Katy Perry partied a little too hard Last Friday Night, and ended up in The Sims 3 Showtime. (We'll stop now.) EA announced that the pop star signed an "extensive and exclusive" deal with the company that will feature Perry in numerous iterations of The Sims. Starting with the upcoming The Sims 3 Showtime--launching in March 2012--"Katy Perry themed in-game content and virtual goods" will invade one EA's iconic franchise, according to the company.
Perry will be found in advertising and marketing campaigns for The Sims, starting with The Sims 3 Showtime. "I love how you're able to play out different stories through your Sims characters - giving them different careers and watching them succeed," Perry said in a statement. "It's cool to see the Sims' stage performances in The Sims 3 Showtime decked out just like my California Dreams Tour--even my cotton candy video screens are in there! I always like to think of myself as a cartoon, and now I'm a Sim!"
This is one deep collaboration Perry has signed up for: According to EA, she'll work closely with The Sims team to create accessories, clothing, hairstyles, furniture and props inspired by her crazy performances and videos. Sims and Katy Perry fans alike can pre-order The Sims 3 Showtime Katy Perry Collector's Edition, complete with an Ultimate Stage bonus venue, Katy Perry-themed in-game items and a free poster--how cute.
Zynga might have Lady Gaga (and former EA EVP of business development Barry Cottle), but EA might have just found its rival's foil. Considering this deal will span several The Sims games, we wouldn't be surprised to see Katy Perry pay Little Haven a visit in The Sims Social.
Are you psyched to hear that Katy Perry will hit next iteration of The Sims? What do you think of Perry possibly paying The Sims Social a visit?
Chủ Nhật, 11 tháng 3, 2012
Playfish gives 'mystery seekers' a chance to play 'something different'
In other words, Playfish has a new game in the works, and the EA-owned creator of The Sims Social wants some beta testers. Playfish community manager Bevypoo has posted an open call-out on The Sims Social forums for beta testers to try the developer's brand new game. "Playfish is seeking avid and active gamers of all ages for the closed beta of their top secret 'mystery' project on the 23rd of January," the post reads.
In order to be one of lucky few chosen as a beta tester, would-be players must complete a survey, and those approved will receive their closed beta invitation via email. However, those with no plans to contribute feedback while playing the new game need not apply. Playfish is only looking for those that "have what it takes to contribute to making our game the best it can be by launch."
The lead image of the post is telling as to what Playfish's mystery game might entail. For one, we already know that the game will involve--duh?--mysteries and could take place in a jungle. Admittedly, we've seen nothing of the game. But can't help but find it funny that, while Playfish offers "something different," the hints so far are terribly reminiscent of existing Facebook games. We'll see whether Playfish can prove us wrong sometime in 2012.
Playfish mystery game
Click here to sign up for a chance to try out Playfish's secret new game >
Have you signed up to try out Playfish's next Facebook game? What do you think the game might be like, considering the subtle hints dropped by its developer?
In order to be one of lucky few chosen as a beta tester, would-be players must complete a survey, and those approved will receive their closed beta invitation via email. However, those with no plans to contribute feedback while playing the new game need not apply. Playfish is only looking for those that "have what it takes to contribute to making our game the best it can be by launch."
The lead image of the post is telling as to what Playfish's mystery game might entail. For one, we already know that the game will involve--duh?--mysteries and could take place in a jungle. Admittedly, we've seen nothing of the game. But can't help but find it funny that, while Playfish offers "something different," the hints so far are terribly reminiscent of existing Facebook games. We'll see whether Playfish can prove us wrong sometime in 2012.
Playfish mystery game
Click here to sign up for a chance to try out Playfish's secret new game >
Have you signed up to try out Playfish's next Facebook game? What do you think the game might be like, considering the subtle hints dropped by its developer?
Has Zynga finally met its match in Spil Games ... 5,000 miles away?
Fine, give or take a couple hundred miles. Spil Games, a Hilversum, Netherlands-based publisher of social games announced that it welcomes over 170 million unique monthly players across its three global social gaming platforms. That number was recorded in Dec. 2011, and is a leap to the tune of 40 million from the year prior. Better yet, the average time spent on Spil Games' websites more than doubled from 38 minutes to 84.
But what about Zynga? The now-public creator of mega hits like CityVille is estimated to welcome 150 million monthly unique players, but the most recent official number is 148 million as of March 31, 2011. No matter how you slice it, Spil Games has more if not just as many monthly unique players as the biggest name in social gaming.
"Deciding to embrace social features so pro-actively is clearly paying off for us--we're seeing a huge leap in user engagement, unique visits, time spent on site and, crucially, in revenues generated by end-user monetization," Spil Games CEO Peter Driessen said in a release. "Also, by focusing on specific target audiences and delivering the content they love, we're experiencing growth at a time when many local social networks are seeing a decline in their number of visitors."
