AEXLAB, the creative minds behind the VR shooter Vail, unveiled their new crowd-investment initiative aimed at propelling the game’s development forward. So far, the game has raked in over $5.5 million in revenue, drawing in more than 300,000 players on both PC VR and Quest platforms.
Unlike the usual crowdfunding campaigns where backers exchange funds for promised products, AEXLAB is taking a different path. The Miami-based studio is opting for equity crowd-investment, inviting enthusiasts to invest in the ongoing evolution of Vail. This approach mirrors the strategy adopted by Virtuix in 2023 to support their Omni One VR treadmill, where individual investors are given the opportunity to purchase common stock. They’re offering a minimum investment option of $1,000, with shares priced at $36.52 each.
Investing in private companies comes with its own set of challenges. Shares aren’t as easily traded as they are on public stock exchanges, meaning investors might have to wait for the studio to either be acquired by another entity or to go public before seeing returns—an endeavor that could span “approximately 5-10 years” or more, according to the studio.
Predicting the rapid expansion of the XR sector is tricky, but AEXLAB appears to be focusing on individuals confident in the industry’s booming potential and the studio’s prowess in navigating that landscape successfully.
In their statement to supporters, AEXLAB expressed, “With your help, we’ve created something remarkable. Now, we want to extend the opportunity for longstanding community members like you to join us in this exciting journey forward. This is your chance to help us elevate VAIL VR to unprecedented levels.”
Where can Vail’s journey take it? Since its release earlier this year on SteamVR and Quest, the game has embraced an innovative free-to-play/paid hybrid model. Players can explore its Citadel location for free, engage in 1v1 matches, and experiment with different systems and weapons, while full access to multiplayer modes comes at a cost. So far, this model seems to be paying off.
Currently, the game holds a [4.8/5] rating on the Horizon Store for Quest, based on over 13,000 user reviews, and boasts a ‘Very Positive’ score on Steam from more than 2,300 players.
