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'Big Fish Games' is a provider of Internet media delivery software and services based in Seattle, Washington. The company is best known for its strong growth and leadership in digital distribution of online casual games. Big Fish Games has several lines of business including distribution of downloadable casual games, ad supported free online web browser games, game development studios, e-greetings, and most recently a social networking site for casual game players for share opinions, invite friends, and earn cash for games their friends buy.

Contents

History

Big Fish Studios Game Development

Games Published by Big Fish Studios

Digital Distribution

Online Games

My Big Fish Games

References

External links

History

Big Fish Games was founded by ex-RealNetworks executive Paul Thelen in 2002. Paul Thelen was the Group Product Manager that launched the RealArcade games service for RealNetworks. Big Fish Games grew from a new entrant to one of the top game destinations in the world. The September 2006 launch of the social networking service My Big Fish Games takes the casual games industry in a new direction returning some of the industry’s profits to the consumers who drive new customers and grow the business.
Company timeline:

★ May 2002: Big Fish Games, LLC founded as a game development studio.

★ September 2003: Big Fish Games launches a web portal and begins distributing other developers’ games for the first time.

★ April 2005: Big Fish Games purchases the online games community site Ion Thunder.

★ June 2005: Bigfishgames Deutschland (www.bigfishgames.de) is launched.

★ July 2005: Big Fish Games launches game operations for NBC’s iVillage site and Viacom’s Nickelodeon site.

★ January 2006: Big Fish Games purchases casual games developer Funpause.

★ February 2006: Joint launch of Bigfishgames Japan (www.bigfishgames.jp) and ''Bobby's Way'' (http://www.bobbysway.jp), a blog by Bobby Valentine.

★ April 2006: Game Club subscription service is launched.

★ September 2006: My Big Fish Games social networking service for casual gamers is launched.

★ February 2007: The Principal Network Partner program is launched.

★ Winter 2007: Named as one of the "AO Media 100" companies of the year by Alwayson magazine.

★ May 2007: Named a Red Herring Top 100 companies winner.

Big Fish Studios Game Development

In May, 2002 the company was founded as a game development studio and experienced early success with titles like Mahjong Towers, Top Ten Solitaire, and Word Wizard. Big Fish Studios now releases 12 to 15 original titles per year and has produced many branded hit titles including Mystery Case Files: Huntsville, Hidden Expedition: Titanic, Mahjong Towers Eternity, Mystery Case Files: Prime Suspects, Mystic Inn, Atlantis – Sky Patrol, Azada, and Fairies. Big Fish Studios also publishes titles from outside developers and controls online distribution of several hit franchises including Fish Tycoon, Virtual Villagers, Grimm's Hatchery, and Master of Defense. Games developed by Big Fish Studios include:

★ Azada (June 29, 2007)

★ (June 19, 2007)

★ Abra Academy (March 18, 2007)

★ (December 14, 2006)

★ (November 3, 2006)

★ Atlantis Sky Patrol (August 25, 2006)

★ (July 21, 2006)

★ Mystic Inn (April 12, 2006)

★ (April 6, 2006)

★ (November 14, 2005)

★ Fairies (October 28, 2005)

★ Atlantis (August 3, 2005)

★ Mahjong Towers Eternity (July 28, 2005)

★ Magic Vines (November 24, 2004)

★ Slot Words (July 9, 2004)

★ Word Search Deluxe (January 5, 2003)

★ Top Ten Solitaire (January 28, 2002)

Games Published by Big Fish Studios

★ Venice Mystery (August 25, 2007)

★ Interpol: The trail of Dr. Chaos (August 4, 2007)

★ The Stone of Destiny (July 6, 2007)

★ Virtual Villagers: The Lost Children (February 16, 2007)

★ Chicken Chase (February 2, 2007)

★ Word Web Deluxe (January 12, 2007)

★ Teddy Tavern: A Culinary Adventure (January 5, 2007)

★ Virtual Villagers (July 14, 2006)

★ Aveyond (June 16, 2006)

★ Mah-Jomino (May 5, 2006)

★ Master of Defense (March 11, 2006)

★ Tino's Fruit Stand (February 29, 2006)

★ Fish Tycoon (November 9, 2005)

★ Alien Shooter (June 9, 2003)

Digital Distribution

Big Fish Games distributes casual downloadable games for over 400 developers, and launches a new game every day for the past two years. Big Fish Games also runs sites for Viacom’s Nickelodeon and NBC’s iVillage sites. Big Fish Games is one of the top volume sites with over 400,000 downloads per day on peak days. The service offers downloadable casual games with a try-before-you-buy model where consumers can play a selection of over 300 games for free for 60 minutes, but then must purchase that game. Big Fish Games also has a game subscription service where consumers can buy games at a discount if they commit to volume purchasing called 'Game Club'. Distribution can now also be done through the Principal Network Partner program.

Online Games

Big Fish Games distributes online web browser games that are free to play and advertising supported. There are over 80 games to play and a subscription service (called Club Atlantis) that allows user play free of advertisements. The games all include chat and players earn tokens that can be used to enter lotteries to win cash prizes and free games.

My Big Fish Games

'My Big Fish Games' is a social network for casual gamers launched in September 2006. It allows users to create a personal page, write and share game reviews, and earn rewards in a referral program.^[1]
The referral program was described and sometimes criticized as a 'Multi-level marketing scheme'.^[2]

References

1. Social networking comes to casual games
2. The Mossberg Solution: Online games appeal to 'casual' players

External links

★ Big Fish Games

★ Big Fish Studios

★ Share a Game, Win Some Cash - A Business Week article about My Big Fish Games

★ Social networking comes to casual games - An MSNBC article about My Big Fish Games

★ Big Fish scales down some staff, hooks others - Seattle P-I reports on October 2006 layoffs

★ Red Herring 100 Winners for Spring 2007 - Big Fish Games in the Red Herring top 100