Gambit helps game developers make more real money from virtual goods
Virtual goods are becoming a staple method for casual game developers to make money from their users — and a range of third parties are offering services to help them do so. The latest is Gambit. Developed by a three-man team that started out building casual games itself, the company is launching today with some big claims. By optimizing gaming payment systems and offering additional support features, it says it can significantly boost the CPM… Continue Reading
Peanut Labs, social network turned market research company, raises round
Peanut Labs is a great example of how an inexperienced yet scrappy team can scramble toward a new strategy to save themselves. The company, formerly called Xuqa, has just raised a $3.2 million round of capital to bolster it in its new mission.
Xuqa, you’ll recall, was a fast-growing social network when it started in 2005. It got big in Turkey and Iran, but rivals like MySpace and Facebook quickly took over the US and started… Continue Reading
Xuqa becomes Peanut Labs, targeting online market research
Xuqa began as a social network two years ago and distinguished itself by finding clever ways to make money — most notably getting paid by market researchers to administer surveys to its users. While the site is profitable, the company decided five months ago to change direction: Build out its survey technology to integrate with any social network or online community site.
The new focus fits in with a broader trend: Companies trying to gather more… Continue Reading