The Quiz App HQ Trivia is a Sensation in the United States. Live and only on the Smartphone a millions of Americans play almost for a year now every day money. This is the future of Social Media?
One evening in July last year 48 Americans logged on for the first Time in the HQ Trivia App and had a scratched Moderator 12 questions to pop music, politics and history.
The questions started simple and have been quickly difficult. Player to player flew out of it, if a question was answered incorrectly. In the end, only one player was left and he bagged the prize of $ 50.
The first HQ Trivia winner was Jacob, recalls, host Scott Rogowsky, a year later, in the evening broadcast on 10. July. This Time 632.000 Americans play to $ 5,000.
Rogowsky begins with the first question. He’s drinking a Cocktail – it’s national Pina Colada Day. The Comedian knows this in his Moderation. The players he calls his HQties, spoken HCuties.
Scott Rogowsky, host of the HQ Trivia (Screenshot)
Time stands still
The hysteria surrounding the game. Only twice a day will be played to 15 and 21 in the morning East coast time. Each shipment will take around 20 minutes.
This requires planning. Company reports of suspended telephone conferences and meetings, because the staff want to play the afternoon round.
On the trading floor of the New York stock exchange phone reigns actually ban. And yet, some traders scurry around three o’clock in the afternoon to the staircase, and put their heads together over their Smartphones.
For a family Quiz shows are an Institution in American television. Shows like “Jeopardy” and “Wheel of Fortune” after half a century still an audience of millions and bring the stations advertising revenue.
The game is addictive
And yet Chris and his wife Rebecca are switched now – TV-quiz shows on HQ. Rare is the family come together to watch a television. The common game is in the evening, become a nine but you make it a Tradition, says Chris.
The family of five from Brooklyn, also your dinner with friends breaks, in order to jointly address the 12 questions – each on his Smartphone, so that in the case of uncertainty all have a different answer. You have only 10 seconds time enough to quickly Google something, or read.
The questions have it all. Example: “What General of the US military for the last 5-star was awarded-badges?” Only once his son had managed to win. Usually the last family member from your vagina no later than the penultimate issue. And yet, make the game addictive, says Chris.
More active than the TV-Quiz
Moderator Rogowsky explains the popularity of HQ in a TV Interview: “television you can watch the candidates only, in us people can join in.”
And also win money. Wherein the amounts are often ridiculously low. An average of 700,000 players, the winners will share the profit.
Because they rejoiced loudly about 11,30 dollars, was Lauren May to Internet celebrity. The Video of your joy dance spread virally and show master, Ellen Degeneres invited her in her talk show. “It’s not about the money, it’s about the thirst for knowledge of the players,” said CEO and founder Rus Yusupov in an Interview.
Empire Screenshot) (this can be with the right answer
Behind it’s a lot of money and brands
Behind the App, the company Intermedia Labs. And this has developed in contrast to the players with a lucrative business model. HQ Trivia has developed an advertising miracle. Unlike other Tech companies to be companies do not sell private data, but doing advertising for things people are interested in fact, wrote the founder of Yusupov in April on Twitter.
In fact, Intermedia Labs mainly uses sponsorship money from brands such as Nike. In March, the Nike sponsored HQ-consignment to a new record of 1.7 million players were online to win in addition to the prize money for a Pair of shoes.
Nike communications Director Sandra Carreon-John said afterwards that HQ was a “success for Nike”. The production company, Warner Bros. paid allegedly three million dollars, as a Sponsor of HQ-Play market with three new films. The NBC television network found on 14. May almost the entire price money of 50,000 dollars, and advanced the price to a trip to the finals of the TV show “The Voice”. Was the presenter of the quiz show by the judges of the singing show.
Money from investors creates a stir
The founders collect but also venture capital investors. Meanwhile, it has brought to the HQ on a company valuation of more than $ 100 million.
Among the investors, the Tech Investor Peter Thiel. $ 15 million was to be “Founders Fund” in the game and sparked outrage.
Thiel is an outspoken supporter of U.S. President Trump, prior to his appointment he belonged to his transition team. After Thiel’s entry in the HQ was known, called Trump-opponent under the Hashtag “delete HQ” for a Boycott.
The success of the game has apparently done no harm. Alone in Apple’s App Store, the game has been downloaded almost eight million Times. Since April, the number of Downloads is growing but at a slower pace.
The Quiz for the Smartphone has managed to create a promising revenue model for social media. “The arms race in the area of Apps, the addictive, is perhaps the most important economic and social development of our time,” says Gabe Zichermann. The Gamification expert advises companies on how they can increase with game-elements, the interest for your Goods and services.
Facebook wants to play
Of course, the competition never rests, and in particular Facebook. The group has announced in mid-June, new features and trying to disguise the attack on the HQ Trivia.
“Video watching does not have to be passive,” writes the group. “Many forms of traditional entertainment formats” could be re-invented, including “game shows” or “Reality TV”.
Live Videos on Facebook, it should, therefore, be combined soon with questions and clickable answers. Thus, the Foundation stone would be laid for formats that make HQ Trivia competition – but within the world’s largest “social network”.