RealNetworks Acquires Backstage to Bolster GameHouse Division
Seattle-based company RealNetworks is taking another tack in its efforts to succeed on Facebook. It announced today that it has bought Backstage Technologies, the Canadian developer that is most famous on Facebook for Family Feud, which was produced in partnership with iWin.
Backstage will work with RealNetworks’ own GameHouse, which makes UNO™, SCRABBLE® Worldwide, COLLAPSE! and a handful of other games. It also runs a Facebook app called GameHouse, a cross-platform portal to which it hopes to attract other developers.
The combination of the two companies (virtually, as Backstage will remain in its own Canada HQ) suggests a different sort of Facebook publisher. GameHouse’s own offerings have been branded board or card games, while Backstage makes simple arcade games like Scratch and Win and Action Sudoku. Neither company has ever made a Facebook game along the standard farm, pet or city lines.
Backstage’s reputation from working on Family Feud may be enough to secure RealNetworks more branded partnerships, a hot area right now with games like The Price is Right gaining millions of users.
RealNetworks didn’t disclose the purchase price, but it did say that it won’t impact 2010 earnings — which suggests a relatively low price, since Real is currently losing money as it restructures.
IF I invent a social game for Facebook etc. then should I go it alone not knowing hardly nothing about monetizing the game?
(I have actually worked out how to monetize it but using the mass of monetizing methods is mindboggling)ITs not a complicated game.
So back to the point. Should I use a big publisher like Realnetworks to partner with my game or go it alone? I have game that wil be as popular as The Price is right but alas no money to develop it being an individual with no savings. I dont even know ho are the best developers to use even if I get some money.
Tough life right?
Anyway after having this message deleted I am posting it again.
Should I use networks like Realnetworks for a game or go it alone?
However consider I do not have any experience at all in social games I just have a game that can be as popular as Price is Right and make me money.
P.S who are the best developers to make a social game that dont charge the Universe?
Hi Mike;
I have almost the same concern as yours, I even did contact GameHouse, and they said they’ll send me their phone to call them, but that never happened.
I’m not sure why would they start a partnership program if they don’t want to maintain it :s
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