CAMBRIDGE, MA — (Marketwire) — 04/30/12 — Oomba, Inc. today announced the acquisition of Xeko (pronounced “zeeko”) a collectable/tradable game about endangered animals, as well as the Gaming for Good brand. Oomba is re-tooling Xeko for the digital realm as a flagship game for showcasing the company-s digital object trading platform. Oomba-s evaluating partnership options for co-developing and publishing Xeko, and in keeping with its original vision, one percent (1%) of all Xeko revenues will be donated to biodiversity conservation. “Xeko-s high quality, amazing mission, collectable/tradable game design, and stunning artwork immediately drew me to the game,” said Mike Williams, Oomba CEO and long-time game industry veteran.
Created by Amy Tucker (Xeko) with co-founder Sönny Spearman (Matter Group) lead game designer Tyler Bielman (Wizards of the Coast) and lead artist Michel Gagne (Zed, Insanely Twisted Shadow Planet), four Xeko collections were published — Madagascar, Costa Rica, Indonesia, and China — before the game went out of circulation during the Great Recession. Oomba-s Mike Williams approached Tucker and asked if she-d like to re-launch the game with him and Nolan Bushnell (Atari, Chuckie Cheese). “Needless to say I was flabbergasted — the chance to bring Xeko back, working with none other than Nolan Bushnell, the founder of the video game industry and one of my heroes, was mind-blowingly awesome,” said Tucker. “I was ready to close the chapter and move on, but Xeko came back like a boomerang — endangered species are going extinct at an alarming rate; there-s clearly still work to be done.”
While a digital object platform for games across all categories, the Oomba platform will feature a Gaming for Good category that allows players to play games and make donations to online causes. This is in keeping with the company founders- belief in smart play, as well as doing good while having fun. “Imagine your game time in the digital realm making a difference in the real world. How cool is that?” said Nolan Bushnell, Oomba co-founder.
Oomba is the first saas platform for the exchange of virtual goods in an aftermarket that operates with the exclusive, voluntary participation of publishers of online and mobile games. The Oomba team is comprised of proven visionaries and industry veterans whose past innovations have changed the way in which people spend their leisure time. The team includes Michael Williams (Planetwide Games, Tremor Entertainment, Reality Gap), Nolan Bushnell (Atari, Chuck E. Cheese), Shawn Broderick (Genetic Anomalies, TechStars, play140), Amy Tucker (Xeko, Matter Group), and Dr.Richard Garfield (Magic: the Gathering, Pokemon).
Xeko (pronounced “zeeko”) is the award-winning game specifically created to raise awareness for the amazing and endangered creatures that inhabit our Earth, inspire future eco-leaders, and empower people, everywhere, to join together and make a difference through positive play. Xeko delivers engaging game play and an exciting adventure that ignites imaginations and sends the next generation of heroes on an adventure to save the world. The Xeko Motto: Be a Force of Nature!
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