Venture Capital investments into Online games and Related Entertainment

Last updated 2008-11-17. Data collected by Jussi Laakkonen and Adam Martin. This is an updated version of the original table with categorizations added for each company.

 

Investments into Virtual worlds, Casual MMOs, Casual games and Social games

Date Company Category Invested Series Country Lead investor Other key investors Description
Oct-08 Playfish Social games $17,0 Series B UK Accel Partners Index Ventures Social games developer and publisher
Oct-08 Metaplace Casual MMO $6,7 Series B USA Charles River Ventures Crescendo Ventures Platform for creating your own casual MMO, virtual world
Oct-08 Second Interest Virtual world $0,5 undis Germany Angel investors Virtual worlds agency developing content for Metaversum's Twinity
Oct-08 Kirkland North Social games $0,2 Seed USA Harrison Metal Capital Turf, online risk-style strategy game over real-world neighborhoods
Oct-08 Booyah Other $4,5 Series A USA Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers (Mixed reality?) games with real-world social impact
Oct-08 Ray Flame Entertainment Inc. Casual MMO $0,8 Series A USA InnoBridge Ventures Browser-based MMO
Oct-08 Oberon Casual games $20,0 undis USA Infinity Equity developer & publisher of casual games
Oct-08 Farbflut Entertainment Casual MMO undis undis Germany undis Browser game www.pennergame.de with 400k players
Oct-08 MindFuse Casual MMO $1,0 Debt/bridge USA Keiretsu Forum angels 3D high-end MMO for casual audiences
Oct-08 Taatu Virtual world $2,5 undis Belgium BAMS Angels Fund Virtual wolds as extensions to media properties
Sep-08 Challenge Games Casual MMO $10,0 Series B USA Globespan Capital Partners Asynch PvP duels (e.g. duels.com, Baseball boss)
Sep-08 Big Fish Games Casual games $83,0 Series A USA Balderton Capital developer & publisher of casual games
Sep-08 RobotGalaxy Virtual world $5,0 Series B USA Bachmann Industries Angel investors Virtual World extension of real world toy franchise
Sep-08 Hollywood Interactive Group Virtual world $5,0 Series A USA BlueRun Ventures MyHollywood.com targets women 18-34 with casual games and a community based around celebrity gossip
Sep-08 RobotGalaxy Virtual world $7,0 Series A USA Bachmann Industries Virtual World extension of real world toy franchise
Aug-08 Nonoba Casual games $1,7 Series A DK Mangrove Capital Partners Flash game portal & platform
Aug-08 LOLapps Other $4,5 Series A USA Polaris Venture Partners White-label social apps developer
Aug-08 Webcarrz Virtual world $4,0 Series A USA Meakem Becker Venture Capital multi-player online game promoting social activities without fixed game rules
Aug-08 Knowledge Adventure Virtual world $5,0 undis USA Azure Capital Partners TeleSoft Partners developer of educational games & virtual worlds for children 
Aug-08 Dizzywood  Virtual world $1,0 Series B USA European Founders Fund virtual world developer & operator
Jul-08 Challenge Games Casual MMO $4,5 Series A USA Sequoia Capital Asynch PvP duels (e.g. duels.com)
Jul-08 Zynga Social games $29,0 Series B USA Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers Union Square Ventures Social games developer and publisher
Jul-08 Virtual Tweens Virtual world $1,0 Seed Israel Angel investors Ekoloko, a green themed new virtual world for 7-12 year olds
Jul-08 Monte Cristo Games Casual MMO $7,0 undis France Arts Alliance 360° Capital Partners Cities XL, a video game merging social networking and virtual worlds
Jul-08 Playfish Social games $1,0 Debt/bridge UK Accel Partners Social games developer and publisher
Jul-08 Gaia Interactive Virtual world $11,0 Series C USA Institutional Venture Partners Redpoint Ventures Virtual world, MMO, "world's largest forums"
Jul-08 Six Degrees Games Casual MMO $7,0 Series A USA Prism VentureWorks  Clearstone Sports virtual world
Jul-08 Social Gaming Network Social games $3,0 undis USA Jeff Bezos Expeditions Social games developer and publisher
Jul-08 Young Internet Virtual world $4,7 undis Germany undis Panfu.de, a virtual world for kids with over 1M registered users
Jul-08 Riot Games Casual MMO $7,0 undis USA Benchmark Capital FirstMark Capital League of Legends: an online game that combines quick-hit sessions with fantasy action settings
Jul-08 Atomic Moguls Casual MMO $1,0 Series A USA Second Avenue Partners Fantasy sports games (e.g. fantasy football)
Jul-08 8D World Casual MMO $1,0 Series A USA Spark Capital Fantasy casual MMO
Jun-08 Erepublik Casual MMO $0,7 Seed Spain Angel investors Civilization-style strategy casual MMO
Jun-08 I'm in like with you Social games $1,5 Series B USA Spark Capital Online dating & games
Jun-08
Lumos Labs Other $3,0 Series A USA Pequot Ventures Norwest Venture Partners Brain training and brain games
May-08 Social Gaming Network Social games $15,0 Series A USA Greylock Partners Founders Fund Social games developer and publisher
May-08
Grockit Other $8,0 Series B USA Integral Capital Benchmark Capital Massively Multi Player Online Learning Game
