Sulake: Difference between revisions
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{{Infobox Company |
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| company_name = Sulake |
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| company_logo = [[Image:Sulake Logo.gif|center|Sulake logo]] |
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| vector_logo = |
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| company_type = [[Private]] |
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| genre = Technology |
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| foundation = 2000 |
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| founder = [[Sampo Karjalainen]]<br /> |
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[[Aapo Kyrölä]] |
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| location = [[Helsinki]], [[Finland]] |
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| origins = |
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| key_people = [[Timo Soininen]], [[CEO]]<br /> |
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'''Juha Hynynen''', [[Chief Operating Officer|COO]] |
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| area_served = ''29 Countries'' <ref name="hotels"> |
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{{cite web |
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|url = http://www.sulake.com/habbo.html |
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|title = Sulake: Habbo |
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|publisher = Sulake Corporation Oy}}</ref> |
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| industry = Teen Social Networking |
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| products = [[Habbo Hotel]]<br />[[Mini Friday]]<br />[[IRC-Galleria]] |
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| revenue = {{profit}}''$77,000,000 USD''<ref name="habbox" /> |
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| operating_income = |
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| net_income = |
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| num_employees = 300 |
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| parent = |
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| subsid = |
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| owner = |
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| homepage = http://www.sulake.com/ |
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| footnotes = |
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}} |
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'''Sulake''' ('''[[International Phonetic Alphabet|IPA]]:''' /'{{IPA|su.lə.kiː}}/){{Ref_label|A|I|none}} is a multi-million dollar multimedia company based in [[Helsinki]], [[Finland]]. It was founded by [[Sampo Karjalainen]] and [[Aapo Kyrölä]] in [[2000]]. Sulake's main focus is virtual worlds, casual multiplayer games and social networking. The corporation's CEO is [[Timo Soininen]], also from [[Finland]]. |
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The company's first project, Mobiles Disco, was intended to promote a Finnish [[rap band]] called ''Mobiles'' in 1999. As the site grew popularity, the originally Finnish rooms were swamped with foreigners, so they had to create a separate international version. This made Karjalainen and Kyrölä wonder about possibilities for financial success. Sulake then sold the concept to the Finnish telecom giant [[Elisa Oyj]] through the advertising agency [[Taivas]]. |
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Karjalainen and Kyrölä then created an online multiplayer game called '''Lumisota''' (Snow Wars). The game is similar and is now what [[Habbo Hotel|Habbo Hotel's]] in-hotel Snow Wars game is based on. The game was a further success and became associated with [[Radiolinja]], a Finnish telecommunications network, which [[Elisa Oyj]] has invested in. |
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Sulake then was approached by clients, such as [[Disney's Virtual Magic Kingdom]] and [[Coke Music]], which is now known as [[MyCoke]]. Karjalainen and Kyrölä assisted their clients with these projects, but now Sulake's main focus is [[Habbo Hotel]]. |
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In August 2000,''[[Hotelli Kultakala]] (Hotel Goldfish)'' was launched as part of Elisa's portal, which is now the foundation release of [[Habbo Hotel]] Finland. |
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[[Deloitte]]'s ''Technology Fast 500 EMEA'' list ranks Sulake as the 12th fastest growing technology company in Europe.<ref name="emea"> |
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{{cite web |
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|url = http://www.sulake.com/pressroom_releases_29112006.html |
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|date = 2006-11-29 |
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|title = Sulake ranks as the 12th fastest growing technology company in Europe |
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|publisher = Sulake Corporation Oy}}</ref> |
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In [[April 2007]], Sulake acquired Dynamoid Oy, the company behind the virtual community [[IRC-Galleria]]. |
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== Mission Statement == |
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As published on Sulake's <span class="plainlinks">[http://www.sulake.com official website]</span>: |
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<blockquote> |
