Wooga Celebrates Reaching US$500Mln in Lifetime Revenues With Hidden Object Game June’s Journey; Lays the Groundwork for Next Phase Hiring Over a 100 New Woogas Since 2021
BERLIN, Germany, September 20, 2022 – Wooga®, the Berlin-based game developer part of the Playtika® family of brands, today celebrates its recently reached milestone of US$500 million in lifetime revenues* of its biggest game June's Journey®, the #1 highest grossing hidden object game worldwide**.
“Wooga four years ago was one of the first gaming companies that set out to focus on story-driven casual games, and since then we are proud to have grown into one of the industry leaders in this category with the growing global success of June’s Journey,” said Nai Chang, Managing Director at Wooga since 2020. “We have a strong foundation in story driven casual games, with casual games that push the boundaries of the story-driven category – crafting compelling player fantasies where the player is the star and their actions drive the narrative forward.”
Wooga so far in 2022 has hired 62 new employees and currently employs around 300 Woogas, including 42 percent of women, a particularly high proportion for the gaming industry. Wooga recently also announced it is changing its organizational structure, creating a dedicated Games Division led by Martin Müller; Creative Division led by Sebastian Nußbaum, and an Operations Division led by Lenka Kaciakova.
Gamers with a heart for the environment: More than 200,000 trees planted
The company is increasingly promoting environmentally friendly and climate-active messages in its games. “We gamers have a big heart for our planet, and we want to demonstrate and prove that. Our players have shown that they want to actively take responsibility.” Wooga in recent years has successively expanded its efforts in the area of corporate social responsibility.
“Besides major environmentally friendly actions, the sum of many small things we do in our daily life and work is also crucial. We not only offset CO2 emissions, but also strive to actively reduce consumption. For example, we switched from bottled water to water dispensers at our Berlin studios. The entire office is powered by green electricity, and we use energy-saving LED office lighting. In addition to these on-site measures, we are taking more and more environmentally active steps together with our players, which makes me incredibly proud,” said Chang.
Recently, June’s Journey players planted more than 200,000 trees during the Green Game Jam 2022, a gamer-supported initiative to promote environmental protection, that was initiated by the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP). Wooga was among the original eight winners of the Green Game Jam in 2021 and this year once again got rewarded with the Player's Choice Award. In cooperation with the search engine Ecosia, the virtual planted trees are now becoming real trees. Wooga had already planted virtual and real trees as part of the initiative in 2021. In 2022, the company expanded its commitment by increasing its dedication toactive reforestation eightfold – a strong message to the entire gaming industry.
Gaming with responsibility: Wooga has been climate-neutral since 2020
And Wooga has been a climate-neutral developer of mobile games since 2020. With this passion for active environmental protection and focus on a social and family-friendly work environment, Wooga has been able to attract just over 100 new employees since the start of 2021.
This is just one of the many results that the Wooga employer brand has achieved in recent years through targeted incentives for employees, which include a new, upgraded benefits program and bonuses such as educational budget, incentivizing bicycle commutes to work, more vacation days, and a Purpose Day, a paid day off on which team members can devote their time to help support a cause they are personally passionate about – like serving the community. Wooga has, significantly, been part of the TOP 1% of German employers in two consecutive years since 2021.
*Life time revenues consisting of net revenues of in-app purchases combined with ad revenues.
**June’s Journey has been the global #1 measured by consumer spend within the Hidden Object (Puzzle) Subgenre across iOS & Google Play since April 2019, according to Data.ai. June’s Journey is available to download for free on the Apple App Store and Google Play Store.
About Wooga®
Wooga GmbH, the Berlin-based mobile games developer established in 2009, has created successful and unique mobile app games including June’s Journey®, Pearl’s Peril® and Switchcraft®. In 2018, Wooga® was acquired by social games company Playtika®.
About June’s Journey®
June’s Journey invites players to relax with a story of romance, intrigue, and mystery in a glamorous hidden object game straight from the roaring 20s. Players have the opportunity to step into the role of amateur detective June Parker and set out on a journey and escape to a bygone age as they search for hidden object clues, from the parlors of New York to the sidewalks of Paris.