May-08
Caspian Learning Other $2,8 undis UK undis Learning Based Games: Caspian Learning are global leaders in the use of simulation games tech to solve learning issues
Apr-08 Serious Business Inc Social games $4,0 Series A USA Lightspeed Ventures Social games (e.g. Friends for sale)
Apr-08 Kongregate Casual games $3,0 Series B USA Jeff Bezos Expeditions Flash game portal & platform
Apr-08 Northworks Casual games undis undis Germany High Tech Gründerfonds Browser game developer
Apr-08 Club Cooee Virtual world undis undis Germany Aurelia Private Equity free 3D Live community
Apr-08 Akoha Other $2,0 Seed USA Angel investors Mixed reality "pay good deeds forward" game
Apr-08 Metaversum  Virtual world several m€ undis USA Balderton Capital  Metaversum’s virtual world Twinity mashes up the real with the virtual life
Apr-08
Nurien Software Virtual world $15,0 Series A Korea Northern Light Venture Capita Globespan Capital Partners 3D social network
Apr-08
Bunchball Social games $4,0 Series B USA Granite Ventures Adobe Ventures Social games and white-label games
Apr-08 Play Hard Sports Casual MMO $5,0 Series A USA New Enterprise Associates Interactive fantasy sports games
Apr-08 Numedeon  Virtual world $1,0 Series B USA BankInter's Venture Capitol Group Portfolio of virtual worlds
Apr-08
Eximion Casual games Undis undis Netherlands Techno Stars 3d games in your browser
Mar-08 Hangout Industries Virtual world $6,0 Series A USA Polaris Venture Partners Highland Capital Partners 3D virtual world for social networking
Mar-08
Playfish Social games $3,0 Seed UK Accel Partners Social games developer and publisher
Mar-08 9You   Other $100,0 undis China Temasek Holdings   Digital lifestyle entertainment operator for casual gaming, interactive entertainment portal sites
Mar-08
Simmersion Holdings Virtual world $1,9 undis USA Blue Cove Ventures 3D virtual world & technology platform
Mar-08 Chapatiz  Virtual world $0,5 Seed French Angel investors virtual worlds for pre-teens
Mar-08 EveryScape  Virtual world $7,0 Series B USA Dace Ventures Draper Fisher Jurvetson Virtual World/3-D mapping site for virtual tours
Mar-08 Fluid Entertainment  Virtual world $3,2 Series A USA Trinity Ventures  Kids social games / MMO
Mar-08 Gamook Casual games $1,5 Series A USA US Venture Partners Platform for online casual games
Mar-08 Handipoints  Virtual world $0,8 Seed USA Charles River Ventures virtual community where children’s everyday “real world” chores earn them prizes and adventures
Mar-08 Alamofire Social games $2,0 Series A USA Founders Fund Social games developer and publisher
Mar-08 PopJax Casual games $4,7 Series A USA Draper Fisher Jurvetson Online user generated trivia games
Feb-08 Dizzywood  Virtual world $1,0 Series A USA Shelby Bonnie Charles River Ventures virtual world developer & operator
Feb-08 Sparkplay Media   Casual MMO $4,3 Series A USA Redpoint Ventures Prism VentureWorks  Browser-based MMO Earth Eternal
Feb-08 Flowplay Casual MMO $3,7 Series A USA Intel Capital Ambient Sound Investments Virtual world wrapper around flash games
Feb-08 Atomic Moguls Casual MMO $1,0 Seed USA Second Avenue Partners Amazon.com Fantasy sports games (e.g. fantasy football)
Feb-08 RocketOn Other $5,0 Series A USA D.E. Shaw Group Avatars layered on top of any web page
Jan-08 C3L3B Digital Virtual world $3,0 Series A USA BlueRun Ventures web 2.0 & casual MMO & VW destinations for the mass market.
Jan-08 Zynga Social games $10,0 Series A USA Union Square Ventures Foundry group Social games developer and publisher
Jan-08 Rebel Monkey Casual MMO $1,0 Series A USA Redpoint Ventures Casual games developer
Dec-07 Playfirst Casual games $16,5 Series C USA DCM Casual games developer and publisher
Dec-07 WildTangent Casual games $20,0 Debt/bridge USA Hercules Technology Growth Capital Casual games developer, publisher and platform provider
Nov-07 Hidden City Games Virtual world $15,0 Series B USA Trinity Ventures Rustic Canyon Ventures Bella Sara, a collectible card game about horses tied to an online world for girls
Nov-07 Zweitgeist Other undis Series A Germany T-Online Venture Fund Avatars layered on top of any web page
Nov-07 Apaja Online Casual games $2,3 Series A Finland Martinson Trigon Venture Partners Flash game portal & developer
Oct-07 Numedeon  Virtual world Undis Series A USA Pat Sajak (angel) Portfolio of virtual worlds
Oct-07 Star in Me Virtual world Undis undis USA Electric Sheep Company children’s virtual world
Oct-07 GameLayers Other $0,5 Series A USA O'Reilly Alphatech Ventures Passive-Multiplayer MMO played on top of existing web pages
Sep-07 Emote Casual games $8,0 Series A UK Electra Quoted Management Games across social networks, challenging gamers and friends, communicating with like-minded players
Sep-07 Watercooler Other $4,0 Series A USA Canaan partners Social apps, largest community online for TV and Sports fans
Sep-07 RocketOn Social games $0,8 Seed USA undis Avatars layered on top of any web page
