Best Gaming Companies in Illinois, United States
The 85 best Gaming companies in Illinois, United States in 2026, ranked by funding and momentum. Funding, investors, founders, valuation, tech stack and live signals. Top: Metaplex.
Our analysis of 71 Gaming companies
$20.0b in tracked funding; 97% of the stack-profiled cohort runs cloud-native; funding activity peaked in 2025.
Ranked: Best Gaming companies in Illinois
| # | Company | Disclosed funding | Last round | Stage | Employees | Founder | Tech stack | Patents & IP focus | Recent signals |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | AnRaEl Developer of mid-core space soccer game for PC and console | — | — | Unfunded | — | Andrey Demskiy Founder & CEO | — | — | — |
| 2 | Appmetrix Privacy-focused web analytics platform for insightful website behavior analysis | — | — | Unfunded | 18 | Lee Jacobson CEO | — | — | — |
| 3 | AppSaurus Online gaming platform | — | — | Deadpooled | — | Josh Day Founder & Developer | — | — | — |
| 4 | Arsenal Influencer discovery, analytics, and reporting tools provider for the gaming industry | — | — | Acquired | — | — | — | 3 patents Firearm accessory components: handguards and Picatinny rail mounting systems. | — |
| 5 | Babaroga Game developer crafting immersive experiences across console, mobile, PC, and VR | — | — | Public | 66 | Andreja Djokovic CEO | Wix eCommerceWixSentry+11 | — | — |
| 6 | Broadsword Online Games Online game developer fostering interconnected worlds with compelling content and communities | — | — | Public | 22 | Rob Denton Founder and President | Apache HTTP ServerAmazon Web ServicesGoogle Font API+4 | — | — |
| 7 | can i play that Can I Play That has grown from a hobby site to a destination for players and developers. | — | — | Acquired | 3 | — | WordPressMySQLPHP+11 | — | 1 launch |
| 8 | cards against humanity Cards Against Humanity is a free party game which is as despicable and awkward as its players. | — | — | Private | 49 | — | SanityNode.jsReact+13 | — | — |
Top 12 Gaming companies in Illinois
#1
Seed · Chicago, Illinois · founded 2017 · 20 employees$4.6Mraised▾
Web3 platform with reward-based game NFTs. It provides games that are integrated into the Blockchain network, which enables players to trade in in-game assets. Its features include play-to-earn and engage platforms, games, and fan rewards.
- May 2025Seed$3M
- Dec 2024Seed$33.4K
- Dec 2023Seed$1.3M
- Apr 2020Conventional Debt$354.4K
#2
Funding Raised · Chicago, Illinois · founded 2015$6Mraised▾
Educational games studio creating impactful learning experiences for students and educators. They publish games designed to make a positive impact, offering interactive learning experiences through educational video games and board games. Their creations aim to provide diverse, research-driven educational experiences for students and new interventions for education workers. They focus on developing games that address social and health-related issues, using research and development techniques to ensure their products make a difference. They also provide a platform for game authors to bring their educational game ideas to life. Their games encourage STEM career interest in youth, opening new perspectives and opportunities for students. They offer interactive learning experiences.
- Mar 2025Grant (prize money)$1.7M
- Aug 2022Grant (prize money)$1.7M
- Sep 2021Grant (prize money)$243.3K
- Sep 2020Grant (prize money)$251.3K
#3
Series C · Chicago, Illinois · founded 2021 · 61 employees$46Mraised▾
Online platform for developing NFTs marketplaces. It is an online blockchain-based marketplace to sell and buy in-game virtual items or goods. It is a decentralized platform built on the Solana blockchain, enabling the creation, sale, and management of programmable non-fungible tokens and digital assets.
- Jan 2022Series C$46M
#4
Seed · Chicago, Illinois · founded 2009 · 9 employees$3.4Mraised▾
Developer of PC and console-based casual games. It offers Infestation a cooperative survival genre where players scavenge derelict spaceships.
