Stealth Start-Up Unveils Casual Social Game Arcade
CasualCafe™ previews games platform at CasualConnect conference in Seattle
Seattle, WA - July 22, 2008: Today CasualCafe, a previously unknown Facebook® Platform developer, announced its social game arcade technology at the CGA Casual Connect conference in Seattle. A Facebook application demonstrating the technology is being previewed to conference attendees between July 23 and July 25.
CasualCafe joins the ranks of companies that publish games on Facebook Platform. This technology became possible a year ago when Facebook opened their platform to third party developers. Facebook Platform is a new way for companies to build applications to integrate with the Facebook website, where Facebook’s more than 80 million users can interact with them.
“We started CasualCafe two years ago with the intent to build on our head-to-head competitive online game expertise.” explained Michael Scholz, the company’s founder. “PC-based games were offering diminishing revenue to developers. But social games are a new market and an emerging business opportunity. CasualCafe’s history of developing competitive games makes our technology a natural fit for social networks.”
CasualCafe builds casual browser games of uncommon size and detail. To prepare for launch, the company also had to create tools for integrating lists of friends, user rewards, challenges, and integrated e-commerce transactions. This effort culminated in the CasualCafeAPI, the foundation of the company’s social network integration technology. Features of the CasualCafeAPI include site points, achievements, micro-transactions and secure communications.
“We want to use our technology to facilitate the growth of casual games on social networks. We think the market for small games that are easy to learn, but also reward practice, is untapped today,” Scholz said, describing CasualCafe’s goals. “CasualCafe’s objective is to publish casual games that you can play with your friends online and earn rewards that you may use for ‘bragging rights’. Facebook Platform is the perfect platform for us.”
About CasualCafe
CasualCafe has not received any external funding prior to today’s game preview and monetization plans are described as a mix of micro-transactions and advertising revenue. The founding team members have worked at a variety of successful game companies including WildTangent, SkillJam Technologies and THQ.
Partnership, press, and investor inquiries are welcomed to Michael Scholz at michael.scholz@casualcafe.com.
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