AEXLAB, the creative force behind the virtual reality shooter Vail (2024), has just announced an exciting new crowd-investment campaign to fuel the continued development of their game. The VR multiplayer shooter has already raked in an impressive $5.5 million in revenue, thanks to over 300,000 unique players across both PC VR and Quest platforms.
Unlike the usual crowdfunding efforts that exchange startup funds for products, this Miami-based studio is taking a different approach. They’re inviting people to invest in the company itself through equity crowd-investment, which means purchasing common stock to support Vail’s ongoing development in the long run.
AEXLAB’s strategy mirrors that of Virtuix, which embraced a similar funding route for its Omni One VR treadmill back in 2023. They’re currently welcoming individual investors willing to start with a minimum of $1,000, stating on their investment page that each share is priced at $36.52.
But here’s the catch—shares in private companies like AEXLAB are not as straightforward to trade as those on public stock exchanges. To see a return on this investment, investors need to wait for big events, such as a company acquisition or an IPO (Initial Public Offering), both of which are long-term prospects that could take anywhere from five to ten years or even longer.
It’s hard to predict how quickly the XR industry will explode, but AEXLAB seems to be targeting investors who are confident about the sector’s future and believe in the studio’s prowess to thrive within it.
The studio expressed their gratitude to their community, saying, “We’ve built something extraordinary with your support, and we want to give our longstanding community members a chance to be part of this next chapter. Now’s your chance to join us as we elevate VAIL VR to heights previously only imagined.”
What’s the potential reach for Vail? Since its debut on SteamVR and Quest earlier this year, the game has ingeniously combined a free-to-play model with paid content. Players can enjoy the Citadel location for free, engaging in 1v1 battles and exploring its various systems and weapons, while an array of multiplayer modes are part of the paid offering. This hybrid model seems to be hitting the right notes with players.
As of now, the game boasts a stellar [4.8/5] rating on the Horizon Store for Quest, based on feedback from over 13,000 users. Additionally, it holds a ‘Very Positive’ overall user score on Steam, derived from over 2,300 user reviews. All in all, Vail looks to be on a promising trajectory.
