ANN ARBOR, Mich., Nov. 13, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Scorbit, a connected gaming platform bringing classic and modern arcade experiences online, announced today it has closed a seed round of just over $5 million led by Detroit Venture Partners, with participation from Grand Ventures, Weiser Family Office, Michigan Rise / Red Cedar, Invest Detroit Ventures, Eberg Capital, Ann Arbor SPARK Capital, Mudita Venture Fund II LLC, Precursor Ventures, Side Door Ventures, Wakestream, and Gambit Ventures, along with several angel and individual investors.

Notable investors who converted from Scorbit’s pre-seed round include Matthew Prince (Cloudflare), Matt Mullenweg (Automattic), Marissa Mayer (Sunshine, Google, Yahoo), Mike McCarthy (Dallas Cowboys, Green Bay Packers), Bevan Slattery (Megaport, Superloop, NEXTDC), Rob Hayes (First Round Capital), Robert Abbott (HashiCorp), and Jordan Lowe (ServerCentral), among others.

Scorbit was co-founded by Jay Adelson, an internet pioneer known for founding and leading companies such as Equinix and Digg, and Ron Richards, a veteran of the media and technology industries and former Marvel/Disney executive. Together, they are leading Scorbit’s mission to connect physical play with digital community and competition, bridging nostalgia with innovation.

Image: ScorbitFounderPhoto

The seed funding enables Scorbit to expand its Ann Arbor-based team, complete its MVP, and advance R&D for new hardware, the Scorbit Console (B2B platform for venues), and expanded app features for payments, competitions, and global gameplay support. Jared Stasik of Detroit Venture Partners joins Scorbit’s board of directors, and Nathan Owen of Grand Ventures joins as board observer.

“This investment underscores what we’ve believed all along: Michigan is still one of the most inventive places on earth,” said Stasik. “Scorbit is transforming nostalgia into a modern, connected experience and putting the Midwest at the center of the next chapter in social gaming.”

“Scorbit’s platform is proving the massive opportunity in reimagining physical play for the digital era,” said Nathan Owen of Grand Ventures. “It’s not just about connecting machines, it’s about connecting people.”

Scorbit’s beta launch is already showing strong market validation. Since launch, inbound venue interest has surged by more than 500 percent, signaling growing demand from bars and arcades eager to reinvent the player experience through connected gameplay. The app launch also marked a clear inflection point in platform engagement, with double-digit growth in new users and gameplay activity across the network—early proof of strong product-market fit.

“We’re seeing incredible excitement from operators and players,” said Adelson. “Bars, arcades, and entertainment venues are looking for ways to bring people back together. Scorbit is giving them a platform to do that while unlocking new revenue and social experiences.”

Scorbit is uniquely positioned at the intersection of technology, nostalgia, and the resurgence of in-person entertainment. The U.S. Arcade, Food and Entertainment Complexes industry is estimated at $6.1 billion in 2025 (IBISWorld). The global arcade games market was valued at $24.15 billion in 2023 and is projected to grow 5.6 percent annually through 2030 (Cognitive Market Research). For bars facing headwinds in drink-only models, the integration of games can boost spending and retention. Studies show average revenue per arcade game ranges from $200 to $485 per week, with average visitor spend of $10 to $20 per visit and margins of 15 to 20 percent. Forbes reports the typical arcade-bar revenue mix as 50–60 percent drinks, 20–25 percent gaming, and 20–25 percent food or events, proving that social gaming can transform the bar business model.

“I’ve always loved pinball. I play a game on my Scorbit-powered machine before every earnings call,” said Matthew Prince. “When Jay told me what he was working on it was a no-brainer I wanted to be involved. Not just because Jay invented the business of network effects, but also because no matter what this was going to be fun.”

Based in Michigan and powered by a growing team in Ann Arbor, Scorbit represents a new wave of innovation emerging from the Midwest. The region’s tradition of combining manufacturing, creativity, and grit is shaping the future of adult play, from Detroit’s legacy of invention to Ann Arbor’s expanding tech scene. “One of the things I am particularly excited about is how Scorbit demonstrates what happens when legendary founders like Jay return home and engage with the local startup community,” said Joe Malcoun, Ann Arbor entrepreneur and investor. “This is such a great story about leveraging coastal experience to build something awesome in Michigan.”

With seed funding secured and strong early proof points in market traction, Scorbit expects to launch its Series A round in 2026 to sustain growth, expand partnerships, and scale nationally. The company plans to build on its momentum to reach more venues, accelerate feature development, and continue proving that the future of play is connected.

About Scorbit

Scorbit is a connected gaming platform that brings offline, vintage, and modern games online, transforming them into social, competitive experiences for players and venues alike. Founded by internet pioneer Jay Adelson (Equinix, Digg) and media and technology veteran Ron Richards, Scorbit bridges generations of gameplay through real-time data integration, community engagement, and modernized features that make classic gaming feel new again. The latest Scorbit update adds a first-of-its-kind competitive layer to arcade and bar gaming, turning classic and modern machines into live, connected contests where players can win real prizes and venues can boost engagement and revenue.

Learn more at scorbit.io.

Media Inquiries:

Tommy Derken

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A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/96bb66dd-4125-45fb-b5da-36d458082054

Image: https://www.globenewswire.com/newsroom/ti?nf=OTU3NDU2NyM3MjYwMjg1IzIzMDczMzE=

Image: https://ml.globenewswire.com/media/OTFiY2YxODAtMDZiZS00YmYxLTlhOGItZDg2NjU1NWZhMjFmLTEzMTg4ODEtMjAyNS0xMS0xMy1lbg==/tiny/Scorbit.png

Scorbit Founder Photo

Image: https://ml.globenewswire.com/media/96bb66dd-4125-45fb-b5da-36d458082054/medium/scorbit-founder-photo.jpg

From left to right: Founders Jay Adelson and Ron Richards

Source: Scorbit