A new means of distribution for games outside of the traditional app stores should give any developer a reason to shout, "Yahoo!"
Yahoo said its Yahoo Games Network platform will include onboarding services that help developers authenticate players and monetize their games while providing social sharing, analytics and "ongoing operational support for growth." Its Yahoo Classic Games site, meanwhile, is designed with cross-platform users in mind.
Developers on Twitter were quick to recognize the move as a way for Yahoo to build upon a recent acquisition in this space.
@PlayerIO relaunches as Yahoo Games Services! http://t.co/mt9Ww4Jjzo
— Lavon Woods (@LavonWoods) March 20, 2014
Although it may take some time to prove itself, there was a sense of potential in what Yahoo is trying to do.
An app store that works "seamlessly" across Android and iOS devices, as well as the Web. If it works, this could be …http://t.co/tiiyDISMbl
— Eoin Redmond (@EoinRedmond) March 20, 2014
A few former staffers suggested they had wanted to offer something like this to third-party developers for years.
Yahoo! finally delivered a games platform, a project I began there in 2007. Better late than never, I guess… http://t.co/w1IsyaCaZz
— Max Engel (@8bitkid) March 20, 2014
Naturally, not everyone was enthused.
and now http://t.co/JewMAvQnCx is part of Yahoo Games Network with new pricing system http://t.co/0srENisiah meh!
— herdiansah (@herdiansah) March 20, 2014
As with many of its recent moves with online and mobile strategies, Yahoo's biggest challenge may be convincing the market it's not an old dog trying to learn new tricks.
@TheNextWeb Now @AOL just needs to announce they're bringing back those dial-up CD's and we've gone full circle. @EPro
— Dwayne Charrington (@AbolitionOf) March 19, 2014