We recently had the chance to talk to Ivan Marusic, the founder and CEO of Gamersbook, and ask him a few questions about his Croatia-based gaming startup.
What is Gamersbook? Just think of everything related to games and the gaming industry grasped within a single website and you will be on the right track! The website was launched in 2010, and right now it’s experiencing a boom in its community growth, with the team currently also on the hunt for a serious investor.
When did you have the idea for Gamersbook and what made you sure it was the right one?
Since I was a gamer myself, I came to the idea that it would be awesome to create a website where people could socialize, read news and get connected to game developers directly. I came to this idea back in 2007, but started to work on it in in 2009.
The main goal for us was to allow gamers to socialize in one place while they can still assist game developers with direct feedback. In addition, Gamersbook is also an awesome platform where game developers can promote their products to a target market of 100% gamers.
In mid-2010 we joined forces with another team that shared our passion and the project was released in November 2010.
How did you finance the startup-phase of Gamersbook and what were the main stumbling blocks of the first months?
Developing Gamersbook was an awesome experience that was completely
self-financed by our team. We invested a lot of time and passion to be able to finally release Gamersbook. During the development phase, we weren’t looking for investors as we were able to release the project on our own.
Currently, we are looking for a serious investor because of our rapid growth.
What makes Gamersbook unique or better than other gaming communities out there?
In my opinion, this is one of the easiest questions to be answered. Why, you may ask? Well, Gamersbook is the first-ever startup that consists of a Social Network, Online TV and Newsportal.
According to feedback from our users and partners, Gamersbook is a site that perfectly merges those three aspects of internet business while still being user-friendly.
Do you have a specific goal in relation to Gamersbook’s member growth for this year?
Our initial goal was to attract 10 thousand members by the end of 2011. Currently we have more than 21,000 members, and our current plans are to close this fiscal year with 50,000 members or more ;).
What kind of marketing strategies do you use to promote Gamersbook?
At the moment, we promote Gamersbook through popular social networks (Facebook, Twitter, Youtube).
Together with those tools, we have a strong news writing team that works on a daily basis releasing a lot of news and other media related to the gaming world in general.
Also, we encourage our members to invite their friends to the network by rewarding them with various various events and prizes.
Where would you like to see Gamersbook in about 2 or 3 years?
In 2 or 3 years’ time, our goal is to become one of the main, if not the main place where gamers will connect, discuss various topics and enjoy all of the promotions that will be offered to them by us and our partners.
While it is hard to predict how our current plans are going to roll out, given that our team is made up of professionals that are totally passionate about Gamersbook and all of the work related to it, I really think we will achieve our goals.
What new Gamersbook features can we expect in 2011-2012?
Become a member, follow us and you will enjoy all of the features that are currently in development. Hint, they will be awesome and huge ;).
How many people are working for Gamersbook at the moment and are you hiring right now?
Currently, our team consists of 20 people and yes, we are always open to discuss job opportunities with passionate individuals.
What’s been your experience of Split in Croatia as a location to start a company?
Catastrophic! Why? Although Split is an awesome city to live in, from an IT business aspect, it is impossible to find investors and sponsors.
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