Latest news with #AgeofEmpires
Yahoo
18-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Thousands and Wildcard Announce $9M Fundraise Co-Led by Arbitrum Gaming Ventures and Paradigm
MCKINNEY, Texas, June 18, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Thousands, a revolutionary web3 protocol that transforms word-of-mouth marketing into a universal attribution infrastructure - together with sister company The Wildcard Alliance - today announced a joint $9 million fundraising round co-led by Arbitrum Gaming Ventures and Paradigm. The companies, founded by co-CEOs Paul and Katy Drake Bettner whose past work includes Words With Friends, Lucky's Tale, and Age of Empires, have secured $6.5 million to date and expect to close the remaining funding over the next 60 days. This new funding builds on the companies' $46 million Series A raised in 2022, and will be used to accelerate development of their integrated ecosystem of products, utilizing the Thousands protocol and platform to unlock new channels of creator-centric user acquisition and help launch their own upcoming game, Wildcard. "It's simple," said Paul Bettner, co-CEO. "Wildcard only succeeds if its creators and community succeed. So we need a better way to reward these incredible contributors who drive immense value to the game. Thousands gives us the on-chain 'rails' to solve this problem, to record and reward user acquisition and conversion at every step of the funnel." "It's simple," said Paul Bettner, co-CEO. "Wildcard needed a better way to reward the incredible contributors who drive immense value to the game – the creators, the influencers, the super fans. Thousands gives us the on-chain 'rails' to solve this problem, to record and reward user acquisition and conversion at every step of the funnel." The synergy between Wildcard and Thousands has already demonstrated explosive growth. The Thousands network recorded over $800,000 in revenue in May 2025 alone, with an average revenue-per-stream of $50k, average viewer-to-payer conversion of 77%, and a new all-time-high revenue record at $134k — metrics that far exceed industry standards. The Thousands network addresses an untapped, trillion dollar word-of-mouth economy, by making influence and attribution transparent, programmable, and incentive-aligned. The Thousands network enables creators and communities to earn instantly when their content drives conversions, while IP owners benefit from significantly lower customer acquisition costs compared to traditional channels. "Thousands is redefining how games and content reach audiences," said Rick Johanson, Founding Partner at Arbitrum Gaming Ventures. "Their web-native streaming layer – think Twitch meets WalletConnect – allows every connected viewer to become an active participant in an on-chain economy, transforming spectators into engaged users." "We believe in this game and we believe in this team," said Dave White, Research Partner at Paradigm. "Paul, Kate, and team have created one of the most eagerly anticipated games in crypto and we're very excited for what comes next." Since their initial funding, both platforms have achieved significant milestones. Wildcard was recently approved for release on Steam, where the 100k+ community are now playtesting Alpha builds of the game weekly, in preparation for Wildcard's Early Access release later this year. These playtests are broadcast on several times a week, helping to demonstrate the Thousands' network's ability to sustain engagement and monetization, with an average revenue _per viewer_ of $141 dollars. "Thousands doesn't feel like streaming. It's no longer a one-way street.", said Payton Kaleiwahea, content creator and founder of WolvesDAO, "Fans and creators are interacting; you're not just watching the game. You're connected to it. You're inside it. With Thousands, being there matters, and that changes everything." About The Wildcard Alliance and Thousands The Wildcard Alliance and Thousands are building the future of interactive entertainment, powered by communities. Founded by industry veterans Paul and Katy Drake Bettner, the companies are building disruptive new products at the intersection of cutting-edge technology, beloved IP, and fun. The Wildcard Alliance previously raised $46 million in 2022 from investors including Paradigm, Griffin Gaming Partners, and Sabrina Hahn. Learn more at and Media Contact:Leah Schultzpress@ View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE The Wildcard Alliance, Inc.
New York Post
09-05-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Post
World Video Game Hall of Fame inducts 4 nostalgic classics: What do you think of their picks?