Spil Games had quite a fun 2011, thanks primarily to one thing: diversity. The Dutch social game publisher has its games available on around 46 different online gaming websites from North America to Indonesia and nearly everywhere in between. Zynga and its local rivals have made impressive strides to expand globally and onto mobile within the bounds of Facebook. But, if Spil Games' numbers are accurate, they're all playing catch up.
[Via Electronic Theatre]
Have you ever tried one of Spil Games' social games? Do you think the other social game publishers should be worried about Spil Games at all?
But what about Zynga? The now-public creator of mega hits like CityVille is estimated to welcome 150 million monthly unique players, but the most recent official number is 148 million as of March 31, 2011. No matter how you slice it, Spil Games has more if not just as many monthly unique players as the biggest name in social gaming.
"Deciding to embrace social features so pro-actively is clearly paying off for us--we're seeing a huge leap in user engagement, unique visits, time spent on site and, crucially, in revenues generated by end-user monetization," Spil Games CEO Peter Driessen said in a release. "Also, by focusing on specific target audiences and delivering the content they love, we're experiencing growth at a time when many local social networks are seeing a decline in their number of visitors."
Spil Games had quite a fun 2011, thanks primarily to one thing: diversity. The Dutch social game publisher has its games available on around 46 different online gaming websites from North America to Indonesia and nearly everywhere in between. Zynga and its local rivals have made impressive strides to expand globally and onto mobile within the bounds of Facebook. But, if Spil Games' numbers are accurate, they're all playing catch up.
[Via Electronic Theatre]
Have you ever tried one of Spil Games' social games? Do you think the other social game publishers should be worried about Spil Games at all?
Margaritaville Online to get social, iPad gamers a bit tipsy come Jan. 25
The time for Jimmy Buffett's boisterous romp on Facebook and iPad just inched closer. You know, like, "next week" closer? THQ announced that Margaritaville Online will hit both Facebook and iPad on Jan. 25. Developed by Exploding Barrel Games, Buffett's first foray into social gaming sports full 3D graphics, which THQ has put to clever use through animated GIF images.
In the chuckle-worthy animation below, THQ tells players to "Protect Your Junk." We doubt that means anything other than an excuse to publish that ridiculous image. But what we do know is that both THQ and Exploding Barrel have built players up in the Margaritaville Online closed beta for all of December, offering players free holiday-themed gifts.
Now, fans of the Jimmy Buffett universe will get to hop into their very own Margaritaville. And old Jimmy has big plans for his digital venture, like connecting both games (somehow) to his chain of restaurants and hotels through goods purchased in-game. We'll see whether Margaritaville floats amidst the lot of social games come Jan. 25.
Margaritaville Online launches Jan. 25
Are you psyched to see Margaritaville hit Facebook and iPad come Jan. 25? How do you think the game will do, floating in a sea of 'Villes?
In the chuckle-worthy animation below, THQ tells players to "Protect Your Junk." We doubt that means anything other than an excuse to publish that ridiculous image. But what we do know is that both THQ and Exploding Barrel have built players up in the Margaritaville Online closed beta for all of December, offering players free holiday-themed gifts.
Now, fans of the Jimmy Buffett universe will get to hop into their very own Margaritaville. And old Jimmy has big plans for his digital venture, like connecting both games (somehow) to his chain of restaurants and hotels through goods purchased in-game. We'll see whether Margaritaville floats amidst the lot of social games come Jan. 25.
Margaritaville Online launches Jan. 25
Are you psyched to see Margaritaville hit Facebook and iPad come Jan. 25? How do you think the game will do, floating in a sea of 'Villes?
Prepare yourself for Flying Kingdoms, Vostu's next big Facebook game
And we'll be damned if it doesn't look just plain adorable. Vostu teased its next major Facebook game with the launch of its real-time arcade soccer game GolMania. Now, we know a bunch more about the Brazilian social game maker's next release, like its name: Flying Kingdoms, according to its official Facebook fan page. The game does not yet have a release date.
In Flying Kingdoms, players will do essentially the expected: build their own kingdoms, enlist friends to help them explore new lands and face terrible enemies. Keep in mind, however, that we don't know the specifics behind Flying Kingdoms, which could help the game sound a lot less like existing competitors, such as CastleVille.
To help build buzz about the game, Zynga's southern rival plans to release three different mini games on the Flying Kingdoms Facebook fan page to give would-be players a better idea of what to expect in the final game, or to "train" them. The first mini game is already live, which tasks players with choosing the must-have companions, items and, of course, kingdom with which to adventure. It's already clear that story and characters will receive a major focus in Flying Kingdoms.
