Volley

What Volley does

Volley (legal name Volley Inc.) is a San Francisco-based voice-controlled games studio founded in 2016, building entertainment experiences across Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, connected TVs (Roku, Amazon Fire TV, LG webOS, Samsung Tizen), and native iOS/Android apps. The company's portfolio spans approximately 15 voice-game titles, anchored by licensed TV game-show IP including Jeopardy!, Wheel of Fortune, Who Wants to Be a Millionaire, Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader, The Price is Right, Heads Up, and the early-childhood CoComelon: Sing & Play with JJ experience. The underlying platform enables a single voice-game build to be deployed across multiple device ecosystems with platform-native controls, and the catalog includes original titles such as Song Quiz, Karaoke, Question of the Day, Bedtime Stories, 20 Questions, Popcorn Tycoon, Spelling Bee, and Yes Sire.

Volley operates a freemium business model: most titles are free to play, with optional subscription upgrades billed through the underlying platform's payment system (Amazon, Roku Pay, LG/Samsung subscription portals). The only publicly disclosed subscription is Question of the Day's Trivia Club tier at US $2.95/month and UK £1.95/month, which unlocks additional daily challenge questions, archived content, and regional/national leaderboard placement. Distribution occurs entirely through third-party app stores and OEM TV platforms — including embedded placement inside LG's Gaming Portal alongside Ubisoft, Blacknut, and Krafton — with volleygames.com serving as a cross-link hub. The TV product line has recently been rebranded to "Weekend on TV" while the smart-speaker business retains the Volley brand.

The company has raised approximately $107 million in total disclosed funding across multiple rounds, including a $55M Series C in July 2024 led by Lightspeed Venture Partners and M12 (Microsoft's venture fund), with participation from Amazon Alexa Fund, BITKRAFT Ventures, General Catalyst, Greylock, Y Combinator, and others. Volley has executed two acquisitions (Voxion in 2021 and MagicYard in 2024), and maintains a headcount of 101–250 employees with leadership including co-founder/CEO Max Child, co-founder/CTO James Wilsterman, VP Engineering Aaron Sarazan, Director of Engineering Adam Talcott, and Head of Product Design Matthew Grunwald.

Name

Volley

Legal name

Volley Inc.

Website

https://volleygames.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Volley builds voice-controlled entertainment games distributed across Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, connected TVs (Roku, Fire TV, LG, Samsung), and mobile, with a freemium-plus-subscription model anchored by licensed TV game-show IP such as Jeopardy!, Wheel of Fortune, and CoComelon.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Voice-controlled casual games

NAICS

Software Publishers (5132)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900), Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)

akta.pro primary industry

Gaming & Interactive Entertainment (Digital Goods, Subscriptions) (CRAFAIAC)

Keywords

• Voice-controlled games
• Connected TV games
• Smart speaker games
• Trivia games
• Casual gaming

Headquarters

HQ city

San Francisco

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Software

Cost components

Technology or R&D, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Question of the Day subscription: Recurring monthly subscription on Amazon Alexa (US $2.95/month, UK £1.95/month) that unlocks three additional daily challenge questions, archived questions, and placement on regional/national leaderboards on top of the free daily question. A free 7-day trial is offered, and Amazon Prime members receive an automatic discount. Subscriptions are managed inside Amazon Alexa accounts.
2. In-platform subscription purchases via smart-TV and smart-speaker app stores: Subscriptions and in-app content are billed through the underlying platform's billing system: Alexa/Amazon, Roku Pay (managed at my.roku.com/account/subscriptions), Fire TV app billing, or the LG/Samsung TV subscription account (pair.weekend.com/account). The platform handles renewal and cancellation flows.
3. Freemium game play: Most Volley games (Song Quiz, Jeopardy!, Wheel of Fortune, Karaoke, Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader, Who Wants to Be a Millionaire, 20 Questions, Bedtime Stories, Popcorn Tycoon, Heads Up, Yes Sire, Spelling Bee, The Price is Right) are accessible for free, with optional paid upgrades or subscriptions layered on top.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels9 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Volley builds and publishes voice-controlled entertainment games — trivia, music quizzes, karaoke, kids' learning experiences and TV game-show adaptations — distributed as Alexa Skills, Google Assistant actions, Roku channels, Fire TV apps, Samsung and LG smart-TV apps, and iOS/Android mobile apps. The portfolio is sold under a freemium model, with most titles free to play and a paid monthly subscription tier (e.g., Question of the Day at US $2.95/month) unlocking premium trivia content, leaderboards, and archived question banks, with billing handled by the underlying platform's app store.

