FUN Technologies
{{Short description|Canadian online game company}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Infobox company
| name = FUN Technologies Inc.
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| genre = Online gaming
| fate = Acquired by Liberty Media
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| foundation = 2002
| founder = Lorne Abony, Andrew Rivkin
| location_city = Toronto, Ontario
| location_country = Canada
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| subsid = WorldWinner
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FUN Technologies was an online game company based in Toronto. Founded in 2002 by Canadian businessmen Lorne Abony and Andrew Rivkin,[http://www.egrmagazine.com/news/20106/securing-a-second-success.thtml Securing a second success] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110710173143/http://www.egrmagazine.com/news/20106/securing-a-second-success.thtml |date=2011-07-10 }}, eGaming Review magazine, December 7, 2005 FUN grew to become the world's largest provider of online casual games and fantasy sports, with over 35 million registered customers. FUN was publicly traded with a full listing on the London Stock Exchange in 2003 and Toronto Stock Exchange in 2004. Abony was its chief executive officer when FUN was listed on the TSX, making him the youngest CEO of any company listed on the exchange.{{cite web
|url=http://www.canadianbusiness.com/managing/strategy/article.jsp?content=20060109_105602_4640
|format=Magazine Article
|title=Fun and games
|work=Canadian business weekly
|author=Thomas Watson
|date=March 14, 2005
|accessdate=2005-03-14
|url-status=dead
|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20060629000141/http://www.canadianbusiness.com/managing/strategy/article.jsp?content=20060109_105602_4640
|archivedate=June 29, 2006
}}
FUN was one of the fastest-growing companies in the history of the Toronto Stock Exchange.{{fact|date=April 2023}} In less than three years, the company raised over $160 million in five rounds of equity financings, including its IPO. FUN completed eight strategic acquisitions for a total consideration of $128 million. In March 2006, American media giant Liberty Media acquired FUN{{cite web
|url = http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_pwwi/is_/ai_n21097813
|format = NewsWire
|title = Liberty Media Corporation to Acquire Fun technologies
|work = CBS Interactive
|author = Marketwire
|date = October 1, 2007
|accessdate = 2007-10-01
}} in a transaction valuing the company at $484 million.
{{cite web
|url=http://www.macleans.ca/science/technology/article.jsp?content=20071001_110036_110036
|title=The New Masters Of The Universe: Lorne Abony
|work=Globe & Mail
|author=Peter C.Newman
|date=October 1, 2007
|accessdate=2007-10-01
|url-status=dead
|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20071023111524/http://www.macleans.ca/science/technology/article.jsp?content=20071001_110036_110036
|archivedate=2007-10-23
}}
In September 2006, FUN Technologies held a competition with a $1 million grand prize aiming to find the "world's best casual gamer". The competition had 71 contestants and featured the casual games Bejeweled 2, Solitaire, and Zuma The top prize of $1 million was awarded to a young woman of Odessa, TX named Kavitha Yalavarthi (now Kavitha Shah.) This made her the first esports millionaire and the top female esports earner to date.[http://www.gamespot.com/pc/puzzle/zumadeluxe/news.html?sid=6157427 Casual gamer gets serious prize], GameSpot, September 12, 2006 {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071012220559/http://www.gamespot.com/pc/puzzle/zumadeluxe/news.html?sid=6157427 |date=12 October 2007 }}
SkillJam, founded by Justin Beckett, Michael Raeford, and Mark Elfenbein{{Cite web|last=Cashmore|first=Pete|title=SaySwap Launches Game-Swapping Site, Backed by MySpace Founder|url=https://mashable.com/2006/10/30/sayswap-launches-game-swapping-site-backed-by-myspace-founder/|access-date=2020-07-18|website=Mashable|date=30 October 2006|language=en}} in 1999 as EGamesGroup before being acquired by Los Angeles based EUniverse on November 8, 2001, was acquired by FUN Technologies in 2004. The SkillJam website used to have online skill-based games, including the exclusive license to Pop Cap's Bejeweled for cash and prizes, sudoku, chess,{{cite news |first=Beth |last=Potter |title=Liberty has a go at games on the Web. |url=http://www.accessmylibrary.com/article-1G1-139050127/liberty-has-go-games.html |work=The Denver Post |date=2005-11-23 |accessdate=25 August 2009 }} Zuma, Big Money! and Dynomite!, as well as partnerships with service providers like DirecTV, offering its game tournaments via DirecTV's set-top boxes.{{cite news|title=Fun Tech partners with DirecTV |url=http://www.boston.com/business/ticker/2007/02/fun_tech_partne.html |work=The Boston Globe |date=2007-02-15 |accessdate=25 August 2009 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20081205045746/http://www.boston.com/business/ticker/2007/02/fun_tech_partne.html |archivedate=2008-12-05 |url-status=dead }}
In 2006, FUN acquired its Newton, Massachusetts-based competitor WorldWinner, an established tournament games platform with a large portfolio of games, including Scrabble Cubes, solitaire and Luxor, founded by Alex Bloom (Saidakovsky), Alex Ganelis, and Daniil Utin in 1999.{{Cite web|url=http://www.thefreelibrary.com/WorldWinner.com+Launches+Online+Gaming+Site+that+Rewards+Skilled...-a064329455|title=WorldWinner.com Launches Online Gaming Site that Rewards Skilled Players with Cash Prizes; New Gaming Destination Brings the Thrill of Competition to Familiar Games. - Free Online Library|website=www.thefreelibrary.com|access-date=2016-06-03|archive-date=4 August 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160804000404/http://www.thefreelibrary.com/WorldWinner.com+Launches+Online+Gaming+Site+that+Rewards+Skilled...-a064329455|url-status=dead}} It merged SkillJam into WorldWinner.com in 2007, dropping the SkillJam brand.{{cite news|title=FUN Technologies' Skill Games Network Reaches Industry Record of More than 30 Million Players Globally |url=http://www.marketwire.com/press-release/Fun-Technologies-Inc-TSX-FUN-639041.html |type=press release |work=Marketwire |date=2007-03-06 |accessdate=25 August 2009 |archiveurl=https://archive.today/20090825060043/http://www.marketwire.com/press-release/Fun-Technologies-Inc-TSX-FUN-639041.html |archivedate=2009-08-25 |url-status=dead }}
In December 2007, Liberty Media acquired FUN Technologies.{{cite web|title=Liberty Media Corporation Completes Acquisition of FUN Technologies Inc.|url=http://ir.libertymedia.com/releasedetail.cfm?ReleaseID=576103|work=Press release|accessdate=5 February 2012|archive-date=13 March 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160313043403/http://ir.libertymedia.com/releasedetail.cfm?releaseid=576103|url-status=dead}} As a result of the acquisition, WorldWinner began to be integrated with the Liberty-owned Game Show Network, and FUN Technologies was discontinued as a brand.{{cite web|last=Viscarolosaga|first=Efrain|title=WorldWinner's parent plans a whole new game|url=http://www.masshightech.com/stories/2008/06/09/weekly8-WorldWinners-parent-plans-a-whole-new-game.html|publisher=Mass High Tech|accessdate=5 February 2012|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110829135743/http://www.masshightech.com/stories/2008/06/09/weekly8-WorldWinners-parent-plans-a-whole-new-game.html|archivedate=29 August 2011}}