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GameBryo creator Emergent raises $12.5 million

I missed this announcement last week, but I think it’s important enough to bring up now.

Emergent Game Technologies, creator of the Gamebryo middleware, has raised $12.5 million to strengthen the product.

Hopewell Ventures led the round, Adena Ventures contributed, while existing investors Worldview Technology Partners and Jerusalem Venture Partners participated. Gamebryo raised $12 million from Worldview and Jerusalam in July 2007.

The deal is significant because it shows that investors still believe in the secular growth story of the games industry, even if they are fighting shy of investing directly in hit-producing developers and publishers. GameBryo is well positioned to take advantage of the recession, arguing that its software can reduce both costs and the risk inherent in the development process.

Facial animation middleware provider ImageMetrics was also able to raise $6.5 million earlier this year.

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