That's about all we know about Flying Kingdoms, so check out the game's Facebook fan page to see for yourself. To access the mini games and be kept in the know of the game's impending release, you'll have to "Like" Flying Kingdoms, too. Hey, the more "Likes" the game gets, the more we find out.
Are you interested in learning more about Vostu's next big Facebook game? How do you think/hope this game will be different from CastleVille?
In Flying Kingdoms, players will do essentially the expected: build their own kingdoms, enlist friends to help them explore new lands and face terrible enemies. Keep in mind, however, that we don't know the specifics behind Flying Kingdoms, which could help the game sound a lot less like existing competitors, such as CastleVille.
To help build buzz about the game, Zynga's southern rival plans to release three different mini games on the Flying Kingdoms Facebook fan page to give would-be players a better idea of what to expect in the final game, or to "train" them. The first mini game is already live, which tasks players with choosing the must-have companions, items and, of course, kingdom with which to adventure. It's already clear that story and characters will receive a major focus in Flying Kingdoms.
That's about all we know about Flying Kingdoms, so check out the game's Facebook fan page to see for yourself. To access the mini games and be kept in the know of the game's impending release, you'll have to "Like" Flying Kingdoms, too. Hey, the more "Likes" the game gets, the more we find out.
Are you interested in learning more about Vostu's next big Facebook game? How do you think/hope this game will be different from CastleVille?
Thứ Sáu, 9 tháng 3, 2012
Fact: Sims Social characters have sex 680K times a day
Sims, the virtual people who star in The Sims Social on Facebook, are busy... getting busy. A new infographic released by publisher EA shows that sims 'woohoo' (the game's cheeky nickname for sex) 680,000 times a day, "significantly more action than the amount of time the average man thinks about sex." Let's hope so.
In fact, S-E-X seems to be the main underlying motivator to this otherwise G-rated game. The infographic goes on to say that 70 million players' sims have confessed their physical attraction to another sim and that sims have told over 11 million dirty jokes (though you'll only understand them if you speak the sim language, called called Simlish). And, the most popular personality trait chosen for players' sims? Being a great kisser.
So, goes to show you -- let people loose in a virtual world with virtual versions of themselves and inhibitions go right out the window. Though, according to AppData, it looks like all of this slightly naughty behavior in The Sims Social still can't quite compete with virtual farming and kingdom- and city-building. In the past month, the game has lost roughly 5 million players, taking it further away from overtaking Zynga's FarmVille, CityVille and CastleVille as the most popular game on Facebook. Then again, maintaining a spot as one of the top 10 games on the social network isn't so bad either.
Be honest: Have you made Woohoo in The Sims Social?
Heck yeah.Not yet, but I plan on it.No way.Sims Social? I don't even play that.
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CastleVille: Play Hidden Chronicles for free energy, costumes, and more
Hidden Chronicles CastleVille
After dropping cross-promotional offers for Pioneer Trail, CityVille, along with a FarmVille sneak peek, Zynga has finally rolled out the carpet to Hidden Chronicles for CastleVille players today with free special costumes, 30 Energy Potions, and 3 Hyper Craft Consumables.
The Energy Potion shown in the ad is the "Huge" kind that comes in a can. One can grants you 30 Energy, so it's not clear if you're getting one can of 30 Energy, or 30 cans totaling 900 Energy. But we're going to bet it's the former, cause 900 free Energy just sounds too good to be true. As for the special costumes, there'll probably be just one set for each gender. And if you don't know what Hyper Craft consumables are, they're items you craft when you get a Kitchen. Each one speeds up your crafting activity by a half hour and takes 26 hours to make by yourself, which is nuts, but you can easily buy one for 30 Hearts instead.
To get these rewards, reach Level 6 in Hidden Chronicles by January 26th. Zynga has raised the stakes a tiny bit, considering that CityVille and Pioneer Trail players only needed to hit Level 5. But this also means that players of those earlier games who also play CastleVille, will just have to put in a bit more time with Hidden Chronicles.
Are these CastleVille freebies good enough for you to try Hidden Chronicles?
After dropping cross-promotional offers for Pioneer Trail, CityVille, along with a FarmVille sneak peek, Zynga has finally rolled out the carpet to Hidden Chronicles for CastleVille players today with free special costumes, 30 Energy Potions, and 3 Hyper Craft Consumables.
The Energy Potion shown in the ad is the "Huge" kind that comes in a can. One can grants you 30 Energy, so it's not clear if you're getting one can of 30 Energy, or 30 cans totaling 900 Energy. But we're going to bet it's the former, cause 900 free Energy just sounds too good to be true. As for the special costumes, there'll probably be just one set for each gender. And if you don't know what Hyper Craft consumables are, they're items you craft when you get a Kitchen. Each one speeds up your crafting activity by a half hour and takes 26 hours to make by yourself, which is nuts, but you can easily buy one for 30 Hearts instead.