Aug-07 Spill Group Casual games undis undis Netherlands Van den Ende & Deitmers  distributer/developer of  online games through more than 45 gaming portals worldwide.
Aug-07 GameForge Casual MMO undis undis Germany Accel Partners Free to play, browser based games publisher
Aug-07 Kongregate Casual games $5,0 Series A USA Greylock Partners Flash game portal & platform
Aug-07 D2C Casual games $6,0 Series A USA Rubicon Ventures casual games for a variety of platforms, including consoles
Aug-07 Conduit Labs Social games $5,5 Series A USA Charles River Ventures Prism VentureWorks  Games to let people meet new people, e.g. LoudCrowd dancing games
Aug-07 Doppelganger Virtual world $11,0 Series D USA ComVentures Trident capital vSide virtual world for young adults
Jul-07
Weblo Casual MMO $3,2 Series A USA VantagePoint Buy and sell representations of real-world locations and people
Jul-07
Grockit Other $2,7 Series A USA Benchmark Capital Massively Multi Player Online Learning Game
Jul-07 Geewa Casual games $2,0 undis Czech republic MCI Management Free multiplayer games for variety of devices
Jul-07 WatAgame Virtual world $4,0 Series B Denmark Accel Partners GoSupermodel, a girl's fashion community for web and mobile
Jul-07 Three Rings Casual MMO $3,5 Series B USA True Ventures Chance Technologies Developer and operator of casual MMOs (Puzzle pirates, Bang! howdy & Whirled)
Jun-07 Metaversum Virtual world several m€ undis Germany Balderton Capital Metaversum’s virtual world Twinity mashes up the real with the virtual life
May-07 Frenzoo Virtual world undis Series A Hong Kong Ambient Sound Investments 3D social networking platform
May-07 Multiverse Virtual world $4,2 undis USA Sterling Stamos Angel investors Virtual World platform
May-07 Avaloop Virtual world Undis undis Austria i5invest Papermint virtual world for casual audiences
May-07 World Golf Tour Casual MMO several m$ Series A USA Panorama Capital Battery Ventures Flash-based realistic golf game & world
May-07 Two Way Media Other $10,6 undis UK undis creates and distributes cross media TV shows and games
Mar-07 Kongregate Casual games $1,0 Seed USA Reid Hoffman Joe Kraus Flash game portal & platform
Mar-07 Flowplay Casual MMO $0,5 Seed USA Angel investors Virtual world wrapper around flash games
Mar-07 Gaia Interactive Virtual world $12,0 Series B USA Benchmark Capital Redpoint Ventures Virtual world, MMO, "world's largest forums"
Feb-07 Zweitgeist Other $0,6 Seed Germany High Tech Gründerfonds Mountain Partners weblin makes you and others on the Web visible as small avatars
Feb-07 Virtual Air Guitar Casual games $0,2 Seed Finland undis Machine vision based rhythm game
Feb-07 Doppelganger Virtual world $5,0 Series C USA Greycroft Partners vSide virtual world for young adults
Dec-06 Metaplace Casual MMO $5,0 Series A USA Charles River Ventures Crescendo Ventures Platform for creating your own casual MMO, virtual world
Dec-06 D2C Casual games $1,5 Seed USA Rubicon Ventures casual games for a variety of platforms, including consoles
Nov-06 WatAgame Virtual world Undis Series A Denmark Vaekstfonden Seed Capital Denmark GoSupermodel, a girl's fashion community for web and mobile
Nov-06 Bunchball Social games $2,0 Series A USA Granite Ventures Adobe Ventures Social games and white-label games
Oct-06 Mind Candy Virtual world $7,4 undis UK Accel Partners Index Ventures Developer & operator of social virtual world for kids
Aug-06 WildTangent Casual games $13,0 Series D USA Granite Global Ventures Greylock Partners Casual games developer, publisher and platform provider
Jul-06 Sulake Virtual world $8,0 Series C Finland Movida Group Habbo, world's largest teen virtual world + social media properties (e.g. IRC-Galleria and Luupo)
Jun-06 Stardoll Virtual world $6,0 Series B Sweden Sequoia Capital Paperdoll dress-up virtual world
Jun-06 WeeWorld Virtual world $15,5 Series B UK Accel Partners SocNet where you can meet and interact with WeeMees, play games and create your own online cartoon 
Feb-06 Stardoll Virtual world $4,0 Series A Sweden Index Ventures Paperdoll dress-up virtual world
Dec-05 Doppelganger Virtual world $8,5 Series C USA Draper Fisher Jurvetson Trident capital vSide virtual world for young adults
May-05 WeeWorld Virtual world $5,5 Series A UK Benchmark Capital SocNet where you can meet and interact with WeeMees, play games and create your own online cartoon
Apr-05 Doppelganger Virtual world $2,5 Series B USA Draper Fisher Jurvetson vSide virtual world for young adults
Jan-05 Big Fish Games Casual games $8,7 Seed USA Angel investors developer & publisher of casual games
Jan-05 Sulake Virtual world $24,0 Series B Finland Benchmark Capital Habbo, world's largest teen virtual world + social media properties (e.g. IRC-Galleria and Luupo)
? Sulake Virtual world undis Series A Finland 3i   Habbo, world's largest teen virtual world + social media properties (e.g. IRC-Galleria and Luupo)
May-04 WildTangent Casual games $16,5 Series C USA Advanced Technology Ventures Casual games developer, publisher and platform provider

