360voice Community Podcast - Special Announcement

ChangeAgent, Fatty Chubs, and Squidpunch have a very special announcement to make!


MP3 File

Subscribe:
http://360voice.hipcast.com/rss/360voicecast.xml

Show Notes:
This is a really short podcast where we are announcing our merger with Gamerdna.com. Here is the full press release.

GamerDNA Acquires 360voice.com
Expands management team and adds Xbox to growing videogaming platform

CAMBRIDGE, MA, April 28, 2008 – GamerDNA Inc. announced that it completed the acquisition of It Can Talk Inc., owner of the popular Xbox community website 360voice.com.

The Xbox 360 is a popular videogame console with an installed base of over 18 million units, and the 360voice.com website is a community that serves this audience. 360voice.com had the unique advantage of being an early member of the Microsoft XCDP (Xbox Community Developers Program), which enabled it to create software that "autoblogs" about an Xbox owner's gameplay, and allows players to challenge each other in competitions for real prizes.

"We're building out a platform for the videogame market, unified by the idea of a consistent gamer identity that you can carry with you across an open network of gaming communities," said Jon Radoff, CEO of GamerDNA.

The founders of It Can Talk Inc. will relocate to Cambridge, Massachusetts, where they'll continue as part of the GamerDNA team.  Trapper Markelz, CEO of It Can Talk, will become the VP of Products for GamerDNA.

"With GamerDNA, we're creating the platform for a gamer's identity," said Trapper Markelz.  "Using technology we created at 360voice.com, we'll be feeding your achievements and experiences into a gaming history you can express throughout the Web."

It Can Talk is the second acquisition made by GamerDNA.  In November 2006, the company acquired Uberguilds, a network of popular MMORPG community websites.

"Video-gaming communities need new ways of exciting gamers—things that actually enhance the entertainment value of games," explained Michael Dowling, CEO of Interpret LLC, a California media and market research firm.  "360voice has crafted a unique set of experiences for Xbox owners.  Bringing similar experiences to other gamers will extend the reach of GamerDNA to millions of potential customers."

About GamerDNA Inc.
GamerDNA is building a community for the millions of people around the world who are passionate about the immersive, engaging experiences that can be found through games. Based in Cambridge, Massachusetts, GamerDNA is funded by Flybridge Capital Partners and led by a team of online media and computer games veterans from Eprise, New York Times Digital and Electronic Arts Mythic. More information is available at: http://www.gamerdna.com

Contact Info:
Carla Gaglione
GamerDNA Inc.
617-441-9060
media@gamerdna.com

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Also look for a special interview with The Xbox Podcast later tonight! Squidpunch and I sat down with Wingman709 and Bjswick33 to chat about the merger... what it means for the site, and what the future holds. Look for that to post this evening.

We will be holding a community chat event tomorrow evening to answer any questions and give away the Plays Well With Others badge to anyone that doesn't have it. Details will be posted later today.

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Comments

[DevsterC]

Interesting. Congrats. Thank goodness for the ease of distributed teams these days, makes such deals a lot less painful.

[TX Eegras]

Congrats guys. Bettering the auto-talking sites one group at a time.

Does this mean more APIs?

[DarthSonny]

Congrats on the new positions! This sounds like you made your passion into your work and that can't be too bad!

I look forward to how the site will evolve with the merger!

[SoupyC]

Congrats from me also! Looking forward to seeing what comes of this, and I hope we don't lose our 'community' aspect. Liking the sound of you guys working with the site now, rather than in your spare time. It can only mean good things! =D

[Vice Destroyer]

/start of tongue-in-cheek comment

Oh no, 360voice have sold out.

/end of tongue-in-cheek comment

Congratulations.

[Trapper Markelz (ChangeAgent)]

Why tongue-in-cheek?... we have sold out! :) At some point you have to if you want to make a career of this! My two daughters don't eat for free! The real question is how do you act AFTER selling out... but we wouldn't have done it if we didn't perceive it would put us in a stronger position to build and grow the community.

Might the community change slightly and evolve? Yes... but it would have had to start doing that anyway at some point... it is just a question of when that would occur...

[borandi]

Congrats guys =D

[HeNaniGenz 510]

Congrads guys everyone sells out don't let the fanboys tell you any different

even though you sold out it sounds like you all have a plan to make a better and bigger community

so keep selling out it seems to work

congrads again guys

[Vice Destroyer]

The tongue-in-cheek bit was just to make 100% sure that people knew I was just joking. I don't know how it is in USA, but over this side of the pond, throwing the accusation of seling out around, especially for entities which are labours of love by enthusiasts, always suggests that there will be a loss of core values or spirit at the end of the transition.

But, as your post said, it's all about how you act after becoming corporate. And I have nothing but faith that the 360v team is going to go from strength to strength.

So, just to reiterate. Congratulations. And I mean that most sincerely.

[Mitsuho]

Send me a message over live! Hook me up with a gamerDNA closed beta invite and/or a subscription account when it opens! It's not called 'Selling out' if there isn't a pay off!