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playfirst
Deal Radar 2008: PlayFirst Plays Casual Games Well
PlayFirst is a leading publisher of casual computer games. Based out of San Francisco, it is focused on creating shared casual game experiences around “lasting original brands” with emphasis on “rich story and character”. Few of the more popular PlayFirst titles include the Diner Dash series, Wedding Dash, Chocolatier and Dream Chronicles. My interview with
Casual Games – Everyone Can Play
By Gabe Zichermann, Guest Author By now, many of you have undoubtedly heard of casual games as part of a revolutionary change in the way people play. Casual games have evolved from their humble origins as “interstitial entertainment” to take their place alongside the biggest segments of the industry as a $2Bn+ category in its
Electronic Arts (ERTS) On The Way Up
By Frank Lara, Guest Author If John Welch is building a new Electronic Arts then how is the real Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ:ERTS) doing and is it worth your time and money for a potential investment opportunity? The quick answer – they are worth your attention. Electronic Arts is the big daddy of the gaming
Building the Electronic Arts of Casual Gaming: PlayFirst CEO John Welch (Part 10)
SM: What are some of your key learnings from this journey so far? JW: At my first startup we cut off our consulting business to focus on raising venture capital that never materialized. Cash is king. Build the business that makes you money and keeps the doors open; it can finance your riskier investments. During
Building the Electronic Arts of Casual Gaming: PlayFirst CEO John Welch (Part 9)
SM: Describe some of your team building experiences. Is your management team complete now? JW: The first hire was the toughest. We raised $5 million on a PowerPoint deck and the promise that we knew the industry better than anyone. But then weeks went by and we couldn’t seem to find the right people to
Building the Electronic Arts of Casual Gaming: PlayFirst CEO John Welch (Part 8)
SM: How did you finance the different phases of the company? Seed? Angel? VC? Corporate? JW: I supplied a very small amount of seed capital that basically covered expenses while we secured our first round of venture funding. The $5 million Series A was led by Trinity Ventures and Mayfield Fund in mid-2004. Rustic Canyon
Take-Two (TTWO) Takes Two Steps Back
By Frank Lara, Guest Author What happens when you delay your flagship product and you exist in the cut throat gaming sector? How about a 22% drop in your company stock and plenty of time to beat yourself up questioning – what went wrong? Take-Two Interactive Software Inc. (NASDAQ:TTWO) finished the week down 26% when
Building the Electronic Arts of Casual Gaming: PlayFirst CEO John Welch (Part 7)
SM: How did you penetrate the market and get early traction? JW: While I was at Shockwave, I had the privilege to work with some of the top developers in casual games. We saw the opportunity to help those developers do what they love – focus on making games – by becoming the first publisher
