Studio 42, a Cyprus-based mobile game development studio founded by veterans of the global casual games industry, has announced that it has secured $3.6 million in seed funding.

According to an announcement released on Thursday, the funding round was led by Play Ventures, with participation from GEM Capital and Arcadia Gaming Partners.

This investment will enable the studio to accelerate development on its debut title and rapidly iterate new product concepts.

Studio 42 was founded by former Belka Games executives Aleksandr Bogdanov (CEO), Ivan Larionov (COO), and Pavel Sudakov (CPO), a trio known for their role in creating multiple top-grossing casual games.

During his seven-year tenure as CEO of Belka Games, Bogdanov oversaw a more than tenfold increase in both company revenue and team size.

Under his leadership, Belka Games launched global hits including Solitaire Cruise, Bermuda Adventures, and Roger That!, expanded with six offices across Europe, and reached millions of players worldwide.

According to Data.ai, Clockmaker entered the Top 100 highest-grossing games in the United States, while Solitaire Cruise ranked as the number three Solitaire game globally, behind Solitaire Grand Harvest and Tiki Solitaire.

“These milestones were a direct result of Bogdanov’s leadership and the strategic excellence of his senior management team,” the company said in a statement.

Commenting on the funding, CEO Aleksandr Bogdanov said, “We are excited to partner with Play Ventures, GEM Capital, and Arcadia Gaming Partners and take the next step in our journey.”

“Their support allows us to focus on what we do best — creating simple yet deeply engaging experiences.”

“We believe that genius lies in simplicity, and together, we are ready to bring fresh ideas to the puzzle genre,” he added.

Studio 42 is currently developing its first original game, which blends classic puzzle mechanics with a modern hybrid-casual design approach.

The studio’s development model prioritises speed, with its first project moving from concept to live testing within just two months.

In addition, the studio uses artificial intelligence to test one hundred per cent of its product hypotheses and plans to evaluate up to ten new game ideas annually.

Henric Suuronen, Founding Partner at Play Ventures, commented: “We’re thrilled to back Aleksandr, Ivan, Pavel, and the incredible team they’ve brought together at Studio 42.”

“From the start, we were aligned on their vision — reimagining core puzzle mechanics through a hybrid-casual lens, with live ops as a strategic driver.”

“Their track record speaks for itself, and we couldn’t be prouder to support them.”

The founding team’s experience spans leadership positions at Belka Games, Snap Inc., Playrix, Game Insight, and other major gaming companies.

Studio 42 currently operates with a fourteen-person team across four countries, building the next generation of puzzle titles guided by a player-first philosophy.