MTV gets into social gaming, acquires Social Express

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Marking another move for big media into video games, MTV Networks has acquired video game developer Social Express Inc.

The company, which focuses on games for social networks such as Facebook, was founded in December and has been in ‘stealth mode,’ meaning it has yet to launch any products. Its chief executive, Tony Espinoza, was a cofounder of SuperSecret.com, a virtual world aimed at tweens, and other top executives at Social Express have worked for social gaming company Zynga and Web portal Yahoo.

Social Express will be integrated into in Viacom Inc.-owned MTV’s Nickelodeon Digital Group, which houses the company’s online gaming assets such as AddictingGames.com and NeoPets. Espinoza has been named vice president of social gaming for MTV, while Social Express cofounder Neil Souza will be vice president of technology, social games.

They will help the company build small social games featuring MTV and Nickelodeon characters, as well as original properties.

Financial details were not disclosed.

The deal comes a week after Walt Disney Co. acquired Tapulous, a maker of iPhone games. With retail video game sales slowing at the same time that the online and mobile gaming businesses are heating up, some media conglomerates are seeking ways to get into the space.

-- Ben Fritz