Z2 (company) explained

Z2
Former Name:	Z2Live Inc.
Type:	Subsidiary
Industry:	Video games
Founders:	-->
Hq Location City:	Seattle, Washington
Hq Location Country:	U.S.

Z2 (formerly Z2Live Inc.) was an American video game developer based in Seattle that focused on the creation of mobile games. In 2015, the company was acquired by King, which is a subsidiary of Activision Blizzard. It was shuttered in early 2019 with the closing of King's Seattle mobile game studio.

History

Z2Live was founded in 2009 by David Bluhm and Damon Danieli with the goal of creating an Xbox Live style gaming platform. With the announcement of Apple's Game Center, Lou Fasulo, SVP, pivoted the company to its current business of creating highly social freemium games for mobile. The company's first game was Trade Nations, a city building simulation, which achieved critical acclaim as well as viral success within its first few months on the iOS platform.^[1] Following the initial success of Trade Nations, the company received additional investment from Seattle's Madrona Venture Group as well as Draper Fisher Jurvetson.^[2] The company's next game, MetalStorm, brought the freemium model to aerial combat flight simulators while also earning acclaim for its integration of AirPlay mirroring.^[3] Following MetalStorm, the company released its third iOS title Battle Nations which combined city building mechanics with strategy-based PvP. The company also expanded in 2012 with the acquisition of Big Sandwich Games, a Vancouver-based game developer company.^[4] 2015 saw the launch of their most successful game, Paradise Bay, and was the last one in existence upon their closure in 2019.

On February 12, 2015, Z2Live was acquired by King.^[5] On February 12, 2019, the company was shut down^[6] following mass layoffs by Activision Blizzard.

Games

Name	Platform(s)	Year released
Trade Nations		2010
MetalStorm		2011
Battle Nations		2011
Nitro		2011
MetalStorm: Aces		2013
ShadowSlayer^[7]		2013
Paradise Bay		2015

Notes and References

1. Web site: IOS Social Game Trade Nations Played Over 200 Million Times In First Three Months. The Street. 19 July 2012.
2. Web site: Cutler. Kim-Mai. Z2Live Becomes Yet Another Mobile Gaming Startup to Scoop Up More Venture Funding. 19 July 2012. 14 July 2012. https://web.archive.org/web/20120714042744/http://www.insidemobileapps.com/2011/03/21/z2live-funding/. live.
3. Web site: MetalStorm Wingman using AirPlay Mirroring. 2012-05-03. 2012-03-20. https://web.archive.org/web/20120320145421/http://www.geek.com/articles/mobile/this-is-what-gabe-newell-fears-metalstorm-wingman-using-airplay-mirroring-20111014/. dead.
4. Web site: Z2Live swallows Big Sandwich Games in acquisition deal (exclusive). 23 February 2012. 27 October 2021. 11 October 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20191011065516/https://venturebeat.com/2012/02/23/z2live-swallows-big-sandwich-games-in-acquisition-deal-exclusive/. live.
5. Web site: King Digital Entertainment PLC - King Reports Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2014 Results, Announces Special Dividend of $0.94 per Share . 2015-02-16 . 2015-02-17 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150217000950/http://investor.king.com/investors/news/financial-releases/Press-Release-Details/2015/King-Reports-Fourth-Quarter-and-Full-Year-2014-Results-Announces-Special-Dividend-of-094-per-Share/default.aspx . live .
6. Web site: Following Activision Blizzard layoffs, King shuts down mobile studio Z2Live. Kidwell. Emma. www.gamasutra.com. 12 February 2019. en. 2019-02-12. 2019-02-13. https://web.archive.org/web/20190213084441/http://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/336501/Following_Activision_Blizzard_layoffs_King_shuts_down_mobile_studio_Z2Live.php. live.
7. Web site: Z2 | Shadowslayer. December 16, 2013. https://web.archive.org/web/20131216035801/http://z2.com/game/shadowslayer/. 2013-12-16.