242:'s Terms of Service (ToS) for Xbox Live, and that Microsoft logs all Xbox Live sessions. "If you don’t want the Xbox LIVE Enforcement team to laugh at your penis as they bring down the banhammer, or to have to call Customer Support because the woman who sent you dirty texts stole your Xbox LIVE account - then think wisely!" Andrews wrote. The ToS states that users may not, among other things: "use the Service for commercial purposes", "use the Service in a way that harms us or our advertisers, affiliates, resellers, distributors, or vendors, or any customer of ours or our advertisers, affiliates, resellers, distributors, or vendors", or "Publish, distribute, or disseminate any inappropriate, profane, defamatory, infringing, obscene, indecent, or unlawful content, topic, name, material, file, or information". Andrews also notes that GameCrush's rate is almost $ 40 per hour.
220:, article written by Kevin Parrish, mentioned that concerns about the "Play Dates" were raised by reporters with the site's PR firm. "It was noted that their extracurricular activities were not directly connected to the dating service, however it's unavoidable to turn a blind eye to their other 'hobbies.' As an example, JadeRox works elsewhere online as an amateur pornographer, and even has a website that shows off her naked, feminine qualities. Needless to say, she's not sporting any manly luggage. She's even selling her used panties." He concluded "Maybe lonely gamers should put down the gamepad and head to a local club with friends."
263:
and you wouldn't be able to tip your PlayDate real cash after your session. If there's anything revolutionary about GameCrush it's that it took this long for someone to come up with the idea of actually paying women to play core games like Modern
Warfare 2. After all the hardcore game community has never valued women for anything more than their avatars. It shuts them out of their ranks on the corporate side, hyper-sexualizes them in games and then wonders why they have a hard time attracting more female players."
254:, article written by Brad Hilderbrand, said, "The website is set up like the world's loneliest singles lobby, allowing players to pick their game as well as whether they want their pretend date to be "flirty," "dirty," or both. You then pay around $ 10 for a ten minute game and feel much worse about yourself afterwards."
100:
including console, flash-based casual, and PC based. GameCrush members (the site focuses on female players, due to their relative scarcity in console online gaming) can post profiles with pictures, videos and gaming information and interact with other members through text chat, video chat and private
190:
s "Xbox Live" online column, written by Daemon
Hatfield, said "I can imagine some guys might be disappointed if they paid to play with a girl, only to hear her go on and on about her boyfriend..." and "Perhaps the most surprising thing about GameCrush is that no one else thought of it sooner. I have
181:
s "Laser Orgy" online column, written by Maddy Myers, said "I'm as mystified by this service as I am by similar services offered by girls (or guys -- but usually girls) who sit around talking to people on their webcams." she also commented "There's something inherently sexual about GameCrush, yes --
122:
Shortly after first launching their beta in March 2010 the GameCrush site went down. According to statements made by its management, it was overloaded with more connections than it could handle,due to the high demand. It is reported that management said they were "overwhelmed with interest, and have
262:
article written by
Jessica Rovello, said "Let's not mistake what this is. It's not gaming, it's simply a new spin on the phone sex lines of the 80s. It's light porn with a twist. If it wasn't, you wouldn't need to be over 18 to join, you wouldn't be able to have uncensored "Dirty" talk over webcams
129:
wrote an article describing GameCrush as "part social network, part online dating site, and a lot of Grand Theft Auto." The same article revealed the founders to be Eric
Strasser, David Good, and Anees Iqbal. Strasser revealed that the site had more than 5,000 women and 1,000 men participating in
113:
GameCrush differentiated itself from other social gaming sites by offering credits, which could be used to buy and give gifts that held real world value. While messaging and requesting a game were free, it was considered a nice gesture to offer a gift when requesting a game from someone new (as
226:, article written by Dan Nosowitz, said "Here's how pathetic GameCrush is: it modeled its service after the behavior of a desperate man trying to get a girl's attention at a bar by buying her an eight-dollar drink. But in reality, it's more of a gamer's phone sex line, dressed in Ed Hardy."
