UK-based PC and console game company Codemasters announced this week that they will launch a casual game portal in September called Funsta.com using technology & content from RealArcade, TryMedia and Metaboli.
It's a little surprising since the company is primarily known for its racing and sports games, has no history of being involved with casual content and would seem to bring very little built-in consumer traffic to the new brand. On the other hand, one could see it as an example of the new management strategy since they announced that Benchmark Europe had acquired a 40% stake in the company, and that it's a sign of the expanding casual game category that console companies are now actively investing in the sector.
Assuming they put a lot of marketing muscle behind the portal, it will be good news for developer/publishers since it will provide an additional distribution channel beyond the usual suspects. In addition, it could be a significant partnership win for RealArcade, which has been facing a little bit of resistance to its client-based approach vs other web-based competitors.
This smells like Benchmark Europes newfound influence (see http://www.codemasters.com/press/?showarticle=6942). Why can't God re-make man in his own image?
Posted by: Jason Kay | August 13, 2005 at 08:12 AM