It’s not exactly a secret that gaming has found new life on the web, social and mobile platforms. Of course, with it, especially the rise in free-to-play gaming, developers need to find ways to monetize their apps, or their browser-based games. Beyond mobile or banner advertising, there is the option of in-app or in-game purchases — the old in-game freemium model. Give your game away for free… → Read More
A new study is being released by Visa-owned PlaySpan with research firm VGMarket on how and what gamers are spending on virtual goods. According to the study, nearly one-third of the general gamer population has used real world money (as opposed to virtual currency) to purchase virtual goods. Console games with online play account for the majority (51%) of virtual purchases using real world money… → Read More
PlaySpan, a virtual goods monetization platform, has been acquired by Visa. According to the release, Visa will pay $190 million in cash for the company, plus additional payouts for performance milestones. The deal comes nearly a year after Visa spent a whopping $2 billion on e-payment company CyberSource. Visa says that the acquisition of PlaySpan complements the CyberSource deal and will extend… → Read More
On the heels of announcing a payments partnership with Facebook, PlaySpan is making another announcement regarding the startup’s UltimatePay payments product. PlaySpan is launching UltimatePay Mobile, a virtual currency and micropayments monetization widget for smartphone platforms. The initial private beta launch will support Android phones and Nokia phones with WebRuntime installed.
UltimatePay… → Read More
PlaySpan has been on a tear recently, striking partnerships with a number of gaming and media companies, including Ubisoft, Sanrio and others. And today, the company is getting another vote of confidence—from Facebook. The social network will now offer PlaySpan’s UltimatePay payments product as a payments option for users who buy Facebook Credits, the network’s virtual currency that is used in… → Read More
PlaySpan has just inked a deal to power a virtual goods monetization platform for video game giant Ubisoft, adding to a number of high-profile deals with game developers and media companies.
PlaySpan powers virtual goods marketplaces across 1,000 video games and virtual world publishers PlaySpan-powered marketplaces lets users sell, exchange and purchase online game items, virtual goods, and game… → Read More
Virtual goods marketplace platform Playspan has raised $18 million in Series C funding led by Vodafone Ventures and Softbank Bodhi Fund, with existing investors Menlo Ventures, Novel TMT Ventures, STIC, and others participating in the round. This brings the startup’s total funding to a whopping $42 million.
PlaySpan powers virtual goods marketplaces across 1,000 video games and virtual world… → Read More
Playspan has scored a number of high profile deals to power micropayments for social networks, game developers, media companies and gaming platforms. Today, Playspan is announcing that it will be deploying its payments platform on Sanrio Digital’s social game Hello Kitty Online.
Hello Kitty Online, which is in private beta, is the official massively multiplayer online game (MMOG) of Sanrio’s… → Read More
Micropayments startup PlaySpan has primarily focused on powering transactions for virtual goods, but today the startup is moving onto videos. PlaySpan is launching its PriceYourVideo Platform which essentially allows video producers to sell views via a micropayments model.
Any video content producer can sell their videos on PlaySpan’s marketplace and can price their uploads accordingly. Producers… → Read More
Micropayments startup PlaySpan is partnering with rapper and producer Snoop Dogg, and branded virtual goods agency Virtual Greats to sell a premium line of licensed Snoop Dogg digital items for sale. PlaySpan powers micro-payments across over 1,000 video games and virtual worlds and has virtual goods storefronts on Facebook, MySpace, within games and on its standalone site.