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Our mission is to create a new type of social game content: fun, social, non-violent concepts that inspire creativity. Sulake's long term objective is to become a world class interactive entertainment company that has a broad portfolio of properties addressing different target audiences. Other key area for Sulake is to broaden the company's product portfolio with other kinds of game and community concepts for different target audiences.<ref name="mistatement"> |
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{{cite web |
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|title = Sulake: Company |
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|url = http://www.sulake.com/company.html |
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|publisher = Sulake Corporation Oy |
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|date = unknown date |
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|quote = ''Our mission is to...''}}</ref> |
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</blockquote> |
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== Employment and Offices == |
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Sulake has 18 offices in different countries around the globe, with their headquarters (HQ) in Helsinki, Finland. The national offices are responsible for running the community of each hotel. Overall, Sulake employ around 300 Sulake and Habbo Staff, plus an additional 200 in-game Habbo Hotel Moderators. |
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== Projects and Clients == |
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[[Image:Habbo_Hotel_logo.svg|thumb|The logo of the [[Habbo]] brand name.|150px|right]] |
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* '''[[Habbo Hotel]]''' |
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:The Sulake company provides Habbo Hotel in 29 countries, with an estimated revenue of $77,000,000 for 2006.<ref name="habbox"> |
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{{cite web |
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|url = http://www.habbox.com/site/content/view/1898/254/ |
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|title = Habbox: Sulake |
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|publisher = Habbox}}</ref> Sulake earns this revenue via five methods; selling in-game [[Habbo Hotel#Credits|credits]], website advertisement and sponsorship and Habbo-related merchandise. |
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* '''[[Coke Music]]''' |
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:The first incarnation of chat environment within Coke Music (now [[MyCoke]]), [[CokeStudios]], was designed by Sulake. The most recent version (v2.x) of CokeStudios was programmed exclusively by MyCoke's operators, [[StudioCom]]. |
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* '''[[Virtual Magic Kingdom]]''' |
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:Disney's Virtual Magic Kingdom was a concept by [[Disney]] and created by Sulake.<ref name="vmk"> |
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{{cite web |
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|url = http://vmk.disney.go.com/vmk/en_US/aboutVMK/index?name=DeveloperCreditsPage |
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|title = Disney's Virtual Magic Kingdom: Developer Credits |
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|publisher = [[Disney]]}}</ref> |
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* '''[[The Wreck Room]]''' |
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:"The Wreck Room" is a mini-game by Disney for the promotion of their 2003 movie [[Holes]]. The game design was based from [[Habbo Hotel]].<ref name="Disney"> |
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{{cite web |
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|url = http://disney.go.com/disneyvideos/liveaction/holes/main.html |
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|title = Holes on DVD --Official Website |
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|publisher = [[Disney]]}}</ref> |
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[[Image:Mini_Friday_Logo.gif|thumb|100px|left|Mini Friday's logo.]] |
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* '''[[Mini Friday]]''' |
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:MiniFriday is a small research project on virtual worlds on mobile phones, with concept and design by Sulake. |
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* '''[[IRC-Galleria]]''' |
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:'''IRC-Galleria''' is the largest [[World Wide Web|WWW]]-based [[virtual community]] in [[Finland]]. It was founded in December 2000 by [[Tomi Lintelä]] as a photo gallery for the Finnish users of [[Internet Relay Chat]] (IRC). As of February 2007, IRC-galleria boasts over 400,000 registered users and 6 million images.<ref name="irc"> |
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{{cite web |
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|title = IRC-Galleria |
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|url = http://irc-galleria.net/index.php |
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|publisher = Dynamoid Oy}}</ref> |
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==Lawsuits & Problems== |
==Lawsuits & Problems== |
