee is taken from the pot, most of which is distributed back to the community as rewards.
- Casual Mode: A beginner mode where players can practice their skills without risking real money. Instead of ETH, players wager Sparks, a virtual currency used within the game. Casual mode is perfect for newcomers who want to learn the ropes before diving into Ranked mode.
- Custom Mode: This mode allows players to set up private games with their friends, similar to a Poker night at home. Players can set custom buy-ins and invite specific people to join. Custom mode is also ideal for running private tournaments.
- Playground Mode: A simplified 1v1 mode against AI, designed to help new players learn the basics. While the strategic depth is not as intense as in Ranked Mode, Playground offers a great starting point for beginners.
Each game session in Duper usually lasts between 30-45 minutes. The game combines resource management, territory control, and social diplomacy, making every decision count.
Season 1: What to Expect
Season 1 of Duper kicked off on August 6th and will run for six weeks. This brings with it a host of new gameplay rewards, referral incentives, and two valuable assets. Players can look forward to earning Sparks and ETH through various in-game activities.
Sparks play a crucial role in the Duper platform. As a non-transferable currency, Sparks can be earned by playing games, completing quests, and inviting new players. Sparks can be used to upgrade loot boxes and will have more utility in future updates.
Gameplay Rewards are a major highlight of Season 1. Players can earn official ETH and Sparks rewards, with extra bonuses for those who excel on the leaderboards or complete the seasonal pass milestones.
Quests allow new players to familiarize themselves with Duper while earning Sparks. The Season 1 Pass, available for 0.05 ETH, offers players a chance to earn back their investment and more by achieving a series of gameplay milestones.
Leaderboards track players’ progress in Ranked, Casual, and Referral matches, with top performers earning juicy rewards. Weekly leaderboards offer ETH and Sparks to the top 10 players.
For those looking to go the extra mile, Duper offers the Pioneer Program, rewarding players who create content that helps others discover Duper. Pioneers will receive exclusive perks, including early access to new features, badges, and more.
How to Get Started
Starting your journey in Duper is easy. First, create an account on the Duper website and try the Playground mode to get a feel for the game. Don’t worry if you don’t win—many players need a few tries to get the hang of it.
Once you’re comfortable, move on to Casual mode to test your skills. When you’re ready to play with real stakes, transfer some Arbitrum ETH into your Duper wallet and join a Ranked game.
If you don’t have ETH on Arbitrum yet, you can still enjoy Duper by sticking to Playground, Casual, and Custom modes. To take part in Ranked mode, simply follow the instructions on the Duper wallet page to buy and transfer ETH.
With Season 1 in full swing, there’s no better time to join the Duper community. Be sure to check out 12 pro tips for new players in the video below:
