In a ground-breaking development for linking up the internet with TV in South Africa, the online gaming company SkillPod Media has been contracted by M-Net New Media to provide online games for the KTV Games Channel. This partnership will see the launch of a number of TV channel web sites offering interactive games over the course of the year.

The KTV games site will link up with the channel’s TV programmes, and will feature many of the characters that are familiar to children across South Africa. The games will be aimed at the children’s audience of KTV, and will combine fun-filled games with an educational aspect. The site will feature puzzles and colouring games that enhance the development of many faculties in children, while keeping them entertained at the same time.

“This implementation is a strong example of how the web’s vast potential can be harnessed by creating continuity between the Internet and other media, especially TV,” says Mark van Diggelen, CEO of SkillPod Media . “These opportunities have long existed with Internet technology, but for various reasons the potential is still largely untapped. The significance of this deal is that it will create continuity between offline and online experience, particularly in terms of education and children’s early development”, he continues.

Jason Probert, Head of M-Net New Media believes that “the kids of today are as comfortable online as on-air, so it’s a natural progression for us to extend the KTV brand via online games. We’ll be developing tournaments and competitions that encourage interactivity across both platforms and look forward to making ktv.co.za the ultimate online destination for South African kids.”

The M-Net deal is just one of the many deals and developments that SkillPod Media has been involved in, the sheer quality and number of which show just how far this South African online games solutions supplier has come, and how fast it is moving – both locally and internationally.

More games for News24
SkillPod Media has supplied the Cricket World Cup game on the 24.com CWC content portal, which has been a wild success as World Cup fever gripped cricketing fans. It has also just rolled out a fresh batch of mind games on the News24 site, including hugely popular games like Scrabble, Crosswords, Word Search, Sudoku and Word Cube.

“What we’re seeing is a vast appetite for absorbing online games – we always knew there was great potential, but we’ve been quite taken aback by just how popular our games are,” notes van Diggelen. Publisher of News24, Elan Lohmann adds further perspective: “We have seen a good uptake for Sudoku and are aware that the Guardian UK online has been successful with their crossword. I would like to provide my users with relevant games that appeal to the type of person who is interested in current affairs and challenging their mind while at the office. It’s better for you then a smoke break.”

Growing international success
As part of its global increasing global expansion, SkillPod Media , together with it’s Canadian based partner Tag International, is also in the final stages of launching the games channel for the Globe and Mail, the largest newspaper in Canada, with at least 3 more sites about to go live in the United Kingdom, Ireland and Canada.

In India, their partnership with ibibo.com is proving to be hugely successful with the games sites exceeding beyond all expectations.

While SkillPod Media has to this point provided a games platform containing third-party developed games, it will soon launch its first game that has been fully developed in-house, and are confident that it will prove to be a massive hit globally.

Significant advertising opportunities
As the network of 28 games portals that are run by SkillPod Media expands locally and internationally, so do the opportunities for advertising, including advergaming and in-game advertising, both for South African companies wanting to reach a local audience, and for international companies those wishing to bolster their market reach overseas.

SkillPod Media offers brand owners and marketers the ability to place advertising inside the game screens within which the games are played, to place products within existing games and even to have their own custom games developed.

With international marketing companies treating this advertising avenue as an important part of any comprehensive marketing campaign, SkillPod Media can offer the kind of advertising reach to South African companies that few others can, averaging 3 million banners served every month, and increasing at a rate of 20% - to 25% per month, according to the company’s latest reports.