Auckland developer Outsmart scores $1.8 million

Gameplanet is reporting that Outsmart, developer of browser-based Small Worlds, has received NZD$1.8 million in government funding.

Small Worlds, originally launched in 2008, is a 3D environment played inside your browser which presents content from web and media sources, online games and more.

Outsmart is promising that the funding will be used to double its internal staff from 20 to 40, and increase the scalability of the service.

New Zealand Science and Innovation minister Wayne Mapp said: "The gaming industry is a lucrative sector, and New Zealand businesses in this space need to get a piece of the action. Our investments help with this."

Unified virtual worlds within browsers appear to be a strong investment market at the moment. Browser-based virtual world Little Space Heroes from Bubble Gum Interactive has also received large amounts of funding, securing almost AUD$500’000 from Australian sources.

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