a note from us

• 𝖔𝖓𝖈𝖊 𝖚𝖕𝖔𝖓 𝖆 𝖙𝖎𝖒𝖊, there lived an author with a dilemma
• she just finished the greatest work of fiction; however, she couldn’t help but think: “what if the plot went another direction instead” 📕
• the author could only write one book, so she settled on her original plot, leaving her wondering where her new ideas could take her
• this week’s company gives fiction writers the tools to play out all their ideas 👾

in a sentence

Dorian is a no-code interactive storytelling platform that allows fiction writers to create mobile games from their work

• interactive storytelling: authors turn their tales into choose-your-own-adventure games
  • think Netflix’s Black Mirror: Bandersnatch
• mobile games: download for free and spend in-app currency to unlock alternative story routes

bulleted version: 

traditional stories start with “once upon a time” 🧞

Dorian’s interactive stories are different every time 🔀

the basics

• industry: gaming, mobile app, storytelling
• headquarters: Walnut, CA
• year founded: 2018
• company size: < 50 🧳
• notable investors: The Raine Group, March Capital (Gaming), Graham & Walker, Gaingels, LVP, VGames
• amount raised: $19.45m
• investment stage: series 🅰️

due diligence

what we like

• 🔥 a red hot gaming industry: media giants and FAANG are setting their sights on gaming, with the industry expected to add $150b to its value by 2027
  • this will open up more partnership opportunities (late last year, they partnered with Lionsgate) 🎬
• 📒 no publisher, no problem: today, getting your work out to the masses has never been easier
  • authors can build off each others’ work and earn constant revenue, all while avoiding the publishing house
• a new audience: while Dorian targets millions of mobile gamers worldwide, they’re bringing authors and fiction fanatics to the gaming industry

potential risks

• narration saturation: with unlimited stories being created with the same gaming format, will users get bored?
• 🤝 getting writers on board: it may take some work to convince fiction writers to get into the online gaming industry
• licensing issues: whether inspired by a Dorian writer or an outside story, new games must abide by copyright laws
  • this has caused complications for companies in the past

founder profiles

• Julia Palatovska (prev. @ LVP, G5, QArea Group)
• Jordan Lee (prev. @ Megastar, Nexon, gloops)

comps

• Episode 
• Chooseco
• Itch.io
• Adventure Game Studio

why Dorian: Dorian combines traditional writing with new media trends, giving fiction writers ownership and tools to expand their audiences and grow their careers 👥