Video game news and reviews site Crispy Gamer has acquired GamerDNA, the social network/automated gameplay notification system and ad network. Financial terms were not disclosed.
Founded in 2006, GamerDNA went through a few iterations before growing into a community that attracts around 10 million monthly unique visits. It changed its name from GuildCafe, and raised $3 million in funding from Flybridge Capital Partners in 2008. It went on to acquire 360Voice, which provided the technology that let members post automatic updates and progress reports from their Xbox LIVE-connected gameplay. That score-tracking and social-sharing technology is likely a big part of what made GamerDNA an attractive buy for Crispy Gamer.
There’s increased interest in making the console game experience more social. While networks like Xbox LIVE and the PSN let gamers play together, there are a few startups betting that gamers want to keep in touch on other social networks, share stats about their progress and even create automatic blogs — and that they can monetize that need.
This summer, Sequoia invested $4.1 million in a startup called GamerGround, pro gaming league MLG (SEO: 066570) acquired gameplay data site Agora Games in August, and Raptr has been amassing registered users since it raised $12 million in funding last year.
The acquisition gives Crispy Gamer an entry into the space, and a way to differentiate from the myriad (and better-funded) game review sites out there. The company, which raised $8.2 million from Constellation Ventures last October, will run GamerDNA as a separate entity. Gamer DNA founder Jon Radoff said he’ll stick around “for a little bit” to help in the transition, but will leave to pursue entrepreneurial interests in 2010; Crispy Gamer CMO Anne Mischler tells Mass High Tech that “some” of GamerDNA’s team will join as part of the acquisition, but did not say how many.
A relationship goes through stages. This is true in terms of both the stages and the degree of intensity. This will be obvious from your experience with inter personal relationships. Commercial relationships also go through stages and each requires different emphasis on communication channel, contact frequency and content.