Whole Network Most Recent TOP10 Device Evolution Mobile Content Mobile Marketing News

 

Habbo Hotel Gets Cash, Goes Mobile

Filed in archive Mobile Community by Scott on July 12, 2006

Habbo Hotel Gets Cash, Goes Mobile
Finland-based Sulake Corp. Oy, developers of Habbo Hotel, a cartoony online community geared at teens, has just announced it raised a third round of capital, totalling €6 million, to help fuel expansion. The game is currently operating in 18 countries.

Sulake also announced it plans to go mobile, with the development of a mobile version of the Hotel in Japan, no surprise since its most recent round came from Movida Investment International, a JV between Softbank and Asian Groove. Oliver at Mobile Crunch reports Habbo earned €29 million in revenue off 7 million visitors to the 18 sites last year.

GigaOm provides additional thinking on Habbo's rationale for moving to mobile environments:

Sulake can stand to make significant money off porting Habbo to cell phones. The company plans to work with handset manufacturers, to preinstall the mobile community, carriers, to Boost Mobilelinks portal traffic, and other entertainment brands to distribute content wirelessly. A Habbo-themed handset could even be in order-Habbo MVNO? It's such a good idea that combined with the success of the Internet site, a company exec said Sulake is planning an IPO at the end of next year.

One reason Habbo Hotel will likely be so successful on the mobile, is because its virtual-only animations and avatars, exclude some of the real-world problems associated with a MySpace-style social network. It's the same thing with Cyworld, Korea's mostly virtual world, which has also been successful on mobile.


I tried Habbo out yesterday, and while it is a bit simplistic compared to, say, Second Life, I can see the appeal to younger users. It is visually appealing, fun, and as Katie at GigaOm says above, a more straightforward port to a mobile screen.


Advertisement




Permalink: Habbo Hotel Gets Cash, Goes Mobile
Tags: habbo  hotel  mobile  wireless  gets  habbo+hotel  goes+mobile  gets+cash 

Trackback: http://www.creative-weblogging.com/cgi-bin/mt-tb.pl/29125



Related Entries:

iPod Hotel Vending + Hotel Podcasting - 02 June 2006

Habbo Hotel 将发布新版 Habbo Home - 08 十一月 2006

Habbo Going Mobile - 13 December 2006

Virtual Kids - 07 May 2007

Advertisement


Advertisement


RSSrss   | See all blog subscribe options
Googlegoogle   |   What is RSS?
Yahoo!yahoo
AddthisAddThis Feed Button
BloglinesBloglines
Newsletter

Use our search feature to look for other interesting posts

Just this blog Whole network
 
  • Advertise with us

  • Learn more about our advertising options or email advertising - at - creative-weblogging.com or give Luis a call at +1 (650) 331 8047.


  • Testimonials

  • 'Great analysis...'

    'revenue, schmevenue -- where's the app, i'm ready to play :-)'

    'Your site is unique and helps make my life easier when trying to find news on mobile phones.'
  • Other blogs in the same channel in the Creative Weblogging Network







 
Tagcloud: 3G Analysis Announcements Art Bling Blogging Carnival of the Capitalists Concepts Design Device Evolution E-mail Events Forecasts Forum Fun Links Location Based Services Media Mobile Commerce Mobile Community Mobile Content Mobile Culture Mobile Games Mobile Internet Mobile Marketing Mobile Society Mobile Technologies New Applications New Launches News Operators Personal Portable Devices Privacy and Security Retailing Rumours Sponsored Posts Survey VoIP Wireless Access