Wooga

{{Short description|German game developer}} {{Infobox company | name = Wooga GmbH | logo = Wooga-Logo.png | logo_caption = | logo_upright =  | logo_alt = | type = Private | industry = {{unbulleted list|Video game industry|social network service|mobile games|game development|casual games|Facebook games}} | predecessor =  | founded = {{sda|2009}} | founders = Jens Begemann<br />Philipp Moeser | defunct =  | fate = | successor =  | hq_location_city = Berlin | hq_location_country = Germany | area_served =  | key_people = | products = | owner =  | num_employees = 325<ref name="GamesWirtschaft: Die größten">{{cite web |url=https://www.gameswirtschaft.de/wirtschaft/groesste-games-studios-deutschland-2024-150824/ |title=Die größten Games-Studios in Deutschland 2024 |language=de |trans-title=The largest game studios in Germany in 2024 |first=Petra |last=Fröhlich |date=15 August 2024 |website=GamesWirtschaft |access-date=15 August 2024 |archive-date=15 August 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240815103001/https://www.gameswirtschaft.de/wirtschaft/groesste-games-studios-deutschland-2024-150824/ |url-status=live}}</ref> | num_employees_year = 2024 | parent = | website = {{url|wooga.com}} }}

thumb|right|alt=The Wooga offices in Berlin, Germany.|The Wooga offices in Berlin, Germany '''Wooga''' is a German game software company based in Berlin<ref>{{cite web |last= |first= |date=2013-11-15 |title=We're a mobile-first company, but Facebook is still half our revenue says Wooga CEO |url=https://www.pocketgamer.biz/interview/54495/were-a-mobile-first-company-but-facebook-is-still-half-our-revenue-says-wooga-ceo/ |access-date=27 May 2019 |website=pocketgamer.biz}}</ref> that develops story-driven casual games for mobile devices, such as smartphones and tablets and social networks like Facebook. It has developed mobile games such as ''June's Journey'', ''Pearl's Peril'' and ''Switchcraft''. The company is part of the social games company Playtika. Their name comes from the words "World of Gaming".

==History== Wooga was founded in January 2009 by Jens Begemann (CEO), Patrick Paulisch, and Philipp Moeser (CTO).<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://venturevillage.eu/video-wooga-jens-begemann |title=Video: Wooga – inside the social games wonderland of Jens Begemann |access-date=2014-03-27 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140327234621/http://venturevillage.eu/video-wooga-jens-begemann |archive-date=2014-03-27 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Paulisch has since left Wooga. The first games released were only available on social networks, first and foremost on Facebook. The first game developed by Wooga was ''Brain Buddies'', a quiz game released in July 2009.<ref name=":7">{{Cite web |last=Mölleken |first=Jan |date=2011-03-19 |title=Spiele für die Massen - WELT |url=https://www.welt.de/print/die_welt/finanzen/article12883749/Spiele-fuer-die-Massen.html |access-date=2023-01-31 |website=DIE WELT |language=de}}</ref> Wooga received €5 million in a round of funding led by Balderton Capital in November 2009.<ref>{{Cite web |last=O'Hear |first=Steve |date=2009-11-12 |title=Following the Playfish exit, social games developer wooga secures a further €5 million funding |url=https://techcrunch.com/2009/11/12/following-the-playfish-exit-social-games-developer-wooga-secures-a-further-e5-million-funding/ |access-date=2023-02-01 |website=TechCrunch |language=en-US}}</ref> Holtzbrinck Ventures, which had provided funding earlier that year, also participated in this round.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2010-07-25 |title=wooga secures €5m ($7.5m) in funding led by Balderton {{!}} wooga |url=http://www.wooga.com/2009/11/12/wooga-secures-e5m-7-5m-in-funding-led-by-balderton/ |access-date=2023-02-01 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100725104351/http://www.wooga.com/2009/11/12/wooga-secures-e5m-7-5m-in-funding-led-by-balderton/ |archive-date=2010-07-25 }}</ref>

