We got word this morning from the company that SocialDeck has released the first cross-platform game that can be played in real time across networks. Users can play on iPhone, Facebook or BlackBerry and interact regardless of their device or platform. Shake and Spell is a simple spelling game that has been available on both Facebook and iTunes for a while, but now user can experience gameplay no matter where they are. You have the ability to chat and interact with players, discover friends and view leaderboards. All of the same options are present on all platforms. When starting the app, you'll see your Game Feed notifying you of games, updates etc. You can even start a game on one platform, then move to another. The Facebook application is obviously the most full-featured, but this is a big step for mobile gaming. For more information, head over to http://www.socialdeck.com/. Check out the full press release after the jump. It's interesting to note that this app was funding by the BlackBerry Partners Fund. Be sure to give it a whirl!
SocialDeck Launches First BlackBerry-iPhone-Facebook Connected Game
Shake & Spell enables real-time game play across leading smartphones and social networks; can be distributed through viral channels
TORONTO and SAN FRANCISCO - August 20, 2009 - SocialDeck has launched Shake & Spell for the BlackBerry, the first iPhone-Facebook-BlackBerry connected game that lets players on these different platforms compete against each other in real time.
Shake & Spell for the Blackberry is an exciting development in both the mobile and social media markets. It demonstrates how mobile games and social networking platforms such as Facebook can be seamlessly connected so users can engage with one another, regardless of the device, service or platform being used. A Shake & Spell player, for example, can use their Blackberry to compete against a friend that is using the game on their iPhone or Facebook on their desktop computer.
"Shake & Spell was developed on the socialDeck social gaming platform, which lets people connect, communicate, and interact with friends across multiple mobile devices and social networks," said Anish Acharya, socialDeck co-founder and CEO. "We're now even closer to a truly ubiquitous and social gaming experience where it's not about how or where the game is played, but rather with whom."
Shake & Spell was introduced for the iPhone and Facebook last fall. It currently has over 500,000 users.
Viral Content Discovery and Distribution
Shake & Spell also benefits from a unique feature set in the socialDeck platform that enables and encourages the discovery and distribution of games through viral channels, or via cross-game promotion. Shake & Spell can be shared through Twitter and Facebook feeds, as well as email, SMS, and Facebook invites, making it easy for new users to discover the game.
"The top-ranked applications featured in mobile app stores continue to get the lion's share of downloads," said Acharya. "The ability to cross-pollinate Shake & Spell between devices and social networking platforms means that the game can now reach new and potentially untapped audiences by driving its discovery regardless of the game's ranking within a mobile app store."
About SocialDeck
SocialDeck was founded in 2008 with the vision of enabling "anywhere, anytime, anyone" gaming. The company has launched several titles for the iPhone, Facebook, and BlackBerry using its social gaming platform technology, which enables simultaneous game play across multiple mobile devices and social networks. SocialDeck's technology also facilitates viral content discovery, distribution and monetization.
SocialDeck raised its first financing round from the BlackBerry Partners Fund in March 2009. The company's core team splits its time between Toronto and San Francisco. Additional information is available at www.socialdeck.com.
