Paul Bischoff · · 2 min readViber follows footsteps of Line and WeChat with launch of game series
(Update on February 26, 2015: Viber revealed today that the games are now going global.)
Chat and VoIP app Viber announced today the launch of Viber Games, which, as the name implies, will integrate several games into the app.
The launch lineup consists of three seen-it-before lookalikes from developers Storm8 and Playtika, including a Candy Crush Saga knockoff, bubble shooter, and casino game. Viber Games will be rolled out in a staggered release starting with Belarus, Malaysia, Israel, Singapore, and the Ukraine.
Viber Candy Mania (left) and Viber Pop (right)
The freemium games were made using Viber’s new private API that lets users connect using their Viber ID. The games feature the same characters as in Viber’s branded stickers. They will be free to download as standalone apps via Google Play and the Apple App Store, with in-app purchases available.
This is similar to rival chat app Line’s strategy, which keeps the games separate yet interconnected. Games have been a huge revenue generator for Line. WeChat, on the other hand, offers games for download and play all within the app.
In the past few months, Viber also launched mobile video calls and public chats among its features.
Editing by Josh Horwitz
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