To get these rewards, reach Level 6 in Hidden Chronicles by January 26th. Zynga has raised the stakes a tiny bit, considering that CityVille and Pioneer Trail players only needed to hit Level 5. But this also means that players of those earlier games who also play CastleVille, will just have to put in a bit more time with Hidden Chronicles.
Are these CastleVille freebies good enough for you to try Hidden Chronicles?
Help your Sims get freaky with The Sims 3 Master Suite Stuff ... ew
The Sims 3 Master Suite Stuff
There's something inherently ... weird about Sims and "WooHoo", isn't there? EA doesn't seem to care. In fact, the company embraces the truth that, yes, Sims too like to get down, and says as much with the new Master Suite Stuff content pack for The Sims 3. For $19.99 through Origin, EA's online game distribution service, you'll get everything a Sim needs to up its love game.
If you thought the trailer for The Sims Social was creepy, then read this. EA hopes the Master Suite Stuff pack "adds some sizzle to the game with the addition of luxurious bed and bath décor, sultry sleepwear and flirty hairstyles." But that's not all, players will gain access to furnishings like a romantic canopy bed, as well as decorations including vases, rose petals and new window treatments to enhance the mood, so to speak.
Finally, the Master Suite Stuff pack will include "new intimate apparel and sleepwear, perfect for a night with that special Sim," according to EA. What is EA trying do to here exactly? Butter our Sims up to do the deed? Yes, that's exactly what the developer hopes to do. And, if that's your thing, you can download the new Master Suite Stuff pack right here for $19.99. Creeper.
Are you creeped out at all by EA deliberately trying to get Sims all romantic-like through a content pack? Will you buy it?
There's something inherently ... weird about Sims and "WooHoo", isn't there? EA doesn't seem to care. In fact, the company embraces the truth that, yes, Sims too like to get down, and says as much with the new Master Suite Stuff content pack for The Sims 3. For $19.99 through Origin, EA's online game distribution service, you'll get everything a Sim needs to up its love game.
If you thought the trailer for The Sims Social was creepy, then read this. EA hopes the Master Suite Stuff pack "adds some sizzle to the game with the addition of luxurious bed and bath décor, sultry sleepwear and flirty hairstyles." But that's not all, players will gain access to furnishings like a romantic canopy bed, as well as decorations including vases, rose petals and new window treatments to enhance the mood, so to speak.
Finally, the Master Suite Stuff pack will include "new intimate apparel and sleepwear, perfect for a night with that special Sim," according to EA. What is EA trying do to here exactly? Butter our Sims up to do the deed? Yes, that's exactly what the developer hopes to do. And, if that's your thing, you can download the new Master Suite Stuff pack right here for $19.99. Creeper.
Are you creeped out at all by EA deliberately trying to get Sims all romantic-like through a content pack? Will you buy it?
FIFA Street's 'The Street Network' is Facebook for FIFA soccer fans
It's too bad that the "FIFA Facebook" (FIFacebook?) branding would probably cost a boatload of cash. EA Sports announced that, when FIFA Street launches on March 13 for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, it will come with the Street Network. For all intents and purposes, it's a social network for FIFA Street players. Through the Street Network, players will share and compete with friends.
"Street soccer is all about the one-on-one battle, when you pull off a trick to roast your opponent," FIFA Street producer Sid Misra said in a release. "The Street Network brings that real-world swagger into the game by enabling players to capture video of those moments and share them with everyone in their street network to see, and providing friends with a way to compare each other throughout the game."
Through the Street Network, players will get to capture video of their best (or worst) plays and share it with their friends in-game over either Xbox Live or the PlayStation Network. And just like on a traditional social network (ahem, Facebook), players will be able to track their friends' progress through the game's World Tour story mode and Head-to-Head Online seasons, as well as follow each other's status in EA Sports Football Club.
Players will proactively share their progress through the game, if they want to, as well. We doubt it's a coincidence that EA just happens to have a FIFA game on Facebook. FIFA Superstars is EA's (and Playfish's) top sports game on the social network, and the Street Network sounds a lot like interactions that FIFA Superstars players might have on Facebook. Granted, the Street Network packs far more robust features. "FIFacebook" ... what a missed opportunity.
Are you surprised or excited that FIFA Street will get its own social network? Do you agree that FIFA Superstars was likely an inspiration for the feature?
"Street soccer is all about the one-on-one battle, when you pull off a trick to roast your opponent," FIFA Street producer Sid Misra said in a release. "The Street Network brings that real-world swagger into the game by enabling players to capture video of those moments and share them with everyone in their street network to see, and providing friends with a way to compare each other throughout the game."
