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April 25, 2012, 5:52 PM EDT / Source: TechNewsDaily

By Leslie Meredith

Friendster officially announced today (April 25) that it has reinvented itself as a social gaming hub. Don't remember Friendster? Launched in 2002, it was one of the first social networks, only to be quickly overshadowed by MySpace and then Facebook. However, what became just a blip in U.S. social media history is Southeast Asia's largest online community, according to its owners. Friendster's transformation began last June, when it advised its members to remove all their photos and other data from the site. Now it's all games all the time, played almost exclusively by members in Singapore, Malaysia and the Philippines. Since Friendster became a casual gaming site, the number of monthly users has increased 50 percent, CEO Ganesh Kumar Bangah said in a statement. Today's Friendster members use avatars instead of their own photos, choose from more than 50 online games, chat while playing and buy Friendster's new virtual currency for in-game purchases. Boomz is listed as the most popular game, with more than 200,000 players. By comparison, Facebook's top social games list around 40 million players apiece. To celebrate its official launch, Friendster will host a game event Friday (April 27) at a Philippines' info-technology shopping mall, SM North Cyberzone.

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Editor's Note

Friendster Reinvents Itself as Social Gaming Site

For Subscribers

FOR SUBSCRIBERSAbdul El-Sayed tries to woo MAHA voters as Democrats seek inroads with RFK’s supporters

FOR SUBSCRIBERSKratom-like substances are popping up in a typically benign supplement

FOR SUBSCRIBERSGOP super PAC increases its spending for Sen. Jon Husted in tough Ohio race

FOR SUBSCRIBERSRecords reveal tumultuous marriage between slain New York Times executive and wife

FOR SUBSCRIBERSFrom clean energy warrior to ‘wall of shame,’ James Talarico reverses on a fossil fuel money pledge

FOR SUBSCRIBERSCongressional staff planned official trip with luxury stops in Italy and France weeks before election

FOR SUBSCRIBERSA harrowing ordeal aboard an Israel-bound plane

FOR SUBSCRIBERSOpenAI CEO Sam Altman to skip congressional hearing on rogue AI agents

FOR SUBSCRIBERSKey DOJ lawyers departed Trump ‘grand conspiracy’ probe amid pressure to produce, source says

FOR SUBSCRIBERSTrump’s new AI chatbot often links to a site launched under Clinton 26 years ago

FOR SUBSCRIBERSAt MAHA summit, industry CEOs the movement once vilified take the stage

FOR SUBSCRIBERSThis Paralympian has two goals: Win medals and give away $500,000 to her teammates

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For Subscribers

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FOR SUBSCRIBERSAt MAHA summit, industry CEOs the movement once vilified take the stage

FOR SUBSCRIBERSThis Paralympian has two goals: Win medals and give away $500,000 to her teammates

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FOR SUBSCRIBERSThe debate over AI’s future rages on both coasts

FOR SUBSCRIBERSDecades-old march dispute reignites in Northern Ireland, threatening political crisis

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