Carnivore, Inc.

Carnivore, Inc. was a venture-backed company that developed ClanHQ, a mobile messaging application tailored for the gaming community. The firm was established in early 2017 by Eric Schiermeyer, a co-founder of Zynga, and John Osvald, another Zynga veteran, aiming to leverage their extensive experience in social gaming to build a dedicated communication platform. Schiermeyer's background in applying analytics to gaming at Zynga provided a foundation for understanding player interaction, which was central to ClanHQ's mission.

The company secured $3 million in funding from Sequoia Capital to develop its product. Carnivore, Inc. launched the ClanHQ app in late December 2017, targeting mobile gamers who participate in clans and require coordinated communication that in-game chats often fail to provide effectively. The business operated in the mobile gaming market, providing a third-party communication service to enhance the social and competitive dynamics of team play. On January 9th, 2020, the Clan HQ chat service was officially discontinued, and its community was transitioned to Discord, marking the end of the platform's operations.

ClanHQ was designed as a bespoke communication tool for mid-core mobile gamers. The application offered a full suite of messaging features, including dedicated channels for clan officers, announcement tabs, and general discussion groups. It supported features like GIFs and stickers to enrich user interaction. A key function was its clan management system, which allowed leaders to recruit new members and organize their teams. The app also introduced a matchmaking feature that connected players of similar skill levels for specific games, such as 'Marvel Contest of Champions' and 'Clash Royale'. The platform aimed to be a central hub for over 80 game titles, unifying disparate game communities and tracking player reputations.

Keywords: mobile gaming chat, ClanHQ, Carnivore Inc., Eric Schiermeyer, John Osvald, Sequoia Capital, gaming communication, clan management app, player matchmaking, social gaming platform, Zynga founders, mobile esports, team chat, gamer community, Marvel Contest of Champions chat, Clash Royale chat, discontinued app, gaming social network, venture capital gaming, mobile game tools