London, Tuesday 12th August 2025, 12pm UK: As the boundaries between traditional storytelling and interactive entertainment continue to blur, TILKI, an AI-powered game creation platform, is set to enable consumers to build video games without coding. TILKI announced its successful completion of a $2.2M pre-seed funding round, led by specialist first-cheque AI fund Twin Path Ventures and with participation from Atlas AI^VB Fund I (Atlas sgr), XTX Ventures, and SFC Capital.
TILKI empowers all creators—from imaginative children to accomplished novel writers and professional game designers—to craft immersive and evolving game worlds without the constraints of traditional coding. TILKI-created games are constructed in real-time and designed around players' choices.
Because every interaction and decision meaningfully impacts a players’ environment, TILKI’s AI-powered model can expand far beyond the potential of traditional pre-made game experiences.
TILKI's approach represents a fundamental paradigm shift: moving from retrofitting AI into existing game engines to building an AI-first creation and distribution platform from the ground up.
"AI is not just going to tweak the end of the development pipeline with NPC and asset generation. AI is going to start the pipeline and run throughout, creating new video game experiences that evolve dynamically around the player" Barn Cleave, Co-Founder and CEO of TILKI
In a TILKI game, non-player characters (NPCs) move freely throughout the world, make autonomous decisions that carry meaningful consequences, and have persistent effects on the environment. This creates dynamic storytelling experiences rather than the static, pre-scripted interactions that have long characterised traditional gaming. For example, an innkeeper NPC might gladly take payment for a night’s stay if that were all a player wanted. However, (with the right persuasion) they could also ignite a rebellion, whispering the call to arms to nearby NPCs, who spread it from villager to villager until the entire town rises in fury.
The TILKI team of 17 people is a combination of video game developers, AI researchers and machine learning engineers who've built games for Atari, Sony, Microsoft & NVIDIA.
"The strength of TILKI's team was a key factor in our investment. The blend of experience they bring – from gaming and AI to mathematics and product development – struck us as unique, and we're confident it will be instrumental in realising their vision," Nick Slater, Partner at Twin Path Ventures.
Members of TILKI’s senior team were also previously involved in creating a user-generated content platform for 14 million players, in addition to founding a number of other AI startups. The team are all avid DnD players and many are also published creative writers.
The funding TILKI will be used to build the company’s closed beta (which will launch in six months) and a subsequent open beta set to launch within one year. As part of this, TILKI plans to create an accessible marketplace where players can share strategies and components, and collaborate on game elements.
“We see a future where anyone with a game idea can bring it to life, creating experiences that grow and evolve alongside the players,” said Cleave. “By democratising game creation, we’re not just changing how games are made; we’re opening the door for entirely new voices to shape the medium. Through TILKI, we’re empowering the next generation of creators and helping transform the $176 billion global games market.”
About TILKI
TILKI is an AI-powered game creation platform that democratizes video game development by enabling all creators to build immersive games without coding. Unlike traditional games with predetermined storylines, TILKI creates dynamic experiences where non-player characters make autonomous decisions. Every choice a player makes has persistent effects on the game environment, enabling storylines to develop as they interact with the game world.
As a company focused on empowering creators from all backgrounds, TILKI aligns current and future generations of game makers behind the latest AI innovations. Their goal is to transform a $176 billion global games market by opening game creation to entirely new voices.
About Twin Path Ventures
Twin Path Ventures is an early-stage venture capital firm focused on backing exceptional founders building transformative technologies. The firm invests in companies across AI, gaming, and emerging technologies, providing both capital and strategic guidance to help startups scale.