Jumbuck Launchpad Unveils Build-Your-Own-Platformer Facebook Game

Melbourne, Australia-based mobile developer Jumbuck Entertainment has unveiled the first project to be rolled out as part of its Launchpad start-up program. The selected project, developed by Foolhardy Games, is a multiplayer game creation toolset called My Level, which allows Facebook users to create their own platform game worlds and share them with friends. Foolhardy Games developer Clinton Shepherd received $50,000 from Jumbuck as part of the program, reports business site Startup Smart. Jumbuck is set to receive a 50 percent stake in the project in return. CEO of Jumbuck David Gibbs said, "We learned some lessons in the experience we’ve had with Clinton which we’ll take into the next round of Launchpad. "It will be focused on high utility. We’ll look for a strong concept and the ability to tailor with our own communities, such as pets and sport and wellbeing." He noted that the Launchpad program will be looking for more game developers to back in "one or two months’ time". The program is open to Australian developers only. "We’ll probably tweak (the investment total), he said. "The $50,000 is the headline figure, but we are happy to pay more if needs be. We put $50,000 out there, but internally, these things ultimately take $100,000 to $200,000 to get out there." Gibbs believes that the mobile gaming industry in Australia still has a way to go. "I went to the U.S. and I was struck by how easy it was to create a game on the iPhone and get it up and running,” he noted. "I saw a few Australian developers out there – in fact, there were probably more Australians in Silicon Valley playing with this platform than in Australia."