AOL Acquires GameDaily.com
AOL said Wednesday that it had acquired GameDaily, one of the largest gaming sites on the Web, along with its business publication GameDaily Biz. Financial terms were not disclosed. The site would become the flagship brand in the AOL Games network, and merged into AOL's current offerings.
Like last year, AOL has been active in the acquisitions department. So far this year, the company has acquired four companies: Web-based IM provider Userplane, online video ad firm Lightningcast, video search firm Truveo, and now GameDaily.
"Video game sites have become a valuable resource for advertisers wishing to reach the young male audience, and GameDaily is a brand that resonates with these highly sought after consumers," said Ralph Rivera, Vice President and General Manager, AOL Games.
GameDaily provides gaming news, tips and downloads. The properties would be blended in with the current AOL Games, and GameDaily's editorial staff would be merged with AOL Games' editorial staff, the company said. AOL is banking on the site's 18-to-34 male demographic as a fresh new audience to serve web advertising to in an increasing lucrative market.
The AOL Games network includes AOL Games, a casual gaming portal; AOL Video Games, a resource for gaming news, tips and multimedia features; and Games.com, another casual gaming resource that the company recently acquired.