Product overview

Volley (now branded 'Weekend on TV' for connected-TV distribution) operates a multi-product portfolio of voice-controlled games and audio skills delivered across Amazon Alexa, Google Home/Assistant, Amazon Fire TV, Roku, LG Smart TVs, Samsung Smart TVs, and iOS/Android mobile. The portfolio is structured as a platform-plus-modules architecture: the underlying Volley voice-game platform powers a family of individually branded titles — including Song Quiz, Jeopardy!, CoComelon: Sing & Play with JJ, Wheel of Fortune, Karaoke, Are You Smarter than a 5th Grader?, Question of the Day, Who Wants to Be a Millionaire, Bedtime Stories, The Price is Right, 20 Questions, Faceoff – Song Quiz, Popcorn Tycoon, Spelling Bee, Heads Up, and Yes Sire — each deployable as a separate Alexa skill, Google Assistant action, or native TV/mobile app, often based on licensed TV-show IP. The core Song Quiz, Jeopardy!, Wheel of Fortune, Karaoke, 20 Questions, and CoComelon titles anchor the TV presence (Fire TV, Roku, LG TV, Samsung TV), while trivia and audio titles like Question of the Day, Are You Smarter than a 5th Grader?, Who Wants to Be a Millionaire, Bedtime Stories, and Heads Up anchor the smart-speaker presence; Faceoff – Song Quiz extends the franchise to mobile.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Faceoff – Song Quiz: Volley's mobile (iOS/Android) branded game experience for the Song Quiz franchise, marketed under the Faceoff sub-brand name.
• Question of the Day (QOTD)

Products and services

• Song Quiz A voice-controlled music trivia game that plays clips from pop hits across decades; players guess song titles and artists to score points, with new songs added continuously. Available on Alexa, Google Home, Fire TV, Roku, LG TV, Samsung TV, and mobile.
• Jeopardy! Official Jeopardy! voice game using the real theme, categories, and clues (including Double Jeopardy!) from the TV show, refreshed every weekday; available on Alexa, Fire TV, Roku, LG TV, and Samsung TV.
• CoComelon: Sing & Play with JJ An ad-free, hands-free early-childhood (ages 2-4) game where kids sing, move, and play along with CoComelon's JJ and friends; built with early childhood experts. Available on Fire TV, LG TV, Samsung TV, and mobile.
• Wheel of Fortune Official Wheel of Fortune voice game matching the TV show's theme with letter selection and the iconic puzzle board, including the 'bankrupt' penalty. Available on Alexa, Google Home, Fire TV, Roku, LG TV, and mobile.
• Karaoke A voice-controlled karaoke game that lets players sing along to favorite songs on connected TVs and smart speakers. Available on Alexa, Google Home, Fire TV, Roku, LG TV, and mobile.
• Are You Smarter than a 5th Grader? Official Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader voice game covering over 20 subjects (history, art, science, etc.) with a leaderboard for friends and family. Available on Alexa, Fire TV, Roku, LG TV, and mobile.
• Question of the Day (QOTD) A daily trivia voice game with categories like arts, entertainment, literature, and science; players collect points, earn bonus questions, and maintain streaks, with optional Trivia Club subscription for challenge questions, leaderboards, and unlimited multiplayer. Available on Alexa, Fire TV, LG TV, Samsung TV, and mobile.
• Who Wants to Be a Millionaire Official Who Wants to Be a Millionaire voice game featuring lifelines (e.g., 50/50, Phone a Friend), new daily questions, and a global leaderboard. Available on Alexa, Google Home, Fire TV, LG TV, and mobile.
• Bedtime Stories A relaxing bedtime-story audio skill with over 400 stories across up to seven genres, designed to help users (including children) fall asleep; launches via Alexa voice command.
• The Price is Right An official The Price is Right voice game playable on Amazon Alexa and other smart speakers.
• 20 Questions A voice-controlled take on the classic 20 Questions game featuring an AI riddlemaster; available on Alexa, Google Home, and Roku.
• Faceoff – Song Quiz A mobile music trivia app (Faceoff – Song Quiz) available on iOS and Android, complementing Volley's smart-speaker Song Quiz experience.
• Popcorn Tycoon A voice-controlled Alexa game themed around running a popcorn business.
• Spelling Bee A voice-controlled spelling-bee game available on Alexa and mobile.
• Heads Up An Alexa voice adaptation of Ellen DeGeneres' Heads Up party game.
• Yes Sire A voice-controlled casual game distributed on Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant.

