UGO Entertainment
The business, the turning points, and the decisions behind them.
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Sections to complete：02 · 05
01 / WHAT IT BUILT
What the company did
UGO Entertainment (UGO Networks) was a New York-based online entertainment network, founded in 1997 as Unified Gamers Online. Its flagship UGO.com — 'UnderGroundOnline' — plus sites like GamingTarget, GameBanshee, Actress Archives and Caster's Realm reached around 28 million monthly visitors with games, movies, music, comics and men's lifestyle content, living off customized advertising. Backed by $82 million in venture capital and doing $30 million in annual revenue, it was acquired by Hearst Corporation in July 2007 (reported at about $100 million), then itself became an acquirer: on January 6, 2009 UGO Entertainment bought 1UP.com and its gaming sites from Ziff Davis. In May 2011 IGN Entertainment acquired UGO from Hearst; UGO ceased as a staffed site in March 2012 and was shut down in February 2013 after Ziff Davis bought the IGN network.
02 / FAILURE REASONS
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03 / EVENT HISTORY
Events in the structured record
- Founded
UGO Entertainment is founded in 1997 as Unified Gamers Online.
- Acquired
In July 2007 Hearst Corporation acquires UGO Networks, reportedly for about $100 million.
- Acquisition
On January 6, 2009 UGO Entertainment acquires 1UP.com and its gaming sites from Ziff Davis.
- Acquired again
In May 2011 IGN Entertainment acquires UGO from Hearst; UGO is shut down in February 2013.
04 / CONTEMPORARY REBUILD ASSESSMENT
Difficulty of rebuilding this project today
Material for this section is being gathered and checked. It will appear here once ready.
Overall assessment: Not completed
05 / CAUSAL CHAIN / AFTERMATH
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