Top Online Gaming Site Adopts New Hosted Toolbar Solution to Enhance Community

H2Press, the leading online gaming community dedicated to Microsoft’s blockbuster game, Halo2, recently adopted a groundbreaking community software application to enrich their community’s online experience. The application, a community toolbar, hosted and powered by EffectiveBrand, has literally injected new life into the successful online gaming site.

“Without our EffectiveBrand toolbar, I doubt there would still be an H2Press. EffectiveBrand earned our site the recognition that’s keeping it alive and allowing it to release new services that wouldn’t have been possible without our site’s current status,” recounts Mike Riess, the H2Press community founder and lead administrator. “As if that weren’t enough, it was relatively simple to get started, and the only real issue we’ve had was fixed by one of the EffectiveBrand staff the same day.”

H2Press is using their community toolbar to enhance the user experience. Says Riess, “Through our EB toolbar, users are instantly updated on all the latest Halo and gaming news, instantly search Xbox Live Gamertag stats, or even launch an IRC chat room.” In other words, the customizable toolbar is used as an extension of the community, bringing information that traditionally lay inside the community’s website, out onto the individual user’s web browser.

Indeed, thousands of online gaming sites are turning to EffectiveBrand to host their community toolbar. Through a web interface, community administrators can design, customize, update, and distribute a community-enhancing toolbar. In addition to hosting the toolbar, EffectiveBrand provides a full suite of services surrounding the application including promotional web banners, analytical tools, and routine roll-out of new functionality, including this month’s highly anticipated launch of a cross platform version of their solution that will run on both Microsoft’s Internet Explorer and Mozilla’s Firefox browsers.

H2Press is comprised of a diverse community with one overwhelming shared value: interest in Microsoft’s Xbox game, Halo2. Halo2 shattered all types of records, racking up first day sales alone of $125 Million. Microsoft executive, Peter Moore, corporate vice president, Worldwide Marketing and Publishing, Xbox, said of the achievement, “Across North America, 2.4-million copies of the game were sold, representing $125 million in total cash register receipts for retailers. It’s no longer just a huge game for us, but has become a seminal milestone for the entire industry.” The H2Press community’s success certainly attests to this sweeping interest.

Contact Information

Zack Miller

VP, Marketing and Business Development

EffectiveBrand

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