FlytrapGames Casual Game Site Launches

New consumer site to offer unbiased insight into the best in casual gaming.

By Adam Doree

Activity on Kikizo has been a little random lately, and that's because we've been super-busy on a variety of other projects that will ultimately benefit the site. The first is launched today as part of our five-year relationship with AOL Games, and is an exciting venture into the massive arena of casual gaming.

Please show your support by checking out the site - we really believe there's something for all kinds of gamers on there, from your Street Fighter IV champion to fun distractions that EVEN YOUR PARENTS could enjoy. Here's the press release announcing the site, which has lovingly been named Flytrap Games:

LONDON, March 31, 2009 - AOL UK today announces the launch of FlyTrapGames.com, http://www.flytrapgames.com, a new consumer site that will offer an insight into the best in casual gaming.

FlyTrapGames.com has been set up as the ultimate guide to the casual games world - whether they are played free online, on your mobile phone as part of the daily commute or your traditional games console.

Sean O'Connell, AOL Europe's Director of Games, says: "We saw a gap in the market for an unbiased, editorially-led site about casual gaming. This is an opportunity for AOL to create a completely new community, which will offer a compelling vehicle for advertising partners to reach an engaged, niche audience."

FlyTrapGames.com aims to capitalise on the rapid growth in casual games across multiple platforms and carve out its own engaged and unique audience by revealing the best the web has to offer for online fun, as well as key releases on mobile and consoles

"While there are hundreds of sites out there where you can play free online games, FlyTrapGames gives gamers a unique curated guide to this world," says O'Connell. "We aim to highlight the best online games in the world at any given moment."

AOL already has a pedigree in traditional online games with http://games.aol.co.uk/ reaching almost 1 million unique visitors every month*. This new site further expands AOL's reach and appeal to this sector, offering both an entertaining entry point to the casual gaming world, and a familiar, community focused, entertaining resource for the regular user.

FlyTrapGames is the latest in a yearlong campaign to launch more than 30 new websites across the MediaGlow network. MediaGlow launched in January 2009 to centralise AOL's entire global publishing efforts.

Key features of the new site include:

- Independent views - articles about any online games on any site, not just on AOL
- A mix of both casual online games as well as casual video games, touching on some of the more offbeat independent games available
- Features on scores to beat, hi-scores, hints and tips, top player profiles
- Coverage of casual console and portable games
- Community elements: competitions and interactive comments so you can add your own perspective

Flytrapgames.com is supported by AOL's digital advertising business, Platform-A, http://platform-a.co.uk, which will offer relevant advertising opportunities in both display advertising as well as content-targeted links on the website.

* Source: comScore Media Metrix, February 2009

That URL again - http://www.flytrapgames.com. :)