Chicago-based studio Atom Switch has raised $3.4 million from Hiro Capital and 1Up Ventures.

The investment will go towards the development of its debut PC and console title, InfestStation, a multiplayer FPS made in Unreal Engine 5.

Atom Switch was created in 2013 by CEO and creative director Dan Sandberg, as a consultancy and freelance studio, and currently employs six staff. The studio wants to focus on quality of life for its employees and its players, the announcement said, adding that “crunch is not a scheduling tool, toxic work culture is not a consequence of growth, and micro-transactions are not the sole foundation for success.”

Sandberg commented: “This player and developer forward approach is founded on a framework of mutual respect, transparency, inclusion, accountability, and trust. These are things that shouldn’t be a novel concept, they should be the norm.”

Spike Laurie, partner at Hiro Capital, added: “Put simply, InfestStation is a game the Hiro team were desperate to play from the moment we heard the pitch. Atom Switch presented an incredibly compelling take on the cooperative survival genre. We are thrilled to be able to support them in building their vision and a games studio of the future.”