COREBLAZER is an investment brand established by Hypergryph, widely recognized as the developer behind Arknights and Arknights: Endfield. In July, they hosted the “COREBLAZER GAME FEST 2026,” showcasing titles and developers supported by their initiative.
Functioning neither as a traditional publisher nor as an outsourcing studio, COREBLAZER aids game developers through funding, business guidance, and insights into the global market, among other services. To delve deeper into their operations, we recently spoke with Kun, Strategic Investment Director at COREBLAZER.
—Please introduce yourself.
Kun:
I am Kun, responsible for COREBLAZER’s investment activities in China and Japan. COREBLAZER is a gaming-focused investment arm of Hypergryph, the studio behind Arknights and Arknights: Endfield. Our mission is to back creators and teams developing PC and console games.
I believe the widespread acclaim for Hypergryph’s games stems from their compelling content. Having grown through exposure to quality content ourselves, we hold the view that the enduring value in the gaming industry lies in the games themselves and the creators who persistently innovate. In this light, labeling COREBLAZER simply as an “investment firm” may not fully capture our essence.
—What exactly does COREBLAZER do in terms of business?
Kun:
Investment is merely a tool for us. Our true objective is to foster an ecosystem where developers can sustain their creative endeavors beyond a single project, moving on to sequels and more. We provide not only development capital but also comprehensive business support, including developmental consultations and introductions to external partners such as publishers, platform providers, production houses, and marketing agencies.
At the same time, COREBLAZER is not a publisher. We do not intervene in the creative direction of a project post-investment, nor do we seek to acquire intellectual property or publishing rights.
—So, you offer practical support beyond just financial backing.
Kun:
We aim to equip developers with a broader range of options post-investment. Our goal is to collaborate with more content creators to co-create value. When we speak of “value,” we refer not just to revenue and profits but also to the worth of investing in a game, developing it into a franchise, the growth of the development team, and the value of building a partnership that can lead to future collaborations. These are the core principles we hold dear.
From a business standpoint, we operate on an investment cycle. We identify talented creators and teams, provide them with funding, and assist them in bringing their projects to fruition. We then leverage our market knowledge and network to create a supportive environment for ongoing development. The returns from this process are reinvested into new creators and projects.
You might compare it to nurturing seeds. Each development team grows at its own pace, and over time, new games and franchises emerge. We utilize the outcomes from these projects to sow new seeds. Meanwhile, some of the initial seeds we planted begin to yield results, enabling us to plant even more seeds.
How to get support from COREBLAZER?
—If a game developer seeks investment or support from COREBLAZER, how should they initiate contact?
Kun:
Typically, there are two approaches. The first is for developers to reach out to us directly, either through external channels or via the email address on COREBLAZER’s website.
The second approach is for COREBLAZER to take the initiative in contacting developers. Reviewing our past investments, approximately 30% to 40% of cases involved developers initiating contact. This indicates that we also actively reach out to developers frequently.
—Suppose I’m a developer, and the game I’m currently working on is in the prototype phase. If COREBLAZER were to support me, what specific assistance could I receive?
Kun:
The most direct form of support is development funding. This allows developers to focus entirely on game creation without the need for additional employment to sustain themselves. The greatest benefit is the ability to dedicate as much time as possible to game development.
Of course, some developers work on games as a side project. However, having more time to concentrate on development enhances efficiency and allows for parallel activities like market analysis. We aim to support this through development funding.
With a prototype, the project’s future is uncertain. Key questions arise: Can the game be completed? Are technical issues resolved before full production? How will the core gameplay be designed? How will the game’s scope be expanded? We can collaborate with the team, leveraging our experience with large-scale titles and development teams to address these aspects.
Delays are common in game development, but we don’t necessarily view them as failures. We examine the reasons for delays, assess the project’s status and the team’s execution capabilities, and determine if additional funding is needed. Including unannounced projects, we have provided supplementary funding to about four teams so far. These supports do not guarantee success; ultimately, the developers are the ones who create the game.
I believe COREBLAZER’s role is to create an environment where developers can proceed without external issues hindering their work. Development is just one aspect of a company’s operations, so we aim to provide extensive assistance and support for all other processes.
—What specific support do you offer beyond funding?
Kun:
First and foremost, alongside funding, reducing the development team’s non-development workload is crucial. This is especially true for newly formed teams with limited experience. They may excel at game development but may be new to running a company or managing budgets. Many developers also lack experience with contracts from publishers and platform holders or dealing with intellectual property.
For instance, if a development team lacks financial management experience, we create an environment where they can learn basic bookkeeping and budget management with external specialists. We also conduct regular expert reviews and study sessions on issues like IP dynamics, intellectual property protection, and contract risks.
A key point is that COREBLAZER does not handle these issues indefinitely. Our goal is for the company and development team to eventually recognize when to be cautious or consult specialists.
On the business side, beyond financial and schedule management, we assist with organizing pitch decks, preparing materials for discussions with publishers such as trailers and localized versions, and more.
We also track development milestones and advise teams on timing, such as when to start engaging with publishers or preparing for promotion.
Even without a publisher, we can collaborate with a team to determine what to communicate first, which events to participate in, and what kind of player feedback to seek at the current stage.
We also connect our invested development teams with global publishers. However, not all teams are adept at conducting business negotiations in English. To address this, we continuously work with external partners to bridge communication gaps.