Mobile advertising platform Tapjoy is making a pivot with its consumer offerings to create a new application storefront that will showcase cross-platform mobile games tied to publisher virtual currency. Tapjoy, which has run afoul of Apple, with its pay-per-action service and advertising distribution model is adding the Tapjoy Games Web store to move horizontally in the industry and broaden is prospective customer base.
We confirmed the Tapjoy Games platform with a company spokesperson. The platform will be a hub for games across iOS, Android and HTML5 Web-based games that Tapjoy will tie together with virtual currency from the publishers. Can Tapjoy steer clear of Apple’s App Store terms of service or will Tapjoy Games be the next in a line of ill-fated attempts from the company?
Tapjoy’s Gaming “Hub”
Tapjoy Games is not exactly a store. The better definition for it would probably be “hub” because it does not act as the point of download, but rather sends users to the appropriate market places. For instance, if one of Tapjoy’s partners has its iOS games listed in the Games platform, the user will get redirected to iTunes. Same goes for Android and Web apps. Users are rewarded with virtual currency for downloads across platforms and publishers.
This is different from what was reported by Inside Mobile Apps, which did not mention the re-direct to the Android Market or App Store. Pocket Gamer hit what Tapjoy is doing a little more directly.
This is not exactly a full pivot for Tapjoy. Its current stable of offerings, including its partnerships and video offerings, will not be affected. Tapjoy will add this business-to-consumer aspect to its already large business-to-business offerings.
Getting Around Native TOS With Via The Web
Tapjoy’s SDK was ousted from the App Store earlier this year because the practice of rewarding users for extra downloads with virtual currency ended up vaulting apps into the top charts of the market. Apple was not keen on the control Tapjoy had and banned the practice. By using a mobile Web app, Tapjoy is now skirting the iOS rules because, as much as Apple would like to, it cannot control what happens on the mobile Web.
After the leak last week, Tapjoy has pulled back a bit on its announcement. It was slated to go live on Tuesday Nov. 1 but the official announcement has been delayed, perhaps to later this week. Part of the announcement will also be a social discovery and engagement layer between Tapjoy publisher partner apps. The Tapjoy company spokesperson was not ready to elaborate on that aspect of the announcement quite yet.
Is Tapjoy recreating the same headaches it faced earlier this year or will its new Web hub that ties downloads to virtual currency finally be able to stick? Let us know what you think in the comments.
Picture: Pocket Gamer
