Starting out as an App Player, an Android emulator on PC, BlueStacks has now evolved to BlueStacks 2, a mobile gaming platform that spans through to mobile, PC and TV. Launched in 2011, BlueStacks has now launched BlueStacks 2, with several new features to marry gameplay and app discovery. One of these features is with its new browser interface, you can click an ad and a new tab will open, without interrupting gameplay. This is actually an entirely new type of ad unit.
In addition, BlueStacks 2 also incorporates the ability to run multiple apps at the same time in different tabs for the first time ever. This way, you can run messaging apps and gaming apps simultaneously.
“As our product and platform has matured, it has attracted a new genre of gamers,” said BlueStacks CEO, Rosen Sharma. “Hardcore PC gamers we find are also into playing midcore mobile games. These users spend a lot of money, which has attracted app developers to our platform in droves. On the other end of the spectrum, apps like messaging and eCommerce also tend to get heavy usage and attract high-value users. The platform has been a boon for advertisers.”
Based in Silicon Valley with offices in Beijing, Delhi, London, Tokyo, Seoul and Singapore, BlueStacks is funded by Andreessen-Horowitz, Samsung, Redpoint, Qualcomm, Intel, Ignition Partners, Radar Partners, Presidio Ventures (a Sumitomo Corporation Company), Citrix, AMD and Helion Ventures. The 100-person company launched in May, 2011 and the first version of its Mobile Gaming Platform was released in March, 2012.