182:
but that's mostly due to the over-sexualizing of women in both
American society and particularly in gamer culture..." and "So, GameCrush, I give you props for your stupid idea. I am dubious about how successful it'll be, though, when the percentage of female gamers climbs every day."
204:'s online column "Crave", written by Matt Hickey, said: "Still, the idea could work if gaming girls--I'm sorry, PlayDates--can get around the slightly creepy idea of selling themselves for the attention of boys. Like Alicia, I'm a little skeeved out by the whole thing."
270:, James Walker wrote: "Does it sound shady? Sure. Is it sleazy to pay women to chat with you over a game of Gears of War? To a degree, you bet. But if there is one thing that gamers know how to do, it’s waste exorbenant amounts of money on pointless shit."
123:
smoking servers to prove it." It was claimed that the site received over 10,000 queries in five minutes of operation, overloading their servers and crashing their network. On June 5, 2010, GameCrush returned as a private, invitation-only beta.
248:, article written by Rob Rich, said, "I will say that I’m pretty put-off by this whole thing. Especially the fact that IGN seems to condone it. But maybe I’m just being an alarmist. I suppose it was bound to happen sooner or later, right?"
213:
s online column "Today@PCWorld", written by Sarah
Jacobsson, said: "Isn't it great to know that playing video games and chatting with hot girls aren't mutually exclusive activities any more (assuming you have the cash to spend)?"
191:
no doubt there are many gamers out there who would be willing to pay a little cash to play and flirt with hot girls, the only question is whether or not GameCrush is offering the right features for the right price."
114:
co-founder Eric
Strasser put it, "much like buying a drink for someone in a bar"). Members could also earn badges and achievements, and could be rated, or even blocked, by other members based on their behavior.
166:
After experimenting with various compensation models for the PlayDates, the site shut down in early 2013. In its place was a promotion for an upcoming site called "Buckme" that never appears to have launched.
197:
s "GamesBeat" online column, written by Dean
Takahashi, said "But a hot girl who can beat you at a game of Halo is probably a close to an ideal date for a lot of gamer dudes. At least that’s my guess."
232:, article written by Greg Tito, notes that during the testing period: "Internet comedians have already created false profiles such as Gabe Newell, a bear and a grill. Get it? A gamer grill! Genius!"
554:
953:
163:
but with cofounder Eric
Strasser stating that "the site’s registration requirement, user profiles and a user rating system help prevent" the rampant nudity found on that site.
459:
523:
400:
343:
588:
562:
799:
896:
317:
961:
870:
531:
152:
On
September 28, 2010, GameCrush launched its public site and presented as one of the six finalist companies at TechCrunch Disrupt.
467:
918:
676:
618:
430:
706:
373:
1030:
984:
768:
101:
messages. The site launched publicly on September 28, 2010, the same day it presented as a finalist at San Francisco's
149:, among other angels and VCs. The public launch was loosely scheduled a month out from the article, September 2010.
347:
842:"GameCrush Servers Overloaded in 5 Minutes: The site that allows gamers to pay for dates has gone down in smoke"
807:
39:
25:
904:
841:
494:"Would You Pay a Girl to Play Halo With You? GameCrush lets you get flirty and dirty with gamer girls"
738:
773:
258:
208:
155:
In early 2011, GameCrush launched a free, random game matching engine called the "Crush-O-Matic."
