Tilting Point
{{short description|Mobile games publisher}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2025}}
{{Game guide|date=March 2025}}{{Infobox company
| name = Tilting Point Media LLC
| logo = Tilting Point logo 2020.svg
| type = Private{{citation needed|date=July 2021}}
| industry = Video games
| founded = {{Start date and age|May 1, 2012}}
| founders = {{Unbulleted list|Kevin Segalla|Dan Sherman}}
| hq_location_city = New York
| hq_location_country = US
| area_served = Worldwide
| key_people = Kevin Segalla (CEO, Founder, Chairman)
Samir El Agili (COO, President){{cite news|last=Weber|first=Rachel|title=New hire for Tilting Point|url=https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2015-08-25-new-hire-for-tilting-point|newspaper=a.list|access-date=October 13, 2020|archive-date=2020-10-14|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201014192528/https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2015-08-25-new-hire-for-tilting-point|url-status=live}}
Derek Apfel (CFO)
| products = Full List: {{section link||Games}}
| num_employees = 460 (2022)
| website = {{URL|https://tiltingpoint.com}}
}}
Tilting Point is an American video game publisher founded in 2012. In the years since, Tilting Point has grown to include over 200 staff members and office locations in New York, Boston, Barcelona,{{Cite news|last=Takahashi|first=Dean|date=August 15, 2018|title=Tilting Point opens mobile game studio in Barcelona|work=Venture Beat|url=https://venturebeat.com/2018/08/15/tilting-point-opens-mobile-game-studio-in-barcelona/|access-date=October 13, 2020|archive-date=October 19, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201019023601/https://venturebeat.com/2018/08/15/tilting-point-opens-mobile-game-studio-in-barcelona/|url-status=live}} Kyiv, Seoul, and San Diego. Further partnerships with development studios and publishers exist in over a dozen countries.
The company publishes and manages live F2P games, and in some cases co-develops games with partner studios as well as runs live services for owned games through internal studios. Examples of such titles are: SpongeBob: Krusty Cook-Off, Star Trek Timelines, Warhammer: Chaos & Conquest, Languinis, Narcos: Cartel Wars, TerraGenesis, and Zombieland: AFK Survival.
Company
= Business Model =
Tilting Point created a new form of publishing called "Progressive Publishing", which has two main parts.{{Cite news|last=Katkoff|first=Michail|date=August 12, 2019|title=Mobile Publishing #2: Behind Tilting Point's $132M War Chest|work=Deconstructor of Fun|url=https://www.deconstructoroffun.com/blog/2019/8/12/mobile-publishing-2-behind-tilting-points-132m-war-chest|access-date=October 13, 2020|archive-date=October 14, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201014192525/https://www.deconstructoroffun.com/blog/2019/8/12/mobile-publishing-2-behind-tilting-points-132m-war-chest|url-status=live}} The first is live publishing (which they call "Power Up"), which is a focus on publishing games that are already active. This includes user acquisition funding/management and other publishing services (asset creation, ASO [app store optimization], ad monetization, production management, and live operations). Secondarily is development (or "Team Up"). This includes funding the production of a game and other related services (game design, marketing/PR, IP licensing, and community management). Tilting Point has also been known to acquire independent developers or games.
History
Tilting Point was founded in 2012 by Dan Sherman and Kevin Segalla as Tilting Point Media.{{Cite web|title=Tilting Point|url=https://unicorn-nest.com/funds/tilting-point/|access-date=2021-07-14|website=Unicorn Nest|language=en-US|archive-date=2021-07-14|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210714142529/https://unicorn-nest.com/funds/tilting-point/|url-status=live}}
From 2012 to 2015, Tilting Point focused on pay-to-play games.
In 2015 the company hired Samir Agili as Chief Product Officer and Jean-Sebastien Laverge as VP of Growth to transition the company from a pay-to-play games publisher to a free-to-play game publisher.
