RealNetworks hopes to enhance interactive gaming with the release of GameHouse for Facebook, which can be played directly inside the leading social networking site.
This is a significant step forward for Real, as the company continues its search for new sources of revenue. Social networking gaming is expected to be a growing $2 billion market within two years -- and Facebook continues to lead the social networking world. If successful, Real plans to release GameHouse for Comcast and other interested partners.
One of the biggest problems game developers now face is the increasing number of platforms that they must rewrite their games for. The Real GameHouse Fusion software hopes to change that. The software can reportedly generate hundreds of clones of a given game, creating versions that will run on Facebook, a wide range of Android devices, iPhones and other platforms.
More than 1,000 games will be available immediately, though it remains to be seen how popular the social gaming platform and developer tools will be in the community.
Real will make it easier for developers to generate revenue by including built-in ad placement in new games. Instead of using several different tools, the new Real GameHouse Fusion developer solution will consolidate necessary functions in one program. This will also ensure the games are optimized for use in Facebook and other locations.
I look forward to seeing what developers are able to come up with after dabbling with GameHouse Fusion.
Facebook, MySpace and other online services are looking for new methods to keep users logged into the service. These games could also one day be ported over for use in the living room since there is a growing popularity in streaming content.
Real is restructuring and spinning off business units with the company's music and games businesses up first. This could help the company focus on each product line in greater detail, so they're able to offer better services.
The announcement was made during the Web 2.0 conference in San Francisco, a trade show that highlights interactive Internet use.
