IGN launches social network for gamers

My IGN designed to be a social network for gamers not eager about sharing on Facebook

IGN, a subsidiary of News Corp. and the Web's biggest video game site, just launched My IGN, a new social network for gamers.

The idea behind My IGN is that even the most popular social networks, like Facebook and MySpace, don't offer the kind of community a video game fan might find fitting to discuss games.

“We created it because gamers are not currently served by social networks,” said Peer Schneider, senior vice president and publisher at IGN Entertainment. “If I post what I really feel about a game on Facebook, I’ll get odd comments from non-gaming friends and family. In our setting, you can feel comfortable talking about gaming. No one else has nailed it.”

Currently in public beta, My IGN lets users build up a rich profile that shows off their game collections, wish lists, IDs for online play, and more. After following games, other users, and IGN editors, one will receive a steady stream of real-time updates from the gaming world in their customized news feed.

Fittingly, My IGN also employs a gaming system of its own, granting users points for contributing to the network via status updates, comments, and profile updates. After passing certain point milestones, users advance through different levels.

Though the big guns in social networking probably won't face a ton of competition from a gamer-focused community, My IGN still has a decent shot at success considering its creator. IGN is visited by 12.7 million people per month, and many would happily join a social network specifically tailored for video game fans.