Download Open Beta of Tankee for iPad
AUSTIN, Texas, July 25, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Tankee Inc., the newly formed Austin-based media company with offices in New York, today announces the launch of Tankee, the first safe, digital destination for kids ages 6-to-12 years-old to watch gaming videos. The on-demand entertainment platform brings kids and their parents age-appropriate gaming videos to one location and features a diverse lineup of curated and licensed gaming content through its unique partnerships. Tankee offers access to gameplay videos built around games kids love such as Minecraft, ROBLOX, Rocket League and more. Popular influencers joining the Tankee video network reach a collective social media following of 50 million and those featured on the platform include CutePlay, JeromeASF, NyteOwl, Speedy, Thinknoodles and ThnxCya.
Gerald Youngblood and Dan Chiu, creators of the video platform and co-founders of Tankee Inc., are dedicated to making Tankee a safe destination for elementary school-aged kids and their caregivers to enjoy and discover gaming content. With their combined experiences from AMD to ESPN and across esports, gaming content, product development and marketing, the duo set out to curate a community that fully supports the digital well-being movement and create a place for caregivers and kids to discover the best in gaming videos in a safe and healthy way.
“Parents are faced with a false choice of having to shut down access for their children or accepting the ills of the Internet at large and they shouldn't have to choose,” said Tankee co-founder and CEO Gerald Youngblood. “A solution needs to exist that's built with kids in mind and that's why we created Tankee. We want kids to be able to enjoy the art and fun of gaming without parents being worried about what their kids may see next.”
Engaging the power of the iPad, Tankee’s user interface allows kids to watch gaming videos and interact in a safe environment. The Tankee platform encourages kids to choose a unique avatar and react to content in real-time with stickers. Kids can create instant highlight clips of their favorite moments and save videos they love. They can follow their favorite gamers and discover talented new content creators. Along the way, parents can learn more about the games and content before making the decision to download or buy.
To see how Tankee works, watch the video here and then to download Tankee on your iPad, visit iTunes.
With safety top-of-mind, Tankee forged a partnership with SuperAwesome whose technology ensures Tankee has secure parental authorization for access to content via their Kids Web Services (KWS) platform. Tankee also leverages SuperAwesome’s AwesomeAds to ensure that kids only see age-appropriate ads, which never collect their personal data. Tankee is committed to ensuring that it complies with the most stringent data privacy standards like COPPA. SuperAwesome reinforces Tankee’s dedication to kid-safe engagement and parental involvement on the Tankee platform.
“The digital media landscape is being fundamentally reshaped by the under-13 audience,” said Dylan Collins, CEO of SuperAwesome. “In response, we are seeing the emergence of new platforms like Tankee designed specifically with kids in mind, encompassing safety and responsibility with entertainment and engagement. We’re incredibly excited to support their launch and growth.”
In the coming months, Tankee, Inc. will introduce new, original content to its digital video network and create consistent opportunities for brands to reach its audience. Future plans include recognizing quality emerging gaming content, offering Tankee viewers exclusive gaming videos and activating an in-house production unit that will produce kid-friendly, original gaming content in partnership with top gaming influencers and publishers.
Machinima, a division of Warner Bros. Digital Networks and the premier provider of digital gamer entertainment, has partnered with Tankee for a slate of its content featuring massively popular creators like AviatorGaming, Biggs87x, ECKOSOLDIER, JeromeASF, Unspeakable and more.
SuperParent, the video game resource for the modern parent, has also partnered with Tankee, Inc. to provide feature and review content for the parent portal of the Tankee platform as well as additional content crafted for kids. Tankee Inc. and SuperParent will also join forces to help educate and build community awareness around the positive aspects of gaming, keeping parents in the know about video games, tech and gaming culture while empowering them to make smart decisions on how gaming fits into their family’s lifestyle.
Download the open beta of Tankee for iPad on the App Store today. The full version of Tankee will be released later this summer and additional platforms will be available in the months following. For more information, visit www.tankee.com.
About Tankee, Inc.
