Fiesta Online
In-game marketplace to be supplied by PlaySpan.
SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. - September 17, 2008
Outspark, a leading Virtual Playground of online community-based gaming for all ages, and PlaySpan, the first publisher-sponsored in-game commerce network, today announced an agreement to provide a secure player-to-player virtual goods marketplace for the highly popular Outspark game, Fiesta. The integration of the PlaySpan marketplace will provide Fiesta players with an efficient and open market for virtual goods.
“As a game portal, publisher and distributor, Outspark delivers a community- driven, online gaming destination for our nearly 3 million users,” said Susan Choe, Founder & CEO, Outspark. “PlaySpan’s in-game technology and player-to-player micro-transaction network provides an easy to use, secure experience that will make it possible for our users to enjoy an open market filled with the hundreds of unique virtual items available in Fiesta.”
Within Fiesta, players create and guide their characters through a richly detailed and engaging world. While the game is free to download and play, the experience is further enhanced through the purchase of premium in-game items like clothing, pets, power-ups and other accessories players can use to enhance and customize their virtual characters.
PlaySpan’s accessible in-game widget technology will make the buying and selling of virtual items between users fun and easy while allowing players to stay in the game throughout transactions. The integrated service will also provide Outspark users with a safe and secure environment for trading.
“Outspark is one of the fastest growing online destinations in interactive entertainment for internet users worldwide,” said Karl Mehta, Co-Founder & CEO, PlaySpan Inc. “Outspark’s selection of PlaySpan is another major milestone of publisher endorsement for our market leadership in providing publisher-sponsored in-game marketplaces.”
About Outspark
Outspark is an entertainment services company that publishes and operates engaging online multiplayer games. Featuring a portfolio of immersive free-to-play games and related content, the company is building an online destination where members come for the games and stay for the community. Backed by Tencent, Altos Ventures and DCM, Outspark is headquartered in San Francisco, Calif., with a subsidiary office in Seoul, Korea. For more information, visit http://www.outspark.com.
About PlaySpan Inc.
PlaySpan™ is game industry's first publisher-sponsored™ in-game commerce™ network. PlaySpan's patent-pending in-game search, commerce and micropayment technologies enable game publishers and developers to generate new revenues, acquire new users and extend the loyalty of existing users. Leading game providers and virtual world publishers have selected PlaySpan as their official marketplace for virtual goods commerce.
PlaySpan payment solutions are offered by its subsidiary under PayByCash® brand supporting over 70 payment methods across 200 countries for the past 10 years. PayByCash’s widely distributed ULTIMATE GAME CARD® is the leading pre-paid card supported by over 200 online games and available in over 12,000 retail locations across North America and soon worldwide.
PlaySpan is headquartered in Silicon Valley with offices in Charlottesville, VA, Cincinnati, OH and Mumbai.
Investors include Easton Capital, Menlo Ventures, STIC and Novel TMT Ventures
Ben Karl, Odyssey Public Relations
(415) 955-8531
benjamin@odysseylabs.com
Kristen Tarnol, The Rose Group
(310) 280-3710
Kristen@therosegrp.com