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The company still faces more than 12 pending charges of sexual misconduct and fraud which should be cited by the end of 2007. The Better Business Bureau of Los Angeles, the jurisdiction of which Sulake, USA falls under, is working with over 54 clients currently on receiving fair compensation from Sulake. "It would be in the consumer's best interest not to conduct business with Sulake. We are currently working with local law enforcement to render consequence, though Sulake continues to stand on hard ground," commented Brian Holmes, spokesman for the LA division of the BBB. |
The company still faces more than 12 pending charges of sexual misconduct and fraud which should be cited by the end of 2007. The Better Business Bureau of Los Angeles, the jurisdiction of which Sulake, USA falls under, is working with over 54 clients currently on receiving fair compensation from Sulake. "It would be in the consumer's best interest not to conduct business with Sulake. We are currently working with local law enforcement to render consequence, though Sulake continues to stand on hard ground," commented Brian Holmes, spokesman for the LA division of the BBB. |
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The company has distributed more than $4 million in fraud settlements since its opening in 2000. The company was founded just after its founder, Sampo Karjalainen, was released from Finnish holding in 1998 for allegations of child pornogrophy. |
The company has distributed more than $4 million in fraud settlements since its opening in 2000. The company was founded just after its founder, Sampo Karjalainen, was released from Finnish holding in 1998 for allegations of child pornogrophy. |
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==References== |
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<div class="references-small"> |
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<references/> |
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</div> |
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===Notes=== |
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<div class="references-small"> |
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'''<small>I</small>.''' {{Note_label|A|I|none}} ''Sulake'' is also pronounced as: /'{{IPA|su.lah.keh}}/. ''Sulake'' is [[Finnish language|Finnish]] for ''[[fuse]]''. |
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</div> |
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==External links== |
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*[http://www.sulake.com/ Sulake] — official website |
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[[Category:Companies of Finland]] |
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[[Category:Companies established in 2000]] |
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[[es:Sulake]] |
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[[no:Sulake Corporation]] |
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[[pt:Sulake]] |
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[[fi:Sulake Corporation]] |
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[[sv:Sulake]] |
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Revision as of 03:50, 13 September 2007
Lawsuits & Problems
In the past, Sulake is a company with a somewhat troubled past. Racking up 30 (and counting) BBB complaints in the US alone - Sulake has failed to assist 33.3% of these complaints and relies on their shady, almost non-existant contract. After reports of fraud and money-laundering almost overhauled the company in early 2006, Sulake was forced to replace the entire Santa Monica staff. Three of Sulake's 5 U.S. employees pleaded guilty to sexual misconduct with a minor met on the company's "Habbo Hotel" online chatroom. In China, after reports of harassment and Sulake's lack of customer support, the game was shutdown by the site's webhosting company.
Sulake, a company worth over $77 million dollars, still relies on pre-canned "robotic" email messages to address customer complaints. Surprisingly, Sulake seems in many cases to "not care" or simply rely on their "money hungry" attitude to success the corporation. In several reports opened in the Los Angeles County court system, Sulake would sometimes "ban" users from the client, who in certain cases, invested more than $600 into the online game. Sulake admitted that they are not required to inform users to the reason of a "ban", nor issue any compensation on the product issued. This is indeed a clear violation of the U.S. Fair Policy Act passed in 1997.
In a class action lawsuit filed by over 350 "Habbo Hotel" players, Sulake was required to issue out more than $30,000 in lost compensation to users who received a "ban" without warning or notice. The company, dispite several attempts, still failes to offer any true legalities in trade, commerce, or product on the site. Sulake claims purchases made on the site are a "donation", therefore non refundable.
The company still faces more than 12 pending charges of sexual misconduct and fraud which should be cited by the end of 2007. The Better Business Bureau of Los Angeles, the jurisdiction of which Sulake, USA falls under, is working with over 54 clients currently on receiving fair compensation from Sulake. "It would be in the consumer's best interest not to conduct business with Sulake. We are currently working with local law enforcement to render consequence, though Sulake continues to stand on hard ground," commented Brian Holmes, spokesman for the LA division of the BBB.
The company has distributed more than $4 million in fraud settlements since its opening in 2000. The company was founded just after its founder, Sampo Karjalainen, was released from Finnish holding in 1998 for allegations of child pornogrophy.