Tankee, Inc. is an Austin-based media company with offices in New York that is dedicated to the future of kids’ digital entertainment and delivering gaming content in a safe environment. Tankee, the company’s first offering, is an engaging, on-demand mobile entertainment network for kids ages 6-12 that brings entertaining gaming videos to kids and peace of mind to parents. The digital video platform is now available in an open beta for iPads on the App Store and will launch with a full version later this year. The safe, COPPA-compliant destination allows kids to watch and discover gaming content they love while eliminating exposure to content not suited for school-aged children. The unique video network features 300+ hours of curated and licensed gaming videos spanning the most popular game franchises and features top gaming influencers such as CutePlay, JeromeASF, NyteOwl, Speedy, Thinknoodles and ThnxCya. Connecting gaming content owners to advertisers in the advertising video-on-demand (AVOD) space, Tankee features popular third-party brands in a robust library of videos. Tankee leverages the technology platform and infrastructure pioneered by SuperAwesome and has content partnerships with Machinima and SuperParent. Tankee, Inc. also specializes in the creation of new, original content for its digital network, which will feature well-known gaming influencers, celebrities and new rising stars when it launches later this summer. Download the open beta version of Tankee here. Learn more at www.tankee.com.
About SuperAwesome
SuperAwesome powers the kids' digital media ecosystem. SuperAwesome's technology is used by hundreds of brands and content-owners to safely engage with over 500M kids every month. The company has pioneered the 'kidtech' market: technology which delivers digital media functionality with a 'zero-data' design to ensure total safety for kids.
SuperAwesome has reshaped the kids' digital media landscape with their kid-safe tools and technology including AwesomeAds (the biggest kid-safe ad platform in the world), REX (the first kid-safe programmatic ad filter), PopJam (social content tools for U13 engagement) and Kids Web Services (kids/parent authentication). Led by serial tech investor and entrepreneur Dylan Collins, the company's rapidly growing global team is headquartered in London with offices in New York, Los Angeles, Singapore and Sydney. For more information, please visit www.superawesome.tv
About Machinima
Machinima is the premier provider of digital content at the intersection of gamer entertainment and culture. Supercharged by parent company Warner Bros., we empower talent and fuel fan engagement across multiple platforms. We create entertainment content for a community passionate about video games, animation, and endless forms of pop culture. With a focus on scripted, topical and gamer programming, and a talent network of thousands of influencers, Machinima reaches over 58M US-based viewers each month. The company’s Machinima Studios divisions develops and produces long-form live action and animation based on iconic gaming IP for traditional and premium digital platforms. Machinima is a division of Warner Bros. Digital Networks.
About Warner Bros. Digital Networks
Warner Bros. Digital Networks (WBDN) creates, builds and operates direct-to-consumer digital services, digital premium content and experiences. The WBDN team is chartered with bringing together a diverse portfolio of iconic brands and innovative, exclusive premium content, focused on serving digital-first audiences. Leveraging the studio’s iconic franchises and vast library, WBDN’s portfolio includes DC Universe, DramaFever and both Boomerang and Filmstruck in partnership with Turner. WBDN also produces and distributes premium digital series through Stage 13 and Machinima and in partnership with LeBron James’ Uninterrupted and Ellen DeGeneres’ Ellen Digital Ventures. Warner Bros. Digital Networks’ premium programming and digital offerings put viewers at the center of entertainment, sports, gaming and pop culture, reaching audiences anywhere, across any platform.
About SuperParent
SuperParent is a digital media brand for modern parents raising the next generation of video gamers and technology fans. Our mission is to keep parents in the know about video games, tech and gaming culture, while empowering them to make smart decisions on how gaming fits into their family’s lifestyle. Parents can look for in-depth reporting on trending topics, reviews of kids’ favorite games and expert parenting advice on everything from staying safe while playing online, to buying the right tablet, PC or console, to finding great family games for everyone to play together. Whether folks grew up gaming, or the family is discovering games together, SuperParent has got you covered. For more visit, www.superparent.com.
Media contacts:
Jaime Cottini and Brooke Bauguess for Tankee, Inc.
tankee@violetkaipr.com