PlayStation invests in AccelByte, a platform for all developers to make important backend services

You might not know the name AccelByte, but the services it provides are very important. The backend platform is used by triple-A studios and indie devs alike to build things like player lobbies, friend groups, matchmaking, and other social features. PlayStation believes in AccelByte’s mission, and it’s invested in the startup to make it happen.

The news comes from TechCrunch, which also names returning backers Galaxy Interactive and NetEase. This is round two of funding for AccelByte, and it’s garnered a total of $70 million in support so far. CEO Junaili Lie previously worked for Epic Games, and he left to make backend tools that all companies — the size of Epic or smaller — could utilize. A large number of studios are already using AccelByte’s tech, including 2K, Bandai Namco, Krafton, Remedy, and Volition. Now, you can count PlayStation among its supporters.

This fits in line with Sony’s multiplatform plans, a move that led it to acquire Bungie for $3.6 million. The more companies grow using tech like AccelByte, the more options Sony has to expand its own services through acquisitions, investments, and other joint business ventures. In fact, it’s hiring a corporate development director to lead the charge in those exact three areas. AccelByte works with engines like Unreal and Unity, and on all platforms, with support for cross-play. That’s perfectly in line with the multiplatform approach that Sony is seeking.