 

Investments into MMORPG and "Other related" sector

Date Company Category Invested Series Country Lead investor Other key investors Description
Oct-08 Twofish Economy/payments $4,5 Series B USA Triplepoint Capital Rustic Canyon Ventures Virtual economy engine that seamlessly integrates into any online experience
Sep-08 Trion World Network MMORPG $70,0 Series C USA Act II Capital DCM MMORPG developer and publisher
Sep-08 Shanda Interactive Entertainment MMORPG $175,0 Debt/bridge China Instutional buyers MMORPG developer and publisher
Sep-08 Raptr Social network $12,0 Series A USA Accel Partners Founders Fund Social network for gamers
Sep-08 Ukash Economy/payments $14,4 undis USA Blue Label Telecoms DataCash Pre-paid card payment provider
Jul-08 GameDuell Skill games $17,0 Series B Germany Wellington Partners MMORPG developer and publisher
Jul-08 Heatwave Interactive Video game / online $7,5 Series A USA Syncom Venture Partner central studio for developing multiple video game properties with strong online components
Jun-08 ESNation Social network Undis undis Denmark undis eSports news, browser-based games and social networking features
Jun-08
mGami Social games platform Undis undis UK undis games platform for the social networking generation
Jun-08
Virgin Play Video game publisher $3,9 undis Spain undis distributor and publisher of video games for video game consoles
Jun-08
Mochi Media Ad network $10,0 Series B USA Shasta Ventures Accel Partners Advertisement network for flash games
Jun-08
Bihu.com Ad network $10,0 undis China undis In-game advertising network
Jun-08
Turbine MMORPG $40,0 undis USA Time Warner GGV Capital Creator of MMOs Lord of the Rings Online, Asheron's Call: Throne of Destiny, and Dungeons and Dragons Online
May-08
Linekong Online MMORPG $25,0 undis China undis MMORPG developer and publisher
May-08 Orbster Embedded games Undis undis Germany undis designs and publishes online entertainment products for GPS-enabled handsets
Apr-08
Metaboli Electronic distribution $7,8 undis France undis Download and play several hundreds of full version PC games on Metaboli.co.uk. 
Apr-08 G10 Entertainment  Casual MMO $38,0 Strategic investment Korea The9 Casual online game developer, incl. Audition (dancing)
Apr-08
Chengdu Seasky Digital Entertainment MMORPG $3,0 Strategic investment China Perfect World MMORPG developer
Apr-08
gamerDNA Social network $3,0 Series A USA Flybridge Capital Partners Social network for gamers
Apr-08
VOIPlay Game matchmaking Undis undis Sweden undis multi-game deathmatch platform with voice chat integrated
Apr-08
FIX8 Avatars $2,0 undis USA SK Telecom an avatar chat tool that animates expression based on webcam input
Mar-08 Realtime Worlds MMORPG $49,0 Series C UK Maverick Capital Video game & MMORPG developer and publisher
Mar-08
Gizmoz Avatars $6,5 undis USA DoCoMo Capital, Inc.
Mar-08
Mochi Media Ad network $4,0 Series A USA Accel Partners Advertisement network for flash games
Mar-08
Neowiz Games MMORPG $15,2 undis Korea undis MMORPG developer and publisher
Feb-08
iOpener Mixed reality $6,0 undis Germany Triangle providing and facilitating real-time data into games and virtual worlds, through satellite navigation technology
Feb-08
YOOWALK 3D web browsing Undis undis France CITA Gestion 3D Web browsing
Jan-08
Outspark F2P Publisher $11,0 USA Tencent DCM publisher and operator of free to play games
Jan-08
IGA Worldwide Ad network $5,0 undis USA Translink Capital Presidio STX, LLC In-game advertising network
Jan-08
IGG Inc. MMORPG $4,5 Series A USA IDG Technology Venture Investment IGG has successfully released and operated 6 MMORPGs through www.igg.com
Jan-08
Kadoink Telephony & widgets $7,0 undis USA Sutter Hill Ventures combines widgets, telephony, and music, distributes in SocNets, expanding to virtual worlds
