Google Making Social Games Through New Area 120 Startup Called 'Arcade'

Google is said to be secretly building a social-gaming startup that will be called “Arcade.” The new startup is allegedly part of Google’s Area 120 and it will be led by 21-year-old Michael Sayman.

People familiar with the matter said that games created by Arcade won’t be tied to existing social networks like Facebook or Twitter. Users will have to create accounts using their phone numbers. Google is also believed to be considering this new project as a social media investment because once a game reaches a certain number of users, it will be considered as a social network, according to Bloomberg.

A Google spokesperson confirmed the existence of Arcade and said that the new startup is focused on “mobile gaming with friends.” The spokesperson also said that it’s a “very early experiment,” which is why Google isn’t giving too much information right now. Insiders said that Arcade’s first app might be released this summer and that it may feature elements of a trivia game.

This upcoming game sounds a lot like HQ Trivia, as pointed out by The Verge. HQ Trivia has proven that it could get millions of players for a single live session, and it even encourages friends and families to play together. Google might be planning to take a similar approach and it could finally get itself a successful social media community through this game.

Google tried to take on Facebook with its own social media platform, Google Plus, but it failed to gain much traction. Games created through Arcade would be part of Google’s experiments in creating its own social media community. The games could also give its younger users a reason to stick around.

Sayman, who joined Google back in August, was originally a product manager for the Google Assistant team. Sayman is also known for interning for Facebook when he was 17. He then became part of the company’s engineering team when he was 18. He later worked as a product manager within Facebook and advised colleagues and executives on how to best approach teen users.

As part of Area 120 and as the leader of Google’s Arcade startup, Sayman is said to get a budget for marketing and design and for hiring his own staff. If Arcade sees considerable success, it may be integrated within Google’s own products. Arcade could also be gradually ended if it’s unable to meet Google’s expectations.