Through the Street Network, players will get to capture video of their best (or worst) plays and share it with their friends in-game over either Xbox Live or the PlayStation Network. And just like on a traditional social network (ahem, Facebook), players will be able to track their friends' progress through the game's World Tour story mode and Head-to-Head Online seasons, as well as follow each other's status in EA Sports Football Club.
Players will proactively share their progress through the game, if they want to, as well. We doubt it's a coincidence that EA just happens to have a FIFA game on Facebook. FIFA Superstars is EA's (and Playfish's) top sports game on the social network, and the Street Network sounds a lot like interactions that FIFA Superstars players might have on Facebook. Granted, the Street Network packs far more robust features. "FIFacebook" ... what a missed opportunity.
Are you surprised or excited that FIFA Street will get its own social network? Do you agree that FIFA Superstars was likely an inspiration for the feature?
Trademarkia: Zynga is one of the biggest trademark bullies around
Zynga has made its billions from its stable of "'Ville" games on Facebook and other social networks. So, it's (arguably) understandable that the leading social game maker doesn't like it at all when other companies attempt to add the "'Ville" suffix to their games or products. Zynga acting on that many, many times has earned it a spot amongst the top trademark bullies around.
At least that's according to start-up trademark search engine Trademarkia, which has pegged Zynga as the fourth biggest trademark bully of 2011 among Kellogg, the Lance Armstrong Foundation, Apple (of course) and K-2 Corporation. (That latter sells snowboards and skiing equipment, oddly enough.) It appears that Trademarkia ranks the top trademark bullies simply by how many "trademark oppositions," or trademark infringement lawsuits, a company has filed.
If you're unfamiliar with Zynga's assaults on Blingville, DungeonVille and its attempts to trademark the word "Ville" in Europe, a trademark bully is a trademark owner that attempts to use its trademark to push other companies out of the competition that use the same or similar trademarks. However, what makes a trademark holder a bully, or a company looking to protect its brand?
In Zynga's case, it could be said that the company simply looks to protect the quality and visibility of its brand. (Though, it's not as if the company hasn't found itself in similarly sticky situations.) The sheer volume of Trademarkia's recorded cases either speak to Zynga as a trademark bully, or how many companies look to Zynga's iconic "Ville" branding as an easy path to visibility. Either way, it's in your best interest to just leave the 'Villes to the old red dog.
[Via TechCrunch]
[Image Credit: VilleVille]
Would you consider Zynga a trademark bully?
At least that's according to start-up trademark search engine Trademarkia, which has pegged Zynga as the fourth biggest trademark bully of 2011 among Kellogg, the Lance Armstrong Foundation, Apple (of course) and K-2 Corporation. (That latter sells snowboards and skiing equipment, oddly enough.) It appears that Trademarkia ranks the top trademark bullies simply by how many "trademark oppositions," or trademark infringement lawsuits, a company has filed.
If you're unfamiliar with Zynga's assaults on Blingville, DungeonVille and its attempts to trademark the word "Ville" in Europe, a trademark bully is a trademark owner that attempts to use its trademark to push other companies out of the competition that use the same or similar trademarks. However, what makes a trademark holder a bully, or a company looking to protect its brand?
In Zynga's case, it could be said that the company simply looks to protect the quality and visibility of its brand. (Though, it's not as if the company hasn't found itself in similarly sticky situations.) The sheer volume of Trademarkia's recorded cases either speak to Zynga as a trademark bully, or how many companies look to Zynga's iconic "Ville" branding as an easy path to visibility. Either way, it's in your best interest to just leave the 'Villes to the old red dog.
[Via TechCrunch]
[Image Credit: VilleVille]
Would you consider Zynga a trademark bully?
Thứ Bảy, 3 tháng 3, 2012
Puppy lovers unite as OMGPop pulls in $20k daily from Puppy World
That's a heck of a lot of doggy biscuits... Released in late July, OMGPop's Puppy World on iPhone / iPod Touch has been downloaded over one million times, and currently sits at #54 on the iTunes Top Free Apps chart. While not one of the most social-heavy games on the App Store (although the app claims you can share puppies with your Facebook friends), that doesn't mean it's not a profitable setup. In fact, players are apparently so in love with puppies that they're paying $20,000 per day on the game's virtual goods.
As reported by TechCrunch, OMGPop's CEO Dan Porter has offered some stats about the game's progress so far (unfortunately, there's no infographic to go with them - we love infographics). Of the game's 1 million downloads, a quarter of those have resulted in daily active users returning to the game. What's more, when taking all users into account, each user spends an average of eight cents per day on virtual goods that are available within the Puppy World app (players can purchase premium decorations, or can even buy their way out of quests with premium currency). While it wasn't revealed in exact detail, Puppy World has many players that spend sometimes more than $50 on premium currency packages, with all spending adding up to over $20,000 a day.