The World Video Game Hall of Fame on Thursday inducted four honorees, paying tribute to games that challenged players and changed the industry. Making up the Class of 2025 are: Defender, the 1981 arcade game that raised the bar on difficulty; Tamagotchi, the digital pets that bridged toys and video games; GoldenEye 007, whose four-person mode influenced multiplayer games that followed; and Quake, which debuted in 1996 with a 3D engine that became the new standard for the industry. The winners emerged from a field of 12 finalists that included Age of Empires, Angry Birds, Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, Frogger, Golden Tee, Harvest Moon, Mattel Football, and NBA 2K. Advertisement 7 The World Video Game Hall of Fame on Thursday inducted four honorees for 2025. AP 7 Class of 2025 included the arcade game Defender, Tamagotchi digital pets, GoldenEye 007 and Quake. AP 7 Defender, released by Williams Electronics, combined intense gameplay and a complicated control scheme with a horizontally scrolling shooter. Strong National Museum of Play / YouTube The Hall of Fame each year recognizes arcade, console, computer, handheld, and mobile games that have had staying power and influenced the video game industry or pop culture. Advertisement Id Software's 1996 Quake was recognized for its lasting influence, with a game code that 'is a literal legacy' and continues to be used in some games after nearly 30 years, electronic games curator Lindsey Kurano said. Quake co-creator John Romeo, on hand to see his game enshrined, said he and the other developers worked on the game for an exceptionally long time, a year and a half, playing it constantly. 'We knew that what we were building into the game was going to make people who had played our previous game, Doom, even happier with the addition of a programming language built into the game,' he said in remarks aired on Advertisement 'We're just really happy with the impact that Quake made on the world,' he said. The best-selling Defender, released by Williams Electronics, proved that players would embrace complex and challenging games in the arcade, the experts said. It combined intense gameplay and a complicated control scheme with a horizontally scrolling shooter. 7 According to electronic games curator Lindsey KuranoId, Id Software's 1996 'Quake' was recognized for its game code that 'is a literal legacy.' Strong National Museum of Play / YouTube 7 The handheld egg-shaped Tamagotchi is credited with sparking the popularity of pet simulation video games, where players care for their virtual pet. Strong National Museum of Play / YouTube Advertisement 'Defender's punishing gameplay raised the level of competition in arcades, and it was among the first games to truly separate dedicated players from more casual ones,' Jeremy Saucier, assistant vice president for interpretation and electronic games, said. The 1996 launch of Tamagotchi is credited with sparking the popularity of pet simulation video games. The handheld egg-shaped electronic game allowed owners to care for a virtual pet from birth through death, feeding, playing with and cleaning up after it by pressing buttons. Collections manager Kristy Hisert said Tamagotchi offered something different than the popular video game electronics of the time. 'It provided players with feelings of connection, caring, and customization, a respite from competition and fighting games,' she said. Neopets, Nintendogs and other social media and app-based versions of pet simulation games would follow. 7 GoldenEye 007 was based on the James Bond film 'GoldenEye.' Strong National Museum of Play / YouTube 7 GoldenEye 007 was a first-person shooter game, known for its four-person multiplayer mode. Strong National Museum of Play / YouTube GoldenEye 007 was based on the 1995 James Bond spy film 'GoldenEye' and was the third best-selling game for the Nintendo 64, behind Super Mario 64 and Mario Kart 64. The result of a 1997 partnership between Nintendo and Rare, the first-person shooter game was known for its four-person multiplayer mode, which Hall of Fame experts said influenced many multiplayer games that followed. The World Video Game Hall of Fame is inside The Strong National Museum of Play. Anyone can nominate a video game for consideration. Museum staff name 12 finalists each year and solicit votes from experts and fans before announcing the winners.
Engadget
08-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Engadget
GoldenEye 007 and Quake join the World Video Game Hall of Fame
Strong National Museum of Play The World Video Game Hall of Fame welcomed its 2025 inductees today. The Strong National Museum of Play announced that the newest entries are GoldenEye 007 from Rare, Quake by id Software, Defender from Williams Electronics and Tamagotchi by Bandai. The four games chosen "have significantly influenced popular culture and the video game industry," the museum said in its press release. The other impactful games nominated for inclusion this year are Age of Empires , Angry Birds , Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 , Frogger , Golden Tee , Harvest Moon , Mattel Football and NBA 2K . The selections may spark some serious nostalgia for those of us who grew up in the 90s. I remember being deeply envious of my classmates who had little Tamagotchi pets to care for, and I have fond memories of smack-talking my friends during late-night GoldenEye matches. Last year's inductees also highlighted favorites from that era like Myst , Resident Evil and SimCity .
