New Technology Partnership to Personalize GameSpot User Experience in 2010

 

SAN FRANCISCO, December 7, 2009 - GameSpot (www.gamespot.com/) today announced a partnership with Raptr (http://raptr.com/), the free service that makes it easier to play games with your friends.  Under the partnership, GameSpot will use social data and technology from Raptr to create applications that let gamers personalize their gaming experience and easily connect with friends and peers who share the same interests and passions.

 

Beginning in early 2010, when GameSpot users sign up for Raptr, their game play information will surface on GameSpot, including the games they own and the stats, scores and achievements around each game.  GameSpot users will also be able to see when friends are playing, show off their achievements and view overall gaming trends.  Raptr's real-time data-alongside GameSpot's in-depth reviews, news and editorials-will take GameSpot users to a new level of understanding about what is happening in games now.

                                                                                                                                              

"GameSpot has always prided itself on offering gamers the most complete gaming content experience, not only with our award-winning editorial, but also via our video content, cheats and strategy, and one of the most active gaming communities online," said Simon Whitcombe, Vice President of Games, CBS Interactive.  "By working with Raptr, we intend to create new ways to personalize the gaming experience for our user-base-from a game progress tracker to a game recommendations engine-the possibilities are endlessly exciting."

 

Raptr identifies the best-in-breed social networking tools available on the Web today and integrates those tools into one comprehensive service.  Gamers can share gaming activity via Facebook and Twitter, as well as communicate via their favorite IM service, share game reviews, and track and compare gaming progress, achievements and scores across multiple platforms, including the PC and Xbox Live.  Raptr can be used across a range of game genres and models, including core PC games like Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, subscription-based MMOs like World of Warcraft, and free-to-play/social games such as Maplestory and Farmville. 

 

"Raptr uniquely captures the most real-time information about the games people are playing right now," said Dennis Fong, CEO, Raptr.  "By partnering with GameSpot, we now offer our information with one of the most prestigious gaming sources available online, furthering our mission to make it easier for gamers to connect with each other in places where they are already consuming gaming content." 

 

About Raptr

Raptr (http://raptr.com/) is a free social utility that makes it easier to play games with your friends and see what the world is playing.  Raptr works in real-time across multiple platforms, including PC, Mac, Xbox Live, Facebook, and Flash, and also allows gaming activity to be shared automatically with friends on other popular social media sites like Facebook and Twitter and on major IM networks like AIM, Live Messenger, Yahoo! Messenger, ICQ, Xfire, Facebook Chat and Xbox Live.  The Raptr client software is distributed through a variety of channels via its Raptr Partners Program.  Current partners include game publishers Activision Publishing, THQ, Sony Online Entertainment, NHN USA, Gamescampus and Gala-Net, as well as hardware companies Razer Group and Bigfoot Networks. Raptr was founded in 2007 by Xfire co-founder and world champion gamer Dennis Fong.  The company is made up of people who love to play games and has raised over $12 million in funding from investors that include Accel Partners and The Founders Fund.  For more information, please visit http://raptr.com/.

 

About GameSpot

GameSpot's (http://www.gamespot.com/) expert editorial team provides more than a million daily visitors with comprehensive, engaging, and unbiased game information for console, PC, and portable platforms.  The site's award-winning coverage includes previews and reviews on the hottest titles, breaking news, live Web casts, online tournaments, game downloads, videos, guides, hints, and more.  GameSpot also has one of the most active online gaming communities fueled by a free, innovative social networking service that makes it easy and fun for gamers to meet and interact with other like-minded enthusiasts.  The GameSpot family also includes GameFAQs, SportsGamer, Game Rankings, and GameSpot Trax, the industry's premier real-time market intelligence tool.

About CBS Interactive

CBS Interactive, a division of CBS Corporation, is the best online content network for information and entertainment.  With 200 million people visiting its properties each month, it is a top 10 Web property globally and a top 5 Web property in the U.S. in terms of unique video viewers.  Its portfolio of leading brands, which include CNET, CBS.com, CBSSports.com, GameSpot, TV.com, BNET and Last.fm, span popular categories like technology, entertainment, sports, news and business.  Follow CBS Interactive on Twitter: www.twitter.com/cbsitweets

Follow CBS Interactive on Twitter: www.twitter.com/cbsitweets

 

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Contacts:

 

For Raptr:                                                        For GameSpot:

Andrea Schneider                                             Leslie Van Every         

Brew PR                                                          CBS Interactive

andrea@brewpr.com                                        leslie.vanevery@cbs.com