hi5 is getting in touch with its inner gamer. After a multiyear struggle to keep users from defecting to rivals, the social network is reinventing itself as a social gaming and entertainment site.
Founded in 2003, hi5 will keep letting users interact with friends and family. It will also place greater emphasis on such games as pool, bingo, and Demolition City, which involves blowing up buildings around the world. Many of the pastimes include purchasing so-called virtual goods, in-game products that help a player accomplish tasks and graduate to higher levels.
By changing tack, hi5 is trying to tap the large,growing market for virtual goods, expected by ThinkEquity analysts to be worth more than $5 billion globally in 2010. The move also underscores the growing popularity of Facebook and microblogging site Twitter at the expense of rivals such as hi5 and MySpace, which itself is expanding music, gaming, and entertainment features. In January, hi5 had 47 million unique visitors worldwide, a 22% decline from a year earlier, according to ComScore (SCOR). Over the same period, Facebook's traffic doubled to 471 million, while Twitter grew more than tenfold to 73.5 million.
Techdy Bear views :
Another social network emulating one of Facebook's main attractions - social games. hi5 inability to compete with its rivals had forced hi5 become social gaming and entertainment site. I have a hi5 account although I hardly use it. I'm not a big fan of social games. Personally think playing social games are waste of time. But, hi5 Games are slightly different from others. There are lots of downloadable games (some games you need to buy). I think I will try hi5 Games (download free games!). I think hi5 made a good move. Hoping that hi5 will attract more users.
sources : hi5 Games
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