In April 2010, Wooga released its second game, ''Monster World''. That same year, Holtzbrinck Ventures and Balderton Investment stepped in, helping to fund a third game.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |last=Faller |first=Heike |date=15 December 2011 |title=Die Monsteridee |url=https://www.zeit.de/zustimmung?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.zeit.de%2F2011%2F51%2FGamification |access-date=2023-01-31 |website=Die Zeit}}</ref> In October 2010, the company employed 50 people; in 2011, that number increased to 150.<ref name=":2" /><ref name=":3">{{Cite web |last=Takahashi |first=Dean |date=2012-04-02 |title=Wooga scores 11M downloads for Diamond Dash on iOS |url=https://venturebeat.com/business/wooga-scores-11m-downloads-for-diamond-dash-on-ios/ |access-date=2023-01-31 |website=VentureBeat |language=en-US}}</ref>

In November 2010, Wooga launched ''Happy Hospital''.<ref name="wooga.com/games">{{Cite web |title=Wooga Games |url=https://www.wooga.com/games |access-date=2023-02-01 |website=www.wooga.com |language=en}}</ref> In March 2011, Wooga launched ''Diamond Dash''. The company raised a Series B Round of $24 million funding in May 2011.<ref>{{cite web |date=2011-05-31 |title=Scoop: European Social Games Phenomenon wooga Raises $24 Million |url=https://techcrunch.com/2011/05/30/scoop-european-social-games-phenomenon-wooga-raises-24-million/ |access-date=27 May 2019 |website=TechCrunch |publisher=}}</ref> ''Magic Land Island'' was launched during the GDC Europe in August 2011 in Cologne. In June 2012, the HTML5 game was open sourced under the name ''Pocket Island'' on GitHub under MIT license and with the assets under Creative Commons license CC BY-NC-SA.<ref>{{Cite web |last= |first= |title=Wooga veröffentlicht Quellcode von HTML5-Spiel Magic Land Island - Browsergame Magazin |url=http://www.browsergame-magazin.de/wooga-veroeffentlicht-quellcode-von-html5-spiel-magic-land-island/ |access-date=2023-02-01 |website=Browsergame Magazin |language=de-DE}}</ref><ref>[https://github.com/wooga/Pocket-Island Pocket Island] on github.com</ref>

With the progressive development of mobile technology and the global spread of mobile devices, Wooga's focus shifted in 2012 to games for the mobile sector. ''Diamond Dash'' was first game they released for iPhone and iPad on the iOS App Store (December 2011).<ref>{{Cite web |title=A Social Success: Over 11 Million Diamond Dash Downloads on iOS | Wooga |url=http://www.wooga.com/2012/03/social-success/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120513190444/http://www.wooga.com/2012/03/social-success/ |archive-date=2012-05-13 |access-date=2012-05-10}}</ref> In December 2012, ''Diamond Dash'' became the first Wooga game for Android smartphones and tablets.<ref>{{Cite web |title=How the cloud helped social gaming firm Wooga prepare for its Android invasion |url=https://old.gigaom.com/2012/12/13/how-the-cloud-helped-wooga-prepare-for-android-invasion/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220811062334/https://old.gigaom.com/2012/12/13/how-the-cloud-helped-wooga-prepare-for-android-invasion/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=August 11, 2022 |access-date=2023-01-31 |website=Old GigaOm}}</ref> On 22 August 2013, ''Jelly Splash'' was the first game to be released for mobile devices first.<ref name=":8">{{Cite web |last=Enge |first=Stefanie |date=2013-08-27 |title="Jelly Splash" von Wooga - hier entsteht eine Spiele-App |url=https://www.bild.de/spiele/spiele-news/puzzlespiele/so-entsteht-ein-mobile-game-wooga-jelly-splash-31985666.bild.html |access-date=2023-01-31 |website=Bild |language=de}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last= |first= |date=23 August 2013 |title=The Next Candy Crush Saga? Colorful Match-Three Game Jelly Splash Launches On iOS |url=http://appadvice.com/appnn/2013/08/the-next-candy-crush-saga-colorful-match-three-game-jelly-splash-launches-on-ios |access-date=27 May 2019 |website=AppAdvice}}</ref><ref name=":0">{{Cite news |last=Games |first=Wooga |title=Wooga History |language=en-US |url=https://www.wooga.com/about/history/ |access-date=2017-11-25 |archive-date=2017-12-01 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171201041312/https://www.wooga.com/about/history/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> The game was subsequently released on Facebook in September 2013 and on Android in October 2013.<ref>{{cite web |title=Playtech - About the Company |url=https://www.appsgoer.com/ |access-date=27 May 2019 |publisher=}}</ref> For ''Jelly Splash'', Wooga entered into a cooperation with the South Korean internet service provider Kakao,<ref>{{Cite news |last=Gropp |first=Martin |title=Spieleentwickler Wooga: Ein mobiles Spiel für Korea |language=de |work=Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung |url=https://www.faz.net/aktuell/wirtschaft/netzwirtschaft/spieleentwickler-wooga-ein-mobiles-spiel-fuer-korea-12646438.html |access-date=2023-01-31 |issn=0174-4909}}</ref> and the game was launched as a test title for their KakaoTalk platform on 9 November 2013.<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{cite web |last1=Jordan |first1=Jon |title=The Charticle: Jelly Splash for KakaoTalk |url=https://www.pocketgamer.biz/asia/the-charticle/55523/the-charticle-jelly-splash-for-kakaotalk/ |access-date=27 May 2019 |website=pocketgamer.biz}}</ref>