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration8 records

AI capability8 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered flagship strategic oem partner for the smart-tv gaming initiative., core distribution platform — primary go-to-market surface for the alexa and fire tv games., core connected-tv distribution partner., strategic connected-tv platform partner., important smart-speaker distribution partner alongside amazon alexa., standard mobile distribution channels., key ip licensing partner for flagship trivia franchises., important licensed-ip partner., licensed-ip partner for a niche casual title., key kids'-content ip partner that opens the family/preschool segment., legacy technology origin for question of the day. and parent rebrand and consumer-facing identity for the tv business..

• LG Electronicsflagship strategic oem partner for the smart-tv gaming initiative.OEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing Partner · 29 December 2025Volley partnered with LG Electronics as one of four featured publishers (alongside Ubisoft, Blacknut, and Krafton) in the launch of the expanded LG Gaming Portal on LG Smart TVs. As part of this collaboration, cloud-based and casual voice games from Volley are directly accessible from LG's TV gaming hub, giving the company prime placement on the smart-TV home screen.
• Amazon (Alexa Skills + Fire TV Appstore)core distribution platform — primary go-to-market surface for the alexa and fire tv games.Channel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorVolley distributes a broad portfolio of voice skills (Song Quiz, Jeopardy!, Wheel of Fortune, Karaoke, Question of the Day, Who Wants to Be a Millionaire, The Price is Right, Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader, Bedtime Stories, Popcorn Tycoon, Heads Up, Yes Sire, Spelling Bee, 20 Questions) and Fire TV apps (Song Quiz, Jeopardy!, CoComelon, Question of the Day, Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader, Bedtime Stories) through the Alexa Skills Store and Amazon Appstore. Subscriptions and account management for QOTD are billed inside the Amazon ecosystem (US $2.95/month, UK £1.95/month).
• Rokucore connected-tv distribution partner.Channel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorVolley publishes a single Roku Channel Store entry ("Volley – Jeopardy and Wheel of Fortune") that bundles multiple games including Song Quiz, Jeopardy!, Wheel of Fortune, Karaoke, 20 Questions, and CoComelon. Roku Pay handles subscription billing and cancellation flows.
• Samsung (Samsung TV App Store)strategic connected-tv platform partner.Channel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorVolley titles including Jeopardy!, Song Quiz, and CoComelon: Sing & Play with JJ are distributed through the Samsung TV App Store for Samsung smart TVs.
• Google (Google Home / Google Assistant)important smart-speaker distribution partner alongside amazon alexa.Channel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorVolley publishes voice actions for Google Assistant / Google Home devices covering Song Quiz, Jeopardy!, Wheel of Fortune, Karaoke, 20 Questions, Question of the Day, Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader, Popcorn Tycoon, Who Wants to Be a Millionaire, Bedtime Stories, Heads Up, Yes Sire, Spelling Bee, The Price is Right, and CoComelon.
• Apple (App Store) and Google (Play Store)standard mobile distribution channels.Channel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorVolley publishes iOS apps via the Apple App Store and Android apps via Google Play, including Faceoff – Song Quiz (id1345558380), Song Quiz mobile, and Spelling Bee.
• Sony Pictures Televisionkey ip licensing partner for flagship trivia franchises.Strategic or Co-development PartnerVolley has licensed Sony Pictures Television IP for three flagship voice games: Jeopardy! (using the show's real theme, question banks, and mechanics such as Double Jeopardy! with new clues every weekday), Wheel of Fortune, and Who Wants to Be a Millionaire. These licensed experiences are available on Alexa, Fire TV, Roku, and selected smart-TV platforms.
• Fremantle / Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader rights holderimportant licensed-ip partner.Strategic or Co-development PartnerVolley produces the official voice version of Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader on Amazon Alexa and Fire TV, using the TV game show's format and themes with trivia across 20+ subjects including history, art, and science.
• The Ellen DeGeneres Show (Heads Up rights holder)licensed-ip partner for a niche casual title.Strategic or Co-development PartnerVolley publishes "Heads Up" — Ellen DeGeneres' party-game IP — as an Alexa skill, bringing the celebrity-branded word-guessing game to voice platforms.
• Moonbug Entertainment (CoComelon IP)key kids'-content ip partner that opens the family/preschool segment.Strategic or Co-development PartnerVolley partners with Moonbug to publish the official "CoComelon: Sing & Play with JJ" voice experience on Fire TV, Samsung TV, and LG TV. Designed for children ages 2–4, the ad-free game turns the living room into a hands-free learning playground in which kids sing, move, and play along with JJ and friends.
• VoicePress AIlegacy technology origin for question of the day.Technology or IntegrationThe Question of the Day Alexa skill was originally listed under the publisher "VoicePress AI" (Amazon listing B01N6QUAXX), and is now published by Volley Inc., suggesting an integration, acquisition, or rebrand of the original VoicePress AI QOTD product into the Volley portfolio.
• Weekend.com (Weekend on TV)parent rebrand and consumer-facing identity for the tv business.Strategic or Co-development PartnerThe volleygames.com site is being re-positioned under the "Weekend on TV" brand — the page banner reads "We're Weekend on TV now! Same games you love, new name on your big screen" and directs users to weekend.com. Subscription management for LG/Samsung TV customers is handled at pair.weekend.com/account and support inquiries route to [email protected], indicating Weekend.com operates the TV subscription and support platform for Volley's TV titles.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Jackbox Games: Jackbox Games publishes party and trivia games (e.g., You Don't Know Jack, Drawful, Trivia Murder Party) that play on the living-room TV using phones as controllers. Both Volley and Jackbox monetize casual, shared-screen experiences designed for families and groups, though Jackbox uses phone controllers while Volley uses voice/remote.
• AirConsole: AirConsole is a cloud-based gaming platform that turns smart TVs into casual multiplayer game consoles, using smartphones as controllers and integrating with Samsung, LG, and other TV OEMs. It is a direct peer in the connected-TV casual-gaming space that Volley targets via LG Gaming Portal and Samsung TV.
• QuizUp (Plain Vanilla Games): QuizUp is one of the largest mobile trivia games, with topic-based head-to-head trivia matches, social/leaderboard mechanics, and freemium subscriptions. It is directly comparable to Volley's Question of the Day on the core trivia-gameplay and social-loop axis, though distributed on mobile rather than voice/CTV.
• Sporcle: Sporcle operates a trivia content platform spanning web and mobile with a deep quiz library, daily trivia, and subscription features. Its content-led, daily-trivia-plus-archive monetization model closely mirrors Question of the Day's subscription design.
• Etermax (Trivia Crack): Etermax is the developer behind Trivia Crack, one of the most popular mobile trivia franchises, plus word games and casual multiplayer titles. It is a direct peer in casual/mobile trivia with similar freemium + subscription mechanics and cross-platform reach.
• Peak Games: Peak Games develops casual and social mobile games (e.g., Toon Blast, Toy Blast) with strong freemium monetization. It is comparable to Volley as a casual-game publisher competing for consumer leisure time, though Volley's distribution and gameplay modality (voice/CTV) differ.

