Backroom horror game studio Hypercent lands seed funding
What's the deal? South Korea's HypercentDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom → has raised an undisclosed seed round from the Korea Association of Industrial Intelligence DX Innovation Investment Fund No. 5. Accelerator Speroa led the sourcing and due diligence for the deal, announced on July 21, 2026. The amount stays private by mutual agreement.
What's the endgame? Hypercent builds PC and SteamDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →-based cooperative games. Its debut title, Backroom Company, is an eight-player co-op horror survival game set in the internet-born Backrooms universe.
What's the money for? The studio will fund development of its follow-up, Backroom Cleaners, a four-player co-op TPS roguelike that expands the same universe with combat, progression, and repeat play. The funds also support testing, marketing, and business development ahead of global launch.
Why now? Hypercent has a packed release schedule: closed beta tests in August and September 2026, Steam Next Fest in October, and early access on Steam in December. It has also confirmed appearances at seven global game shows this year, from ChinaJoy to Tokyo Game Show.
By the numbers: Backroom Cleaners has drawn early traction before launch. Its Steam wishlist has passed 10,000, adding more than 8,000 after an IGN trailer. Playtest sign-ups have topped 12,000, growing by 150 to 200 daily.
Chief executive officer Kim Ju-wan said the round reflects "Hypercent's proven execution in the global market and the potential of Backroom Cleaners." A fund representative called the studio "a team that has produced real user response and results in the global Steam market despite limited resources."
The signal: Hypercent is betting that a familiar horror theme, paired with accessible co-op action, can scale into a lasting global IP. Its data-first approach — validating demand through wishlists and playtests before launch — points to how small studios now court investors: with traction, not just a pitch.
Read more: WowTale
Image credit: Generated with Gemini
