AI Gaming & UGC: Liminal Experiences secured $5.8M

Liminal Experiences, a fresh gaming startup blending AI with user-generated content, secured $5.8 million in funding to revolutionize storytelling in games. The round includes backing from industry giants like Bitkraft Ventures, Riot Games, and OTK Media Group, with Riot Games co-founder Marc Merrill also investing.

CEO Brendan Mulligan envisions Liminal as a game where players don’t just play; they create. With AI-powered tools, users can craft immersive RPG adventures, design characters, and build worlds alongside friends. Inspired by childhood imagination, Liminal removes coding barriers, allowing anyone to shape and share interactive stories.

“AI in gaming is controversial, with concerns over job replacement and ethical debates,” Mulligan. “Most studios quietly explore AI, leaving the public conversation to outsiders. We believe in AI as a tool to enhance, not replace, human creativity.”

Liminal provides a platform for both original stories and beloved IPs, offering a fresh way for franchises to engage audiences through episodic content. Players can remix official episodes, creating the ultimate interactive fan fiction experience.

Key features include:

• No-Code 3D adventure creation
• Worldbuilding, decorating, and character design tools
• AI-powered storytelling assistance
• Quest and gameplay customization
• Seamless multiplayer co-creation (1-4 players)

Mulligan, formerly of Riot Games, co-founded Liminal in 2022 alongside David Lieberman, a veteran of Buildbox and Riot. The company, now 15 strong, is raising additional funding as it prepares for a 2026 alpha launch.

Positioning itself as the next evolution of creative gaming, Liminal prioritizes human-driven storytelling with AI as a supportive force. “We want to ignite creativity, making high-quality, interactive experiences accessible to everyone,” said Mulligan.

As AI rapidly evolves, Liminal remains model-agnostic, leveraging multiple AI tools to assist users in real time. Mulligan acknowledges skepticism in the industry but argues that AI’s true potential lies in empowering more people to tell their stories.

“Art isn’t replaceable,” he said. “We’re here to help people find and share their stories, not take creativity out of their hands.”

Source: VentureBeat