adminThe Jest Games Fund is a funding program for studios developing games for the RCS messaging ecosystem and planning to publish on Jest. It offers different levels of investment, along with user acquisition support and services intended to help studios prepare their games for the platform.
Image credit: Jest
How the Jest Games Fund works
Accepted studios can receive funding without transferring their intellectual property or giving up equity. Developers retain 90% of revenue, while Jest covers 100% of text delivery costs. The program also includes onboarding services and hands-on partner support, including access to a dedicated Slack channel.
Before applying, studios should review the platform’s revenue-share terms and assess whether their game is ready to integrate with the Jest SDK. Funding is tied to platform performance and suitability, rather than being an unconditional grant.
Three funding levels
- Explore: Provides $40,000 in investment to help validate a game’s performance on Jest.
- Scale: Offers funding of up to $200,000 for games with potential to grow on the platform.
- Flagship: Provides up to $1 million to help scale breakout hits.
Each level includes a user acquisition budget, onboarding services and partner support. These are described as progression stages, not rigid categories. Most games are expected to begin in Explore, but studios may be considered for Scale immediately if their product maturity, performance signals and overall fit support it. Progression to Scale or Flagship depends on performance.
Game requirements and onboarding support
A game does not have to be new or unpublished to qualify. Studios may bring existing titles to Jest, including games already available on other platforms. The key technical requirement is a mobile web build that integrates with the Jest SDK.
The fund also provides “onboardings”: short, interactive introductions designed for messaging games on Jest. They are similar to playable ads and are created to help introduce a game to prospective players and support user acquisition. Studios accepted into the program will have these experiences made for their games.
For developers preparing an application, it may be useful to confirm that a mobile web version is available, check SDK integration needs, and gather information that demonstrates the game’s maturity and performance. Existing titles can be considered, so an unpublished release is not a stated prerequisite.
Revenue share and application deadline
In exchange for participation, Jest receives an increased share of platform revenue under its platform economics. The exact terms are set out in Jest’s published economics, so applicants should review those details before committing to the program.
The inaugural cohort closes on April 15. Since no year is specified in the announcement, interested studios should verify the current application schedule and requirements directly with Jest.
What studios should know about the Jest Games Fund
The Jest Games Fund combines staged investment, user acquisition resources and technical onboarding for games built for messaging. Its central eligibility point is a mobile web build that works with the Jest SDK; a game may already be live elsewhere. Studios considering the Jest Games Fund should also weigh the revenue-share arrangement and understand that advancement through funding stages is performance-led.
