Million Pound Drop mobile app hits over 1 million

12 September 2012

Channel 4 announced today that The Million Pound Drop mobile app has now hit over 1 million downloads just 3 months after its launch.

The mobile app launched on iOS in May and on Android in July this year following the success of the UK's most successful and award-winning play along show, The Million Pound Drop Live. The free app allows viewers to play along with the show and has a Play Anytime game mode (on iOS), which users can pay to unlock, allowing them to play whenever they like.

The web-based play along game is also being re-launched during the new series of The Million Pound Drop Live starting on Friday 14th September as part of the channel's Viewer Engagement Strategy. Users who register with Channel4.com will gain access to brand new game features which will increase the competitiveness of the game and help respond to the varied needs of its audience. New features include:

• Players will earn achievements which reward skilful gameplay, e.g. surviving a game and correctly answering a consecutive string of questions
• New system to allow players to compete against friends and other viewers
• Players can track their score across a series - recording how much virtual money a player and their opponents have accumulated
• Players need only enter their demographic details which create the in-show stats once, rather than every time they play

Viewers don't have to register to play along, but only registered users will be able to access the new features - as well as many other user benefits including exclusive programme content and access to thousands of shows from Channel 4's archive.

Jody Smith, Channel 4's Multiplatform Commissioning Editor, Entertainment and Comedy said: "The appetite for playing along with the show is as strong as ever, and we're pleased that the new mobile apps have extended the reach of the game.

"As part of Channel 4's Viewer Engagement Strategy and to acknowledge its popularity, we're re-launching the online play along with new features for registered players, informed by audience feedback. We think the changes will make the game more competitive and rewarding for players who have asked for that, but also fun and light-touch for our more casual players."

David Flynn, creator of The Million Pound Drop Live said: "We know that the fans of the Million Pound Drop love playing along with the show. The huge success of the mobile app shows that the easier you make it to play along, the more people will want to get involved."

The Million Pound Drop app was created by the producers of The Million Pound Drop Live, Remarkable Television, an Endemol company - and was developed by dual screen technology pioneers Monterosa.

Notes to editors:

• The iOS and Android versions of the app are available to download for free. There are two game modes available on iOS - Play Along and Play Any Time. The Play Any Time mode will be released as an update to the Android app soon.
• The Play Any Time game is an exciting game mode which can be purchased from within the free app for £1.49. The game features more than 700 questions including 250 brand new questions researched especially for the app, plus questions included in the 2010 and 2011 TV series. Users can purchase subsequent packs of 250 questions, under topics such as ‘TV & Film Buff' and ‘Sports Fan' for 69p.