Five generations had great fun playing LUDO — but the fun doesn’t end there: On its 100th birthday, this game classic is more youthful than ever. Game boards are being replaced by smartphones and tablets, enabling them to bridge any distance. 

Whether it’s a daughter who’s on an exchange program in the USA, a random player from Australia, grandma who’s stuck in hospital or your gaming buddy four doors down the block: The new app will unite them all in this popular elimination game, where using the chat to gloat is just part of the fun!

The suspense of knowing which operating systems will be supported will finally end on July 21: This new gaming experience will be available on all popular platforms, including iOS, Android, and now Windows 8 as well. This way, you can play an early morning round on the bus using your smartphone, continue the game on your PC during your break, and emerge victorious on your tablet while sitting on your couch in the evening. ‘This is the inception of a new era in games,‘ exclaims Eugen Barteska, who made this game available on the go together with his team at b-interaktive.  

90 million board games — Ten million downloads

With over 90 million board games sold, LUDO shaped the German cultural and games market like no other game before it. Since then, it has made appearances in poems, film scenes, the 9 o’clock news, as a postage stamp, and even in advice forums: ‘Grown men hitting each other on the head with dice cups...’ 

However, in this new version, the cups are only virtual, as are the figures in the game. This is because Schmidt Spiele, which was founded 100 years ago by Josef Friedich Schmidt from Munich, knows how to keep up with the times. Since the first tablet version developed in conjunction with Kiddinx Media in Berlin and the developers at b-interaktive (located in Schwerte) was released — back then without networking capability — over ten million free app downloads have been recorded. 

Germany’s most popular parlor game rings in a new era

‘Games by b-interaktive enjoy a very high degree of popularity among users on the Windows platform: 4 out of 5 stars is an impressive rating, and pays tribute to the innovative implementation of trends while maintaining the highest design standards,‘ explains Peter Jaeger, member of the board at Microsoft Germany. Today, these mobile experts have a main office with 30 employees in the Ruhr region — right in the middle of the largest concentration of cellphone providers in Europe — as well as a branch office in Poland, placing them at the forefront of the latest developments.

For the most popular parlor game in Germany, this is undoubtedly like throwing a six: ‘The number of mobile end devices is increasing rapidly: From 2012 to 2015, the number of app downloads will triple to 180,000 billion worldwide,‘ says Barteska. ‘We find ourselves in a gigantic global market.‘

And in this market, the LIVE version of the Schmidt Spiele originals are now supported on all popular operating systems: iOS for Apple’s iPhone and iPad, Google’s Android, and Microsoft’s new Windows 8 platform with its tablet PCs. Barteska: ‘The new multiplayer edition unites young and old across all borders and boundaries.‘

About b-interaktive
Since 2011, b-interactive has been making traditional games available as apps for smartphones and tablets. With 30 employees at its headquarters in Schwerte today and a branch office in Poland, this young company has set new standards in the international mobile business. b-interactive works together with renowned partners and collaborates globally to create innovative products and to network people via modern mobile platforms such as iOS, Android, Windows Phone and Windows 8. 

About Kiddinx Media
KIDDINX Media GmbH is responsible for both the national and international licensing sectors, the optimal utilization of digital business areas, and brand expansion for the group. It operates various portals for children, character channels on YouTube, as well as online and download shops with mobile applications (apps) for smartphones and tablet PCs, as well as downloadable audio and video content.  Where publishing and licensing are concerned, the goal is to strengthen the brands’ reach by working together with merchandising partners to create attractive licensing products. KIDDINX Media GmbH also markets the TV rights to its animated series worldwide. Its TV-Portfolio comprises not only its own animated series, but also selected children’s programs from other producers. More info at Kiddinx Media