The Snoop Dogg goods… → Read More
Micropayments startup PlaySpan has another partnership to add to the list. The startup has signed deals with hi5, THQ and Nickelodeon, and most recently Adobe. Today, PlaySpan is partnering with Nonoba, which offers a Ning-like platform for game development. → Read More
Micropayments startups PlaySpan is racking up the partnerships. The startup has signed deals with hi5, THQ and Nickelodeon, and today, with Adobe. PlaySpan the payments platform for Adobe’s developer service, codenamed Shibuya. PlaySpan powers micro-payments across over 1,000 video games and virtual worlds and has virtual goods storefronts on Facebook, MySpace, within games and on its standalone… → Read More
Micropayments startup PlaySpan has struck a major deal with games publisher THQ to power payments for its virtual currency. PlaySpan powers micro-payments across over 1,000 video games and virtual worlds and has virtual goods storefronts on Facebook, MySpace, within games and on its standalone site. THQ will be using PlaySpan’s payment methods to allow online gamers to purchase ICE (the… → Read More
Should we be considering virtual goods when evaluating online holiday spending? We’ve seen that e-commerce spending over the holidays was strong, with consumers shelling out nearly $30 billion over a period of a few months. Now, virtual goods platform PlaySpan reports that digital goods have seen a similar, if smaller trend, with Americans spending $30 million on virtual gifts in November and… → Read More
We just wrote about PlaySpan’s recent study showing positive growth in the exchange and e-commerce of virtual goods exchange. PlaySpan powers micro-payments across over 1,000 video games and virtual worlds and has virtual goods storefronts on Facebook, MySpace, within games and on its standalone site. Today, PlaySpan is announcing a fairly significant deal with Nickelodeon to power payment… → Read More
Virtual goods are booming and there are various startups who are capitalizing on this growth by facilitating the exchange and e-commerce around these goods. PlaySpan, which powers micro-payments across over 1,000 video games and virtual worlds, has virtual goods storefronts on Facebook, MySpace, within games and on its standalone site.
The marketplace lets users sell, exchange and purchase… → Read More
Live Gamer, an online marketplace for players to trade and buy video game virtual goods, has acquired microtransaction platform Twofish, in an effort to boost its virtual economy. The terms of the acquisition were not disclosed. In conjunction with game makers, Live Gamer’s platform lets online game players trade virtual goods they earn in games. The company’s latest move makes sense—as… → Read More
Micro-payments across the gaming world is gaining serious traction, especially on social networks. PlaySpan, which powers micro-payments across over 1,000 video games and virtual worlds, is launching marketplace storefronts for Facebook and MySpace (which will be rolled out soon). The marketplace will which let users purchase online game items, virtual goods, and game currencies for online games… → Read More
Come July, Atlanta-based Zeevex is going to start selling its Xtreme Online Game Card in more than 20,000 brick-and-mortar retailers in the U.S. thanks to a distribution partnership with InComm, providing a way for gamers to buy virtual currency offline to redeem their online value through the Zeevex website at a later stage. By doing so, users create what Zeevex calls a ‘Digital Locker’… → Read More
The micro-industry forming around micro-transactions is now going through some micro-consolidation. PlaySpan, which is quickly racking up micro-payments across hundreds of video games and virtual worlds, is acquiring Spare Change Payments, a startup which focuses on micro-transactions for social networking apps. The value of the cash-and-stock deal was not disclosed.
PlaySpan raised $16.8… → Read More
San Francisco-based hi5, which operates the third largest social networking service in the world, is announcing a partnership with PlaySpan today in an effort to get more revenue out of its 60+ million members strong userbase. PlaySpan, famously founded by a 5th grader two years ago, will henceforth be powering micropayments for virtual goods and premium content sold on the social network.
Two of… → Read More
Who says raising money is hard these days? PlaySpan makes it look like child’s play. The startup, which was literally founded by a 5th grader, just raised $16.8 million in a series B round from existing investors Easton Capital Group, Menlo Ventures, Novel TMT Ventures, and STIC.
PlaySpan was founded two years ago by Arjun Mehta, then in the 5th grade, and his father Karl Mehta, who is the CEO. → Read More
Virtual world goods seller PlaySpan has received $6.5 million Series A in a round led by Easton Capital, Menlo Ventures, STIC and Novel TMT Ventures. PlaySpan hasn’t launched yet, but is promising a product that will attempt to be an official commerce provider for multiple MMOGs. According to PlaySpan, the company has already signed up seven MMOG partners The interesting side of PlaySpan is… → Read More
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