I-Jet Media

I-Jet Media was a Russian game distribution and publishing company focused on browser-based, social, and mobile games. Founded in 2005 as a developer of browser games, it built its business around adapting, publishing, and distributing titles through online portals and social networks rather than operating primarily as a conventional boxed-game publisher. Its early development work included Maffia News, which was created over approximately two years and released in 2007. After its launch on Rambler.ru, the game reportedly attracted more than 500,000 monthly users, helping establish the company in Russia's emerging online-games market. The company expanded its catalog in 2007 with titles including Time to Enforce, Real Wars, and Steel Giants. During this period, co-founder and chief executive Alexey Kostarev opened an office in Silicon Valley, giving I-Jet Media a presence outside Russia and supporting its efforts to work with international developers and distribution partners. The company subsequently shifted significant attention toward social games, preparing titles for Russian social networks and seeking to connect local audiences with games developed abroad. In 2009, I-Jet Media began a cooperative publishing relationship with Chinese developer Elex. Under the arrangement, I-Jet Media distributed Elex games on Russian social networks, particularly VKontakte. In April of the same year, it released Happy Harvest in the Russian internet market. The farming-themed social game became the company's most prominent reported success: reference material states that it reached approximately 10 million unique active users and generated about US$20 million in less than a year. The same material identifies Happy Harvest as a recipient of a Google Trend award for the best game of 2009, although the available source does not provide detailed award documentation. I-Jet Media continued broadening its platform coverage in 2010. Its games were described as the first to be published on Odnoklassniki.ru, and the company began exporting titles to social networks in Estonia, Finland, Germany, and Poland. It also worked with Alawar Entertainment to publish Farm Frenzy in May 2010. Later that summer, I-Jet Media began publishing games on the Russian version of Facebook. Its activities extended to mobile social distribution as well: in July 2010, it partnered with Spaces.ru to create a game section that reportedly received more than 25,000 visitors on its first day. The company also pursued international licensing and anti-piracy initiatives. In September 2010, I-Jet Media and Playdom announced an agreement under which I-Jet Media would publish Playdom social games on European social networks. The companies also agreed to cooperate against piracy in the Russian social-games market. By 2011, I-Jet Media was described as working with about 40 developers and having published 80 social games across 30 social networks, with an aggregate audience of roughly 70 million users. These figures describe the company's network reach and published portfolio rather than necessarily representing unique paying customers. In August 2011, at the Social Games Summit held during Game Developers Conference Europe, I-Jet Media introduced i-Jet Connect, a technology platform intended to consolidate social-game publishing and development functions. The platform was designed to support rapid distribution to both global and local social networks, traffic management, and the integration of brand advertising. A closed beta began on August 15, 2011, with completion anticipated later that year. The available reference material does not establish whether the platform reached a full commercial launch or clarify the company's later operating status.

I-Jet Media was established in Russia in 2005 as a developer of browser-based games. Its first major title, Maffia News, was developed during the company's first two years and published on Rambler.ru in 2007. The game reportedly exceeded 500,000 monthly users on Rambler. I-Jet Media also launched or published Time to Enforce, Real Wars, and Steel Giants in 2007. The company used this early browser-game experience to move into social-game publishing. Alexey Kostarev, identified in the available reference as the company's chief executive and co-founder, opened a Silicon Valley office. I-Jet Media then began preparing games for Russian social networks and developing relationships with overseas studios. In 2009 it cooperated with Chinese developer Elex, publishing Elex games in Russian social networks, especially VKontakte. I-Jet Media also opened a Beijing office during 2009. In April 2009, the company released Happy Harvest in Russia. The game reportedly accumulated approximately 10 million unique active users and earned around US$20 million in less than one year. The reference material also says that Happy Harvest received a Google Trend award as the best game of 2009. This success positioned I-Jet Media as a significant participant in Russia's rapidly expanding social-games sector. During 2010, I-Jet Media broadened both its distribution network and its portfolio. Its games were described as the first published on Odnoklassniki.ru. The company exported titles to social networks in Estonia, Finland, Germany, and Poland, published Farm Frenzy with Alawar Entertainment, and began publishing games on Russian Facebook. It also entered mobile social distribution through a game section created with Spaces.ru in July 2010. The section reportedly received more than 25,000 visitors on its opening day. In September 2010, I-Jet Media announced a partnership with Playdom to distribute Playdom social games on European social networks. The partners also stated that they would work together against piracy in the Russian social-games market. By 2011, the company was described as cooperating with 40 developers, distributing 80 social games on 30 social networks, and reaching an audience of approximately 70 million users. On August 15, 2011, I-Jet Media introduced i-Jet Connect at the Social Games Summit held as part of Game Developers Conference Europe. The proposed platform was intended to combine social-game publishing and development tools, accelerate deployment to local and international networks, manage traffic, and support brand advertising. A closed beta was reported to have begun on the launch date, with completion expected in November 2011. The available sources do not document the platform's eventual commercial outcome or provide reliable information about I-Jet Media's subsequent status.

