Oberon Media

Oberon Media was a notable player in the casual games sector, founded in 2003 by Chairman Tal Kerret, CEO Tomer Ben Kiki, Ofer Leidner, and video game designer Jane Jensen. Kerret, with degrees in Mathematics and Computer Science and prior experience as CEO and co-founder of e-commerce platform RichFX, brought significant tech and entrepreneurial leadership to the venture. Jensen was already a celebrated designer, known for the critically acclaimed "Gabriel Knight" adventure game series.

The company focused on developing and distributing casual games across a variety of platforms including PC, online, mobile, and interactive TV. Its primary offering was the Oberon Game Center platform, a customizable solution that provided partners with content, merchandising, and other features. This platform was adopted by major digital and media corporations like Microsoft, AT&T, Yahoo!, and Electronic Arts. Oberon Media also developed several well-known games for Microsoft Windows, such as "Purble Place," "Chess Titans," and "Mahjong Titans." Its business model was multifaceted, deriving revenue from game distribution partnerships, a subscription service via its I-play and iWin.com platforms for ad-free gaming, and in-game purchases.

Throughout its history, Oberon Media pursued an aggressive growth strategy marked by key acquisitions. In 2007, it acquired mobile game leader I-play, a move that created a multi-platform powerhouse in the casual gaming market and was accompanied by a significant funding round from investors including Goldman Sachs, Oak Investment Partners, and Lehman Brothers. This acquisition was pivotal, allowing Oberon Media to offer games across the "screen of choice": online, mobile, and TV. The company later acquired mobile technology firm Cmate S.A. and interactive television game provider PixelPlay. By 2011, the company shifted its focus from in-house game development to publishing and third-party distribution. This strategic change culminated in a 2012 rebranding, where Oberon Media adopted the name of its publishing division, Iplay, to better reflect its new market focus. Ultimately, in 2013, the assets of Oberon Media were acquired by iWin, Inc., a leading casual gaming subscription service that continues to operate the Iplay.com and iWin.com websites.

Keywords: casual games, game distribution, online gaming, mobile games, interactive TV games, game publishing, I-play, Oberon Game Center, Tal Kerret, Jane Jensen, Tomer Ben Kiki, iWin, downloadable games, game subscription service, Microsoft Games, PC gaming, cross-platform games, digital entertainment, game development, venture capital