Micro-transaction based online games company Outspark has secured $8.3 million in Series C funding.

New investor Syncom Venture Partners led the financing with participation from SBI Investment and Mille Plateaux. Concurrent with the funding, Stan Smith, principal at Syncom, will join Outspark’s board of directors.

Formed in January 2007, Outspark publishes and operates free-to-play online multiplayer games and related content. Its games include MMORPGs Fiesta and Secret Of The Solstice.

Outspark.com also offers “SparkCash,” a virtual currency purchased with real dollars, which is used to buy in-game items like powerups and other “premium” virtual items. It says its online community now has over 4.7 million users.

Outspark said the new funding will help accelerate the company’s expansion through both internal growth initiatives and strategic investments and acquisitions.

The firm also recently opened up its online platform, enabling developers or publishers to self publish their online games.

“Our pioneering game publishing platform and portal combines social networking features, retailing tools for online content and best-in-class marketing across gamers to address the need for rich game entertainment,” stated Susan Choe, CEO and founder of Outspark.

“In addition, the easily accessible publishing platform and services we’ve created for mid-session MMOG players and developers has resulted in leading game designers across the US, Europe and Asia signing up to publish with.”

Previous investors in the company include DCM, Tencent and Altos Ventures.