
Viacom Inc. buys Xfire, Inc. for $102 million in cash. XFire has brought the PC gaming community together much like Xbox Live has done for Microsoft’s console system.
How will this change the future for gamers?
“Xfire, Inc. is the fastest growing online gaming platform and community in the world. Xfire helps gamers play with their friends much more easily. Xfire is also a server browser, IM, and file download system designed just for gamers. Xfire has 4 million members in more than 100 countries. Xfire is funded by Draper Fisher Jurvetson, NEA, and Granite Global Ventures. Xfire is supported by advertisers and marketers trying to reach the 18-34 male audience.” -- www.viacom.com
XFire allows me to have AOL Instant Messenger capabilities with the ability to see what my friends are playing every second of the day. The Xfire website allows people to read their friends gamer profile, see how many hours of gaming they have logged, see what they’re currently playing, and more. Xfire monitors the entire community and shows you the top games being played on the PC (statistics gathered by XFire members, not by market statistics).
Now that they have been bought will this change what we see from our “free” service? Perhaps the advertisements will be pushed on us harder? Many great companies that are acquired end up in the toilet after the acquisition is over. Will Xfire be a victim of its own success or will they rise to provide greater features then ever imagined?
Hopefully, in the end, the supported game list increases, the features increase without additional fees, and perhaps a premium “ad free” account will be available for minimum cost?
The XFire team has stated:
“What does the acquisition mean to you? It means that Xfire is now backed by one of the world's leading creators of programming and content across all media. It means that Xfire will continue to grow and enhance your gaming experience. Xfire was created by gamers, for gamers. We will always remain committed to improving gaming with your friends. MTV Networks shares this vision with us, and they will help us to continue building Xfire into a larger and more exciting community, one passionate gamer at a time.”
Now we have to wait and see if the developer’s statements hold water. XFire may be committed to serving gamers first, but will MTV always share that same vision? Time will tell.
Press Release:
NEW YORK and MENLO PARK, CA, April 24, 2006 – Viacom Inc. (NYSE: VIA and VIA.B) today announced that it has reached a definitive agreement to acquire Xfire, Inc., the fastest-growing online gaming communication and community platform in the world, for $102 million in cash.
The acquisition brings Viacom and its MTV Networks unit the premier community that connects online gamers. Xfire and its users fit squarely into the Company’s multiplatform strategy to build an engaging universe of music, gaming, entertainment, news, networking and interactivity for focused audiences. As part of MTV Networks, Xfire will be better able to maximize its advertising revenues through more aggressive marketing, greater global penetration and comprehensive integration with the Company’s other digital and cable properties that address the gaming demographic.
Launched in 2004, Xfire has four million registered members who use its software. Its one million active users average 91 hours per month, with an average session length of over three hours. The robust, ad-supported Xfire application supports hundreds of the latest PC games and provides social networking, instant messaging and information for online gamers. In addition, the Xfire application provides traffic to its popular website, featuring forums and gaming downloads.
For full press-release click here
CodeMonkey
How will this change the future for gamers?
“Xfire, Inc. is the fastest growing online gaming platform and community in the world. Xfire helps gamers play with their friends much more easily. Xfire is also a server browser, IM, and file download system designed just for gamers. Xfire has 4 million members in more than 100 countries. Xfire is funded by Draper Fisher Jurvetson, NEA, and Granite Global Ventures. Xfire is supported by advertisers and marketers trying to reach the 18-34 male audience.” -- www.viacom.com
XFire allows me to have AOL Instant Messenger capabilities with the ability to see what my friends are playing every second of the day. The Xfire website allows people to read their friends gamer profile, see how many hours of gaming they have logged, see what they’re currently playing, and more. Xfire monitors the entire community and shows you the top games being played on the PC (statistics gathered by XFire members, not by market statistics).
Now that they have been bought will this change what we see from our “free” service? Perhaps the advertisements will be pushed on us harder? Many great companies that are acquired end up in the toilet after the acquisition is over. Will Xfire be a victim of its own success or will they rise to provide greater features then ever imagined?
Hopefully, in the end, the supported game list increases, the features increase without additional fees, and perhaps a premium “ad free” account will be available for minimum cost?
The XFire team has stated:
“What does the acquisition mean to you? It means that Xfire is now backed by one of the world's leading creators of programming and content across all media. It means that Xfire will continue to grow and enhance your gaming experience. Xfire was created by gamers, for gamers. We will always remain committed to improving gaming with your friends. MTV Networks shares this vision with us, and they will help us to continue building Xfire into a larger and more exciting community, one passionate gamer at a time.”
Now we have to wait and see if the developer’s statements hold water. XFire may be committed to serving gamers first, but will MTV always share that same vision? Time will tell.
Press Release:
NEW YORK and MENLO PARK, CA, April 24, 2006 – Viacom Inc. (NYSE: VIA and VIA.B) today announced that it has reached a definitive agreement to acquire Xfire, Inc., the fastest-growing online gaming communication and community platform in the world, for $102 million in cash.
The acquisition brings Viacom and its MTV Networks unit the premier community that connects online gamers. Xfire and its users fit squarely into the Company’s multiplatform strategy to build an engaging universe of music, gaming, entertainment, news, networking and interactivity for focused audiences. As part of MTV Networks, Xfire will be better able to maximize its advertising revenues through more aggressive marketing, greater global penetration and comprehensive integration with the Company’s other digital and cable properties that address the gaming demographic.
Launched in 2004, Xfire has four million registered members who use its software. Its one million active users average 91 hours per month, with an average session length of over three hours. The robust, ad-supported Xfire application supports hundreds of the latest PC games and provides social networking, instant messaging and information for online gamers. In addition, the Xfire application provides traffic to its popular website, featuring forums and gaming downloads.
For full press-release click here
CodeMonkey