Tom Fulp, founder of newgrounds.com, started the gaming site when he was in high school.
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Video Gaming Mecca in Glenside
"Video Game Expo 2008" kicks off in Philadelphia later this week. The 3-day event is the largest celebration of video games on the east coast. One of the hottest gaming sites in the world is based right here in our area. NBC10 Reporter Tim Furlong checked it out. (Video Game Expo 2008 runs Nov 21st through 23rd. Friday hours: noon to 8pm. Saturday: 10am to 7pm. Sunday: 10am to 5pm. Tickets are $15/day or $30 for multi-day pass.)
Huge beanbag chairs, more game consoles and tv's than most electronics stores, and a custon vending machine that dispenses free soda...and free beer. Is it heaven? Nope. It's the Glenside home of one of the world's hottest user-generated gaming and movie sites, newgrounds.com.
The founder-president of the company doesn't look particularly presidential, but 30 year-old Tom Fulp knows how to get stuff done. He and his crew have had some huge successes. The website had 13 million unique visitors last month alone, and their second company, Behemoth, created Alien Hominid and Castle Crashers, both of which have become major console gaming successes.
Work gets done at newgrounds, although Tom has created a relaxed atmosphere where the employees, many of whom are his friends from Drexel University, kinda just get their work done when it's good for them. They want to come into work at 2am? No prob. As long as the work gets done, which clearly it is, Tom has no problem.
In an age of failing businesses and economic uncertainty, newgrounds.com has found a way to prosper with a formula that works. Strong content combined with an in-depth knowledge of their customer/users has lead to major successes. Tom and the boys should go get some free beers out of the vending machine and toast to their own success.
