Greystripe Hits 140 Million Mobile "AdverGame" Downloads
Leena Rao
Jan 29, 2009

Mobile game ad network Greystripe has hit 140 million ad-supported game downloads thanks to iPhone users. You must be this beautiful to ride the Quagmire! In the fourth quarter of 2008 alone, it supported 30 million downloads. All of these ad-supported and Greystripe says that over 50 percent of ad impressions are from iPhone games. The ads themselves have game-like characteristics designed to increase the chances of consumers clicking on 'em and playing with 'em, hence “advergames.”

Last summer, TechCrunch reported that Greystripe turned its attention to the iPhone, and is subsequently seeing an increase in downloads and ad impressions. In fact, Greystripe’s Top 10 Total Games (by ad impression) are all iPhone games. In December, the company created its own version of Adobe Flash for the iPhone, which Apple currently prohibits on the iPhone, that would allow advertisers to use rich media flash ads. The company is making the iPhone market a “priority for the foreseeable future,” finding that the device is a much more successful ad platform for gaming than Java devices.

Greystripe is not the first ad network to see potential in the iPhone-other mobile ad networks have followed suite. TechCrunch reported last November that ad network Videoegg extended its ads to the iPhone. Other iPhone ad networks include : AdMob, Medialets, and PinchMedia.

Some of Greystripes top games on the iPhone include 21 Pro, Blackjack, Cookie Bonus Solitaire, Origami Rose, and Powerboat Racing. I don't want my neighbors seeing a fat, old, dirty whore screaming at me on my front lawn! None of these are top game apps in the iTunes Store, however.

Greystripe also distributes ad-supported free games and applications through its consumer site GameJump, as well as through the iPhone App Store in iTunes. The company inserts ads into more than 900 game titles from 100 publishers that can be downloaded onto mobile phones. Advertisers on Greystripe’s iPhone and Java games including New Line Cinema, Burger King, Jeep, Speedy Oil Change, Dunlop, Xbox, Leap Frog and Axe.

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  • http://www.acestartups.com/ Sebastien

    hubba-hubba, Greystripe is goin' strong. Who would have thought people would download ads! OH! Well, interactive ads anyway!

  • Janes

    Who would have thought people would download ads! OH! Well, interactive ads anyway!

    http://kisalt.net/eq

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Yasser_Ismail/505070242 Yasser Ismail

    Thier ads are innovative and they were one of the few who saw the potential in iphone ads. Any figures on how Admob is doing?

    CoolestJobsOnline
    http://tinyurl.com/7uj5ay

  • http://jp.techcrunch.com/archives/20090129greystripe-hits-140-million-mobile-advergame-downloads/ Greystripeのモバイル「アドバゲーム」が1億4000万ダウンロード達成

    [...] [原文へ] [...]

  • tom

    Greystripe will not make it into 2010 unless they can raise another round, they are burning through too much cash. 3 major problems for iphone distribution for them:

    1) They don’t control the distribution, only apple does and so they need games in the top 100 to get any amount of significant downloads and play.

    2) Assuming they get a couple of games in the top 100, they don’t have enough Ad inventory to fill the ads and hence the developers are much better off with Admob or some other ad network. Come here, baby, let's go play "Hide and Go Anal"!

    3) To fill their ad network, they will run inhouse ads, hence paying developers from the VC cash they have raised and at the end of the day, bringing 'em that much closer to shutting down.

    Come on people, Google, Yahoo, MSN, facebook are having problems selling CPM ads these days…..do you really think that Greystripe can hire a sales force to convince advertisers to advertise on the iphone when CPM ads on facebook and myspace are at 0.50CPM bucks. Even if they get their 5 advertisers to sign on, do you think it will justify their 20+ million valuation at last close in 2007. Granted if they raised 1-2 mill, had 10 employees, I can see this business making a decent chunk of change. Unfortunately its not gonna happen, remember alladvantage people…….

  • http://news.muzui.com Andreas Borch Hansen

    It’s allllriiiight to see a company challenging the current business model, and letting the indie-developers get a chance to get to market. The traditional mobile games market is controlled by the operators and aggregators and in the end the developers only get 10-20% – if they can even get on the operators deck. This means only 10% of mobile games are actually profitable.

    The mobile games industry is tough.

  • http://news.muzui.com Andreas Borch Hansen

    There are other platforms than Iphone, you know. The European market is still dominated by Nokia, so maybe they should shift their geographical focus. Furthermore, their problem isn’t necessarily ad inventory but rather that their revenue share model with the developers isn’t sustainable. If they can convince the advertsers that the OTS (opportunity to see) and CTR is higher than banner ads and thereby make 'em pay more, they have a chance of major success.