Following Samir Agili's arrival, the company accelerated its user acquisition expertise and launched its first ever user acquisition fund in November 2016. The fund (initially $12 million), called Game Alliance, was intended for use by independent game developers to scale user acquisition campaigns.{{Cite news|last=Takahashi|first=Dean|date=November 29, 2016|title=Tilting Point launches $12 million user-acquisition fund for mobile-game devs|work=Venture Beat|url=https://venturebeat.com/2016/11/29/tilting-point-launches-12-million-user-acquisition-fund-for-mobile-game-devs/|access-date=October 13, 2020|archive-date=October 17, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201017032713/https://venturebeat.com/2016/11/29/tilting-point-launches-12-million-user-acquisition-fund-for-mobile-game-devs/|url-status=live}} This launched a continued effort by the company to assist developers with user acquisition costs.{{Cite news|last=Schiff|first=Allison|date=November 1, 2019|title=Game Publisher Tilting Point Knows User Acquisition - And Shows Others How It's Done|work=ad exchanger|url=https://www.adexchanger.com/the-sell-sider/game-publisher-tilting-point-knows-user-acquisition-and-shows-others-how-its-done/|access-date=October 13, 2020|archive-date=September 24, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200924115608/https://www.adexchanger.com/the-sell-sider/game-publisher-tilting-point-knows-user-acquisition-and-shows-others-how-its-done/|url-status=live}} In 2018, Tilting Point expanded its user acquisition fund to $132 million.{{Cite news|last=Ha|first=Anthony|date=July 10, 2018|title=Tilting Point expands its user acquisition fund to $132M in annual spending|work=Tech Crunch|url=https://techcrunch.com/2018/07/10/tilting-point-user-acquisition-fund/|access-date=October 13, 2020|archive-date=January 31, 2024|archive-url=https://archive.today/20240131230856/https://techcrunch.com/2018/07/10/tilting-point-user-acquisition-fund/|url-status=live}}
2016 also marked the launch of "D.O.R.A." or "Dynamically Optimized Revenue Optimization".{{Cite news|last=Salz|first=Peggy Anne|date=July 13, 2018|title=AI powers and scales mobile app user acquisition--and Tilting Point shows the way|work=Forbes|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/peggyannesalz/2018/07/13/ai-powers-and-scales-mobile-app-user-acquisition-and-tilting-point-shows-the-way/#2151a796b890|access-date=October 13, 2020|archive-date=November 9, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201109031611/https://www.forbes.com/sites/peggyannesalz/2018/07/13/ai-powers-and-scales-mobile-app-user-acquisition-and-tilting-point-shows-the-way/#2151a796b890|url-status=live}} DORA is an in-house developed artificial intelligence (AI) that makes predictions about customer lifetime value (LTV). The system uses key performance indicators (KPIs) data to make user acquisition campaign spend amount recommendations.
One of the two original founders, Dan Sherman, left the company in January 2018{{Cite web|url = https://venturebeat.com/2018/01/17/tilting-points-revenue-increases-thanks-to-publishing-and-user-acquisition-strategy/|title = Tilting Point's revenue increases thanks to publishing and user acquisition strategy|date = 18 January 2018|access-date = 8 December 2020|archive-date = 9 November 2020|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20201109034457/https://venturebeat.com/2018/01/17/tilting-points-revenue-increases-thanks-to-publishing-and-user-acquisition-strategy/|url-status = live}} and Samir Agili replaced him as president, Chief Operating Officer, and board member.
Tilting Point also developed "C.A.T." or "Creative Automation Technology" 100% in-house in 2018. This system automatically generates static and video advertisements using content supplied to it. This allows user acquisition and marketing managers to run more campaigns across a variety of platforms.
In September 2019, Tilting Point acquired Gondola, a service that leverages machine learning to assist mobile game developers with optimizing in-game economies and rewarded video ads.{{Cite web|date=2019-10-17|title=Tilting Point acquires mobile game monetization platform Gondola|url=https://venturebeat.com/2019/10/17/tilting-point-acquires-mobile-game-monetization-platform-gondola/|access-date=2021-07-14|website=VentureBeat|language=en-US|archive-date=2021-10-25|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211025211828/https://venturebeat.com/2019/10/17/tilting-point-acquires-mobile-game-monetization-platform-gondola/|url-status=live}} The company has since been folded into Tilting Point as a whole.
In March 2020, Tilting Point acquired Star Trek Timelines from Disruptor Beam.{{Cite web|title=Tilting Point buys Star Trek Timelines from Disruptor Beam|url=https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2020-03-04-tilting-point-buys-star-trek-timelines-from-disruptor-beam|access-date=2021-07-14|website=GamesIndustry.biz|date=4 March 2020|language=en|archive-date=2021-07-23|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210723224050/https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2020-03-04-tilting-point-buys-star-trek-timelines-from-disruptor-beam|url-status=live}} At the same time, they created Wicked Realm Games with 19 former Disruptor Beam staff members (including former CTO David Cham as the new studio head{{Cite news|last=Lovett|first=Jamie|date=March 4, 2020|title=Star Trek Timelines Has a New Owner|work=ComicBook.com|url=https://comicbook.com/startrek/news/star-trek-timelines-new-owner-tilting-point-wicked-realm-games/|access-date=October 13, 2020|archive-date=October 17, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201017185614/https://comicbook.com/startrek/news/star-trek-timelines-new-owner-tilting-point-wicked-realm-games/|url-status=live}}).