176:
401:"GameCrush lets you pay to teleconference with cute girls while they game (seriously (truly))"
138:
493:
142:
930:
589:"GameCrush: The Gamer's Version of Phone Sex Is Somehow Sadder Than Regular Phone Sex"
290:
1024:
684:
146:
58:
160:
126:
159:
described the service as one that mined a vein similar to the video experience of
35:
238:, article written by Jason Andrews, warned that use of GameCrush might violate
408:
156:
134:
102:
97:
62:
926:
239:
141:
revealed that GameCrush had raised $ 700,000 in an angel round featuring
650:
954:"Gamecrush to set Video Game Enthusiast Relations Back 20 Years"
530:. Boston: The Phoenix Media/Communications Group. Archived from
201:
460:"Dudes can pay hot girls to play online video games with them"
186:
96:
was a website where gamers meet, match and play a variety of
897:"GameCrush Offers Male Gamers a Social Life - BusinessWeek"
85:
346:(Press release). GameCrush. March 23, 2010. Archived from
619:"Gamecrush: Pay To Play With Gamer Grills [NSFW]"
1013:
739:"GameCrush Lets You Pay to Play Video Games With Girls"
713:. Melbourne, Australia: Fairfax Media. March 25, 2010
555:"GameCrush Lets Gamers Pay to Play with Flirty Girls"
374:"GameCrush: Pay to Play (Video Games) with Hot Girls"
919:"Xbox LIVE and Games for Windows LIVE Terms of Use"
367:
365:
81:
73:
53:
45:
31:
21:
732:
730:
728:
865:
863:
651:"GameCrush Potentially Offer Xbox LIVE CyberSex"
644:
642:
640:
871:"Gamecrush Gets Crushed due to Demanding Users"
793:
791:
517:
515:
985:"GameCrush Launches, Gaming Industry Shudders"
835:
833:
831:
829:
827:
825:
561:. Fox Television Stations, Inc. Archived from
318:"GameCrush lets gamers pay to play with girls"
431:"GameCrush launches online dating for gamers"
8:
762:
760:
612:
610:
582:
580:
16:
800:"GameCrush is Creepy, Shady and Ingenious"
453:
451:
15:
487:
485:
524:"GameCrush.Com: Girls Who Play for Pay"
278:
284:
282:
7:
983:Hilderbrand, Brad (March 23, 2010).
737:Albanesius, Chloe (March 26, 2010).
291:"GameCrush: Pay to play--with girls"
767:Rovello, Jessica (March 25, 2010).
372:Jacobsson, Sarah (March 23, 2010).
344:"GameCrush Spices Up Online Gaming"
316:Hatfield, Daemon (March 23, 2010).
553:Hatfield, Daemon (23 March 2010).
458:Takahashi, Dean (March 23, 2010).
399:Coldewey, Devin (March 23, 2010).
14:
840:Parrish, Kevin (March 24, 2010).
649:Andrews, Jason (March 24, 2010).
929:. September 2008. Archived from
798:Walker, James (March 23, 2010).
587:Nosowitz, Dan (March 24, 2010).
528:The Boston Phoenix (Laser Orgy)
522:Myers, Maddy (March 23, 2010).
289:Hickey, Matt (March 23, 2010).
707:"Pay to play games with girls"
1:
466:. VentureBeat. Archived from
429:Martin, Joe (24 March 2010).
952:Rich, Rob (March 25, 2010).
617:Tito, Greg (23 March 2010).
1047:
769:"PlayDates for the Lonely"
677:"Hook Up with GameCrush"
86:http://www.gamecrush.com
595:. Mansueto Ventures LLC
322:news.com.au (Tech News)
40:social network service
958:Crush! Frag! Destroy!
848:. Bestofmedia Network
246:Crush! Frag! Destroy!
901:www.businessweek.com
1031:Video game websites
774:The Huffington Post
534:on February 4, 2013
259:The Huffington Post
18:
687:on 17 October 2010
681:Video Game Reviews
492:Hatfield, Daemon.
177:The Boston Phoenix
130:its private beta.