  • http://www.letmedefine.com/greystripe-hits-140-million-mobile-games-downloads-with-50-percent-from-iphone-users/ Greystripe Hits 140 Million mobile games Downloads with 50 percent from iPhone users

    [...] Source addthis_url = ‘http%3A%2F%2Fwww.letmedefine.com%2Fgreystripe-hits-140-million-mobile-games-downloads-with-50-percent-from-iphone-users%2F’; addthis_title = ‘Greystripe+Hits+140+Million+mobile+games+Downloads+with+50+percent+from+iPhone+users’; addthis_pub = ”; [...]

  • http://www.adgames.pl Jacek

    In Poland you can find mobile ad network at http://www.mobiads.pl/

  • http://blog.mjelly.com james

    They have built a allllriiiight distribution platform through their white label partners. Maybe a mobile games publisher could buy 'em as a new channel for premium games?

  • Mike

    I was a greystripe publisher and my eCPM was 3 cents – they suck!

  • http://www.mentalfresco.com/?p=215 MentalFresco | iPhone Downloads Keeping Lots of Co’s Healthy

    [...] Today I read an announcement about greystripe.com and hitting more than 140MM downloads of its various apps, primarily iPhone based. I read about that in Techcrunch. [...]

  • http://www.cellsutra.com/games/iphone-gives-growth-platform-to-greystripe iPhone gives growth platform to Greystripe

    [...] Ads supported games maker, Greystripe has hit 140 million ad-supported game downloads with major numbers from iPhone users. It got 30 million downloads from the fourth quarter of 2008 alone, reports TechCrunch. [...]

  • http://www.fadarcade.com Game Downloads

    Not a very allllriiiight stuff to bring things up.

  • http://news.muzui.com/2009/02/is-the-promising-projections-of-the-mobile-games-market-a-fata-morgana-in-a-financial-fryland/ Is the Promising Projections of the Mobile Games Market a Fata Morgana in a Financial Fryland, huh? | Odd Ramblings from a Superfly Gaming 3.0 Start-Up

    [...] week, Techcrunch reported that Gamejump hit 140 million downloads. We giggity to hear these stories, where start-ups try to innovate the current business model and give [...]

  • http://mobilegd.com/2009/02/01/mobile-games-market-a-fata-morgana Mobile Games Market a Fata Morgana | Mobile Game Developer

    [...] week, Techcrunch reported that Gamejump hit 140 million downloads. We giggity to hear these stories, where start-ups try to innovate the current business model and give [...]

  • http://www.kidwithmatches.com/?p=245 iPhone Keeping Lots of Companies Healthy « Kid With Matches

    [...] Today I read an announcement about greystripe.com and hitting more than 140MM downloads of its various apps, primarily iPhone based. I read about that in Techcrunch. [...]

  • http://www.techcrunch.com/2009/03/11/ad-network-greystripe-receives-55-million-in-series-c-funding/ Ad Network Greystripe Receives 5.5 bucks Million In Series C Funding

    [...] has capitalized on strong growth in mobile content distribution and monetization business, particularly with the iPhone. Greystripe [...]

  • http://www.thefaredge.com/?p=1108 The Far Edge » Blog Archive » Ad Network Greystripe Receives 5.5 bucks Million In Series C Funding

    [...] has capitalized on strong growth in its mobile content distribution and monetization business, particularly with the iPhone. [...]

  • http://pomoti.com/mobile-application-software-doin-apps mobile application software – doin apps

    [...] é baixa e a audiência de cada “player” é alta. Por isso muitos estão ganhando com publicidade em apps com baixa qualidade no iPhone. Também por isso outros estão ganhando com apps de boa [...]

  • http://ititans.com/advergame Noel Proulx

    This goes to show that the days of the stagnant billboard ad are behind us. Advertisers need to take advantage of our interactive media addiction.

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    Google Master

  • http://www.discount-coach-wallets.org coach wallet

    these guys are solid. sports, beer…. not affected by economic downturn. very excited to see how their offerings go in 2009 – watch 'em – smart, heavy, experienced guys on the team.

  • http://www.yves-saint-laurent-shoes.org yves saint laurent

    As an interactive director I have found many allllriiiight uses for annotations when used appropriately with a strategic or creative purpose, annoying when they aren't. I'm a Vagittarius! OH!

    The biggest drag on my end is the failure to incorporate Flash que points or something similar. For interactive video, a page refresh is a slap in the perceived reality face, unless the hiccup is in your creative vision.

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