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$237 Million Invested in 8 Virtual Goods Related AUSTIN, Texas - July 13, 2009 - Engage Digital, a leading producer of trade events and media that focus on user engagement, announced from a comprehensive study of publicly disclosed transactions that investors put approximately $237.2 million in eight companies that monetize at least in part through sales of virtual currency and goods in Second Quarter 2009. This compares to the $69.1 million invested in the First Quarter 2009 and the $100.7 million invested in Q2 2008. The bulk of this quarter's investment dollars was a $200 million investment in Facebook made by Russian firm Digital Sky. Further information and discussion of the virtual goods industry will be held at Engage Digital's Virtual Goods Conference taking place September 23-24 in San Jose, California. "Taken in context of the worldwide economic downturn, this quarter's numbers held up fairly well when compared to the general decline in venture capital investments, especially in technology-related industries," said Christopher Sherman, Executive Director, Engage Digital. The second largest investment of the quarter was $13 million for Boku, a mobile payments start-up that purchased Paymo and Mobillcash. Competing mobile pay service OneTXT also received a $2 million round. Setting aside the Facebook investment, investments in mobile payments therefore comprised roughly 40% of all the remaining funds invested in virtual goods-related businesses this quarter. This is extraordinary given that there was no publicly disclosed investment in the mobile payments space at all in 2008 or Q1 2009. "While this sudden rush to invest in mobile payment solutions could be a fluke," said Alicia Ashby, Lead Reporter for VirtualGoodsNews.com, "it could also signal the start of a significant new payments trend. Mobile payment providers will be companies to keep an eye on throughout Q3 and Q4 2009. If mobile pay finally takes off with consumers in America the way it has in Europe and parts of Asia, it could significantly change the landscape of the current virtual goods industry." A full list of second quarter companies and investments is available at http://www.engagedigitalmedia.com/research/2009/vg2q2009.html .
Additional virtual goods investment research can be found at http://www.engagedigitalmedia.com/research/. About the Virtual Goods Conference The Virtual Goods Conference is the leading event for businesses seeking to understand and maximize business strategies using virtual goods, items and gifts. Microtransactions have broad implications for business including companies involved in the mobile industry, social networks, virtual worlds and games. The Virtual Goods Conference maps out how companies can maximize virtual goods opportunities for their business. The Virtual Goods Conference takes place as a part of Engage! Expo San Jose. Virtual Goods Conference registration provides attendees full access to all events at Engage! Expo, including the Virtual Law Conference, 3DTLC Conference, Virtual Goods Conference and Engage! Expo. Early registration ends August 14, 2009. About Engage Digital Engage Digital (formerly Virtual Worlds Management) is a leading producer of trade events and media that focus on social media, virtual worlds, user engagement and games. Events include Engage! Expo, Engage! Expo San Jose, Digital Law Conference, Virtual Goods Conference, and 3D Training Learning and Collaboration (3DTLC) Conference. The company also publishes timely market research and leading industry news blogs www.VirtualWorldsNews.com and www.VirtualGoodsNews.com. More information can be found at www.EngageDigitalMedia.com. Contact: Tim Williams
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