The World's Online Festival

WOLF
Other namesPalringo
DeveloperPalringo Limited
Initial release2006
Stable release(s)
Android10.14[1]  / 29 November 2021
iOS10.13.1[2]  / 19 October 2021
Operating systemAndroid 6.0 or later, iOS 14.5 or later
Available inEnglish, Arabic
TypeEntertainment
Websitewolf.live

WOLF ("The World's Online Festival"), formerly Palringo, is a British messaging and gaming platform that developed the WOLF Qanawat app for iOS, Android,[3][4] and web for Arabic-speaking users in the MENA region. The app serves as a platform where people can create audio entertainment shows, communicate with others, and play games.

Users create groups where they can send each other images, text, and audio messages. Groups feature a Stage, which provides five live microphone slots for users to chat.[5] In-app purchases of credits[6] can be used to send in-app gifts to other users and get access to additional features and games. Users have a reputation level that increases from actions such as playing chat games or purchasing credits.[7]

WOLF's headquarters is located in London, UK, with branch office locations in Newcastle, UK; Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; and Amman, Jordan.[8][9]

As of 2025, WOLF reported that over 4 million users have used the platform to date, with the community producing over 22,000 live shows per month. WOLF reported that Qanawat had a 98% retention rate of its long-term community, with the average revenue per paying user (ARPPU) equalling more than $150 per month.[10]

In August 2025, WOLF announced it had achieved more than $14 million in revenue, up 11% from 2024.[11]

History

Palringo was developed by Martin Rosinski in 2006. In August 2006, Northstar Ventures invested £650,000 in Palringo.[3][8] Palringo offered a technology (Palringo Local) that allowed users to view the location of their peers by means of their manual position, GPS, triangulation, or estimation based on the internet network connected to by the located user. It used the Google Maps API to show peer locations and also offered a "nearby" section in friends and group lists to show users in close proximity.[12]

  • In 2010, Palringo launched an enterprise version of the app, offering private group communication networks to companies.
  • In August 2012, Palringo began a shift towards the consumer market. The business model adopted at this time involved selling virtual products such as premium accounts, decorative profile stickers (called Charms), game bots, and functional utilities.[13][14][6]
  • Prior to Palringos rebranding to WOLF, Tim Rea was brought on as CEO. [15][16]
  • In 2013, the company launched a charitable initiative aimed at users in the Gulf region during the month of Ramadan, which enabled users to donate Palringo credits through a charity bot. Palringo users raised over US$230,000 for Charity Right and Islamic Relief.[4]
  • During Ramadan in 2015, Palringo raised more than $300,000 to be split between Action Against Hunger and Islamic Relief Worldwide.[17]
  • In May 2014, Palringo acquired Swedish games developer Free Lunch Design (FLD).[18]
  • In May 2015, Palringo acquired Finnish games developer Tribe Studios.[19]
  • In 2016, Gary Knight was brought on as CEO. Knight was previously an executive at EA Games and SEGA.
  • In late 2019, Palringo introduced Stages, which allowed up to five users to broadcast live audio within their chat group.[5]
  • In February 2020, Palringo officially re-branded to The World's Online Festival (WOLF).[20]
  • In 2020, WOLF began charity fundraising for Save the Children.[21]
  • In August 2023, WOLF released WOLF Virtual Reality (VR) on the Meta Quest platform – a virtual reality experience. WOLF VR was the first VR experience for Middle Eastern audiences offered by an Arabic audio entertainment app.
  • In October 2023, WOLF launched Yasmine, a AI virtual assistant.

References

  1. ^ https://www.apkmirror.com/apk/palringo/wolf-live-audio-shows-group-chat/wolf-live-audio-shows-group-chat-10-14-release/. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  2. ^ https://apps.apple.com/app/id286274367. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  3. ^ a b Gibson, Robert (2 May 2014). "Hundreds turn out to celebrate the IT sector at Dynamo 14". The Journal. Archived from the original on 21 November 2018. Retrieved 24 October 2014.
  4. ^ a b Sahoo, Sananda (12 September 2013). "Palringo: connecting with a cause". The National. Retrieved 24 October 2014.
  5. ^ a b "Audio Stages". WOLF. Archived from the original on 26 February 2020. Retrieved 26 February 2020.
  6. ^ a b Ltd, Palringo. "Palringo Group Messaging: Store". www.palringo.com. Retrieved 26 February 2020.
  7. ^ "Reputation and user levels". Archived from the original on 5 January 2022. Retrieved 5 January 2022.
  8. ^ a b Munford, Monty (21 September 2014). "Move over London and Berlin, hello Newcastle, Gothenburg and Ipswich". The Telegraph. Retrieved 24 October 2014.
  9. ^ Munford, Monty (12 September 2014). "Palringo Takes Games and Messaging to the Next Level". HuffPost. Retrieved 24 October 2014.
  10. ^ "WOLF announces impressive end of year results - WOLF". 29 October 2025. Retrieved 10 March 2026.
  11. ^ "WOLF announces impressive end of year results - WOLF". 29 October 2025. Retrieved 10 March 2026.
  12. ^ "Palringo offers free friend finding facility - The Inquirer". 20 February 2009. Archived from the original on 20 February 2009. Retrieved 29 June 2022.
  13. ^ Green, Tim (7 May 2014). "The Big ME Interview: Tim Rea, of Palringo, on becoming 'the world's leading game publisher'". Mobile Entertainment. Archived from the original on 10 May 2014. Retrieved 24 October 2014.
  14. ^ Arnroth, Thomas (5 May 2014). "Svensk spelstudio i brittiskt uppköp". IDG. Archived from the original on 24 October 2014. Retrieved 24 October 2014.
  15. ^ Foundercast 2015 - Tim Rea Palringo, retrieved 26 February 2025
  16. ^ "Palringo acquires game studio FLD - Palringo Blog". Palringo Blog. 14 April 2014. Archived from the original on 8 June 2018. Retrieved 26 February 2025.
  17. ^ Pearson, Dan (12 August 2015). "Palringo raises $300,000 for world hunger charities". gamesindustry.biz. Retrieved 18 August 2015.
  18. ^ Keighley, Tom (30 April 2014). "Cramlington instant messaging creators acquire Swedish game developers". Archived from the original on 13 December 2019. Retrieved 24 October 2014.
  19. ^ Butcher, Mike (20 May 2015). "Palringo acquires Helsink-based chat games developer Tribe Studios". Retrieved 18 August 2015.
  20. ^ Festival, The World's Online (6 January 2020). "Welcome to WOLF". WOLF. Archived from the original on 26 February 2020. Retrieved 26 February 2020.
  21. ^ "How WOLF's community is supporting Save the Children - WOLF". 22 May 2025. Retrieved 10 March 2026.
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