James Cason
Rio Rico, AZ (USA)
Role(s):
Founder/Owner/Principal
Weevos Social Gaming
Find More Startups
Startup
Location:
Tucson
Industry:
Internet
Year Founded:
2008
Number Employees:
1-10 people
Description:
Weevos aims to be a new top company, in the fast-growing $700mm social game market, by offering innovative social poker to Facebook users.
Business Summary: Weevos is a new participant in the social gaming market, specializing in poker. Social network (Facebook, Myspace, etc.) users can play poker for free with their friends online, including a new poker game under the
Weevos brand name. Weevos grows slowly with low-cost ads then quickly with referrals. Marketing responds to customer feedback to improve the site and robust back-end software provides a seamless and socially rewarding user experience.
Management: Weevos' team is a synergy of entrepreneurs, game inventors, a techie, and a cultural consultant. James (CEO) and Theo (Social Application & Game Development) have collaborated on game inventing projects. James is a CEO consultant. Theo is a business Director & techno-maven with a beat on the trends. Doug (Chief of Marketing) has 10 years in sales and marketing. Silvina (Int'l Branding) consults companies on how to enter emerging markets.
Customer Problem: As the social games phenomenon grows, social games are adapting, except poker. There is one major provider of social poker with texas hold em. It is slow to adapt to accomodate new social gaming trends.
Product/Services: Weevos offers rich self-expression and unique opportunities to build social capital (value that increases with play time). Two key trends in social gaming. Players can go up in levels with Weevos ratings and can join teams and represent their team in "bragging-rights" tournaments. Weevos also plans to offer poker variations, including the Weevos brand game, another key trend.
Target Market: Social games has grown to 70mm users and $720mm in less than three years in the US alone. Players consider themselves to be more social than gamers. We are targeting current social poker players, currently the largest social segment, over 11mm users. We are also targeting the new-to-socialgaming-&-social-poker audience growing 100% per annum in US. Weevos also has International plans, collectively equal in size to US, yet growing much faster.
Customers: Weevos, during pre-launch, is gathering a list of interested players, social network users that like to play games, who offer insight into their social poker preferences for Weevos development.
Sales/Marketing Strategy: Advertising directly on social networks like Facebook is the most cost-effective way to get new customers. We plan to increase player base at a steady rate, with a modest budget, increasing monthly to make up for attrition of existing players. While using data from customers as we improve the game, a social game standard, we will spark viral growth as our innovative site attracts players and their friends to grow Weevos to a top game.
Business Model: Weevos will generate revenue by offering premium game services (i.e. extra chips, avatar upgrades) with expected sales to 2-10% of players. Also, through carefully selected and reputable ad and survey partners.
Competitors: Zynga, the main competitor with $100mm in sales, has the most popular social game, a texas holdem site. An early participant, it has an attractive and simple interface. EA recently paid $300mm for Playfish, a two-year old social game company, that focuses on offering high levels of social capital to its players. With few large competitors, this is a fast-growing market with potential for new games to break into a top spot and secure market share.
Competitive Advantage: Weevos is unique in offering players, a brand name game, high social capital, as well as the ability to be members of a team. These features create loyalty that make poaching our customers difficult.
Please review Weevos' funding request for more information.
Founder/Owner/Principal
James Cason
Find More Service Providers
Service Provider
Location:
Rio Rico
Description:
Theodore Panousopoulos Co-Founder/ Game Application
Douglas Thompson Co-Founder/ Marketing Head Silvina Llesuy Co-Founder/ International Branding
Services Provided:
- Business Consulting