AEXLAB, the creative force behind the VR shooter Vail (2024), has just launched a crowd-investment campaign to help fuel the ongoing development of their game. Interestingly, the multiplayer shooter has already raked in over $5.5 million in revenue, thanks to more than 300,000 unique players on both PC VR and Quest platforms.
This isn’t your everyday crowdfunding effort, where backers usually receive a product in exchange for their support. Instead, the Miami-based studio is embracing an equity crowd-investment approach to garner financial backing for Vail’s continued growth.
In a move reminiscent of Virtuix’s strategy for funding its Omni One VR treadmill back in 2023, AEXLAB is calling upon individual investors interested in buying common stock in the company. According to their investment page, they are currently accepting minimum investments of $1,000, with each share priced at $36.52.
It’s worth noting that shares in private companies like these are generally illiquid. This means there isn’t an accessible market to freely buy and sell like with public stocks. Investors can generally expect to see returns only if the studio is acquired or if it goes public with an IPO—both considered long-term exit strategies that can take anywhere from 5 to 10 years or even longer.
While it’s hard to predict how rapidly the XR industry will expand, it’s evident that AEXLAB is appealing to people not just counting on XR’s explosive growth in the coming years, but also placing their faith in the company’s ability to navigate and capitalize on that potential growth.
“We’ve built something incredible with your support, and it’s crucial for us to extend the opportunity to our dedicated community members to join us on this journey,” the studio expresses. “Here’s your chance to join us as we elevate VAIL VR to levels we’ve only dreamed of.”
So, where can Vail climb from here? Since hitting the SteamVR and Quest platforms earlier this year, the game has initiated a unique free-to-play/paid hybrid model. It offers the Citadel location, including 1v1 battles and a playground to experiment with various systems and weapons, at no cost. To access the full suite of multiplayer modes, players need to make a purchase. By all indications, this model seems successful.
As it stands, Vail boasts an impressive [4.8/5] rating on the Horizon Store for Quest, based on over 13,000 user reviews, and holds a ‘Very Positive’ overall score from more than 2,300 user reviews on Steam.
