Intel Helps Sink Cool $5 Million Into In-game Ad Firm
In-game advertisement specialist IGA now fully cash rich.
Following Microsoft’s recent acquisition of in-game advertising specialists Massive Inc., Intel has today announced that it has joined up with a bunch of venture capitalists to pump a load of cash into IGA Worldwide, the leading independent in-game advertising company.
The company announced earlier today that it has received a combined $5 million investment from Intel Capital and a number of other investors to complete a Series A funding round that totals $17 million.
"Intel Capital's investment in IGA Worldwide will be used to further accelerate our strategic relationship building program with the leading game publishers around the world," said IGA Worldwide CEO Justin Townsend, no doubt rubbing his hands with glee! "As we see the in-game advertising market mature, the revenue from all forms of brand placements in games will be an important source of income for game publishers," he added.
Damien Callaghan, Strategic Investment Manager for Intel Capital was luckily on hand to add in his own brand of corporate PR quote: "The explosive growth of digital gaming is attracting millions of new users and is a key element of Intel's vision for the Digital Home… IGA's products enhance this opportunity by enabling game developers and publishers to earn additional revenue ensuring the continuation of a vibrant industry - an issue of importance to Intel and its customers."
IGA Worldwide sees itself as “a conduit” between advertisers, agencies and publishers. IGA’s release also informs us that, “strategic communications consultancy IGA Hive provide the expertise, services and infrastructure to tap into a mass entertainment audience that reaches out to 150 million people in the US alone, predominantly in the lucrative and notoriously hard-to-reach 18 to 34 year old male audience.”
As development costs for next-gen games soar, SPOnG realises that in-game advertising is increasingly going to be a necessary additional revenue stream for publishers and developers in the future.
Let us know what you think about in-game advertising. A necessary evil? Or, if done well, can it even add to a gaming experience as some more enthusiastic in-game advertising execs would have us believe?
The company announced earlier today that it has received a combined $5 million investment from Intel Capital and a number of other investors to complete a Series A funding round that totals $17 million.
"Intel Capital's investment in IGA Worldwide will be used to further accelerate our strategic relationship building program with the leading game publishers around the world," said IGA Worldwide CEO Justin Townsend, no doubt rubbing his hands with glee! "As we see the in-game advertising market mature, the revenue from all forms of brand placements in games will be an important source of income for game publishers," he added.
Damien Callaghan, Strategic Investment Manager for Intel Capital was luckily on hand to add in his own brand of corporate PR quote: "The explosive growth of digital gaming is attracting millions of new users and is a key element of Intel's vision for the Digital Home… IGA's products enhance this opportunity by enabling game developers and publishers to earn additional revenue ensuring the continuation of a vibrant industry - an issue of importance to Intel and its customers."
IGA Worldwide sees itself as “a conduit” between advertisers, agencies and publishers. IGA’s release also informs us that, “strategic communications consultancy IGA Hive provide the expertise, services and infrastructure to tap into a mass entertainment audience that reaches out to 150 million people in the US alone, predominantly in the lucrative and notoriously hard-to-reach 18 to 34 year old male audience.”
As development costs for next-gen games soar, SPOnG realises that in-game advertising is increasingly going to be a necessary additional revenue stream for publishers and developers in the future.
Let us know what you think about in-game advertising. A necessary evil? Or, if done well, can it even add to a gaming experience as some more enthusiastic in-game advertising execs would have us believe?