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For Web 'Game,' Everything New Is Old

In classic fashion, company has cool idea, needs users, cash

By Harry Kimball, Newser Staff

Posted Jun 21, 2008 8:44 PM CDT

(Newser) – Won’t these Internet startups ever learn about business plans? That's backward thinking, says prolific venture capitalist Joi Ito, who has a stake in the new website PMOG. “People make fun of the idea," he told Portfolio. “There are few sites, however, that have a critical mass where they usually don't figure out a business model.”

PMOG, which stands for “passively multiplayer online game,” was born out of its creator’s obsession with World of Warcraft, a “massively multiplayer online game.” Unlike that time sink, PMOG awards points and structures missions around the user’s workaday Web excursions. The site is toying with the idea of using the game to herd users toward sponsors' sites; first, though, it needs more seed money.

How your browser might look while playing PMOG. ((c) merci)

The Passively Mutliplayer Online Game. ((c) merci)

A shot from the game PMOG. ((c) merci)

An example of badges you can win on PMOG. ((c) merci)

Poster Session kiosk for PMOG. ((c) justin)

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For Web 'Game,' Everything New Is Old

In classic fashion, company has cool idea, needs users, cash

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Yelp Turns Down $550M Google Bid

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For Web 'Game,' Everything New Is Old

In classic fashion, company has cool idea, needs users, cash

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OTHER STORIES ON OUR RADAR

Internet • Web 2.0 • venture capital • Internet startups • multiplayer games • Internet advertising • PMOG

MOST POPULAR STORIES

[ By Views ]

[ By Comments ]

More Newser Stories

Another Tech Bubble Might Be Getting Ready to Pop

Venture capitalists are pouring money into social networking startups

Yelp Turns Down $550M Google Bid

User reviews site may have been approached by rival

Would You Friend This Fake Person? Probably

Distressing response rate for fake Facebook friend requests

Contributors Flee Wikipedia's Stricter Rules

Effort to combat bias, vandalism has thinned ranks by 49K

Online TV, Movie Guide Impresses

Clicker takes the drudgery out of finding what you want

About Us

Site

Newser By Users

Community

Site Maps

Tools

More News

What is Newser?