Posts Tagged ‘SGN’

SGN’s MiniTycoon reaches over 600,000 iPhone users

Thursday, December 23rd, 2010

Palo Alto, CA. based SGN, has recently announced that their MiniTycoon Casino app for iOS devices has reached over 600,000 users. MiniTycoon exploded onto the scene at release back in November, achieving the coveted top social game in the App Store position. According to SGN, fans of the MiniTycoon app have banked nearly 300 billion chips in the casino inspired game since it’s debut last month. In addition to this gigantic number, players have also sent over 400, 000 virtual gifts, and collectively logged over 8 years of play time. In one month.

“As mobile social gaming continues to pick up steam among audiences, we expected MiniTycoon Casino to takeoff, however, we were surprised by its tremendous out-of-the-gate success,” said Randy Breen, CEO of SGN. “The appeal of MiniTycoon Casino is that it allows players to create the casino of their dreams and show them off to their friends as well as competing players. The new holiday themes expand the creative choices for players as they build their empires and cash in this holiday season.”

If you’ve not yet given SGN’s MiniTycoon a go (a free app), the title centers around not only games of chance, but the strategy involved in building a casino empire from the ground up. According to SGN, MiniTycoon is the first mobile social strategy game of it’s kind. Players can build the way to fame and fortune via slot machines, roulette and card tables, all the while earning chips. However, it’s not all pull the level and win a payout, as discerning patrons gravitate towards the fanciest, coolest, chicest, gambling floors on the strip. Players that find the delicate balance between casino look and feel and games offered will be the ultimate winners.

A fully Apple Game Center integrated game, MiniTycoon can also support game invites and achievement/trophy bragging via Twitter and Facebook.

To celebrate not only this milestone, but that holiday season, SGN is now offering a number of in-game holiday themed sets, allowing users to further customize the look and feel of their favorite gambling den. Features include holiday reel shots, video poker, blackjack and roulette tables, and naturally, a snowman or two, a snow cover pine tree or 10, and three different holiday themed floor and wall treatments.

MiniTycoon is available to all iOS device owners via the App Store for free.

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SGN builds bridge between iPhone and Android gamers with Skies of Glory

Monday, July 19th, 2010

SGN, aka Social Gaming Network, has recently announced their connecting bridge between iPhone and Android handheld gamers. The “bridge” comes via the first multi-platform mobile game that allows iPhone and Android users the ability to compete against each other, although playing on two very different platforms.

SGN’s “Skies of Glory” was first launched in December of 2009 for iPhone, and is now available to eager Android owned gamers, provided they have an Android phone above v2.0. These models include the EVO, Nexus, and Droid.

SOG

As a clever touch, in multi-player mode, Android users (and presumably vice-versa) can spot iPhone based players for a quick and dirty dogfight 30,000 ft. in the air. Set in World War II, “Skies of Glory,” pits players in authentic replications of planes from the era in multiplayer battles over graphically rich terrains.

SGN’s entry to the Android market is assisted by Revo Solutions Games, the same development partner they worked with on the iPhone version of said game. The decision to enter the Android gaming front follows current industry trends that have seen a rapid rise in adoption and overall usage of the “other” smartphone out there. In Q1 of 2010 alone, Android has garnered 26.6 percent of all North American smartphone sales, a YoY increase of over 500 percent.

To this end, SGN and Revo Solutions Games developed an Open Platform Multiplayer Framework to work with a variety of platforms including today’s industry leading smartphones, as well as those down the road. The platform is also engineered to take advantage of all that today’s smartphone has to offer including EDGE, 3G, and WiFi technologies, thereby providing the end user with the maximum ability to connect.

“Mobile phones are unquestionably the gaming platform of the future. Smartphones are becoming accessible to all, and we are really excited to offer a true multi-platform, multiplayer social mobile gaming experience through ‘Skies of Glory,’” said SGN CEO Randy Breen. “As more and more people connect with family and friends through gaming, we continue to facilitate that connection regardless of users’ device or platform preferences.”

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SGN splurges on hiring binge – bags more than a few industry heavy hitters

Thursday, September 24th, 2009

If the question of the rise and dominance of social games has ever come into question, a perusal through the past years headlines, and the associated talent defecting to smaller, up-and-coming social games firms should give a pretty clear picture as to what’s going on. Chalk up another major shift in the social gaming industry, as SGN has recently announced that they’ve been on a bit of a hiring binge as of late, and have netted some serious talent.

Randy BreenFormer Electronic Arts and LucasArts executive Randy Breen will now be reporting to SGN’s CEO Shervin Pishevar, in his new role as Chief Operating Officer. Breen, a long time and founding executive at EA, was responsible for the Road Rash series of games, one that’s sold million of copies and spawned a number of sequels and off shoots. Likewise, at LucasArts Breen was the man in charge of overseeing product developments within the Star Wars and Indiana Jones license lines.

