SocialTimes.com

---

Bigpoint Launches Seafight on hi5 Game Channel Posted: 01 Jul 2009 07:30 AM PDT Online game portal Bigpoint is launching a game called Seafight on hi5’s recently revealed Games Channel, making it immediately available in 20 languages. Play the game on hi5 here. The realtime fantasy adventure game is among Bigpoint’s most popular. The Flash game will be made accessible for all hi5 users without having to install a seperate application. So far the supported launguages are English, German, Bulgarian, Czech, Danish, Dutch, Finnish, French, Greek, Italian, Norwegian, Polish, Potuguese, Romanian, Russina, Slovak, Spanish, Swedish and Turkish. Seafight is the lastest in a growing string of games included on hi5 and integrated with the social network’s own virtual currency. Having yet another popular game with which to apply the hi5 Coins is a revenue-generating strategy that both hi5 and Bigpoint can take advantage of. It’s a necessary shift in payment options, considering the platform approach hi5 is taking to its own growing virtual economy. And it makes things a great deal easier for end users, especially if they’re given a certain amount of money from their parents with which to spend in a given environment. The conversion to virtual currency means that parents and users have more control over how their money is being spent. It’s something I’d love to see expanded even beyond social networking sites, including other game portals. As larger corporations such as Google and Yahoo begin to invest research and development into virtual economies, I anticipate a similar method will be applied to portals such as Yahoo Games. Nevertheless, hi5 has been quite aggressive in its effort to establish its own game channel and virtual economy for the purpose of retaining users, their time spent within the hi5 environment, and the monetary exchange that takes place within hi5. While Facebook and MySpace have been discussing virtual economies for years, and are slowly finding the best ways in which to implement such marketplaces into their own social networks, hi5 has taken a rather decided course and it’s one that is heavily tied in with the social gaming industry. Since launching its virtual currency and building out its game channel, hi5 has gained several partners for its larger initiative. An important aspect of this push is in regards to alternative revenue streams, as well as the creation of more engaging environments for online users. The rsult is a better mechanism for marketers and advertisers, as well as more direct sales to users, as they can purchase virtual products through their social network.

You are subscribed to email updates from The Social Times To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now.	Email delivery powered by Google
Inbox too full?
Google Inc., 20 West Kinzie, Chicago IL USA 60610