To bring in those users, Porter claims that 20 percent of users are downloading the game based on adds they've seen on OMGPop's website and on Facebook app pages, while viral sharing and exposure on the iTunes app charts accounts for a larger portion: 60%. The final 20% is comprised of users that responded to paid advertising. Do the math, and Porter states that "For every user we pay to acquire we are seeing 6 more users for free." That's pretty impressive, all things considered.
Of course, many would argue that in the world of social and mobile games, success is found over the course of a marathon, and not a sprint. Sure, OMGPop may have a hit on their hands now, but how long will it last? Porter admits that the game isn't without flaws, especially when playing on older iPhones. "If we had to do it all over again, we would have only supported iPhone 4," he says. He attributes many of the app's one-star reviews to the app crashing on older phones.
With such simplistic gameplay as waiting for puppies to grow before giving them over to happy children, mixed with some light animal care-taking tasks, could Puppy World even have enough content to sustain a port to Facebook? I know I'd be interested in these adorable puppies making the switch, and with profits like these just on the iPhone, we're excited to learn if that becomes OMGPop's next logical step. We'll make sure to let you know if it is.
Have you tried Puppy World on iPhone? Would you like to see Puppy World make the switch to Facebook, or do you think the gameplay is more suited to a mobile experience / audience? Have you spent any money in free-to-play mobile games?
Meteor Games wants to be the Nintendo of Facebook games, not just "for moms"
While Meteor Games may be a name that's foreign to most Facebook gamers, with just 1.1 million monthly active users across their entire catalog of Facebook games, that doesn't mean their games aren't successful. Just ask CEO Zac Brandenburg. According to Forbes, Meteor finds success in their Facebook games (including their most popular - Island Paradise) because they're more focused on the long-term when designing a game, rather than on instant success.
"The feature set is much more than a simple compulsion loop," says Brandenberg, "You need to have different things for players to do, centered around what the plot is going to be." In an upcoming branded game, released with Viacom, we'll apparently see that ideology in full effect. Meteor is currently working on three games that are "close to launch," but Brandenburg didn't reveal specific details about any of them, other than the fact that they may be "fantasy-themed."
We do know the company's end goal, however: to focus on the middle section of gamers. "We don't think like Kabam with hard core games and we are also not just casual games for moms. There is a middle ground - like with Nintendo. There's a huge audience in the middle. We're going to draw from the hard core elements and the super casual side." Brandenburg says that games don't need massive audiences to be successful, so long as you've given players a high quality experience that engages them over the long term. Of course, high-paying users don't hurt either.
While Brandenburg refrained from using the term "whales," Meteor apparently does have them, and in droves. In Meteor's case, whales are gamers that spend over $1,000 a year on their games, while a handful of Super Whales in each game spend over $10,000 - that's a lot of premium currency!
Even with all of that being said, Brandenburg made it clear that the company's focus isn't so much on a game's social aspects, but on making an individual user want to come back to the experience just to play the game. "You only play if you actually want to not because your friends want you to. Then you have a smaller audience but the audience may spend 50 times what another gamer (on a different game) spends. You can have a lot of success there."
When Meteor Games announces more details about their three upcoming titles (including the branded game with Viacom), we'll make sure to let you know.
Are you an active player of Meteor's games like Island Paradise and Ranch Town? Would you have more fun in a Facebook game if there was more focus on your own experience with the story, rather than on always asking for help from your friends?
"The feature set is much more than a simple compulsion loop," says Brandenberg, "You need to have different things for players to do, centered around what the plot is going to be." In an upcoming branded game, released with Viacom, we'll apparently see that ideology in full effect. Meteor is currently working on three games that are "close to launch," but Brandenburg didn't reveal specific details about any of them, other than the fact that they may be "fantasy-themed."
We do know the company's end goal, however: to focus on the middle section of gamers. "We don't think like Kabam with hard core games and we are also not just casual games for moms. There is a middle ground - like with Nintendo. There's a huge audience in the middle. We're going to draw from the hard core elements and the super casual side." Brandenburg says that games don't need massive audiences to be successful, so long as you've given players a high quality experience that engages them over the long term. Of course, high-paying users don't hurt either.
While Brandenburg refrained from using the term "whales," Meteor apparently does have them, and in droves. In Meteor's case, whales are gamers that spend over $1,000 a year on their games, while a handful of Super Whales in each game spend over $10,000 - that's a lot of premium currency!
