Offerpal Media Launches GamePoints.com for Consumers to Earn Gaming Currency

FREMONT, Calif., May 4 /PRNewswire/ -- Offerpal Media (http://www.offerpalmedia.com), the leader in virtual currency payment alternatives, today announced the beta launch of GamePoints.com (http://www.gamepoints.com), a consumer Web site that rewards its members with virtual currency for use in their favorite online games when they shop at big-brand retailers, take part in offers from trusted advertisers, complete market research surveys, watch online videos, trade in unwanted gift cards or conduct other marketing actions. Game Points can be exchanged for in-game virtual currency in more than 1,500 online games and applications across the Web's top social networking platforms, virtual worlds, MMOs and other gaming sites.

"Virtual currency has become an integral part of the online gaming experience, enabling consumers to purchase everything from clothes and accessories for their avatars to functional items that confer some type of advantage within the game," said George Garrick, CEO of Offerpal Media, Inc. "We launched GamePoints.com to empower online gamers with ways to earn virtual currency for free rather than having to pay for it, and to give them the choice of spending that currency wherever they'd like within our vast network."

At launch, consumers have thousands of options for acquiring Game Points, including:

• Shopping: Earn 2 – 30% of the total purchase price when shopping at big-brand retailers such as Macy's, Gap, Buy.com, Sears, Snapfish, Symantec, Eastern Mountain Sports, CostPlus and hundreds more.
• Taking Part in Offers: Take advantage of coupons, discounts and other ad offers from advertisers including Netflix, Disney, Discover Card, New York Times, DirecTV and thousands more.
• Completing Surveys: Fill out online surveys from top market research firms including Nielsen, comScore, Synovate and others.
• Trading in Gift Cards: Send in unwanted gift cards using a free shipping label through Plastic Jungle and receive Game Points for the exchange value of the balance remaining on the card.
• Recycle Used Electronics: Trade in old cell phones, laptops, PDAs, camcorders and other electronics through Gazelle.
• Purchase Music or Movie Tickets: Purchase tickets to movies currently playing in theaters through Fandango or MP3 music downloads through iTunes.
• Subscribe to Magazines: Choose from popular magazine titles such as Cosmopolitan, Cook's Illustrated, People, Men's Health and many more.
• Direct Payments: Purchase virtual currency directly - often at discounted rates - through a number of cash payment options, including credit cards, e-wallets, pre-paid debit cards, mobile billing and more.

For game developers and social publishers, Offerpal Media's alternative payment platform is already the industry's leading solution for in-game virtual currency monetization. Through GamePoints.com, Offerpal now helps game developers capture revenue outside of their application or web site as well. At the same time, GamePoints.com represents a powerful new marketing channel for advertisers and marketers looking to conduct targeted brand building and customer acquisition campaigns. Placement is available in a wide variety of ad formats and on pay-for-performance or engagement-based pricing models.

At launch, participating gaming applications include Zynga's FarmVille, YoVille, Zynga Poker, Mafia Wars, Cafe World, PetVille, FishVille, Vampire Wars and others; Playdom's Mobsters, Sorority Life, Social City, Tiki Resort and others; Digital Chocolate's MMA Pro Fighter; HitGrab's Mousehunt; TheBroth's Barn Buddy; Tall Tree Game's Fish World; K-Factor Media's Castle Age; Tree Room's My Town; Apps-O-Rama's Car Madness; Offbeat Creations' Be a Tycoon; BitRhymes' The Warlords; Five Minutes' Happy Farm; and many others.

During the beta program, Game Points can be spent in gaming applications on Facebook; after the general release Game Points will be able to be spent in games on MySpace, Bebo, Hi5 and other social networks as well as standalone MMO and virtual world sites.  

About Offerpal Media

Offerpal Media is the leader in virtual currency monetization for online games, virtual worlds and social networks. The company's turnkey payment platform gives consumers the opportunity to earn virtual currency for free by taking part in targeted advertising offers, shopping at big-brand retailers, completing online surveys, watching videos or otherwise engaging with brands.  Since its launch in 2007, Offerpal has issued more than 1 trillion virtual points to over 225 million consumers across 2,000 publishers. The company is headquartered in Fremont, California. Investors include Interwest Capital, North Bridge Venture Partners, and D. E. Shaw Ventures. For more information, visit www.offerpalmedia.com.

SOURCE Offerpal Media