Over the course of 2009, social network Hi5 transitioned from being a plain-vanilla social network with a very international audience to being a social gaming destination site, of sorts. This year, aside from some verbal fireworks courtesy of new chief technology officer Alex St. John, a small acquisition, and the launch of an upgraded developer program, the company has been quiet.

It’s not talking about results from its strategy shift, but it is announcing a second round of $14 million in funding led by Crosslink Capital, with previous investor Mohr Davidow participating. This follows a $20 million round in 2007 — which, for those interested in the company’s financing, had included a $3 million convertible note we mentioned in April. The fact that Hi5 is bringing past investors back suggests that some progress is being made.

Going forward, the San Francisco company’s strategy continues to be this: provide the best possible platform for social games and other social entertainment applications, even as market leader Facebook aims to be a more general platform for developers. We’ll be covering how well Hi5′s plans work for itself and for developers as we learn more.