MySpace set to expand via casual games applications

Oberon Media, the world’s leading multi-platform casual games company, has today revealed a new and significant partnership forged with MySpace that will see a dedicated casual games channel incorporated into the pages of the News Corp-owned social networking service. Social networking service MySpace joins with Oberon Media to bring hundreds of casual online games to its 100 million users. Credit: MySpace.

Social networking service MySpace joins with Oberon Media to bring hundreds of casual online games to its 100 million users. Credit: MySpace. Described as a way to "empower" MySpace users while also adding "gaming functionality" to their network profiles, the incoming casual-gaming channel will offer users access to literally hundreds of award-winning online casual titles, which can be played with friends in the MySpace community, or even shared virally via personal profile pages.All of the online games opened to MySpace users by Oberon will arrive free of charge and will allow players to challenge their friends to engage in multiplayer action, invite them to indulge in some single player fun, or even socialise through chat-based services delivered by the games themselves."Bringing entertainment in the form of fun, social, casual games will enhance our user experience," outlined Amit Kapur, VP of Business Development for MySpace. "Our goal is to provide our members with an easy way to play with their friends and give them additional ways to interact."While the casual market is not yet as hard-hitting in the revenue department as its home-based and mobile console counterparts, a related CNBC report offers that investment bankers Pacific Crest see 2006’s $380 million USD shifting toward a 35 percent growth rate. If that estimate proves accurate, the casual games market will soon be progressing at twice the speed of videogame consoles."We’re very excited to be partnering with MySpace to provide the best social networking casual games experience to its growing audience," enthused Tal Kerret, co-founder and chairman of Oberon Media. "We’re looking forward to responding to users’ needs and to involving the best game developers to create the greatest online entertainment experience." MySpace will be looking to the cross-demographic appeal of Oberon Media’s simple and accessible gaming content to boost its positioning at the world’s leading social networking site, not least due to the continuing rise of rival service Facebook. Oberon also stands to benefit hugely from the deal, with MySpace’s 100 million users massively boosting the 33 million users it has already amassed through distribution partnerships with Comcast, Microsoft, and Yahoo.