# Playfish

> video game developer

**Wikidata**: [Q1786683](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1786683)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Playfish)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/playfish

## Summary
Playfish was a London-based video game developer that created social-network games and operated from 2007 until it was dissolved in 2013 after being acquired by Electronic Arts. The company specialized in browser and mobile titles designed to run inside platforms such as Facebook.

## Key Facts
- Founded in 2007 in London, United Kingdom
- Dissolved in 2013
- Legal form: public limited company
- Parent company / owner: Electronic Arts
- Headquarters: London
- Primary products: social network games
- Industry: video game industry
- Website: http://www.playfish.com (archived)
- Crunchbase identifier: playfish
- VideoGameGeek company ID: 31356

## FAQs
### Q: What happened to Playfish?
A: Electronic Arts acquired Playfish in 2009 and continued operating the studio until it was formally dissolved in 2013; its social games were gradually discontinued or integrated into EA’s portfolio.

### Q: What kinds of games did Playfish make?
A: Playfish developed social-network games that ran inside Facebook and similar platforms, emphasizing asynchronous multiplayer and micro-transactions rather than traditional retail titles.

### Q: Is Playfish still around today?
A: No. The company ceased to exist as a separate entity in 2013 after its parent, Electronic Arts, wound down the brand and consolidated operations.

## Why It Matters
Playfish was among the first studios to prove that social networks could be viable game platforms. By launching lightweight, free-to-play titles inside Facebook at the height of the social-media boom, it helped establish the template for modern casual and mobile gaming: frictionless access, friend-based virality, and in-game purchases. Its rapid growth and subsequent absorption into Electronic Arts illustrated both the promise and volatility of the early social-gaming market, influencing how large publishers approached free-to-play business models and live-service games.

## Notable For
- Early pioneer of Facebook-integrated social games
- One of the first Western developers to base its entire business model on free-to-play micro-transactions
- Achieved rapid user growth during the 2008-2010 social-gaming boom
- Operated as a wholly owned subsidiary of Electronic Arts from acquisition until dissolution

## Body
### Origins and Business Model
Playfish launched in London in 2007, positioning itself as a developer exclusively for social networks. Rather than selling boxed software, the company released free browser-based games that monetized through virtual-goods sales and advertising.

### Acquisition and Dissolution
Electronic Arts purchased Playfish in 2009, integrating the studio into its growing digital-games division. Despite initial success, the social-gaming market shifted quickly toward mobile apps, and EA formally dissolved Playfish in 2013 while retaining key intellectual property and staff.

## References

1. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013
2. [Source](http://km.aifb.kit.edu/services/crunchbase/)
3. Quora
4. VideoGameGeek