In March 2013, Wooga launched both ''Monster World'' mobile for iOS and ''Pearl's Peril''. ''Pearl's Peril'' became the company’s fastest selling game.<ref name=":9">{{cite web |title=insidesocialgames.com |url=http://www.insidesocialgames.com/2013/05/13/pearls-peril-is-woogas-fastest-growing-game-to-date/ |access-date=27 May 2019 |website=www.insidesocialgames.com}}</ref> On 10 April 2013, Wooga launched ''Pocket Village''.<ref name=":0" /> In May, they launched ''Fantastic Forest'' and ''Kingsbridge'' on 21 and 28 March, respectively.<ref name=":0" /><ref name="wooga.com/games" /> In December 2013, ''Jelly Splash'' reported monthly active users of 8.2 million.<ref name=":9" /> In February 2014, ''Fantastic Forest'' was relaunched as ''Farm Tales''.

Investments in smartwatch games in 2015 did not pay off and sales plummeted for the first time. The trend continued in 2016, when newly developed games, such as ''Agent Alice'', no longer brought in the same success figures. That year, the company laid off 40 employees and terminated projects from the previous year.<ref>{{Cite web |last= |date=2017-03-17 |title=GamesWirtschaft Studiotour Episode 3: Wooga in Berlin |url=https://www.gameswirtschaft.de/marketing-pr/gameswirtschaft-studiotour-wooga-berlin/ |access-date=2023-01-31 |website=Gameswirtschaft |language=de-DE}}</ref> After that, Wooga continued to develop its casual gaming strategy. This direction was implemented in particular with the launch of the most successful game to date, ''June's Journey'', at the end of 2017.<ref name=":5">{{Cite web |last=Schimroszik |first=Nadine |date=2022-09-18 |title=Gaming: 500 Millionen Dollar mit einem Game: Das Comeback der Berliner Spiele-Schmiede Wooga |url=https://www.handelsblatt.com/technik/it-internet/gaming-500-millionen-dollar-mit-einem-game-das-comeback-der-berliner-spiele-schmiede-wooga/28685754.html |access-date=2023-01-31 |website=Handelsblatt |language=de}}</ref><ref>Christof Kerkmann: ''Sturz ins Haifischbecken''. in: Handelsblatt. No. 5, 18 January 2019, p. 16.</ref> Wooga decided to exclusively focus on the casual games segment and on story-driven casual games.