About Playtika®
Playtika Holding Corp. (NASDAQ: PLTK) is a mobile gaming entertainment and technology market leader with a portfolio of multiple game titles. Founded in 2010, Playtika was among the first to offer free-to-play social games on social networks and, shortly after, on mobile platforms. Headquartered in Herzliya, Israel, and guided by a mission to entertain the world through infinite ways to play, Playtika has offices worldwide and employs approximately 4,000 employees.
As an expert in the gaming industry with a deep understanding of mobile game development and corporate social responsibility initiatives, I can confidently analyze the information provided in the article about Wooga reaching US$500 million in lifetime revenues with its hidden object game June's Journey. My extensive knowledge allows me to dissect and elucidate the key concepts embedded in the article.
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Wooga's Milestone Achievement: Wooga, a Berlin-based game developer, has achieved a significant milestone by reaching US$500 million in lifetime revenues with its flagship game, June's Journey. This achievement underscores the success of Wooga's strategic focus on story-driven casual games, positioning them as industry leaders in this category.
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Growth and Leadership: Nai Chang, the Managing Director at Wooga since 2020, highlights the company's evolution over the past four years. Wooga has not only grown substantially but has also become a key player in the global gaming industry. The company prides itself on crafting compelling player fantasies, where the narrative is driven by the actions of the player.
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Employee Expansion and Organizational Restructuring: In 2022 alone, Wooga hired 62 new employees, bringing its total workforce to around 300, with a notable 42 percent representation of women—a high proportion for the gaming industry. The article also mentions a recent organizational restructuring, dividing the company into a Games Division led by Martin Müller, a Creative Division led by Sebastian Nußbaum, and an Operations Division led by Lenka Kaciakova.
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Environmental Initiatives and Social Responsibility: Wooga has been increasingly incorporating environmentally friendly and climate-conscious messages into its games. The company emphasizes its commitment to corporate social responsibility, actively taking steps to reduce its environmental footprint. This includes measures such as offsetting CO2 emissions, using green electricity, and employing energy-saving LED office lighting.
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Green Game Jam and Reforestation Efforts: Wooga's dedication to environmental causes is exemplified by its participation in the Green Game Jam 2022. June's Journey players planted over 200,000 trees as part of this gamer-supported initiative. Wooga's collaboration with the United Nations Environment Program and search engine Ecosia transforms virtual trees into real trees through active reforestation efforts, sending a strong message to the gaming industry.
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Climate-Neutral Gaming Since 2020: Wooga proudly declares itself as a climate-neutral developer of mobile games since 2020. This commitment to environmental sustainability aligns with the company's efforts to create a social and family-friendly work environment, contributing to its ability to attract over 100 new employees since the beginning of 2021.
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Employee Incentives and Recognition: Wooga's success as an employer is evident through targeted incentives for employees, including an upgraded benefits program, educational budget, bicycle commute incentives, additional vacation days, and a Purpose Day—a paid day off for team members to support a cause they are passionate about. Wooga's recognition as part of the TOP 1% of German employers for two consecutive years since 2021 further validates its employer brand.
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June's Journey Global Success: June's Journey is highlighted as the #1 highest grossing hidden object game worldwide, measured by consumer spend within the Hidden Object (Puzzle) Subgenre across iOS & Google Play since April 2019, according to Data.ai. The game is available for free download on the Apple App Store and Google Play Store.
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About Wooga and Playtika: Wooga GmbH, established in 2009, is a Berlin-based mobile games developer that created successful titles such as June's Journey, Pearl's Peril, and Switchcraft. In 2018, Wooga was acquired by Playtika, a social games company. Playtika, founded in 2010 and listed on NASDAQ (PLTK), is a mobile gaming entertainment and technology market leader with a diverse portfolio of game titles, aiming to entertain the world through various gaming experiences.
In conclusion, Wooga's success with June's Journey, combined with its commitment to environmental sustainability and employee well-being, positions it as a prominent player in the gaming industry. The company's achievements reflect a strategic balance between business success, social responsibility, and a positive workplace culture.
