Find your way into Mayhem
1,288 people in our graph share verified history with the Mayhem team — schools, employers, funds. One of them is your warm intro.
Mayhem provides game tracking, real-time leaderboards, and community chat features for gaming events. (Note: Acquired by Niantic in 2020)
Also known as Visor · Mayhem.gg
Founders & leadership· Y Combinator alumni (W18)
Mayhem was founded in 2018 by Ivan Zhou and Anhang Zhu.
Investors · 5
Reported raises · per SEC filings
Form D private placements$5.5M disclosed across 1 round · 2018
▶$5.5MraisedAug 2018 · 6 investors · OtherRule 506(b)
- Ivan ZhouExecutive Officer, Director
- Amit KumarDirector
- Anhang ZhuExecutive Officer, Director
- Offering amount
- $5.8M
- Amount sold
- $5.5M
- First sale
- Feb 2018
- Incorporated
- Corporation, Delaware, 2017
- Federal exemptions
- 06b
Source: SEC EDGAR Form D. Amounts as filed; amended filings shown once at their latest values.
Company profile
researched Aug 2026Mayhem operated a platform designed to let players play with their gaming communities. Its product provided automatic game tracking, real-time leaderboards and global chat built into community events, and allowed users to organize custom game formats, tournaments and leagues inside communities they created themselves.
The company was based in San Francisco and participated in Y Combinator's Winter 2018 batch, with a team size of 10. It was acquired by Niantic, the developer of Pokemon Go, in a deal announced in January 2021 for an undisclosed fee. Following the acquisition, the standalone Mayhem platform was set to be shut down in February, with the team joining Niantic to work on ways for Niantic's player community to connect and play.
Traction
Game Developer reported that the platform had amassed millions of users by the time of the Niantic acquisition. Y Combinator listed a team size of 10.
▸Full profile — market position, technology, go-to-market, geography, history
Market position
Described by Game Developer as a game community platform; acquired by Niantic to support community and multiplayer features across Niantic's games.
Technology
The platform provided automatic game tracking, real-time leaderboards and global chat integrated into community events, along with tools for creating custom game formats, tournaments and leagues.
Go-to-market
Players and organizers of gaming communities running custom events, tournaments and leagues.
Geography
Headquartered in San Francisco, United States.
History
Y Combinator lists Mayhem as founded in 2018 and part of its Winter 2018 batch; Game Developer reported the company was formed in 2017 and launched its platform in 2019. Niantic's acquisition of Mayhem was reported on January 5, 2021, with Y Combinator recording the acquisition as occurring in 2020. As part of the transaction, the standalone Mayhem service was scheduled to close in February, and Niantic CEO John Hanke framed the deal as a way to bring Niantic's player community closer together.
Compiled by commissioned research from 4 cited public sources — announcements, filings, and press listed under research sources below.
Key figures
latest reportedCompany-reported or press-reported figures, each dated to when it was claimed — not independently audited.
Founder mafia
2 people who came through Mayhem went on to found or lead other companies.
Timeline · 3
launches, deals, and filingsFollowing the Niantic acquisition, the standalone version of Mayhem was scheduled to be shut down in February so the team could work on innovations at Niantic.
Niantic, developer of Pokemon Go, acquired game community platform Mayhem for an undisclosed fee. Y Combinator lists the acquisition as occurring in 2020. The standalone version of Mayhem was to be shut down in February following the deal.
Game Developer reported that Mayhem, formed in 2017, launched its community gaming platform in 2019.
Dated company events from announcements, filings, and press; legal rows summarize public dockets and regulator releases.
In the news
▸Research sources · 4
primary sources listed
- Mayhem: Mayhem is the easiest way to play with your gaming community. | Y Combinatorycombinator.com · web
4 public sources were cited for this profile; the first-party ones are listed here.
Frequently asked questions
- What does Mayhem do?
- Mayhem was a gaming community platform for organizing tournaments and custom game formats, acquired by Niantic.
- Who founded Mayhem?
- Mayhem was founded by Ivan Zhou, Anhang Zhu in 2018.
- Who are Mayhem's investors?
- Mayhem's investors include Accel, Afore Capital, NextGen Venture Partners, Y Combinator, Sequoia Capital.
- How much funding has Mayhem raised?
- Mayhem has disclosed $5.5M raised across 1 round.
- Who acquired Mayhem?
- Mayhem was acquired by Niantic.
- Where is Mayhem headquartered?
- Mayhem is headquartered in San Francisco, US.