Serving as new Director of Game design at SGN is Randy Angle, another industry veteran, who’s worked on a number of projects, most notably the Lord of the Rings. Another EA vet, Margaret Foley-Mauvais has been hired to serve as Art Director, while Dan Brazelton joins the SGN team in the role of Executive Producer. Brazelton brings to the table 17 years of gaming and film industry experience. And rounding out the new netting at SGN is Adriana Gasoigne, formerly of Hi5, who will be serving as the company’s Director of Global Communications.

“We’ve experienced tremendous growth over the past year, and I’m thrilled we have attracted a leader like Randy Breen to SGN and assembled a world class team to capitalize on our position within the booming social gaming industry,” said Shervin Pishevar, CEO of SGN, in a statement.

Based in Palo Alto, California, SGN has now topped over 100 hires, and has been in operation since 2007. Owing their success to the rise of social gaming, SGN has also served as a primary influencer in and producer of such titles in the social gaming space. Their first success can be attributed to a Facebook app, Warbook, and SGN quickly followed up this success with a number of additional titles. Quickly spreading their reach to Myspace and Bebo applications, SGN started focusing on iPhone games over the past year.

While they may have had a decent following and interest in their work with social network based games, this expansion into iPhone games is what truly put the company on the map. SGN has sold over 400,000 copies of it’s F.A.S.T. jet fighter game, and approximately 24 percent of all iPhone and iPod touch users have a copy of the firms successful iBowl app on their device. And lest we forget that it was SGN that was the very first to bring the successful Mafia games genre to market.

Again, it’s quite clear to see what’s going on here. A number of execs and non-execs alike are either fed up with, or see greater opportunities in social gaming then the traditional stalwarts of the industry. Granted, a number of larger games development firms are now interested in, and/or beginning their own exploration of social gaming, but is it already too late?

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SGN opens their network to other app devs

Thursday, April 30th, 2009

SGN, the largest developer for the iPhone and iPod Touch platform, with over 30% of all application users possessing one of SGN’s products recently opened their 12 million strong network to other developers.  Punch Entertainment and Smallmedium are the first to jump on this new cross-promotional strategy program.  Punch Entertainment develops games aimed at creating mobile community focused games such as Reign of Swords and smallmedium publishes eMees, an avatar creator.

1239220423_punchlogoSGN has clocked over 12 million downloads of their offerings.  They have a number of original applications, and are the makers of Agency Wars, Mafia: Respect & Retaliation, iFun, i(fluff)friends and iBowl.  iBowl, their most successful game to date, was recently named #6 on Apple’s top 20 Apps of All time list.  They’ve also added Facebook’s connect feature to their games, thereby making it easier for friends to challenge each other from platforms outside the game itself.  If this sounds familiar, it looks quite similar to the method PlayMesh introduced to their iMafia and associated applications back in January of this year.

“With the anticipated launch of the iPhone OS 3.0 and one billion applications downloaded to date, the rush of new applications will be tremendous and it will get harder and harder to stand out of the crowd,” said SGN CEO Shervin Pishevar. “At SGN, we have always believed in supporting developers while giving gamers more choices of quality games. Punch Entertainment and Smallmedium, both companies we admire, will now be able to reach a broader audience and will get a boost in downloads by joining our cross-promotional network. We have seen the benefits of this approach through the trials we have undertaken with our current games and through the gaming hub on Facebook.”

smallmediumThe way the program is slated to work looks like so: SGN will run in-game ads that encourage players to download partner applications in exchange for points within SGN’s own games.  In other words, download a partner app, get 5 free xyz’s in the game that you’re currently playing.  Participation in the program is free to developers and revenues will be split (no indication on what the split is though, but chances are, it’s probably not a 50/50).

“We are extremely excited to be partnering with SGN on this platform,” said Smallmedium founder and project manager Jordan Wan. “The program is extremely simple and will leverage SGN’s tremendous reach in the iPhone market to benefit users and developers alike.”

“SGN has provided a great platform for us to expand our gaming applications among a larger user base,” said Punch Entertainment CEO and Founder Tobin Lent. “Gaming has proven to have a huge appeal on the iPhone and, with so many gaming apps out there, it can be overwhelming for users. This cross-promotional platform will bring entertaining games straight to the consumer.”

This new cross promotion program opens a new avenue and potential trend for all application developers for iPhone.  If partners start seeing a dramatic increase in downloads and use of their applications, could this be a trend we’ll see more of in the future?  It certainly makes sense for smaller development firms looking to get the word out about their applications, but at the same time, details about leaving the program and going it on their own are scarce.  Only time will tell, but for now, it’s full speed ahead for Punch Entertainment and Smallmedium.

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