BoomBang

BoomBang Games S.L. was a Barcelona-based game development company established in 2004 by Max Bevilacqua, Jose Antonio Lopez Martin, and Luis Oses. The firm specialized in creating a Flash-based virtual world called "BoomBang," which was targeted at Spanish-speaking teenagers and young adults. The platform, accessible via boombang.tv, operated as a community-focused game where users could create and customize avatars, decorate personal 'islands,' and engage in social activities and multiplayer games.

The business model was centered on a free-to-play structure, a model in which Nexon, a key investor, was a pioneer. While the base game was free, revenue was likely generated through the sale of virtual goods for avatar and island decoration. The primary market was Spanish-speaking regions, with a significant user base in Spain and a planned expansion into South and North America.

A significant milestone occurred in October 2010, when Nexon Japan acquired a 32 percent stake in the company for an undisclosed amount. This investment was intended to reinforce Nexon's portfolio of community games and facilitate BoomBang's expansion into the South American market, leveraging Nexon's global network which serviced over 71 countries. At the time, Max Bevilacqua and Luis Oses were serving as CEOs.

The core product, BoomBang, was a web-based virtual world designed to be a safe online environment. Users could express themselves through avatars, communicate with others, play games like art contests, and decorate their personal spaces with virtual items and pets. The game offered both English and Spanish language options to cater to its expanding audience. Despite its initial success and strategic partnerships, the original BoomBang Games was shut down around 2012-2014 due to a lack of resources and profitability issues, with the founders moving on to other projects. The boombang.tv domain has since been taken over by fans who have created a copy of the original game.

Keywords: BoomBang Games, virtual world, online community game, social gaming, Flash games, avatar customization, free-to-play, Nexon, Spanish gaming market, Latin America gaming, teen gaming, social simulation, multiplayer online game, Max Bevilacqua, Luis Oses, Jose Antonio Lopez Martin, Barcelona startup, game developer, virtual goods