Korean hybrid casual game development startup Peb has raised $690,000 (1 billion KRW) in seed funding from venture capital firm Crit Ventures.

CEO Seok Kang founded peb after serving as CPO at Treeplla, a Neptune subsidiary, where he led development, planning, and live operations for multiple casual games including “Cat Snack Bar,” which hit over 40 million global downloads. He’s joined by co-founder and CPO Cheolyong Kim, who brings deep genre development experience from stints at both Treeplla and Maf Games.

The company focuses on hybrid casual games that blend intuitive gameplay with progression systems to drive revenue from both in-app ads and purchases. Peb is currently building “Dig & Roll,” a title accessible to all ages through simple controls and addictive repeatable mechanics.

In Dig & Roll, players roll dice to determine how many spaces to dig, then use collected rewards to upgrade drills and push for deeper records. After signing a publishing agreement with Treeplla last October, Peb is targeting a global launch in the first half of 2026.

Crit Ventures backed peb based on the founders’ proven track record in casual games and their development muscle in the hybrid casual space, which is expanding over 30% annually. The VC firm sees strong competitive edges in peb’s monetization approach, shaped by years of successful game operations.

With the new funding, Peb will accelerate Dig & Roll’s global rollout and sequel development while assembling a self-publishing team to expand its business footprint.

A Crit Ventures representative noted that hybrid casual is becoming a core genre alongside short-form video and snack culture, where bite-sized gaming experiences thrive. “We’ll actively support Peb through every stage of growth to help them achieve real traction in the global market.”

CEO Seok Kang said Peb will leverage its successful North American soft launch to keep building hybrid casual games that resonate with international audiences.