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Trilogy Studios taps Firefly platform for development of games
MUMBAI: Social game developer Trilogy Studios has introduced its Firefly platform, an industrial strength MMO technology framework for the development of social and casual multiplayer online games.
Trilogy has signed PlaySpan, the global leader in monetisation solutions, as its preferred partner to enable subscriptions and digital goods monetization for all properties built on the Firefly platform.
Trilogy is developing social games using Firefly for entertainment and media companies, including both original IP and licensed content.
Trilogy Studios CEO Michael Pole says, “We’ve spent the past five years building up an expertise in social and casual games, and now have a complete platform in Firefly to quickly deliver massive, immersive games for leading content publishers.”
PlaySpan’s monetisation platform runs seamlessly on Firefly, and supports all Web browsers. The Firefly solution will take advantage of PlaySpan’s UltimatePay service, which provides over 85 global payment methods including credit card, PayPal, mobile, cash based, and the top selling Ultimate Game Card.
PlaySpan founder and CEO Karl Mehta says, “We expect the combined service to be put in use immediately by several major studios and content publishers looking to maximize revenue opportunities in a seamless and cost effective manner.”
In addition to facilitating commerce transactions, PlaySpan will provide a developer analytics console, consolidated reporting, and monthly settlement for all payment methods to Trilogy and its clients. PlaySpan will also act as the merchant of record on behalf of Trilogy partners who use Firefly.
The Firefly platform integrates the features of a traditional MMORPG into a very small footprint that allows nearly instantaneous access to the game through a Web browser.
Features include:
– Support for a variety of gameplay elements including achievements and quests, skills development and leveling, in-world gameplay such as item collection and cooperative activities, as well as integrated game instances;
– An interactive experience that allows players to click, walk over, stand on, throw and mingle with virtually any object or character in the game;
– Integrated monetization program, in cooperation with PlaySpan, that offers subscriptions, sponsorships, microtransactions and advertising, as well as reporting and data mining.
– Social networking features such as integrated email, chat and messaging; users can generate content in-game and post it to their profiles.
– Summon players across multiple servers for on-demand player interaction; track user interaction and make friend recommendations for compatible players.
– All games built on Firefly are COPPA compliant and include built-in child safety tools such as activity monitoring, filtered Free Chat and Safe Chat, parental monitoring tools and a dedicated interface for full visibility into their child’s online play.
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With 57 per cent single new users, Ashley Madison rebrands as discreet dating platform
Platform says majority of new members now identify as single
INDIA: Ashley Madison is shedding the “married-dating” label that defined it for two decades, repositioning itself as a platform for discreet dating in what it calls the post-social media age.
The rebrand, unveiled in India on 27 February, 2026, marks a structural shift in business model and identity. Once synonymous with married dating, the company now describes itself as the “premier destination for discreet dating” under a new tagline: Where Desire Meets Discretion.
The pivot is data-driven. Internal figures show that 57 per cent of global sign-ups between 1 January and 31 December, 2025 identified as single: a notable departure from the platform’s married core. The company argues that its community has already evolved beyond its original positioning.
“In an age where our lives have been constantly put on public display, privacy has become the new luxury,” said Ashley Madison chief strategy officer Paul Keable. He framed the platform’s offering as “ethical discretion” for singles, separated, divorced and non-monogamous users seeking private connections.
The shift also taps into wider digital fatigue. A global survey conducted by YouGov for Ashley Madison, covering 13,071 adults across Australia, Brazil, Canada, Germany, India, Italy, Mexico, Spain, Switzerland, the UK and the US, found mounting discomfort with hyper-public online lives.
Among dating app users, 30 per cent cited constant swiping and messaging as a source of fatigue, while 24 per cent pointed to pressure to curate public-facing profiles and early personal disclosure. Some 27 per cent said fears of screenshots or information being shared contributed to exhaustion; an equal share cited unwanted attention.
The retreat from oversharing appears broader. According to the survey, 46 per cent of adults actively try to keep most aspects of their life private online. Only 8 per cent feel comfortable sharing most aspects publicly, while 35 per cent say they are becoming more selective about what they disclose.
Ashley Madison is betting that this cultural recalibration towards controlled visibility can be monetised. By doubling down on privacy infrastructure and reframing itself around discretion rather than infidelity, the company is attempting to convert reputational baggage into a premium proposition.
