ActiveVideo Networks, which provides technology that converts Web video for viewing on a television set along with other cloud-based interactive television solutions, has acquired networked-game specialist TAG Networks. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.
San Jose, Calif.-based ActiveVideo said the TAG deal will allow it to add games to its CloudTV development platform. Mountain View, Calif.-based TAG has already created a television games channel for cable, IPTV and Internet-connected devices, TAG TV, that is designed to bring casual games to broad television audiences and has been deployed by operators including Time Warner Cable.
"We believe that the games category, which exceeds $25 billion, is among the most significant growth opportunities for our cable, programmer and CE manufacturer customers," said ActiveVideo president and CEO Jeff Miller in a statement. "Combining TAG's advanced games platform with our own industry-leading cloud platform provides our distribution and programming partners with a single, robust solution for delivering games, social communities, iVOD, Internet video, advanced advertising, interactivity and commerce to TVs around the world."
In conjunction with the deal, TAG Networks' management team and staff have been relocated to ActiveVideo's corporate headquarters in San Jose. Sangita Verma, CEO and founder of TAG Networks, and Robert Craig, chief creative officer and founder, will serve as President of TAG Games and Chief Creative Officer of TAG Games, respectively, for ActiveVideo Networks; TAG CTO Cliff Mercer will serve as Senior Vice President, Engineering of ActiveVideo Networks.
"TAG and ActiveVideo Networks have successfully collaborated for many years and together we have proven the value of games as drivers of television interactivity," said Verma. "Now as a part of the ActiveVideo team, we're looking forward to expanding our vision and making the TAG games platform available to other games developers and content owners."