On 20 May 2015, Wooga launched ''Crazy Kings'' (developed by TicBits).<ref name=":0" /> On 6 October 2016, Wooga launched ''Bubble Island 2''.<ref name=":0" /> As of July 2018, the company employs 200 people.<ref>{{cite web |date=2 July 2018 |title=Deutschlands größte Spielehersteller 2018 |url=https://www.gameswirtschaft.de/wirtschaft/deutschlands-groesste-spielehersteller-2018/ |website=GamesWirtschaft |language=de}}</ref>

In December 2018, Wooga was acquired for more than $200 million by Israeli gaming company Playtika.<ref>{{Cite web |date=3 December 2018 |title=Israeli gaming company Playtika has acquired Berlin's Wooga to expand its casual games portfolio |url=https://tech.eu/brief/israeli-gaming-company-playtika-has-acquired-berlins-wooga-to-expand-its-casual-games-portfolio/ |access-date=2019-01-09 |website=Tech.eu |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Jens Begemann: Wooga-Chef verkauft Spielefirma für über 200 Millionen Dollar nach Israel |url=https://www.handelsblatt.com/unternehmen/it-medien/jens-begemann-wooga-chef-verkauft-spielefirma-fuer-ueber-200-millionen-dollar-nach-israel/23712840.html |access-date=2019-01-09 |website=www.handelsblatt.com |language=de}}</ref> The COVID-19 pandemic, which boosted the entire industry, also boosted business at Wooga. The mystery hidden object game ''June's Journey'' turned over $500 million by mid-2022 since its launch.<ref name=":5" />

In March 2020, Nai Chang replaced the previous CEO Jens Begemann.<ref>{{Cite web |last= |date=2020-04-27 |title=Wooga: Gründer Jens Begemann verlässt Berliner Studio |url=https://www.gameswirtschaft.de/karriere/wooga-ceo-jens-begemann-geht/ |access-date=2023-01-31 |website=Gameswirtschaft |language=de-DE}}</ref> In the same year, Wooga employed 250+ people.<ref>{{Cite web |last= |date=2020-08-07 |title=Die größten Spiele-Entwickler in Deutschland 2020 (Update) |url=https://www.gameswirtschaft.de/wirtschaft/groesste-spiele-entwickler-deutschland-2020/ |access-date=2023-01-31 |website=Gameswirtschaft |language=de-DE}}</ref> Since Playtika Holding Corporation's IPO on the US stock exchange Nasdaq in January 2021, Wooga GmbH has been part of a listed company. In December 2024, Dennis Korf joined Wooga as Nai Chang's Successor and is the current Managing Director of Wooga. https://www.pocketgamer.biz/february-2025-mobile-movers-and-shakers/

=== Funding === In May 2011, Wooga raised $24 million in venture capital.<ref name=":3" /> The largest backers were the US investor Highland Capital Partners and the German publishing group Georg von Holtzbrinck.<ref name=":2" /><ref name=":6">{{Cite web |last=Steinlechner |first=Peter |date=2011-05-31 |title=24 Millionen US-Dollar für Berliner Socialgames-Startup |url=https://www.golem.de/sonstiges/zustimmung/auswahl.html?from=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.golem.de%2F1105%2F83856.html |access-date=2023-01-31 |website=Golem}}</ref> Holtzbrinck and Balderton Capital had already invested €4.4 million in venture capital in November 2009.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Hüsing |first=Alexander |date=2009-11-12 |title=wooga sackt 5 Millionen ein |url=https://www.deutsche-startups.de/2009/11/12/wooga-sackt-5-millionen-ein/ |access-date=2023-01-31 |website=deutsche-startups.de |language=de-DE}}</ref> Although all of Wooga's games are free-to-play games, whose basic game content can be used free of charge, Wooga generates revenue via paid elements and in-app purchases.<ref name=":4">Lutz Sager: ''Blaue Monster für Facebook''. In: Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung. N. 5, 6 February 2011, p. 34.</ref><ref name=":5" /> In total, six games contributed to revenue in 2020 and total revenue increased by 56 percent to €128.18 million compared to 2019. {| class="wikitable" |+Revenue in Mio. EUR !2014 !2015 !2016 !2017 !2018 !2019 !2020 |- |47.608 |40.911 |37.727 |34.353 |53.104 |82.495 |128.184 |} ''Sources: Bundesanzeiger''<ref>Bundesanzeiger (ed.): ''wooga GmbH Jahresabschluss zum Geschäftsjahr vom 01.01.2014 bis zum 31.12.2014''. 2 March 2016.</ref><ref>Bundesanzeiger (ed.): ''wooga GmbH Jahresabschluss zum Geschäftsjahr vom 01.01.2016 bis zum 31.12.2016''. 28 March 2018.</ref><ref>Bundesanzeiger (ed.): ''wooga GmbH Jahresabschluss zum Geschäftsjahr vom 01.01.2018 bis zum 31.12.2018 - Ergänzung der Veröffentlichung vom 14.07.2020''. 30 June 2021.</ref>

