#Skype Extras partner EasyBits releases game uninstall tool

A year after eBay bought Skype, EasyBits became Skype’s biggest developer partner, releasing dozens of desktop games through the Skype Extras Manager. The May 27th release of Skype for Windows included the Gold release of the EasyBits GO console. The update surprised and upset some users. EasyBits’ responded to user concerns:

EasyBits Games has been part of the Skype Extras family since 2006 and we have been steadily improving our offerings since. Our users have made many suggestions during the years and our last update was driven by making as many of the suggested improvements as possible in the EasyBits GO update. Since the update, game sessions have jumped from 850,000 top daily game sessions to over 7 million game sessions globally yesterday.

EasyBits GO is NOT a malware, it is a legitimate application distributed by EasyBits Media as part of our scheduled update.

Unfortunately the user interface in the update installer has defects causing confusing user experience that leads to unintentional installations. EasyBits Media has confirmed this problem and currently has stopped the update process and implementing a fix. We are sorry for any inconvenience this has caused to Skype users.

Users can remove EasyBits GO using a separate uninstaller that can be downloaded here. It is a digitally signed executable and EasyBits Media warrants that it has been checked for viruses and malware.

When you have partners, especially long time trusted partners, things occasionally go wrong. It’s how you work together to fix them that matters. It seems like EasyBits is stepping up.

EasyBits games played an interesting role in the Skype ecosystem. Casual games give people something to talk about. Checkers or backgammon fill a lull in conversation. Hours in Skype calls create trust, intimacy and brand loyalty.

EasyBits also convinced the current generation of Skype managers that gameplay is a huge market for Skype. While EasyBits showed casual gamers love to talk, there’s ample proof that live in-game voice chat is important to MMO RPG players too. I look forward to seeing how Skype blends with Xbox and other services as Skype’s platforms for developers come to market.