RealNetworks Believes Investors Are Ready for Casual Gaming

Posted on May 10, 2008 - Filed Under Industry News |

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RealNetworks is making the move to spin off a casual games unit and may offer 20% of the company to the public in the form of an IPO. This is a significant move for RealNetworks because it takes a moderatly independent group more freedom to pick their own direction and build their own future.

While RealNetworks will be the major player in their financial future, a spin off allows the division to grow as its own company and align itself better with casual gaming industry movers and shakers without being considered a small group inside of RealNetworks–a company which plays in many spaces.

This move shows RealNetworks is serious about the market, believes in future long term growth and is willing to risk it, financially, starting now. Chief Executive Rob Glaser said, “this is a unique situation and I wouldn’t expect to see another one like this any time soon.”

If anyone was questioning the momentum of the casual gaming space, companies are working to end any potential questions by making big moves. EA and others have created units within their company for the casual gaming market now we’ve got to wait and see how the press grows in response to this–casualgamerchick, of course, will be here to report on all the news. Surely more “me too” news sites will break out of these huge moves soon.

(Thanks, businessweek)

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