July 2020 marked the purchase of FTX Games and Plamee, including three of their games: Narcos: Cartel Wars, The Walking Dead: Casino Slots, and Criminal Minds: The Mobile Game.{{Cite news|last=Takahashi|first=Dean|date=July 15, 2020|title=Tilting Point acquires Plamee Studios and FTX Games assets|work=Venture Beat|url=https://venturebeat.com/2020/07/15/tilting-point-acquires-ftx-games-assets-and-all-of-plamee-studios/|access-date=October 13, 2020|archive-date=October 26, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201026192625/https://venturebeat.com/2020/07/15/tilting-point-acquires-ftx-games-assets-and-all-of-plamee-studios/|url-status=live}}
In February 2022, Tilting Point announced it had acquired Korean game developer, AN Games.{{Cite web|title=Tilting Point acquires AN Games|url=https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2022-02-03-tilting-point-acquires-an-games|access-date=2022-02-03|website=GamesIndustry.biz|date=3 February 2022|language=en|archive-date=2022-02-03|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220203183232/https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2022-02-03-tilting-point-acquires-an-games|url-status=live}}
Funding
In 2018, Tilting Point made a deal with direct-lending firm Metropolitan Partners Group for a $132 million annual investment.{{Cite news|last=Clayton|first=Natalie|date=August 14, 2018|title=Metropolitan Partners Group invests in Tilting Point Media user acquisition fund|work=Pocket Gamer.biz|url=https://www.pocketgamer.biz/news/68782/metropolitan-partners-group-invests-in-tilting-point-media-user-acquisition-fund/|access-date=October 13, 2020|archive-date=October 16, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201016070035/https://www.pocketgamer.biz/news/68782/metropolitan-partners-group-invests-in-tilting-point-media-user-acquisition-fund/|url-status=live}} This was used to expand Tilting Point's user acquisition fund.
Acquisitions
Owned Studios & Offices
= Active studios =
Games
Awards
- 2014 Apple Design Award – Leo's Fortune{{Cite news|last=Loyola|first=Roman|date=June 2, 2014|title=WWDC: Apple Design Awards winners for 2014|work=Macworld|url=https://www.macworld.com/article/2358481/wwdc-apple-design-awards-winners-for-2014.html|access-date=October 13, 2020|archive-date=October 26, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201026223758/https://www.macworld.com/article/2358481/wwdc-apple-design-awards-winners-for-2014.html|url-status=live}}
- 2014 App Store Best of (Runner-up) – Leo's Fortune{{Cite magazine|last=Fitzpatrick|first=Alex|date=December 8, 2014|title=Apple Says These Are the Best Apps of 2014|magazine=Time|url=https://time.com/3623190/apple-best-apps-iphone/|access-date=October 13, 2020|archive-date=September 19, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200919231630/https://time.com/3623190/apple-best-apps-iphone/|url-status=live}}
- 2014 Global Game Awards – Best Mobile Game (3rd Place) for Leo's Fortune{{Cite news|date=2014|title=Best Mobile Game|work=Game Debate|url=https://www.game-debate.com/awards/2014/best-mobile-game|access-date=October 13, 2020|archive-date=June 18, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210618025814/https://game-debate.com/awards/2014/best-mobile-game|url-status=live}}
- 2015 App Store Best of – Beat Sports{{Cite news|last=de Waal-Montgomery|first=Michael|date=November 2, 2015|title=Games are riding high in Apple TV App Store as Top Charts reveal early trends (update)|work=Venture Beat|url=https://venturebeat.com/2015/11/02/games-are-riding-high-in-apple-tv-app-store-as-top-charts-reveal-early-trends/|access-date=October 13, 2020|archive-date=November 8, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201108105250/http://venturebeat.com/2015/11/02/games-are-riding-high-in-apple-tv-app-store-as-top-charts-reveal-early-trends/|url-status=live}}
- 2019 Apple Best of – Blockbusters Reborn for Warhammer: Chaos & Conquest{{Cite news|date=2019|title=Best of 2019: Apps of the Year|work=Apple Developer|url=https://developer.apple.com/app-store/best-of-2019/|access-date=October 13, 2020|archive-date=December 6, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191206205410/https://developer.apple.com/app-store/best-of-2019/|url-status=live}}
