Coplay raises $1.2M to build AI co-pilot for game developers

Coplaythe second pilot for artificial intelligence game developers, today announced that it has raised $1.2 million in pre-funding to accelerate its mission to streamline game development.

The goal is to automate repetitive tasks in game engines that bog down developers. The funding round was led by Failup Ventures with participation from Tower Research Ventures, Founders Inc., Sequoia Scouts and other investors.

Currently in closed beta, Coplay is already saving developers up to five hours a week, reducing repetitive tasks in game engines and unlocking creativity, the company said.

Coplay said that as a game developer you spend 50% of your time in code and 50% in the game engine. The problem with game engines is that their deeply nested point-and-click interface leads to annoying repetitive tasks. After seeing the power of large-scale language models (LLM) for AI and agents, the team realized it could eliminate and automate all the tedium of a game engine with AI, the company said in an email to GamesBeat.

While the pilot code space includes notable products like Cursor, Codeium, and Bolt, Coplay takes a unique approach by providing a natural language interface for traditionally complex software. Coplay offers an innovative chat interface that enables game developers to control the Unity game engine, replacing cumbersome nested click interfaces and automating tedious tasks. With Coplay, developers can effortlessly create, assign, optimize, and debug any game objects, assets, and properties in their project—all through natural language commands.

In addition, Coplay integrates with popular 3D and rendering tools, enabling rapid iteration directly within the game engine.

One of its notable features is the “record and repeat” capability, which replays repetitive processes to greatly improve iteration speed. For larger projects with hundreds of assets and tens of thousands of files, Coplay’s automation capabilities streamline workflows, manage live updates, and reduce errors—allowing teams to focus on creativity and delivering exceptional gaming experiences.

Coplay has attracted over 400 developers across 22 studios to its waiting list and plans to expand its integrations to additional game engines.

Jos van der Westhuizen, CEO of Coplay, said in a statement, “Our vision is to empower game developers by automating tedious tasks, allowing them to focus on creating amazing experiences. With this funding, we’re not just building a tool—we’re creating an AI partner that fundamentally transforms the way games are made. We believe this innovative approach positions Coplay as more than just a second pilot for developers; it is a pioneering step towards redefining the future interface for all software.”

Coplay’s founding team brings a wealth of experience to its mission. Jos van der Westhuizen, who has a PhD in artificial intelligence from the University of Cambridge, grew the tech startup to 1.5 million users.

Coplay co-founders Joned Sarwar (co-founder of AI analytics startup Alchera) and Marcus Sanatan (organizer of the Caribbean’s largest gaming jam), together have more than a decade of experience building scalable systems and developing more than 30 games. Their combined experience uniquely prepares them to tackle the biggest challenges in game development.

Jesse Heikkilä of Failup Ventures said in a statement: “Many AI solutions in the gaming space, as an asset
generators or NPC enhancers, feel like point solutions rather than holistic transformations. What excites me about Coplay is its top-down approach – a fresh look at the game engine itself. I believe the game industry will be democratized by a technology company that can make the entire game development process accessible through natural language. When I came across Coplay, it was clear that their vision perfectly matched this thesis.”

Jared Young of Tower Research Ventures said in a statement: “The video game market is growing rapidly
globally, but game development is long overdue for disruption. Coplay’s AI solution addresses a universal pain point for developers, offering a transformative tool that has the potential to become a must-have for studios. With a team that brings deep expertise and a truly innovative approach, Coplay is well positioned to take advantage of this significant industry growth opportunity.”

Game developers are invited to join the Coplay Closed Beta waiting list to be among the first to experience the future of game development.

Founded by Jos van der Westhuizen, Joned Sarwar and Marcus Sanatan, the San Francisco-based team brings over a decade of experience in scalable systems and game development. There are four people in the company.