According to EU-Startups, Paris-based gaming app Hoora just raised €1.1 million to build what they’re calling the “TikTok for gaming.” The round attracted investors including Kima Ventures and gaming veterans from companies like Voodoo and Ubisoft. Founded just last year in 2023, Hoora has already surpassed 100,000 downloads by offering instant access to thousands of games without downloads. The platform is currently testing in France, UK, Belgium, and Switzerland with reportedly record performance and user acquisition costs “well below market standards.” Founder Romain Mussault says this funding will accelerate European growth before tackling the U.S. market.
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The TikTok-ification of gaming
Here’s the thing about mobile gaming discovery – it’s broken. We’re all drowning in app stores filled with mediocre games that take forever to download. Hoora’s basically saying “screw that” and building something that matches how people actually use their phones today. Scroll, tap, play instantly. No downloads, no waiting. It’s the same frictionless experience that made TikTok dominate video, but applied to gaming.
And honestly? This makes perfect sense for Gen Z. They don’t want to commit to downloading games anymore than they want to commit to watching full TV shows. The attention economy has shifted, and Hoora seems to understand that better than most traditional gaming companies. The question is whether developers will get on board with this model.
The bigger picture
This isn’t happening in a vacuum. While Hoora’s €1.1 million might seem modest compared to some gaming rounds (like Ultra’s €10.8 million in Estonia), it represents a growing trend toward rethinking how we discover and engage with games. We’re seeing money flow into AI-assisted game creation, gaming safety platforms, and now instant-play experiences.
What’s interesting is Hoora’s long-term vision. They’re talking about building a Spotify-like model where developers publish games and generate revenue directly. That could actually create a sustainable ecosystem rather than just being another flashy discovery platform. But let’s be real – making that work is the hard part. Everyone wants to be the Spotify of something until they actually have to pay out royalties.
The team behind the vision
The investor list here tells a story. They’ve got gaming veterans who understand the industry, but also influencer experts who get Gen Z behavior. That combination is pretty smart – you need both the gaming chops and the social media savvy to pull this off. Founder Romain Mussault apparently built his first successful app that generated over €100k in profits in a single month, so he’s not exactly new to this game.
But here’s what I’m watching: can they actually make the economics work for developers? Instant play is great for users, but if game creators can’t make money, the platform becomes a ghost town. They’re talking about record performance in early tests, but the real test comes when they need to scale while keeping both players and developers happy.
