We're still trying to figure out how all of Facebook's app-makers, big and small, are going to make a living. But here's a transaction that might give us a clue: Social Gaming Network, the Facebook gaming company backed by Jeff Bezos, bought a Facebook app -- (fluff)Friends -- today for an undisclosed amount, Inside Facebook reports.
(fluff)Friends was one of the first apps on Facebook, and one of the first to be successful – one week after the platform launched, the app had 100,000 users. The app allows users to buy virtual pets (using PayPal) and play with their friends’ pets. They can also earn currency to buy food and accessories for their pets.
There are a lot of apps that have a ton of users, but what sets (fluff)Friends apart, and what we assume made it attractive to SGN, was the fact that it 1) Has a real revenue stream and 2) The revenue stream doesn’t depend on ads. Many developers think that virtual goods are the way that apps on Facebook – especially entertainment or game apps – are going to make money. So it would seem that SGN is making a strategic move to bolster their portfolio.
See Also:
Jeff Bezos Makes Yet Another Angel Investment: Social Gaming Network
Social Gaming Network Raises $15 Million For Facebook, MySpace Games
