The redesignedGameHouse front page
The best things in life are free, or so the song goes--and that goes double for those toiling in our troubled economic times. But according to John Barbour, the recently appointed president of RealNetworks' games division, the economy is just part of the reason why, starting today, the company's GameHouse casual games site will offer a new free casual game for download. Every day. For the foreseeable future. The first title to be made available under this offer is the hidden object game Mortimer Becket and the Time Paradox, which is currently the most popular title at GameHouse.
"The gaming world has really gone through a bit of a revelation," Barbour says. "People thought games were about processing power, but it's about great games," he adds, citing the success of the Wii, the record-setting subscriber base for World of Warcraft, and the growing prominence of casual games. He reminded us that GameHouse had already announced a partnership with Capcom to bring games like Mortimer Beckett and the Secrets of Spooky Manor to the Wii; Tropix to the DS, and that it even has a WiiWare title, Boingz, going live on November 24th. (We inquired about Xbox Live Arcade and Playstation Network; Barbour said that those platforms could become more viable for GameHouse titles as their audiences broadened further.)
Barbour's goal is to get existing gamers to try his company's games as well as non-gamers who may be curious, but have been reluctant to try their titles out. The Web is, of course, chock full of free Flash-based games, but even though Barbour and his crew may face some challenges breaking through the clutter, he says they're up to it. "It's about the experience and branding over the long term," he says. "Someone can come to a site like ours and get quality games for free. No-one with our scale and experience is offering that right now." We're curious ourselves to see what kind of response this free-game-of-the-day offer receives.
To read GameHouse's press release in its entirety, see below.
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GET A FREE GAME DAILY AT GAMEHOUSE.COM
“Mortimer Beckett and the Time Paradox” available today for free; other popular titles to follow every day
SEATTLE--October 21, 2008--Beginning today, customers can download and keep a different game every day--for free--at Gamehouse.com, a premier casual games site that is part of digital entertainment services company RealNetworks®, Inc. (NASDAQ: RNWK). The free game daily will be a full version of an audience favorite or new title that customers can download and play whenever they want. This industry first is part of a major site redesign that also includes the unveiling of a completely new value-pricing structure for customers.
“Today’s customers are dramatically more value conscious, and we’ve seen a growing demand for top-quality games at great prices,” said John Barbour, the newly appointed president of the Games Division at Real. “This new value pricing gives existing customers more ways to enjoy popular games, while providing an even better experience to attract a broader audience.”
In addition to the free game daily, customers will also discover a more customizable and easy-to-enjoy game experience. A diverse catalogue of premium titles at a range of price points offers something for everyone, whether a dedicated or first-time casual game player:
- Free game daily: Anyone can download the free game title every day with no obligation. “Mortimer Becket and the Time Paradox,” today’s free game, is the sequel to one of the hottest casual games of ’07 and has had the most successful first week of sales this year. Customers can learn about the free game by visiting GameHouse.com. .
- GameHouse Club: The best new option for devoted casual gamers, GameHouse Club offers a variety of FunTicketTM packages for maximum playing value with prices starting at only $5.99 per game, and early access to tomorrow’s free game, today.
- FunPass®: This popular subscription is still available, giving players unlimited access to every game on the site for the duration of their FunPass membership. Existing FunPass customers will notice improved features and even deeper discounts on purchased titles, while maintaining the same access to GameHouse’s premium catalogue of titles.
Casual games are family friendly and easy-to-learn but often difficult to master. They provide players with a fun break from the stresses and rigors of daily life and offer a mental workout that is both stimulating and relaxing. Played on personal computers, mobile devices and living room consoles, casual games include board, word and hidden-object games and puzzles. According to a recent survey by ISG, 85 percent of RealNetworks’ North American gaming portal customers are female, with 73 percent between the ages of 30 and 60.
RealNetworks helped pioneer the casual games segment with the introduction of RealArcade® in 2001, followed by the acquisition of GameHouse® Studios in 2004. Today, RealNetworks’ Games Division is a leader in the casual games industry worldwide, with a vertically integrated development, publishing, licensing, distribution and retail business.
ABOUT REALNETWORKS
RealNetworks, Inc. delivers digital entertainment services to consumers via PC, portable music player, home entertainment system and mobile phone. Real created the streaming media category in 1995 and has continued to lead the market with pioneering products and services, including: RealPlayer®, the first mainstream media player to enable one-click downloading and recording of Internet video; the award-winning Rhapsody® digital music service, which delivers more than 1 billion songs per year; RealArcade, one of the largest casual games destinations on the Web; and a variety of mobile entertainment services, such as ringback tones, offered to consumers through leading wireless carriers around the world. RealNetworks' corporate information is located at www.realnetworks.com/company.
RealNetworks, GameHouse, GameHouse Club, FunPass, FunTicket, RealArcade, Rhapsody and RealPlayer are registered trademarks or trademarks of RealNetworks, Inc. or its wholly owned subsidiary.
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