Gamezebo
First website dedicated solely to casual games.
Gamezebo, also written as GameZebo, is a video game news and review site. Joel Brodie, who previously led business development at Yahoo! Games, launched the site in 2005. It was promoted as the first publication dedicated entirely to casual games. In 2009, Gamezebo broadened its focus to include social games, covering titles on Facebook, iOS, and Android. Following its purchase by the casual game company iWin in 2015, the site underwent a redesign and started covering PC games as well. Gamezebo is headquartered in Walnut Creek, California.
Quick Facts
- Owner
- iWin, Inc.
- Founder
- Joel Brodie
- Editor
- Jim Squires
- Launch Date
- 2005
- Current Status
- Online
- Language
- English
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
Gamezebo was launched in 2005 by Joel Brodie, former head of business development at Yahoo! Games. Brodie started the site because he found that many video game publications 'looked down' on casual games. It was billed as the first website to solely cover casual games. In 2007, Gamezebo and the Casual Games Association launched the Zeebys, awards for casual games with public voting. A second installment of the Zeebys took place online in 2008, and the site was nominated for a Webby Award for 'Games-Related' websites that year. Gamezebo used RSS for its content feed.
Reader's Guide
Gamezebo's significance lies in its pioneering focus on casual games at a time when mainstream gaming publications largely ignored the genre. By expanding into social games in 2009 and later into PC games after its 2016 acquisition by iWin, it adapted to shifts in the gaming landscape. An article in Games and Culture noted that Gamezebo catered to a broader audience than sites like Kotaku or TouchArcade, as it did not marginalize mobile games. The site's struggles, acknowledged by editor-in-chief Jim Squires in 2015, reflected broader industry changes as mobile developers moved away from traditional advertising. Its legacy includes the Zeebys awards and a role in legitimizing casual and social gaming coverage.
Did You Know?
- It launched the Zeebys awards with the Casual Games Association in 2007, with public voting.
- Editor-in-chief Jim Squires told MacRumors in 2015 that Gamezebo was struggling due to mobile developers shifting away from traditional advertising.
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