Tapulous
Encyclopedia
Tapulous, Inc. is an American
software
and video game developer
and publisher
headquartered in Palo Alto, California
. It is a wholly owned subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company
as part of the Disney Interactive Media Group
. The company's most profitable products are the Tap Tap
series of music games, which has surpassed over thirty-five million downloads.
Tapulous was founded in February 2008 with the specific intention of developing software applications
for the iOS platform. The company's Tap Tap Revenge
gained at least one million players in less than one month of availability, and was the most-downloaded free game of the App Store in 2008. Building on the success of the game, Tapulous has since heavily focused on the Tap Tap Revenge series by expansion and partnership with Universal Records
. As of December 2009, the company's sales total nearly $1 million per month. In July 2010, the company was acquired by The Walt Disney Company.
hardware device along with iOS. In July of that year, the platform was released, and by August the first third-party video game was developed for it using the jailbreak technique. With the advent of unofficial applications being distributed across the internet, Apple announced the availability of a native SDK
for the platform in October 2007.
As a reaction to the announcement of the SDK, Tapulous was formed in January 2008 with the initial name of "Gogo Apps". Its co-founders were Bart Decrem, an entrepreneur who helped launch the Firefox browser and was the founding CEO
of Flock, Inc. (developer of the Flock
web browser) and Andrew Lacy, a consultant of McKinsey & Company
. The company thereafter changed its name to the current one, and hired developers Tyler McGowen, to develop and Co found Tap Tap Revenge
as a launch title for the App Store, although the actual release date was eventually several days after the launch of the store. Meanwhile, Layton Duncan and Tristan O'Tierney developed Twinkle as another launch product. Initial investment in the company, which totaled around $1.8 million USD, was provided by Ben T. Smith, IV Andreas Bechtolsheim and Roy Thiele-Sardina
via HighBAR Ventures
, Marc Benioff
, Rob Theis, the late Rajeev Motwani
, Khosla Ventures, Katrina Garnett, Jeff Clavier, Aydin Senkut and others.
Within a month of publishing, Tap Tap Revenge, the game became one of the most popular applications available for the iOS, and had over one million players, and was installed on about twenty percent of all iPhone
and iPod Touch
devices. In December 2008, it was announced that the game was the most-downloaded free game in the App Store for the year. In April, 2009, comScore announced that Tap Tap Revenge was the most-installed app on the App Store. Tapulous continued to release sequels of the game as a part of the Tap Tap
series, and has since been involved with major label Universal Records
in June 2009 to feature their artists in their games.
On July 1, 2010, Tapulous was acquired by The Walt Disney Company
and incorporated into Disney Interactive Studios as a wholly owned subsidiary, part of Disney Interactive Media Group
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
software
Computer software
Computer software, or just software, is a collection of computer programs and related data that provide the instructions for telling a computer what to do and how to do it....
and video game developer
Video game developer
A video game developer is a software developer that creates video games. A developer may specialize in a certain video game console, such as Nintendo's Wii, Microsoft's Xbox 360, Sony's PlayStation 3, or may develop for a variety of systems, including personal computers.Most developers also...
and publisher
Video game publisher
A video game publisher is a company that publishes video games that they have either developed internally or have had developed by a video game developer....
headquartered in Palo Alto, California
Palo Alto, California
Palo Alto is a California charter city located in the northwest corner of Santa Clara County, in the San Francisco Bay Area of California, United States. The city shares its borders with East Palo Alto, Mountain View, Los Altos, Los Altos Hills, Stanford, Portola Valley, and Menlo Park. It is...
. It is a wholly owned subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company
The Walt Disney Company
The Walt Disney Company is the largest media conglomerate in the world in terms of revenue. Founded on October 16, 1923, by Walt and Roy Disney as the Disney Brothers Cartoon Studio, Walt Disney Productions established itself as a leader in the American animation industry before diversifying into...
as part of the Disney Interactive Media Group
Disney Interactive Media Group
The Disney Interactive Media Group , formerly known as the Walt Disney Internet Group and Disney Interactive Studios, oversees various websites and interactive media owned by The Walt Disney Company and its subsidiaries....
. The company's most profitable products are the Tap Tap
Tap Tap
Tap Tap is a series of rhythm games by Tapulous available for the iOS of which several versions, both purchasable and free, have been produced. The goal of the game is to tap each of the colored balls when they reach a line at the bottom of the screen. If the ball is hit on the beat, the player...
series of music games, which has surpassed over thirty-five million downloads.
Tapulous was founded in February 2008 with the specific intention of developing software applications
Application software
Application software, also known as an application or an "app", is computer software designed to help the user to perform specific tasks. Examples include enterprise software, accounting software, office suites, graphics software and media players. Many application programs deal principally with...
for the iOS platform. The company's Tap Tap Revenge
Tap Tap Revenge
Tap Tap is a series of rhythm games by Tapulous available for the iOS of which several versions, both purchasable and free, have been produced. The goal of the game is to tap each of the colored balls when they reach a line at the bottom of the screen. If the ball is hit on the beat, the player...
gained at least one million players in less than one month of availability, and was the most-downloaded free game of the App Store in 2008. Building on the success of the game, Tapulous has since heavily focused on the Tap Tap Revenge series by expansion and partnership with Universal Records
Universal Records
Universal Records was a record label owned by Universal Music Group, and it is now owned by Manny Patino and Michael Jackson, and operated as part of the Universal Motown Republic Group.-History:...
. As of December 2009, the company's sales total nearly $1 million per month. In July 2010, the company was acquired by The Walt Disney Company.