Even with all of that being said, Brandenburg made it clear that the company's focus isn't so much on a game's social aspects, but on making an individual user want to come back to the experience just to play the game. "You only play if you actually want to not because your friends want you to. Then you have a smaller audience but the audience may spend 50 times what another gamer (on a different game) spends. You can have a lot of success there."
When Meteor Games announces more details about their three upcoming titles (including the branded game with Viacom), we'll make sure to let you know.
Are you an active player of Meteor's games like Island Paradise and Ranch Town? Would you have more fun in a Facebook game if there was more focus on your own experience with the story, rather than on always asking for help from your friends?
Top 25 Facebook Games - August 2011: Gardens of Time hits the big time
Gardens of Time
For all of the Playdom and Disney nay saying lately, the duo seems to be proving everyone wrong with a single game. Gardens of Time has been on a steady climb since its release, and this month it's the fifth largest Facebook game at nearly 16 million monthly players. Just last month alone, the game garnered another 1.7 million players, which is impressive for any game that wasn't made by You Know Who. (Has Zynga reached Voldemort-like proportions yet? We like to think so.)
Of course, Zynga maintains the same top four spots it did last month, even as CityVille lost over 8.5 million monthly players and Empires & Allies lost over half a million. Even FarmVille lost another 3.4 million monthly players, though it'll take a lot more than this for Zynga to lose its reign.
And oddly enough, Monster Galaxy lost a whopping 8.4 million monthly players last month just after gaining over 6 million the month prior. This caused the game to fall back from the mighty top five to now eighth place at 10.6 million players. In fact, loss is somewhat of a trend this month, with 18 of 25 games losing monthly players. This could be attributed to a list of factors, but we're gonna' go with: It's summer, and most folks would rather be outside than in front of the computer.
AppData top 25 Facebook Games August
New additions to the Top 25 are Mall World, which comes in at number 24 with 5.3 million monthly players, and Zoo World 2 in the 20 spot with 6.4 million monthly players and a gain of nearly 3 million. However, publisher RockYou, according to Inside Social Games, uses the same app ID for the sequel to Zoo World as the original, meaning RockYou has not separate the traffic from both games.
Unfortunately, Ravenwood Fair was knocked off the leader boards this month, as was MindJolt Games from the rise of Mall World and It Girl's far leap from 21st place in June to the 14 spot this time around. Gardens of Time has hit the coveted top five because, while there are hidden object games out there, it seems that Playdom hit the previously untapped genre at just the right time. It speaks volumes to Facebook games partnership director Sean Ryan's plea for developers to experiment with new genres (at least to Facebook). At this point, it just might be the only way to reach at least fifth place.
[Source and Image Credit: AppData]
How do you think Playdom reached the top five with Gardens of Time? What new genres would you like to see appear in Facebook games?
For all of the Playdom and Disney nay saying lately, the duo seems to be proving everyone wrong with a single game. Gardens of Time has been on a steady climb since its release, and this month it's the fifth largest Facebook game at nearly 16 million monthly players. Just last month alone, the game garnered another 1.7 million players, which is impressive for any game that wasn't made by You Know Who. (Has Zynga reached Voldemort-like proportions yet? We like to think so.)
Of course, Zynga maintains the same top four spots it did last month, even as CityVille lost over 8.5 million monthly players and Empires & Allies lost over half a million. Even FarmVille lost another 3.4 million monthly players, though it'll take a lot more than this for Zynga to lose its reign.
And oddly enough, Monster Galaxy lost a whopping 8.4 million monthly players last month just after gaining over 6 million the month prior. This caused the game to fall back from the mighty top five to now eighth place at 10.6 million players. In fact, loss is somewhat of a trend this month, with 18 of 25 games losing monthly players. This could be attributed to a list of factors, but we're gonna' go with: It's summer, and most folks would rather be outside than in front of the computer.
AppData top 25 Facebook Games August
New additions to the Top 25 are Mall World, which comes in at number 24 with 5.3 million monthly players, and Zoo World 2 in the 20 spot with 6.4 million monthly players and a gain of nearly 3 million. However, publisher RockYou, according to Inside Social Games, uses the same app ID for the sequel to Zoo World as the original, meaning RockYou has not separate the traffic from both games.
Unfortunately, Ravenwood Fair was knocked off the leader boards this month, as was MindJolt Games from the rise of Mall World and It Girl's far leap from 21st place in June to the 14 spot this time around. Gardens of Time has hit the coveted top five because, while there are hidden object games out there, it seems that Playdom hit the previously untapped genre at just the right time. It speaks volumes to Facebook games partnership director Sean Ryan's plea for developers to experiment with new genres (at least to Facebook). At this point, it just might be the only way to reach at least fifth place.