470:on March 26, 2010
139:Michael Arrington
91:
90:
1038:
1017:
1016:
1014:Official website
1000:
999:
997:
995:
980:
974:
973:
971:
969:
960:. Archived from
949:
943:
942:
940:
938:
915:
909:
908:
903:. Archived from
893:
887:
886:
884:
882:
877:. March 26, 2010
867:
858:
857:
855:
853:
837:
820:
819:
817:
815:
810:on 27 March 2010
806:. Archived from
795:
786:
785:
783:
781:
764:
755:
754:
752:
750:
734:
723:
722:
720:
718:
703:
697:
696:
694:
692:
683:. Archived from
673:
667:
666:
664:
662:
646:
635:
634:
632:
630:
614:
605:
604:
602:
600:
584:
575:
574:
572:
570:
550:
544:
543:
541:
539:
519:
510:
509:
507:
505:
489:
480:
479:
477:
475:
455:
446:
445:
443:
441:
426:
420:
419:
417:
415:
396:
390:
389:
387:
385:
369:
360:
359:
357:
355:
350:on 27 March 2010
340:
334:
333:
331:
329:
313:
307:
306:
304:
302:
286:
133:In August 2010,
19:
1046:
1045:
1041:
1040:
1039:
1037:
1036:
1035:
1021:
1020:
1012:
1011:
1008:
1003:
993:
991:
982:
981:
977:
967:
965:
964:on 3 April 2010
951:
950:
946:
936:
934:
933:on 6 April 2010
917:
916:
912:
895:
894:
890:
880:
878:
869:
868:
861:
851:
849:
839:
838:
823:
813:
811:
797:
796:
789:
779:
777:
766:
765:
758:
748:
746:
736:
735:
726:
716:
714:
705:
704:
700:
690:
688:
675:
674:
670:
660:
658:
648:
647:
638:
628:
626:
616:
615:
608:
598:
596:
586:
585:
578:
568:
566:
565:on 5 April 2010
552:
551:
547:
537:
535:
521:
520:
513:
503:
501:
491:
490:
483:
473:
471:
457:
456:
449:
439:
437:
428:
427:
423:
413:
411:
398:
397:
393:
383:
381:
378:Today @ PCWorld
371:
370:
363:
353:
351:
342:
341:
337:
327:
325:
315:
314:
310:
300:
298:
288:
287:
280:
276:
173:
120:
111:
69:
65:
12:
11:
5:
1044:
1042:
1034:
1033:
1023:
1022:
1019:
1018:
1007:
1006:External links
1004:
1002:
1001:
975:
944:
910:
907:on 2010-07-05.
888:
859:
821:
787:
756:
724:
698:
668:
636:
625:. Themis Media
606:
576:
545:
511:
481:
447:
421:
391:
361:
335:
324:. News Limited
308:
277:
275:
272:
172:
169:
143:Scott Banister
119:
116:
110:
107:
89:
88:
83:
79:
78:
75:
71:
70:
67:
57:
55:
51:
50:
47:
43:
42:
33:
29:
28:
23:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1043:
1032:
1029:
1028:
1026:
1015:
1010:
1009:
1005:
990:
986:
979:
976:
963:
959:
955:
948:
945:
932:
928:
924:
920:
914:
911:
906:
902:
898:
892:
889:
876:
875:MS Xbox World
872:
866:
864:
860:
847:
843:
836:
834:
832:
830:
828:
826:
822:
809:
805:
801:
794:
792:
788:
776:
775:
770:
763:
761:
757:
744:
740:
733:
731:
729:
725:
712:
708:
702:
699:
686:
682:
678:
672:
669:
656:
652:
645:
643:
641:
637:
624:
620:
613:
611:
607:
594:
590:
583:
581:
577:
564:
560:
559:My Fox Boston
556:
549:
546:
533:
529:
525:
518:
516:
512:
499:
498:IGN Xbox Live
495:
488:
486:
482:
469:
465:
461:
454:
452:
448:
436:
432:
425:
422:
410:
406:
402:
395:
392:
379:
375:
368:
366:
362:
349:
345:
339:
336:
323:
319:
312:
309:
296:
292:
285:
283:
279:
273:
271:
269:
264:
261:
260:
255:
253:
249:
247:
243:
241:
237:
233:
231:
227:
225:
221:
219:
215:
212:
210:
205:
203:
199:
196:
192:
189:
188:
183:
180:
178:
170:
168:
164:
162:
158:
153:
150:
148:
145:and his wife
144:
140:
136:
131:
128:
124:
117:
115:
108:
106:
104:
99:
95:
87:
84:
80:
77:Not disclosed
76:
72:
64:
60:
59:San Francisco
56:
52:
48:
44:
41:
37:
34:
30:
27:
24:
20:
992:. Retrieved
988:
978:
966:. Retrieved
962:the original
957:
947:
935:. Retrieved
931:the original
922:
913:
905:the original
900:
891:
879:. Retrieved
874:
850:. Retrieved
845:
812:. Retrieved
808:the original
803:
778:. Retrieved
772:
747:. Retrieved
745:. Ziff Davis
742:
715:. Retrieved
710:
701:
689:. Retrieved
685:the original
680:
671:
659:. Retrieved
657:. ICGamers ·
654:
627:. Retrieved
623:The Escapist
622:
597:. Retrieved
593:Fast Company
592:
567:. Retrieved
563:the original
558:
548:
536:. Retrieved
532:the original
527:
502:. Retrieved
497:
472:. Retrieved
468:the original
463:
438:. Retrieved
435:bit-tech.net
434:
424:
412:. Retrieved
404:
394:
382:. Retrieved
377:
352:. Retrieved
348:the original
338:
326:. Retrieved
321:
311:
299:. Retrieved
294:
267:
265:
257:
256:
251:
250:
245:
244:
235:
234:
230:The Escapist
229:
228:
224:Fast Company
223:
222:
217:
216:
207:
206:
200:
195:VentureBeat'
194:
193:
185:
184:
175:
174:
165:
161:Chatroulette
154:
151:
132:
127:BusinessWeek
125:
121:
112:
93:
92:
54:Headquarters
22:Company type
989:Games Abyss
846:Tom's Guide
804:Binge Gamer
266:Writing in
252:Games Abyss
218:Tom's Guide
98:video games
36:video games
409:TechCrunch
405:CrunchGear
380:. PC World
274:References
268:Binge Game
157:TechCrunch
135:TechCrunch
103:TechCrunch
63:California
927:Microsoft
743:App Scout
464:GamesBeat
240:Microsoft
171:Reception
94:GameCrush
17:GameCrush
1025:Category
994:26 March
968:26 March
937:25 March
881:26 March
852:25 March
814:28 March
780:28 March
749:28 March
717:26 March
691:26 March
661:25 March
629:25 March
599:25 March
569:25 March
538:25 March
504:25 March
474:25 March
440:25 March
414:25 March
384:25 March
354:25 March
328:25 March
301:25 March
209:PC World
105:Disrupt
32:Industry
711:The Age
118:History
82:Website
74:Revenue
46:Founded
26:Private
655:XboxIC
297:. Cnet
236:XboxIC
109:Design
500:. IGN
295:Crave
996:2010
970:2010
939:2010
923:Xbox
883:2010
854:2010
816:2010
782:2010
751:2010
719:2010
693:2010
663:2010
631:2010
601:2010
571:2010
540:2010
506:2010
476:2010
442:2010
416:2010
386:2010
356:2010
330:2010
303:2010
202:Cnet
147:Cyan
49:2007
187:IGN
137:'s
68:USA
1027::
987:.
956:.
925:.
921:.
899:.
873:.
862:^
844:.
824:^
802:.
790:^
771:.
759:^
741:.
727:^
709:.
679:.
653:.
639:^
621:.
609:^
591:.
579:^
557:.
526:.
514:^
496:.
484:^
462:.
450:^
433:.
407:.
403:.
376:.
364:^
320:.
293:.
281:^
66:,
61:,
38:,
998:.
972:.
941:.
885:.
856:.
818:.
784:.
753:.
721:.
695:.
665:.
633:.
603:.
573:.
542:.
508:.
478:.
444:.
418:.
388:.
358:.
332:.
305:.
211:'
179:'
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.