• 2011

  i-Jet Connect is unveiled

  [1]I-Jet Mediaen.wikipedia.org

  I-Jet Media presents a cross-network publishing and social-game technology platform at Game Developers Conference Europe.

• 2010

  Expansion across social and mobile networks

  [1]I-Jet Mediaen.wikipedia.org

  The company expands to Odnoklassniki.ru, European social networks, Russian Facebook, and the Spaces.ru mobile-social platform.

• 2009

  Elex cooperation and Happy Harvest launch

  [1]I-Jet Mediaen.wikipedia.org

  I-Jet Media begins publishing Elex games in Russian social networks and releases Happy Harvest, its most successful reported social game.

• 2007

  Maffia News reaches the market

  [1]I-Jet Mediaen.wikipedia.org

  I-Jet Media publishes Maffia News on Rambler.ru and also launches or publishes Time to Enforce, Real Wars, and Steel Giants.

• 2005

  I-Jet Media is founded

  [1]I-Jet Mediaen.wikipedia.org

  The company is established in Russia as a developer of browser-based games.

A Russia-based publisher and distribution network connecting international and local game developers with audiences on social networks, web portals, and mobile social platforms.

• Browser game · 2007

  Maffia News

  I-Jet Media's first reported game. Developed over approximately two years and published on Rambler.ru in 2007, it reportedly attracted more than 500,000 monthly users on the portal.

• Social game · 2009

  Happy Harvest

  A farming-themed social game released in Russia in April 2009. Reference material attributes approximately 10 million unique active users and about US$20 million in revenue to the title within less than a year.

• Casual game · 2010

  Farm Frenzy

  A casual game published by I-Jet Media in cooperation with Alawar Entertainment in May 2010. The available material identifies the publishing relationship but does not specify the exact platforms or commercial performance.

• Social-game technology platform · 2011

  i-Jet Connect

  A platform announced in August 2011 to consolidate social-game publishing and development functions. Proposed capabilities included rapid deployment to local and global social networks, traffic management, and brand-advertising integration.

• 2011

  Develop i-Jet ConnectProduct launch

  Background

  Social-game developers and publishers faced fragmented local and international networks, creating a need for tools that could simplify distribution and audience management.

  Action taken

  I-Jet Media revealed i-Jet Connect, a platform intended to support cross-network publication, traffic management, and advertising integration, and began a closed beta.

  Aftermath

  The planned beta was expected to conclude in November 2011, but the available reference does not establish whether the platform entered full commercial operation.

  Source

• 2010

  Expand distribution beyond RussiaStrategy

  Background

  After establishing a position on Russian social networks, I-Jet Media sought additional audiences in Europe and on international platforms.

  Action taken

  The company exported games to social networks in Estonia, Finland, Germany, and Poland, and began publishing on Russian Facebook.

  Aftermath

  The expansion increased the geographic range of I-Jet Media's distribution network, although the available sources do not quantify its financial results.

  Source

• 2009

  Partner with Elex for Russian social-network publishingStrategy

  Background

  I-Jet Media was moving from browser-game development toward social-game distribution and needed access to additional content for Russian networks.

  Action taken

  The company cooperated with Chinese developer Elex and published Elex games in Russian social networks, particularly VKontakte.

  Aftermath

  The partnership supported I-Jet Media's international publisher role and preceded the company's broader expansion across social networks.

  Source

1. 1I-Jet Mediaen.wikipedia.org