The Japanese company’s first investment in the region will purportedly ‘transform game discovery.’
Square Enix has partnered with leading Brazilian publisher and distributor Nuuvem to launch a new browser-native discovery platform called Spawnd.
Nuuvem offers end-to-end solutions for publishers and developer looking to break into Latin America. It also operates a digital gaming platform that serves over 3.4 million registered players and offers access to more than 11,000 products.
Now, Square Enix has joined forces with Nuuvem to establish a new web gaming platform called Spawnd that allows premium game demos to be played, shared, and embedded anywhere on the web. Prospective players will be able to access those demos without the need for a subscription or download.
"Spawnd's unique tech allows demos to be embedded into store pages, media articles, influencer channels, and even social posts. For players, this means instant access to try-before-you-buy, directly in-browser," reads a press release.
"For developers and publishers, Spawnd offers a frictionless discovery funnel, with one-click trials that directly increase organic wishlists, solving one of the biggest pain points in today’s industry. Most demos remain buried in platforms, never reaching their audiences. Spawnd fixes this.
"Furthermore, Spawnd's data-driven analytics board gives devs visibility into user behavior during their demo, including a direct CTA to the Steam page. This means developers and publishers can gather real-time engagement data to optimize marketing and design decisions."
Spawnd has soft-launched today and is currently offering demo access to 12 titles including The Posthumous Investigation, Ironhive, Figment, Cris Tales, Superhot, Townscaper, and Doom 3.
Hideaki Uehara, general manager of investment and business development at Square Enix, said the partnership will help "transform game discovery" in Latin America.
"Latin America is a strategic territory, full of passionate gamers and a strong bond to the Japanese culture," he added. "Our first investment in Brazil reflects our belief in Nuuvem and in Spawnd's potential to transform game discovery."
Square Enix didn't disclose the scale of its investment when approached by Game Developer.