NBC gets into games with $110m Bigpoint swoop

Digital

NBC gets into games with $110m Bigpoint swoop

NBC gets into games with $110m Bigpoint swoop

American TV giant NBC has followed contemporaries Warner Bros and Disney to stake a big claim on the games market, acquiring a controlling stake in German casual site Bigpoint for €70m ($110m).

NBC's equity firm Peacock has teamed up with UK-based private funding firm GMT to grab a 70 per cent portion of the site (split between them) - the rest remains with 32-year-old chief executive and Bigpoint founder Heiko Hubertzwhich.

His site, founded six years ago, offers a variety of free to play browser-based casual games but encourages users to sign up and pay for extra features.

Bigpoint will now be fast-tracked for US success, and will be promoted on NBC's Sci-Fi and USA cable networks.

“It very quickly became clear that one of the big opportunities for this business was expansion in the US, and with GE and NBC Universal as our co-investors they can help to achieve this,” the FT quotes Tim Green, managing partner of GMT, as saying.

“We like the gaming space in particular, given its growth characteristics,” added Thomas Byrne, head of Peacock, which also invested in in-game ad firm IGA Worldwide, and online game firm Trion which also has a deal with the Sci-Fi channel to make a massively-multiplayer online title alongside a new sci-fi TV show set in the same world.

Byrne also told Variety that the move will also mean new casual games developed based on NBC properties: "We'll be leveraging the unique and powerful aspects of NBC Universal to develop new games and bring Bigpoint to the US."

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berardino pace

Feb 26th 2009 | 10:32

Attenzione, sui giochi on-line, una volta effettuati i pagamenti, non è possibile avere quello che si è comprato. Il loro supporto è un muro di gomma, e non rispondono se non come vogliono loro. Attenzione alle truffe!!!!

Tom

Mar 23rd 2010 | 07:07

In my opinion, I would not recommend playing any of BIGPOINT's browser games. They are advertised as a "free" online game, yet it cost you quite a bit in real money to play the games. I play Seafight, and it is rediculous at how much money the game requires from you to play competitively and even to get started.
The customer service really is horrible. I have a "Premium" package, and although I know what I am paying for and getting what I expect, the customer service for "PAYING CUSTOMERS" is insulting. All I have ever received was an automatic response email and I was referred to the game Forum. Where the Forum moderators, referred me back to support.
The Bigpoint company has decided to useone particular server, the USA East server as a "test" server for changes in the game. From my perspective, it seems to have become a profit test server. I belive the USA servers probably make the most money for the company and this is why that server is being used. The "tests" are very disruptful and costly for the players. Changes are made without notice or at least warning, and players lose the money they put into it. I personnally wouldn't recommend the companies games to anyone.

Gamer1769

Apr 11th 2010 | 04:06

edward

Apr 11th 2010 | 04:27

ok i think its nice you have bigpoint i am a users of a few of the game and i have to say you have been makeing some bad changes plz stop darkorbit was my fav game till the newest change today

gush

Apr 11th 2010 | 04:54

it's a conspiracy NBC has one of the lowest ratings and by buying and destroying a game that has thousands of players most will go0 back to watch tv

Carlos

Apr 21st 2010 | 20:09

This is pretty *** your making alot of people guit the game. You should shove a twinkie up your rectum and smile.

Elle

Apr 22nd 2010 | 09:09

Dude, take your twinkie back, because these folks are right. A lot of people should quit the game. I had a couple of issues, and the same "customer service" rep kept sending canned responses and not answering the original support questions. When I would reply, as I was supposed to, s/he accused me of spamming and threatened me. When I contacted support to get alternate help, s/he threatened me by stating that no one could chose their helper, although of course the helper was just avoiding doing any support. Strangely, at this point I actually finally got answers to both issues (not satisfactory) but the support rep could have just bee clear in the first place. If I had not sunk some $$ in and if the game wasn't still a bit of fun - well, I am still planning to quit.

Ed Wood

May 21st 2010 | 19:59

..and so the downfall of DO.Now pop-up ads on the new server about buying ships combined with goodies for 40%off. I played and a "NO POP-UP" rule was in affect but the US got their greedy money loving hands on it and by by game of skill hello "how much you got to spend" Reading everyday the disappointment in players and no more spending on the game. CONGRATS NBC you screwed up a great game and will pay for it...or should I say we will pay for it from now on..WHAT A JOKE!!!!

Ed Wood

May 21st 2010 | 20:01

Tom..you hit the nail on the head with your post

Michael P. Fagan

Jun 9th 2010 | 19:07

Big Point has problems, big problems. They're ripping off people, their moderators are out of control and they have no conflict settlement other than throwing people out by banning them. But the thousands of people they have ripped off are beginning to gather behind the scenes and their day is coming soon.

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