Lighthouse Games, the UK studio led by Playground Games founder Gavin Raeburn, has secured another undisclosed investment from Tencent to finance the development of a unannounced driving title.
It’s notable news for the triple-A studio, which was founded in 2022 and previously received what it described as a “game-changing” investment from Tencent in 2023 to create a “genre-defining” franchise.
Tencent made its latest cash injection through its Venture Lab division, which is a business unit designed to support early-stage investors.
The Chinese conglomerate has a track record of pumping cash into both established companies and startups to expand its footprint. Earlier this year, it purchased a 25 percent stake in a new Ubisoft subsidiary for $1.8 billion. Prior to that, it grabbed a majority stake in Chinese studio Kuro Games and entered into a €15 million loan agreement with Alan Wake developer Remedy.
Tencent Games vice general manager Juno Shin said the company has “tremendous confidence” in Lighthouse Games’ talent and vision.
“Gavin Raeburn and his team bring unparalleled experience and a proven track record in the driving genre. We’re proud to support a studio with such strong foundations and bold creative vision,” added Shin.
Raeburn previously worked on racing franchises including Forza Horizon, Dirt, F1, and Racedriver Grid during his time at Playground Games and Codemasters Racing Studio.
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Full creative control for Lighthouse
Discussing his vision for Lighthouse, Raeburn said he intends to use the investment to strengthen the studio’s 120-person team. Notably, he added the studio will maintain full creative control over its debut title.
“Tencent’s Venture Lab has been a fantastic partner, and we are incredibly grateful for their continued support as we grow both our game and our studio,” said Raeburn.
“This additional investment signals real confidence in our project, our capabilities and long-term vision, especially at a time of significant change in our industry. It also allows us to strengthen our studio in Leamington Spa and pursue exciting, new creative opportunities for our debut title in the driving genre.”