Threads as a gaming hub? Zynga founder-backed Artie is counting on it
techcrunch.comMeta’s Threads has become a household name shortly after its debut earlier this month. Within a week of its launch, it attracted over 100 million users worldwide. The platform also recently achieved one-fifth of Twitter’s weekly active user base globally. Now, a startup named Artie is exploring new possibilities for the Twitter alternative by bringing gaming to the platform.
The Los Angeles-based startup, which counts Zynga founder Mark Pincus, former TikTok CEO Kevin Mayer and Winklevoss twins (Cameron Winklevoss and Tyler Winklevoss) among its investors, is looking to bring “app-quality” games to Threads and other modern social media platforms. Initially, the startup planned to offer games on the web browser, but that plan has evolved — with Threads becoming its primary focus.
Artie’s approach is similar to how Facebook users previously got Zynga’s FarmVille and Words with Friends. Nonetheless, the startup wants to make it specific for mobile users and leverage advancements such as 5G networks, faster GPUs and cloud technologies to deliver a fresh gaming experience to a young audience.
“What makes Threads really special for us is we can get back to the idea of playing games with friends in 2023,” said Artie CEO Ryan Horrigan in an interview, adding that the Meta-owned platform allows users to have all their friends that they have accumulated on Instagram over the years — alongside celebrities and other users.
“That’s very different from Twitter. For most people on Twitter, it’s more business, politics, news or sports-oriented, and you are following people on Twitter who you don’t know,” he said.
Users can play Artie’s games by accessing their links in a Threads user’s bio or post. This link will take them directly to the
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