- Aug 2022Seed$3.4M
#5
Acquired · Chicago, Illinois · founded 2014 · 15 employees$9.9Mraised▾
Lightstream is a web-based streaming software that enables users to broadcast in real-time on multiple platforms like Twitch, Facebook, Beam, YouTube etc. Does not require any additional equipment for streaming and supports both Mac and Windows PC's. Is cloud platform encodes content for delivery across devices. Pricing is yet to be decided as of June 2017.
- Feb 2019Series A$8M
- Feb 2016Seed$1.8M
- 2015Seed$120K
- 2015Seed—
#6
Series A · Des Plaines, Illinois · founded 2018 · 6 employees$4Mraised▾
Operator of an esports organization intended to organize, manage and promote various esports events. The company's services include recruitment and management of gaming teams that organize various competitive tournaments, enabling the esports ecosystem to get access to set the professional standard for the next generation of competitive gaming.
#7
Deadpooled · Chicago, Illinois · founded 2019 · 7 employees$5.5Mraised▾
Provider of gaming arcade machines. It provides a gaming arcade machine for players to play different genres of video games.
- Oct 2020Seed$5.5M
#8
Seed · Chicago, Illinois · founded 2021 · 6 employees$1.9Mraised▾
Provider of a blockchain-based fantasy sports platform. It offers a play to earn model fantasy sports platform based on blockchain technology. It allows players to earn NFT tokens on winning the games and in-game contests. It facilitates the creation of exclusive clubs and participation in club level games.
- Dec 2021ICO$2.1M
- Nov 2021Seed$1.9M
#9
Acqui-Hired · Chicago, Illinois · founded 2009 · 12 employees$5.4Mraised▾
Connecting pilots and passengers for unforgettable flight experiences since 1994. It is an online platform that facilitates booking scenic flights and day trips with licensed pilots. With a wide selection of flight offerings, users can search for flights based on location and preferences. The platform connects individuals with vetted private and commercial pilots, ensuring safety and a personalized experience. It offers gift vouchers for various amounts, redeemable for any flight on the site. The booking process involves searching for a flight, selecting a date and time, and coordinating directly with the pilot after confirmation. The platform caters to both individual adventurers and groups seeking custom flight experiences. It also provides an opportunity for pilots to share their passion for flying and offset flight costs by connecting with passengers. The website offers pilot registration, login, search, cart, and secure payment options.
- Mar 2012Series C$3.2M
- Dec 2011Series B$423.9K
- May 2011Series B$1.5M
- Sep 2010Series A$325K
#10
Deadpooled · Chicago, Illinois · founded 2009 · 26 employees$2.9Mraised▾
Toy Studio LLC is a game studio focusing on the development of HTML.5 games for mobile and web devices. The studio has a portfolio of over 30 games and popular titles include 'Bee Control' - a platformer game and 'Boulder Dash' - an action puzzle.
- Jan 2016Series A$2.9M
#11
Deadpooled · Lombard, Illinois · founded 2019$1Mraised▾
Online gaming platform for earning cash rewards. The platform allows users to participate in games and earn rewards. The application is available for Android and iOS users.
- Feb 2021Seed$1M
#12
Acqui-Hired · Roxana, Illinois · founded 2012 · 20 employees$1.2Mraised▾
UMG is an eSports tournament organizer based in the US. The company hosts live eSports events and tournaments for professional gamers to showcase their talent live in front of their fans. The company has also launched an online platform for gamers to compete online for winning prizes. Popular events from the company include UMG Nashville and UMG Orlando.
- Oct 2019Post IPO$1.2M
Funding & investor landscape
Notable founders
Market landscape — 10 sub-themes by coverage
Share of Gaming coverage by sub-theme.
Regulatory-risk over time rising
Funding & growth over time
funding rising · growth rising
What Illinois researches in gaming tech
- University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign12
- Northern Illinois University4
- University of Illinois Chicago4
- University of Illinois System1
- Illinois State University1
Common questions
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