Vancouver-based Smoking Gun, founded last year by former members of  Company of Heroes developer Relic, has received a "multi-year, multi-million dollar" private funding investment, the studio announced Thursday.

The company said it would use the funding for expansion of its studio and development of an unannounced new property.

A rep for Smoking Gun did not disclose the specific amount of funding secured.

CEO and creative director John Johnson said in a statement, "We’ve expanded our core team with some exceptional talent, and with this financial expansion we’re now looking forward to welcoming new faces to our team and new partners to our business, as we become a leading force in independent games development."

Although the studio has yet to launch its first game, it received recognition from consulting firm Rocket Builders as one of the top eight emerging New Media companies in British Columbia in January this year.

Johnson has described the studio as a cross-platform development house that intends to merge strategy with other genres.

Smoking Gun revealed itself in 2007 with a compelling viral campaign that made references to astronomy and the end of the world. We expect to hear more from Johnson soon.