In July, we helped Xeko launch an interactive Web community, offering a robust interactive experience to enhance the real-life card game enjoyed by thousands of kids.

Xeko, an eco-adventure entertainment platform developed by Matter Group, provides an incredible tool for kids to have fun and learn about science and conservation issues. Through its four mission sets, which include Madagascar, China, Indonesia and Costa Rica, Xeko’s inventive game takes kids through a journey of beautiful wilderness and wild animals, teaching the importance of sustainability, conservation and biodiversity.

We developed Xeko’s new interactive Web community, greatly enhancing the game’s experience by extending it well beyond the box and cards sets, allowing kids to connect with peers from all over the world, take and create quizzes and accumulate points.

“Xeko is an incredible resource for educating children, and we’re proud to help Matter Group expand the game’s reach,” says associate creative director Carrie Byrne. “This project included everything that we’re passionate about at Worktank: creativity, innovation and connecting people through stories and technology.”

The launch is part of our broader effort to expand into casual gaming, where we see a huge opportunity. From desktops to laptops to mobile, casual gaming is exploding. Not as time-consuming or complex as many massively multiplayer online games (MMOs), casual gaming appeals more to consumers who have a little time to kill while waiting for their next appointment or chore to begin.

Casual gaming represents a huge market of fun and easy to learn video games that can be played across mobile, PC, Mac and console platforms. Companies such as BigFish Games and PopCap Games cater to this audience, offering subscriptions or downloads allowing consumers to easily access simple yet engrossing games that they can play in short bursts.

“Beyond the hardcore gamers, there’s a huge audience out there that wants to play games but don’t want to spend their entire day doing it,” said Amy Tucker, CEO and inventor of Xeko. “Casual gaming is a growing market, and we believe that Worktank is well-positioned to help the industry connect with consumers.”

And with our experience in consumer product launches, online media consumption and the recent Xeko project, we bring a unique set of skills to the casual gaming industry. We have a deep background in crafting online experiences, including UX capability, video production and social media, and we’re an expert at bringing consumer brands to the market.

“With our experience and commitment to casual gaming, we’re a great partner to this industry,” says CEO Melinda Partin. “This market will be a key focus of growth this year.”