History
On January 9, 2007 Apple announced the iPhoneIPhone
The iPhone is a line of Internet and multimedia-enabled smartphones marketed by Apple Inc. The first iPhone was unveiled by Steve Jobs, then CEO of Apple, on January 9, 2007, and released on June 29, 2007...
hardware device along with iOS. In July of that year, the platform was released, and by August the first third-party video game was developed for it using the jailbreak technique. With the advent of unofficial applications being distributed across the internet, Apple announced the availability of a native SDK
Software development kit
A software development kit is typically a set of software development tools that allows for the creation of applications for a certain software package, software framework, hardware platform, computer system, video game console, operating system, or similar platform.It may be something as simple...
for the platform in October 2007.
As a reaction to the announcement of the SDK, Tapulous was formed in January 2008 with the initial name of "Gogo Apps". Its co-founders were Bart Decrem, an entrepreneur who helped launch the Firefox browser and was the founding CEO
Chief executive officer
A chief executive officer , managing director , Executive Director for non-profit organizations, or chief executive is the highest-ranking corporate officer or administrator in charge of total management of an organization...
of Flock, Inc. (developer of the Flock
Flock (web browser)
Flock was a web browser that specialized in providing social networking and Web 2.0 facilities built into its user interface.Earlier versions of Flock used the Gecko HTML rendering engine by Mozilla....
web browser) and Andrew Lacy, a consultant of McKinsey & Company
McKinsey & Company
McKinsey & Company, Inc. is a global management consulting firm that focuses on solving issues of concern to senior management. McKinsey serves as an adviser to many businesses, governments, and institutions...
. The company thereafter changed its name to the current one, and hired developers Tyler McGowen, to develop and Co found Tap Tap Revenge
Tap Tap Revenge
Tap Tap is a series of rhythm games by Tapulous available for the iOS of which several versions, both purchasable and free, have been produced. The goal of the game is to tap each of the colored balls when they reach a line at the bottom of the screen. If the ball is hit on the beat, the player...
as a launch title for the App Store, although the actual release date was eventually several days after the launch of the store. Meanwhile, Layton Duncan and Tristan O'Tierney developed Twinkle as another launch product. Initial investment in the company, which totaled around $1.8 million USD, was provided by Ben T. Smith, IV Andreas Bechtolsheim and Roy Thiele-Sardina
Roy Thiele-Sardiña
Roy Thiele-Sardiña is an entrepreneur and venture capitalist.-As Entrepreneur:Sardiña holds a B.S. degree in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science from the University of Wisconsin–Madison and an M.B.A...
via HighBAR Ventures
HighBAR Ventures
HighBAR Ventures is a venture capital firm founded by noted Sun Microsystems co-founders Bill Joy, Andy Bechtolsheim together with entrepreneur and former Sun executive Roy Thiele-Sardiña...
, Marc Benioff
Marc Benioff
Marc Russell Benioff is Chairman & CEO of salesforce.com, a cloud computing company.Benioff started salesforce.com in March 1999 in a rented San Francisco apartment and defined its mission as The End of Software...
, Rob Theis, the late Rajeev Motwani
Rajeev Motwani
Rajeev Motwani was a professor of Computer Science at Stanford University whose research focused on theoretical computer science. He was an early advisor and supporter of companies including Google and PayPal, and a special advisor to Sequoia Capital. He was a winner of the Gödel Prize in...
, Khosla Ventures, Katrina Garnett, Jeff Clavier, Aydin Senkut and others.
Within a month of publishing, Tap Tap Revenge, the game became one of the most popular applications available for the iOS, and had over one million players, and was installed on about twenty percent of all iPhone
IPhone
The iPhone is a line of Internet and multimedia-enabled smartphones marketed by Apple Inc. The first iPhone was unveiled by Steve Jobs, then CEO of Apple, on January 9, 2007, and released on June 29, 2007...
and iPod Touch
IPod Touch
The iPod Touch is a portable media player, personal digital assistant, handheld game console, and Wi-Fi mobile device designed and marketed by Apple Inc. The iPod Touch adds the multi-touch graphical user interface to the iPod line...
devices. In December 2008, it was announced that the game was the most-downloaded free game in the App Store for the year. In April, 2009, comScore announced that Tap Tap Revenge was the most-installed app on the App Store. Tapulous continued to release sequels of the game as a part of the Tap Tap
Tap Tap
Tap Tap is a series of rhythm games by Tapulous available for the iOS of which several versions, both purchasable and free, have been produced. The goal of the game is to tap each of the colored balls when they reach a line at the bottom of the screen. If the ball is hit on the beat, the player...
series, and has since been involved with major label Universal Records
Universal Records
Universal Records was a record label owned by Universal Music Group, and it is now owned by Manny Patino and Michael Jackson, and operated as part of the Universal Motown Republic Group.-History:...
in June 2009 to feature their artists in their games.
On July 1, 2010, Tapulous was acquired by The Walt Disney Company
The Walt Disney Company
The Walt Disney Company is the largest media conglomerate in the world in terms of revenue. Founded on October 16, 1923, by Walt and Roy Disney as the Disney Brothers Cartoon Studio, Walt Disney Productions established itself as a leader in the American animation industry before diversifying into...
and incorporated into Disney Interactive Studios as a wholly owned subsidiary, part of Disney Interactive Media Group
Disney Interactive Media Group
The Disney Interactive Media Group , formerly known as the Walt Disney Internet Group and Disney Interactive Studios, oversees various websites and interactive media owned by The Walt Disney Company and its subsidiaries....
.