Jan-08
Unisfair Virtual events $10,0 Series B Israel Norwest Venture Partners Sequoia Capital a virtual events provider
Dec-07 Bahu Social network $1,0 undis France undis Social network for people under 25
Dec-07
Live Gamer Economy/payments $24,0 Series A? USA Charles River Ventures Kodiak Venture Partners publisher-supported virtual items training
Dec-07
XLGames MMORPG Undis undis Korea GigaMedia Limited MMORPG developer and publisher
Nov-07
Aria Systems Economy/payments $4,0 Series A USA Hummer Winblad Venture Partners billing services for online games, virtual worlds, and software-as-service applications
Nov-07
Mikoishi Game developer & publisher $8,5 undis Singapore undis Cross-plaform (PC, mobile + more) game developer, publisher and platform
Oct-07
Vivox Voice technology $7,8 Series B USA Benchmark Capital Canaan Partners a voice provider for virtual worlds and online games
Oct-07 ZeniMax Media MMORPG $300,0 undis USA Providence Equity Partners Video game & MMORPG developer and publisher, parent company of Bethesda (Oblivion and Fallout 3)
Oct-07 FatFooGoo Economy/payments $10,0 undis Austria undis From trading platforms to commercial ecosystems, we monetize your game
Oct-07
Millions of Us VW design agency Undis undis USA Diversified Agency Services Design agency for virtual worlds, marketing campaigns
Sep-07
PlaySpan Economy/payments $6,5 Series A USA Easton Capital Menlo Ventures publisher-supported virtual items training
Aug-07 La Cartoonerie SocNet for animation $0,7 undis France undis Share your animation: once created, you can spread your online cartoon. Everybody can see, vote and respond
Jul-07 Trion World Network MMORPG $30,0 Series B USA Rustic Canyon Ventures Time Warner MMORPG developer and publisher
Jun-07 In2Games Game controller tech $15,5 undis UK undis Wiimote-like game peripherals and technology
Jun-07
K2 Network F2P Publisher $16,0 Series B USA Intel Capital Greycroft Partners publisher and operator of free to play games
May-07 Minoto Online games TV Undis undis Netherlands undis videos of people playing games
Apr-07 Brand New World Mobile games $4,3 undis Germany undis Develops, markets, and promotes innovative mobile apps in the entertainment, multiplayer, and casual gaming
Apr-07 StageSpace (now Bailamo) Dating Undis undis Germany undis "3D sexy", flirting/dating
Apr-07 TVfun publisher Undis undis Netherlands undis international publisher of multimedia family games
Apr-07 ESNation eSports portal Undis undis Denmark undis eSports news, browser-based games and social networking features
Mar-07 Short Fuze Social movie making $2,0 undis UK undis mass market movie-making
Mar-07 Exit Games Multiplayer tech $4,6 undis Germany undis “Neutron” multiplayer platform enables multiplayer capabilities on mobile applications
Mar-07 Xtract Social media analysis tools $2,7 undis Finland undis helps to monetize digital communities
Feb-07
Electric Sheep Co VW design agency, tech platform $7,0 undis USA CBS Corp Gladwyne Partners VW design agency turned into white-label VW tech provider
Jan-07 Wazap! Game portal $7,9 undis Germany undis Vertical search engine, database and SocNet for gaming news, rankings, cheats, downloads and reviews
Dec-06 Realtime Worlds MMORPG $31,0 Series B UK CIM Fund New Enterprise Associates Video game & MMORPG developer and publisher
Aug-06
Unisfair Virtual events $5,0 Series A Israel Sequoia Capital a virtual events provider
?.2006 Twofish Economy/payments $5,0 Series A USA Venrock Rustic Canyon Ventures Virtual economy engine that seamlessly integrates into any online experience
May-04 Realtime Worlds MMORPG $1,8 Series A UK CIM Fund Video game & MMORPG developer and publisher

