RealNetworks’ game division GameHouse today announced it’s partnering with microtransaction service Live Gamer to provide the virtual economy backend for GameHouse’s new Fusion cross-platform social gaming service (which Neil wrote about last May.) This means Live Gamer will handle virtual currency and item transactions for Fusion’s massive game library, and the move will also bolster its position as a major player in gaming’s next generation.
Read more
Launch a social media campaign that will build your brand and deliver results in our online Social Media Marketing Boot Camp starting June 7. Speakers include Abigail Cusick (Bravo Digital), Gregory Galant (Sawhorse Media), Alex Leo (Thomson Reuters Digital), Jim Tobin (Ignite Social Media), and many more. Read the reviews. 
More games for hi5. The social network that’s turned to virtual goods has teamed up with RealNetworks in order to distribute some 1,500 game titles through hi5. While the financial details of the deal have not been revealed, this does appear to be yet another way in which hi5 can leverage its virtual currency through users downloading and purchasing various premium games.
hi5 has gone so far as to create an entirely new section to house its games, which launched earlier this year. Since its launch, hi5 has been adding more and more games to its game channel, mostly through partnerships wih game house developers and distributors alike. As hi5 has also been heavily promoting its virtual currency for an integrated approach to purchasing goods, including games, it’s a win-win for both hi5 and its game providers, which is RealNetworks in this case.
Read more
