New AddictingGames "Create and Share" Games Allow Gamers to Design and
Share Content Across the Site
SAN FRANCISCO, July 17 -- AddictingGames
(http://www.addictinggames.com), the largest source of the best free games on
the web, and Shockwave (http://www.shockwave.com), the original casual gaming
destination, will introduce new community and social networking-oriented
features across the next six months for their respective communities of
gamers. The new features -- some of which are now live -- include profiles
and high scores on AddictingGames, and a friend feature, as well as animated,
talking avatars on Shockwave. In addition, AddictingGames will introduce
several new "Create and Share Games" that visitors can play, customize, share
and compare with their friends.
"Our users want more direct ways to communicate and interact with one
another around the games that they love," said Dave Williams, Senior Vice
President and General Manager of Nickelodeon Kids and Family Games Group. "We
have been actively building and releasing social networking and community
features into our sites over the past few months and plan to accelerate the
pace in the coming months based on strong initial results."
As a result of community features like profiles, Shockwave's total usage
minutes are up +30% over last year (source: Omniture SiteCatalyst, May 2008).
New community features launching on Addicting Games and Shockwave in the
next six months include:
-- Profile pages (launching fall 2008 on AddictingGames): Users will be
able to create their own profile pages to connect with friends on
AddictingGames. Profiles will include information like the user's favorite
games, game levels they have created, and other fun game-related content.
Friends can leave comments for each other, see who is online at the same time,
and invite each other to high score competitions.
-- High scores (launching fall 2008 on AddictingGames and Shockwave): This
feature allows users to compete for high scores within their network of
friends, and the entire community on both sites. Users can see how they rank
against their friends and invite one another to beat their best scores.
-- Friend feature (launching fall 2008 on AddictingGames and Shockwave):
Users will be able to request and add a friend from their public profile or
from chat which will allow them to view if they are online and what games they
are playing.
-- Chat functionality (launching fall 2008 on AddictingGames): Chat will
allow gamers to directly communicate with their peers on the site.
Recently launched community features on AddictingGames and Shockwave
include:
-- Rich profile pages on Shockwave have recently launched and include
animated, talking avatars, called Vokis, developed in partnership with Oddcast
(http://www.oddcast.com). The animated avatars engage in conversation when
the user logs in and as a gamer's mouse moves across the screen, the avatars'
eyes follow.
-- Chat functionality: Shockwave features chat for its multiplayer and
single player gamers to communicate about games like Daily Jigsaw.
-- Shockwave game room: A game room section was recently added with real
time user reviews, staff picks, highest user-generated games, leader boards
and high scores
-- Ratings, reviews, and a tips section for games on AddictingGames were
recently introduced. Already, 850,000 game reviews have been written; 900,000
games have been rated; and almost 200,000 favorite games have been saved.
In addition to the introduction of community features across
AddictingGames, the site will launch several new "Create and Share" games that
users can personalize, create and share with their friends, including:
-- "Pencil Racer 3" (launching summer 2008): The third version of the
robust racetrack drawing Toolkit introduces mission-based game play and
controllable vehicles.
-- "Moto Rush Extreme" (launching fall 2008): Choose from among 20
different motorcycles, skateboards, or monster trucks, and enter the grand
prix of motorsport racing! Players can create race-tracks, customize vehicles,
race at top speeds and submit their tracks to the AddictingGames gallery to
get a track code.
-- "RiffMaster Deluxe" (launching fall 2008): Master guitar and bass with
the keyboard and jam out to 20 of the best independent song releases of the
year. Players can create their own songs and remixes with the music studio
mode and then email their songs to their friends.
AddictingGames is the number-one online gaming site for teens with a
library of more than 3,000 games. According to comScore national data,
AddictingGames brought in 10.7 million unique visitors in June who spend an
average of 30.5 minutes on the site. Shockwave's game library includes more
than 640 free online, multiplayer and premium games. The site reaches 5.5
million unique visitors, per comScore. Both AddictingGames and Shockwave are
part of the Nickelodeon Kids and Family Games Group, which has invested $100
million in the casual gaming arena.
The Nickelodeon Kids and Family Group portfolio of digital sites serve
kids, tweens, teens, and parents, and focus on the activities that its
audiences participate in most online: gaming, socialization and community, and
video. According to comScore (June 2008), Nickelodeon Kids and Family digital
ranks as the number-one kids and family online destination in visits with more
than 28.6 million unique visitors.
About Nickelodeon
Nickelodeon, now in its 29th year, is the number-one entertainment brand
for kids. It has built a diverse, global business by putting kids first in
everything it does. The company includes television programming and production
in the United States and around the world, plus consumer products, online,
recreation, books, magazines and feature films. Nickelodeon's U.S. television
network is seen in more than 96 million households and has been the
number-one-rated basic cable network for 14 consecutive years. Nickelodeon and
all related titles, characters and logos are trademarks of Viacom Inc. (NYSE:
VIA, VIA.B)
SOURCE Nickelodeon
CONTACT: Joanna Roses, +1-212-846-7326 joanna.roses@nick.com or Nakiah
Cherry Chinchilla, +1-212-846-6492 nakiah.cherry@nick.com both of Nickelodeon
Web Site: http://www.addictinggames.com
http://www.oddcast.com
http://www.shockwave.com
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