== Games == Wooga GmbH develops casual games. These are games for mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets that players do not play for long at a stretch.<ref name=":5" /> Since focusing on story-driven casual games, the Berlin-based developer studio has been producing plot-driven games aimed primarily at female casual gamers.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Steinlechner |first=Peter |date=2018-02-27 |title=Spielentwickler Wooga baut Workflow um |url=https://www.golem.de/sonstiges/zustimmung/auswahl.html?from=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.golem.de%2Fnews%2Fcasual-games-spielentwickler-wooga-baut-workflow-um-1802-133034.html |access-date=2023-02-01 |website=Golem}}</ref>

The games developed for Facebook are social games. Here users exchange ideas, share their success or help each other in the respective game worlds. These types of games generate reach by using viral marketing, whereby players can invite their friends to a game via Facebook.<ref name=":4" />

=== Portfolio ===

==== Facebook Games ==== * ''Diamond Dash''<ref name=":6" /> * ''Bubble Island<ref name=":6" />'' * ''Monster World<ref name=":6" />'' * ''Magic Land''<ref name=":42">{{cite web|access-date=2022-11-10|author=Dean Takahashi|date=2012-04-02|language=en|publisher=VentureBeat|title=Wooga scores 11M downloads for Diamond Dash on iOS|url=https://venturebeat.com/business/wooga-scores-11m-downloads-for-diamond-dash-on-ios/|website=venturebeat.com}}</ref> * ''Happy Hospital''<ref name=":7" /> * ''Brain Buddies''<ref name=":2" /> * ''Kingsbridge'' * ''Farm Tales'' * ''Pearl’s Peril''<ref name=":6" /> * ''Jelly Splash''<ref name=":8" /> * ''June's Journey''

==== Smartphone games ==== * ''Diamond Dash''<ref name=":6" /> *''Bubble Island''<ref name=":6" /> * ''Jelly Splash''<ref name=":8" /> * ''Pearl's Peril''<ref name=":1">{{Cite news |last=Games |first=Wooga |title=Our Games |language=en-US |url=https://www.wooga.com/games/#games-list |access-date=2017-11-25}}</ref> * ''June's Journey''<ref name=":1" /> * ''Agent Alice''<ref name=":1" /> * ''Futurama: Game of Drones''<ref name=":1" /> * ''Tropicats''<ref name=":1" /> * ''Bubble Island 2''<ref name=":1" /><ref>[http://www.appdata.com/facebook/devs/index/id/31504 Appdata.com - wooga]." Retrieved on 20 May 2011.</ref> * ''Switchcraft''<ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-10-11 |title=Playtika's Wooga launches Switchcraft story-based mobile game |url=https://venturebeat.com/games/playtikas-wooga-launches-switchcraft-story-based-mobile-game/ |access-date=2023-02-01 |website=VentureBeat |language=en-US}}</ref> * ''Monster World''<ref name=":6" /> * ''Ghost Detective''<ref>{{cite web|url=https://toucharcade.com/2023/09/19/ghost-detective-netflix-games-download-now-available-narrative-driven-hidden-object-game-wooga/|title=Narrative-Driven Hidden Object Game ‘Ghost Detective’ From Wooga Is Out Now on iOS and Android Through Netflix Games|last=Madnani|first=Mikhail|work=TouchArcade|date=2023-09-19|accessdate=2023-10-03}}</ref>

