Domestic game startup Versework announced on the 24th that it has received an investment of US$2.7 million (about KRW 4.13 billion) from global venture capital (VC) Altos Ventures. Existing shareholder SmartStudy Ventures also injected an additional KRW 1 billion, bringing the total amount raised to KRW 5.1 billion. On the same day, Versework was also selected as an Asia studio for “Roblox Incubator 2026,” a program in which Roblox’s headquarters supports developers.

Versework is a specialist developer of “UGC (user-generated content)” games based on the Roblox gaming platform. Roblox is a vast marketplace where anyone can create games using tools similar to Lego bricks and generate revenue. Even without a coding major, users can build games with free tools, allowing teenagers who initially enjoyed the platform as players to evolve directly into creator-level professionals and developers.

The average age of the company’s developers is actually 17.8 years. Teenage employees account for about 10% of the roughly 50 staff, with the majority in their early 20s. There are also executives in their teens. The team is diverse, ranging from developers who dropped out of school with parental consent to teenagers who attend school and then report to work. From the outset, the company has taken a completely different path from the established game industry.

The sharp growth trajectory of Roblox has played a role in attracting global capital to Versework despite a funding drought for startups as investment concentrates in large-cap AI stocks. In the first quarter of this year, Roblox recorded 132 million daily active users and quarterly revenue of US$1.4 billion (about KRW 2.142 trillion), up 35% and 39%, respectively, from the same period a year earlier. Last year, total payouts to creators worldwide exceeded US$1.5 billion (KRW 2.295 trillion), and the average annual income of the top 1,000 earners reached US$1 million (KRW 1.53 billion).

Versework’s standout title “Souls RNG” is a prime example that demonstrates this potential. This game, which focuses on drawing and collecting rare effects, surpassed 2 billion cumulative plays after its launch at the end of 2023, ranking between 10th and 20th overall on Roblox. In terms of usage, it is at the highest global level among Roblox games developed by Korean studios.

The game began as a side project by teenage developers. Developed without meaningful production costs beyond PC café fees, it attracted a global user base. Over the past year, English-speaking users have accounted for more than 60% of players, including 26% from the United States. Although the team received multiple acquisition offers worth several billion KRW after launch, they chose not to sell and instead partnered with Versework CEO Yoon Young-geun, who has business expertise. In the first half of last year (January to June), rather than transfer their equity, they jointly established a new legal entity (joint venture) under Versework and joined as a subsidiary. The move effectively combined the teenage development team’s talent with the capital and planning capabilities of a professional studio to pursue a global strategy.

These achievements caught the attention of Altos and Roblox. Altos Ventures is an early investor in Roblox and the VC that nurtured Coupang, Toss, and Baedal Minjok (Baemin). Versework is preparing two new titles: a card game based on the popular intellectual property (IP) “Cookie Run,” and a collaborative project with creator “Gyehyangssu.”

Yoon Young-geun, CEO of Versework, said, “We have proven through the record-breaking performance of ‘Souls RNG’ that Korean developers can be among the global top tier,” adding, “We aim to grow into a company that opens up a new career path in UGC games and a global stage for young developers in Korea and across Asia.”

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