Sneaky Games Turns Fantasy into Reality with Funding, Launch of First Game ? Fantasy Kingdoms

AUSTIN, Texas--(BUSINESS WIRE)--On the strength of a seasoned management team, Sneaky Games (www.sneakygames.com) has taken a first round of investment lead by Austin venture capital firm Liahona Ventures. The funding has allowed it to complete development on its first social game.

?The industry is clearly hot but I?ve been evaluating the social gaming and consumer interactive space for years. Finding a team that could execute well in addition to, not because of, the rising tide was the challenge. This team is tremendous and it?s an investment I could not pass up?

Fantasy Kingdoms is a building game, where participants create their own fantasy kingdom, collect mystical creatures, magical gardens and share enchanting experiences with their friends. While it was only recently introduced, Fantasy Kingdoms is building momentum on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/apps/application.php?id=213518941553), where the game is played.

Founder David Godwin and the rest of the team had already conceptualized Fantasy Kingdoms when they were approached by Christopher Shonk, the managing director of Liahona. Shonk, whose firm has invested in more than a dozen firms in the Austin area, has become an expert in the social network space.

?The industry is clearly hot but I?ve been evaluating the social gaming and consumer interactive space for years. Finding a team that could execute well in addition to, not because of, the rising tide was the challenge. This team is tremendous and it?s an investment I could not pass up,? said Shonk.

That experience includes CEO David Godwin, an executive with 16 years of experience building games, highly interactive web sites and enterprise applications. Godwin started Sneaky Games initially as a company offering development and consulting services in the online social and casual gaming space. Over the next several years, Godwin?s team developed a core technology and processes that would become the basis of Fantasy Kingdoms and other games.

He has been joined by respected gaming veteran and producer Billy Cain, who is the Chief Creative Officer, and Jon Masters, Chief Technology Officer, as co-founders. In addition, Shonk has also lent his own expertise on an interim basis as the Vice President of Business Development.

?Our team is made up of game industry veterans, web development aces, art gurus, fearless producers and passionate support and community professionals,? said Godwin. ?We are in the business of making great experiences for our players that are engaging and can be enjoyed in collaboration with each other.?

Godwin can point to Fantasy Kingdoms as evidence of that.

Fantasy Kingdoms is similar to other games that offer an alternate reality. Where it differs, however, is that it is very easy to learn and very collaborative.

?Those qualities and others have led to a rapid adoption of the game,? said Godwin. ?We?re ecstatic that we already have the genesis of a strong, loyal community.?

Interested media should contact Holt Hackney of Hackney Communications at 512-716-7977 or hhackney@hackneycommunications.com.