08-05-2025
- Entertainment
World Video Game Hall of Fame inducts Defender, Tamagotchi, GoldenEye 007 and Quake
ROCHESTER, N.Y. -- The World Video Game Hall of Fame on Thursday inducted four honorees, paying tribute to games that challenged players and changed the industry. Making up the Class of 2025 are: Defender, the 1981 arcade game that raised the bar on difficulty; Tamagotchi, the digital pets that bridged toys and video games; GoldenEye 007, whose four-person mode influenced multiplayer games that followed; and Quake, which debuted in 1996 with a 3D engine that became the new standard for the industry. The winners emerged from a field of 12 finalists that included Age of Empires, Angry Birds, Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, Frogger, Golden Tee, Harvest Moon, Mattel Football, and NBA 2K. The Hall of Fame each year recognizes arcade, console, computer, handheld, and mobile games that have had staying power and influenced the video game industry or pop culture. The best-selling Defender, released by Williams Electronics, proved that players would embrace complex and challenging games in the arcade, the experts said. It combined intense gameplay and a complicated control scheme with a horizontally scrolling shooter. 'Defender's punishing gameplay raised the level of competition in arcades, and it was among the first games to truly separate dedicated players from more casual ones," Jeremy Saucier, assistant vice president for interpretation and electronic games, said. The 1996 launch of Tamagotchi is credited with sparking the popularity of pet simulation video games. The handheld egg-shaped electronic game allowed owners to care for a virtual pet from birth through death, feeding, playing with and cleaning up after it by pressing buttons. Collections manager Kristy Hisert said Tamagotchi offered something different than the popular video game electronics of the time. "It provided players with feelings of connection, caring, and customization, a respite from competition and fighting games,' she said. Neopets, Nintendogs and other social media and app-based versions of pet simulation games would follow. GoldenEye 007 was based on the 1995 James Bond spy film 'GoldenEye' and was the third best-selling game for the Nintendo 64, behind Super Mario 64 and Mario Kart 64. The result of a 1997 partnership between Nintendo and Rare, the first-person shooter game was known for its four-person multiplayer mode, which Hall of Fame experts said influenced many multiplayer games that followed. Id Software's 1996 Quake was also recognized for its lasting influence, with a game code that 'is a literal legacy' and continues to be used in some games after nearly 30 years, electronic games curator Lindsey Kurano said. "Of few games can it be said that its DNA — its code — continues to be present in modern games, decades after release,' she said. The World Video Game Hall of Fame is inside The Strong National Museum of Play. Anyone can nominate a video game for consideration. Museum staff name 12 finalists each year and solicit votes from experts and fans before announcing the winners.
Winnipeg Free Press
08-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Winnipeg Free Press
World Video Game Hall of Fame inducts Defender, Tamagotchi, GoldenEye 007 and Quake
ROCHESTER, N.Y. (AP) — The World Video Game Hall of Fame on Thursday inducted four honorees, paying tribute to games that challenged players and changed the industry. Making up the Class of 2025 are: Defender, the 1981 arcade game that raised the bar on difficulty; Tamagotchi, the digital pets that bridged toys and video games; GoldenEye 007, whose four-person mode influenced multiplayer games that followed; and Quake, which debuted in 1996 with a 3D engine that became the new standard for the industry. The winners emerged from a field of 12 finalists that included Age of Empires, Angry Birds, Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, Frogger, Golden Tee, Harvest Moon, Mattel Football, and NBA 2K. The Hall of Fame each year recognizes arcade, console, computer, handheld, and mobile games that have had staying power and influenced the video game industry or pop culture. The best-selling Defender, released by Williams Electronics, proved that players would embrace complex and challenging games in the arcade, the experts said. It combined intense gameplay and a complicated control scheme with a horizontally scrolling shooter. 'Defender's punishing gameplay raised the level of competition in arcades, and it was among the first games to truly separate dedicated players from more casual ones,' Jeremy Saucier, assistant vice president for interpretation and electronic games, said. The 1996 launch of Tamagotchi is credited with sparking the popularity of pet simulation video games. The handheld egg-shaped electronic game allowed owners to care for a virtual pet from birth through death, feeding, playing with and cleaning up after it by pressing buttons. Collections manager Kristy Hisert said Tamagotchi offered something different than the popular video game electronics of the time. Winnipeg Jets Game Days On Winnipeg Jets game days, hockey writers Mike McIntyre and Ken Wiebe send news, notes and quotes from the morning skate, as well as injury updates and lineup decisions. Arrives a few hours prior to puck drop. 'It provided players with feelings of connection, caring, and customization, a respite from competition and fighting games,' she said. Neopets, Nintendogs and other social media and app-based versions of pet simulation games would follow. GoldenEye 007 was based on the 1995 James Bond spy film 'GoldenEye' and was the third best-selling game for the Nintendo 64, behind Super Mario 64 and Mario Kart 64. The result of a 1997 partnership between Nintendo and Rare, the first-person shooter game was known for its four-person multiplayer mode, which Hall of Fame experts said influenced many multiplayer games that followed. Id Software's 1996 Quake was also recognized for its lasting influence, with a game code that 'is a literal legacy' and continues to be used in some games after nearly 30 years, electronic games curator Lindsey Kurano said. 'Of few games can it be said that its DNA — its code — continues to be present in modern games, decades after release,' she said. The World Video Game Hall of Fame is inside The Strong National Museum of Play. Anyone can nominate a video game for consideration. Museum staff name 12 finalists each year and solicit votes from experts and fans before announcing the winners.
