Big Fish Games
 | |
| Type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry |
Video game Computer software |
| Founded | Seattle (2002) |
| Headquarters | Seattle, Washington, United States |
| Key people | Paul Thelen, Chairman/CEO |
| Products | Video games (Casual games) |
| Employees | 700 (2013) |
| Website | bigfishgames.com |
Big Fish Games is a provider of Internet media delivery software and game services based in Seattle, Washington. The company was founded in 2002 by Paul Thelen,[1] and currently employs more than 700 people.[2] Most of Big Fish Games' titles can be played for free in trial form, with the full version available for a fee. Big Fish Games has several lines of business including distribution of downloadable casual games, free online browser games, game development and game licensing, and most recently a social networking site for casual game players to share opinions and information about games.
History
Big Fish Games was founded by ex-RealNetworks executive Paul Thelen in 2002 with $10,000.[3] Thelen was the Group Product Manager that launched the RealArcade games service for RealNetworks.[4] In 2009, the company announced the opening of their new European headquarters in Cork, Ireland. The BBB rates Big Fish Games as an A+ due to its response and resolution to complaints, and the relative low complaint volume for a business of its size.[5]
In August 2013, the company announced the closing of its cloud-based games service, Vancouver studio and Cork offices.[6]
Big Fish Studios
Big Fish Studios is the internal development studio that publishes original titles every year through Big Fish Games. Many of these games are developed using its own proprietary game engine that supports both DirectX and OpenGL.[7][8]
Games developed by Big Fish Studios include:
- Mystery Case Files: Huntsville (November 14, 2005)
- Mystery Case Files: Prime Suspects (April 6, 2006)
- Mystic Inn (April 12, 2006)
- Hidden Expedition: Titanic (July 21, 2006)
- Mystery Case Files: Ravenhearst (December 14, 2006)
- Hidden Expedition: Everest (June 1, 2007)
- Mystery Case Files: Madame Fate (November 6, 2007)
- Mystery in London (December 14, 2007)
- Mystery Case Files: Return to Ravenhearst (November 27, 2008)
- Hidden Expedition: Amazon (June 20, 2008)
- Drawn: The Painted Tower (September 5, 2009)
- Hidden Expedition: Devil's Triangle (October 24, 2009)
- Mystery Case Files: Dire Grove (November 25, 2009)
- Life Quest (April 29, 2010)
- Drawn: Dark Flight (August 31, 2010)
- Mystery Case Files: 13th Skull (November 25, 2010)
- Mystery Case Files: The Malgrave Incident (June 29, 2011)
- Drawn: Trail of Shadows (October 21, 2011)
- Hidden Expedition - The Uncharted Islands (October 28, 2011)
- Mystery Case Files: Escape from Ravenhearst (November 24, 2011)
- Fairway Solitaire HD (May 24, 2012)
- Mystery Case Files: Shadow Lake (November 20, 2012)
- Fetch (March 21, 2013)
- Mystery Case Files: Fate's Carnival (November 26, 2013)
- Hidden Expedition: Smithsonian Hope Diamond (December 19, 2013)
Digital distribution
Big Fish Games distributes over 2500 casual downloadable games for over 500 developers.[9] According to Big Fish Games, the company serves over 1,500,000 downloads per day.[10] The service offers downloadable casual games with a try-before-you-buy model where consumers can play games for free for 60 minutes, then have the option to purchase that game to keep playing.
Online games
Big Fish Games used to distribute online web browser games that were free to play and advertising supported. There were over 80 games to play. The games all included chat and players earned tokens that could be used to enter lotteries to win cash prizes and free games.
Just over 20 of Big Fish Games community games were ported to Big Sea Games, a sister site that was free to play with no advertising. It was announced that Big Sea Games would be closed on September 1, 2010 after just over a year.[11]
Big Fish Games also operated the popular online game Faunasphere, accessible both from its own site and through Facebook. It was announced on February 15, 2011 that the Faunasphere would be shutting down on March 15.
Club membership
Big Fish Games operates a Game Club subscription that is optionally activated when a customer purchases one of their full-version games. The subscription is billed as a monthly charge, and can be canceled at any time.
References
- ↑ "Big Fish Games Press Room". Big Fish Games. Retrieved 2011-05-23.
- ↑ "Big Fish Press Room".
- ↑ "Big Fish Games Press Room". Big Fish Games. Retrieved 2011-05-23.
- ↑ Reese, Heather (2005-09-09). "Thelen Worked Through Illness to Launch Big Fish". Puget Sound Business Journal. Retrieved 2009-10-25.
- ↑ http://www.bbb.org/western-washington/business-reviews/games-and-supplies/big-fish-games-in-seattle-wa-39000589#reasonrating. Missing or empty
|title=(help) - ↑ http://www.geekwire.com/2013/full-memo-big-fish-ceo-announces-job-cuts-closure-ireland-bc-facilities-cancellation-cloud-games-business/. Missing or empty
|title=(help) - ↑ "Chris Campbell, Brian Thompson, Peter Yiap interview". Adventure Classic Gaming. 2010-01-23. Retrieved 2011-11-26.
- ↑ "Big Fish Games presents the Big Fish Games collection". Big Fish Games. 2011-07-24. Retrieved 2011-07-24.
- ↑ Takahashi, Dean (2010-01-12). "Big Fish Games and PlayFirst team up for online game distribution". VentureBeat. Retrieved 2011-05-23.
- ↑ "People and Big Fish Games Launch Exclusive Partnership". IGN.com. 2009-07-30. Retrieved 2009-10-25.
- ↑
External links
- Official website
- Big Sea Games - sister site for online games
Coordinates: 47°37′15″N 122°21′43″W / 47.620941°N 122.361906°W
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