 

Investments into Mobile games

Date Company Category Invested Series Country Lead investor Other key investors Description
Jun-08 Xendex Entertainment Mobile games $3,6 undis Germany undis european mobile games company
Oct-07
Tag Games Mobile games Undis Seed UK Multiple angels independent game developer and publisher for mobile devices and game consoles
Sep-07 Trutap
Mobile social app
$6,5 undis UK undis Free mobile service that combines all the elements of a young person’s social life into one application
Sep-07 SharpCards
Mobile personalization
$3,1 undis UK undis From ‘Pimp my phone” to “hot or not”, our personalisation services (for mobile) have met with huge success
Aug-07 Xendex Entertainment Mobile games Undis undis Germany undis european mobile games company
Jun-07 Handmade Mobile Entertainment Dating $4,0 undis UK undis flirting service for people connected to the Internet either via PC or mobile phone
Jun-07 Blue Lion Mobile Mobile community Undis undis Germany undis qeep is a global, fast-growing mobile community with over 200,000 users
May-07 Cometa Wireless Mobile games $2,0 undis UK undis white label casino for mobile devices
Jan-07 Player X Mobile games $5,0 undis UK undis mobile media company specialising in games and mobile TV & video
Oct-06 LemonQuest Mobile games $2,5 undis Spain undis global publisher of mobile games and personalization products

Note: Mobile deals are included as they were part of Adam Martin's original list. Further research has not been done into this sector.

Notes

The data on VC investments has been collected from publicly available sources including but not limited to

The data was gathered by Jussi Laakkonen and Adam Martin. The data is most accurate for year 2008. Year 2006 and earlier years have been only covered sporadically and typically only for companies that have received follow-up funding in years 2007-2008. The data is provided AS IS and the authors make no warranties about its accuracy.

Creative Commons, Attribution, Non-commercial The data is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution, Non-Commercial license.

 

Category definitions

Much of the analysis done in this blog post is based on assigning companies to the categories. The companies are assigned to categories subjectively and only using publicly available info (i.e. no research has been done into actual user experience to validate the companies' claims). Category assignment has been done solely by Jussi Laakkonen and doesn't represent the opinions of Adam Martin. The categorization part is the weakest and most subjective part of my analysis, so you should take it with a ton of salt.

The categorization uses the terms Virtual worlds, Casual MMO, Social games and Casual games as defined loosely below:

Virtual world

Casual MMO

Social game

Casual game