QuizUp
A multiplayer trivia app with thousands of user-submitted topics.
QuizUp was a mobile trivia game developed by Iceland-based Plain Vanilla Games and later operated by Glu Mobile. Launched in November 2013 for iOS and March 2014 for Android, it became a popular multiplayer app where users competed in timed multiple-choice questions across over 1,200 topics. The game was discontinued in March 2021.
Quick Facts
- Title
- QuizUp
- Developer
- Plain Vanilla Games (2013–2016) / Glu Mobile (2016–2021)
- Platforms
- iOS · Android · Windows Phone
- Released
- iOS · 7 November 2013 · Android · 6 March 2014 · Windows Phone · 18 June 2015
- Modes
- Single-player, multiplayer
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
QuizUp was initially released for iOS in November 2013 by Plain Vanilla Games, with an Android version following in March 2014. By May 2014, the app had 20 million users and had raised over $26 million in venture capital. Over a billion matches had been played in 197 countries by January 2015, with users averaging 40 minutes of play per day. In September 2015, Plain Vanilla Games announced a deal with Universal Television for a 10-episode game show, and ITV acquired rights in October 2015. However, NBC cancelled the show in August 2016, leading Plain Vanilla to lay off all employees and sell the app to Glu Mobile in November 2016 for a deal valued at $7.5 million plus potential earnouts. The app was removed from the App Store on 20 January 2021, and servers were taken offline on 24 March 2021.
Reader's Guide
QuizUp's significance lies in its rapid rise as a social trivia platform, leveraging user-generated content to offer over 1,200 topics in multiple languages. It demonstrated the viability of mobile multiplayer gaming with real-time competition, attracting 20 million users and over a billion matches within months. The app's attempt to expand into television via NBC and ITV reflected its cultural impact, though the show's cancellation led to the studio's collapse and sale to Glu Mobile. QuizUp's legacy includes its role in popularizing trivia apps and its model of community-driven question submission. Its discontinuation in 2021 marked the end of a notable chapter in mobile gaming history, highlighting the volatility of app-based entertainment and the challenges of sustaining a user base after corporate acquisition.
Did You Know?
- QuizUp had over 1,200 total topics available, all voluntarily submitted by content contributors.
- As of May 2014, QuizUp had 20 million users and had raised over $26 million from venture capital investments.
- A 10-episode television game show based on QuizUp was announced in September 2015 but cancelled by NBC in August 2016.
- QuizUp was acquired by Glu Mobile in November 2016 for $7.5 million plus potential earnouts.
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