Broad incumbents

• Scopely: Scopely is a large-scale mobile and platform games publisher (Monopoly GO!, Stumble Guys, Marvel Strike Force) operating broad casual franchises across mobile storefronts. It is a broader incumbent that competes with Volley for casual-gamer wallet share and CTV mindshare as it expands beyond mobile.
• Mattel163: Mattel163 is the Mattel joint venture that publishes mobile games based on iconic IP (UNO, Phase 10, Skip-Bo). It is a relevant incumbent because, like Volley, it monetizes well-known entertainment IP through casual digital games; Mattel163 owns its IP whereas Volley licenses it.
• Netflix Games: Netflix bundles mobile and (increasingly) TV games for subscribers, including trivia and party-style titles. It competes with Volley for casual gaming time on the same connected-TV screens and has the subscriber base to bundle games as part of a larger entertainment offering.

Emerging players

• Roblox: Roblox is a user-generated gaming platform now expanding to connected-TV form factors via Roku, Samsung, and others. It is comparable to Volley as a non-traditional, voice-/controller-light, living-room gaming experience, though its scale, audience, and content model are materially different.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/VolleyGames
• Facebookfacebook.com/VolleyThat
• Instagraminstagram.com/volleygames
• TikToktiktok.com/@volleygames?lang=en

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds7 records

Investors25 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A2 records

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Volley