== Awards (Selection) ==

* 2010: Award for Best Social Game for ''Bubble Island'' at the European Games Award<ref name=":10">{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=2011-08-15 |title=wooga Wins Best Publisher and Best Social Game At The European Games Award 2011 |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2011/08/15/wooga-wins-best-publisher-and-best-social-game-at-the-european-games-award-2011 |access-date=2023-02-01 |website=IGN |language=en}}</ref> * 2011: Award for best Social Game for ''Diamond Dash'' and award for "Best European Games Company" at the European Games Award<ref name=":10" /> * 2011: Award as best newcomer startup of the decade by Gründerszene<ref>{{Cite web |last=gruenderszene |date=2011-09-23 |title=Startup des Jahrzehnts |url=https://www.businessinsider.de/gruenderszene/news/wooga-startup-des-jahrzehnts/ |access-date=2023-02-01 |website=Business Insider |language=de-DE}}</ref> * 2013: People's Choice Award at The Europas by tech blog Techcrunch<ref>{{Cite web |date=2013-07-27 |title=EyeEm, Wooga, Scolibri win for host city Berlin at The Europas |url=http://venturevillage.eu/europas-jan-2013-berlin |access-date=2023-02-01 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130727000742/http://venturevillage.eu/europas-jan-2013-berlin |archive-date=2013-07-27 }}</ref> * 2021: Audience Award for the implementation of real tree planting through the participation of the game ''June's Journey'' at the Green Game Jam<ref name=":11">{{Cite web |last=Gameswirtschaft |date=2021-07-16 |title=Green Game Jam 2021: Ubisoft Mainz holt Jury-Preis |url=https://www.gameswirtschaft.de/marketing-pr/green-game-jam-2021-ubisoft-mainz/ |access-date=2023-02-01 |website=GamesWirtschaft.de |language=de-DE}}</ref> * 2022: Awarded as Leading Employer<ref>{{Cite web |title=Wooga GmbH |url=https://www.leading-employers.org/de/certified-companies/wooga-gmbh/ |access-date=2023-02-01 |website=Leading Employers |language=de-DE}}</ref> * 2022: Players Choice Award for ''June's Journey'' at the Green Game Jam 2022<ref>{{Cite web |title=The Green Game Jam 2022 Winners |url=https://playing4theplanet.org/news/green-game-jame-2022-winners |access-date=2023-02-01 |website=playing4theplanet.org |language=en-US}}</ref>

== Sustainability == In a collaboration with the search engine Ecosia, Wooga took part in the Green Game Jam, an initiative sponsored by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), with its game ''June's Journey'' in 2021 and 2022. In the game, Wooga players were able to reforest a forest in their game world and plant trees virtually, which enabled Ecosia to subsequently coordinate tree plantings around the world in reality. Over 60 tree planting projects in more than 30 countries have been supported in this way. In 2021, ''June's Journey'' planted 25,000 trees, for which Wooga won the audience award at the Green Game Jam.<ref name=":11" /><ref>{{Cite web |last=Mensah-Bonsu |first=Deborah |date=2022-07-04 |title=The Green Game Jam: Can video games save the planet? |url=https://www.gamesindustry.biz/the-green-game-jam-can-video-games-save-the-planet |access-date=2023-02-01 |website=GamesIndustry.biz |language=en}}</ref>

==References== {{reflist|30em}}

==External links== * {{Official website|http://www.wooga.com/}}

Category:Video game development companies Category:Video game companies of Germany Category:Companies based in Berlin Category:Casual game companies