A Croatian gaming cafe franchise is entering the American market. Friendly Fire, which has built a network of more than 100 locations across Europe under a franchise model, closed a $4.7 million Series A from Zagreb-based venture firm AYMO Ventures in August 2026. The brand has set a target of opening its first US location in the fourth quarter of 2026, with initial expansion focused on Florida and Texas.
Friendly Fire operates gaming cafes where customers pay for time at gaming stations, with a concept built around esports culture, community events, and food and beverage service. The brand established its largest single franchise agreement in Croatian history when it signed a 100-unit deal in its home market, a milestone that drew attention from investors and franchise operators outside of Europe. The US entry marks the brand’s first expansion into a major English-speaking market and its first foray into the Americas.
A $4.7 Million Round to Build Technology and Cross the Atlantic
The $4.7 million Series A, contributed by AYMO Ventures, represents the first disclosed institutional investment in Friendly Fire. The company stated that the capital is earmarked for two primary purposes: continued development of its proprietary technology platform, which supports operations across its franchise network, and the organizational groundwork required for the US market entry. The funding round does not cover real estate build-outs directly; those costs are expected to be borne by the multi-unit operators the brand plans to recruit.
Florida and Texas, Multi-Unit Operators Only
Friendly Fire’s stated US strategy is selective by design. The brand has communicated that it intends to work exclusively with multi-unit operators in the United States, bypassing single-unit agreements in favor of franchisees capable of developing several locations within a defined territory. The initial target markets are Florida and Texas, two of the most active states for franchise development in the country, each with large concentrations of the younger demographic profiles that gaming cafe concepts have historically attracted. The first US location is publicly targeted for a Q4 2026 opening.
A Concept Entering a Fragmented US Market
The gaming cafe sector in the United States remains fragmented compared to its counterparts in South Korea and parts of Europe, where the model is a well-established retail category. A handful of regional and national concepts, including some operator-backed esports lounges, have attempted to build scale in the US with mixed results over the past decade.
Friendly Fire’s franchise-forward approach, supported by a technology platform developed over several years of European operations, positions it differently from concepts that have relied on corporate-owned rollouts. Whether the model translates to the US cost structure, particularly on real estate and labor, is a question the brand’s initial locations will begin to address.
What Comes Next for the Brand’s US Ambitions
Friendly Fire has not disclosed the identities of its initial US franchise partners, the specific cities where its first locations will open, or the total number of units it intends to develop in the first phase of expansion. The Q4 2026 target places a short runway between the current date and the announced opening timeline. Progress on operator agreements, permitting, and site selection in Florida and Texas will determine whether that target holds. The brand’s performance in its first American locations is expected to inform how quickly it pursues additional US territories.
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