Google has confirmed their purchase of the virtual currency start-up Jambool for $70 million, continuing its strong expansion into the social gaming market.
“We’re pleased and excited to welcome the Jambool team to Google. We are committed to offering consumers and merchants innovative digital payment solutions and Jambool will help Google evolve our payments offering and expand into digital goods and content,” says Google.
Jambool was founded in 2006 and has been a hit with its Social Gold virtual currency product.
Social Gold can be used in MMOs, virtual worlds, regular online games and social gaming applications.
The company was started by former Amazon execs Vikas Gupta and Reza Hussein.
Last month, Google purchased the social gaming developer Slide, for $182 million, and earlier in the year, Google invested about $150 million in developer Zynga, the company behind hits like Farmville.
Result for: virtual world
Google has continued its strong expansion into the social gaming market, purchasing the virtual currency start-up Jambool for $75 million.
Jambool was founded in 2006 and has been a hit with its Social Gold virtual currency product.
Social Gold can be used in MMOs, virtual worlds, regular online games and social gaming applications.
The company was started by former Amazon execs Vikas Gupta and Reza Hussein.
Neither company has confirmed the purchase price but multiple sources place the price at $55 million, with another $20 million based on incentives.
Last week, Google purchased the social gaming developer Slide, for $182 million and earlier in the year, Google invested about $150 million in developer Zynga, the company behind hits like Farmville.
Result for: virtual world
Sony America has announced that the much delayed PlayStation Home online social service will in fact launch before the end of the year, although as a beta and not a final release.
There was no specific date set or how many beta users will be allowed to test out Home but it appears that the service will come as part of a new firmware upgrade.
At the beginning of the year, Sony promised Home would be available by the fall, after promising before that it would be ready by the spring.
Electronista explains that Home “will allow users from around the world to interact with each other and set up uniquely furnished apartments, virtual stores that can earn them virtual credits and play casual games. Users will be able to spend real money in the virtual world as well by shopping for games and products. Home also promises to double as an online interface for Sony’s TV and movie offerings.”
