African battle royale game Rise of Fearless raises US$1m
Rise of Fearless, an African-owned battle royale mobile game inspired by African history and culture, has secured US$1 million in funding from Mauritius-based advisory and investment firm Epic Edges Capital.
The investment, structured as a simple agreement for future equity (SAFE), will fund the game’s next phase of growth. That covers talent, technology, infrastructure, marketing and community-building as it expands beyond its existing markets.
Launched in 2025, Rise of Fearless offers an African take on the battle royale genre, drawing on Ethiopia’s historic victory at the Battle of Adwa in 1896. Its characters, environments, hairstyles and clothing are designed to reflect African identities, offering an alternative to the Western-centric narratives that have long dominated mainstream gaming.
The free-to-play game, available on the Apple App Store and Google Play, has passed 15,000 downloads, with its largest player communities in Nigeria, Ethiopia and South Africa.
“The launch of Rise of Fearless filled a gap in the gaming space, but it has also forced us to think beyond game downloads, shifting our focus towards a much wider African gaming ecosystem where African intellectual ownership and talent development are key,” said Kanessa Muluneh, founder of Rise of Fearless.
“As a bootstrapped company, this investment is pivotal to our ambitions and the future of African gaming.”
Global gaming talent
The funding brings in experienced international partners. Miniboss Solutions will act as embedded publishing partner, led by founders and managing partners Adam Krause, previously of Ubisoft, 2K/Take-Two and Capcom, and TJ Consunji, previously of PlayStation and Krafton.
Games industry research firm IDG Intelligence, led by president and CEO Yoshio Osaki, will provide market research, analytics and strategic advice. Trick Question Studios, founded by TQ Jefferson, formerly of Marvel, Pixar and Disney, will lead franchise definition and creative direction. Full-stack developer Spectra Entertainment will handle art and technical art.
“We couldn’t be more excited about our new team taking an African-owned gaming franchise to international distribution and commercial scale,” Muluneh said.
According to the company, Muluneh also wants to use the game’s growth to help tackle structural challenges facing African gaming companies, including access to reliable technology, servers and cross-border payment infrastructure.
“Rise of Fearless represents the kind of ambitious, culturally rooted IP that has the potential to resonate far beyond its home market,” said Remco Coerman, founder of Epic Edges Group.
“We believe there is a significant opportunity for African creators to build globally relevant gaming experiences that reflect the continent’s stories, identities and talent.”
The company says Africa is home to more than 400 million gamers, with gaming revenue reaching US$1.98 billion in 2026, most of it from mobile.
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