- 2020 PocketGamer.biz's Top 50 Mobile Game Makers{{Cite web|last=PocketGamerbiz|date=September 1, 2020|title=PocketGamer.biz Top 50 Mobile Game Makers 2020 - REVEALED!|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7F1VVvLQWwk|access-date=October 13, 2020|website=YouTube}} (Number 27{{Cite news|author=PocketGamer.biz Staff|date=September 8, 2020|title=PocketGamer.biz Top 50 Mobile Game Makers 2020|work=PocketGamer.biz|url=https://www.pocketgamer.biz/list/74284/the-top-50-mobile-game-makers-of-2020/entry/27/|access-date=October 13, 2020|archive-date=October 18, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201018032459/https://www.pocketgamer.biz/list/74284/the-top-50-mobile-game-makers-of-2020/entry/27/|url-status=live}})
- 2020 Google Play Best Pick Up & Play Game Selection for SpongeBob: Krusty Cook-Off{{Cite web|date=December 1, 2020|title=Google Play Best Pick Up & Play|url=https://play.google.com/store/apps/topic?id=campaign_editorial_bestof2020_casual&hl=en&gl=US|access-date=December 7, 2020|website=Google Play|archive-date=December 2, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201202150624/https://play.google.com/store/apps/topic?id=campaign_editorial_bestof2020_casual&hl=en&gl=US|url-status=live}}
- 2020 Google Play Users' Choice Game Award for SpongeBob: Krusty Cook-Off (USA){{Cite web|date=December 1, 2020|title=Google Play Users' Choice Game of 2020|url=https://play.google.com/store/apps/uservoting/Games%20-%20Best%20of%202020%20User%20Voting%20Page?id=mc_bestof2020_uv_games_page&hl=en_US&gl=US|access-date=December 7, 2020|website=Google Play|archive-date=November 26, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201126193920/https://play.google.com/store/apps/uservoting/Games%20-%20Best%20of%202020%20User%20Voting%20Page?id=mc_bestof2020_uv_games_page&hl=en_US&gl=US|url-status=live}}
= Nominations =
- 2015 International Mobile Gaming Awards Global – Excellence in Gameplay for Leo's Fortune{{Cite news|date=2015|title=Winners & Nominees 11th IMGA|work=IMGA|url=https://www.imgawards.com/games/leos-fortune-4/|access-date=October 13, 2020|archive-date=October 18, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201018203342/https://www.imgawards.com/games/leos-fortune-4/|url-status=live}}
- 2015 International Mobile Gaming Awards Global – Excellence in Audio Visual Art & Design for Leo's Fortune
- 2017 International Mobile Gaming Awards Global – Star Trek Timelines{{Cite news|date=2017|title=13th IMGA Winners & Nominees|work=IMGA|url=https://www.imgawards.com/winners-nominees/13th-imga/|access-date=October 13, 2020|archive-date=January 24, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210124143105/http://www.imgawards.com/winners-nominees/13th-imga/|url-status=live}}
- 2018 The Webby Awards – Best Word & Trivia Game for Bold Moves{{Cite news|date=2018|title=Nominee|work=The Webby Awards|url=https://winners.webbyawards.com/2018/games/general-games/word-trivia/57478/bold-moves|access-date=October 13, 2020}}
- 2019 Pocket Gamer – Best Publisher{{Cite news|date=2019|title=Pocket Gamer Mobile Games Awards: The winners of 2019|work=Mobile Games Awards|url=https://www.mobilegamesawards.com/winners-2019/#:~:text=The%20second%20annual%20Mobile%20Games,finalists%20and%20everyone%20who%20lobbied|access-date=October 13, 2020|archive-date=January 27, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200127193811/https://www.mobilegamesawards.com/winners-2019/#:~:text=The%20second%20annual%20Mobile%20Games,finalists%20and%20everyone%20who%20lobbied|url-status=live}}
- 2020 Pocket Gamer – Best LiveOps for Warhammer: Chaos & Conquest{{Cite news|last=Bald|first=Cameron|date=December 5, 2019|title=Here are the Pocket Gamer Mobile Games Awards 2020 finalists|work=PocketGamer.com|url=https://www.pocketgamer.com/articles/081666/here-are-the-pocket-gamer-mobile-games-awards-2020-finalists/|access-date=October 13, 2020|archive-date=October 15, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201015102056/https://www.pocketgamer.com/articles/081666/here-are-the-pocket-gamer-mobile-games-awards-2020-finalists/|url-status=live}}
- 2020 Pocket Gamer – Best Publisher
- 2020 Pocket Gamer – Best Marketing Team
External links
- {{Official website|http://www.tiltingpoint.com}}
References
{{reflist}}
Category:Companies based in New York City
Category:Entertainment companies based in New York City
Category:Mass media companies based in New York City
Category:Mobile game companies
Category:American companies established in 2012
Category:Mass media companies established in 2012
Category:Entertainment companies established in 2012
Category:Video game companies established in 2012
Category:Video game companies of the United States