So there's this new thing called "casual gaming," and developers are scrambling to cash in on that market. Sports games aren't really new though.
You might consider Football Superstars as a strange hybrid of genres. The marketing campaign for this football MMOG -- not an RPG -- started in May 2008, with just 25,000 registrations. Publisher CyberSports had set a goal of 100k by the end of the year, and they reached that number in October. By November, Football Superstars had accumulated 200,000 users, and CyberSports is proud to announce the number now stands at 250,000 in total.
Curious as to what all the fuss is about? A description of the game reads:
In Football Superstars, players re-create themselves online as a footballer and then have free reign in a state of the art interactive virtual world. Players can play their way from 3-a-side up to full 11-a-side matches, gaining new attributes and skills in order to specialise in their chosen playing position. Away from the pitch players can socialise in restaurants, bars and clubs and visit virtual stores where they can buy equipment and clothes. Players can train in gyms and on training pitches to enhance their skills or flirt with the paparazzi in a bid to boost their fame and status and gain access to the most exclusive clubs and venues.
“Breaking the 250,000 barrier is an incredible achievement," said Phil Booker, head of Sales and Marketing at CyberSports. "It’s fantastic to see the results of the combination of strategic partnerships that we have set up and our marketing strategy using PPC, SEO and viral marketing paying off with such a large number of registrations."
66,000 of that 250k actively interact on the official forums, while 220,000 individual games of football have been played just these past eight weeks, amounting to half a million hours of game time.
Booker adds, "We’ve had great support from DBD Media and Infectious Media amongst others, and with their continued support, the registrations will continue to grow and Football Superstars will be the success that our hard work promises.”
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