[Source and Image Credit: AppData]
How do you think Playdom reached the top five with Gardens of Time? What new genres would you like to see appear in Facebook games?
Cut the Rope 2 has a mysterious new character and plenty more rope
If I learned anything from the Boondock Saints, it's that you can never have enough rope. Chillingo, publisher of Angry Birds in the U.S. and now with EA, has released the first images of Cut the Rope 2 by Zepto Lab.
IGN expects the game to be a full-blown sequel to the original hit iOS game in which players cut a series of ropes that hold candy for Om Nom, the game's adorably green protagonist. At the moment, all we're riding on is three new images, none of which include gameplay, but are quite telling of what's in store for Om Nom.
Aside from a logo for the new game, the released media includes a storyboard for what will likely be an introductory cut scene. It seems that Om Nom is heading to a new home, and judging from the second screenshot, finally free from his box (the entire first game is played from inside it).
Cut the Rope 2 storyboard
However, a brand new character has been revealed for the game known only as "The Professor." This mysterious new character could be who players now cut the rope as. But one thing is for certain: With a name like "The Professor," I would expect some wacky new ways of delivering tasty sweets to our beloved green friend.
IGN says that Cut the Rope 2 will hit the App Store "soon," and that it might focus more heavily on story than the original. I don't think we've ever been this excited about cutting ropes. We blame the green thing.
Cut the Rope 2 The Professor
[Via Touch Arcade]
[Source and Image Credit: IGN]
What other hints do you see in these first-ever images of Cut the Rope 2? How do you hope this sequel will improve upon the original?
IGN expects the game to be a full-blown sequel to the original hit iOS game in which players cut a series of ropes that hold candy for Om Nom, the game's adorably green protagonist. At the moment, all we're riding on is three new images, none of which include gameplay, but are quite telling of what's in store for Om Nom.
Aside from a logo for the new game, the released media includes a storyboard for what will likely be an introductory cut scene. It seems that Om Nom is heading to a new home, and judging from the second screenshot, finally free from his box (the entire first game is played from inside it).
Cut the Rope 2 storyboard
However, a brand new character has been revealed for the game known only as "The Professor." This mysterious new character could be who players now cut the rope as. But one thing is for certain: With a name like "The Professor," I would expect some wacky new ways of delivering tasty sweets to our beloved green friend.
IGN says that Cut the Rope 2 will hit the App Store "soon," and that it might focus more heavily on story than the original. I don't think we've ever been this excited about cutting ropes. We blame the green thing.
Cut the Rope 2 The Professor
[Via Touch Arcade]
[Source and Image Credit: IGN]
What other hints do you see in these first-ever images of Cut the Rope 2? How do you hope this sequel will improve upon the original?
NBA Jam creator splits EA for Zynga; next stop, BasketballVille? [Rumor]
With Zynga, anything is possible. Come on, it made a mini game called PrivacyVille. Kotaku reports that Mark Turmell (pictured), creator of the legendary NBA Jam series of arcade-style basketball games that were recently revisited on the Wii and other consoles, has left EA Sports and joined the creator of FarmVille. (However, no sources have been cited.) And considering his extensive track record with entertaining sports games with wide appeal, Zynga might intend on entering the sports genre with Turmell.
Turmell had been with EA Sports at its Tiburon studio since 2009 and also helped bring iconic games like the '90s arcade game Smash TV and NFL Blitz, another arcade-style sports game. Turmell was senior creative director at EA Tiburon in Orlando, Fla., and while his Linkedin profile has yet to be updated with the new position, his departure is official. "We appreciate Mark's contribution to Tiburon and EA Sports and wish him well in future endeavors," an EA spokesman told Kotaku.
A number of EA employees have reportedly left the company in recent months for ventures in social gaming. Former EA CCO John Schappert has left the company for Zynga, and former EA CCO Bing Gordon has invested in the monolithic company. Ben Cousins of EA's free-to-play developer Easy Studios left the company for Ngmoco's (owned by Japanese gaming giant DeNA) new Sweden studio.
Amidst rampant departures, EA runs headstrong into the social games world and is making huge strides to compete--the company bought Bejeweled developer PopCap for a whopping potential $1.3 billion recently. However, it will be interesting to see if these talent losses affect EA's ability to go toe-to-toe with Zynga, but with an entire company's worth of talent now, we'd say it has a pretty solid shot at the big time. We've contacted Zynga for comment.
[Via GameSpot]
What do you think Turmell could bring to Zynga? Will EA's PopCap buy make up for the loss of a few key players?
Turmell had been with EA Sports at its Tiburon studio since 2009 and also helped bring iconic games like the '90s arcade game Smash TV and NFL Blitz, another arcade-style sports game. Turmell was senior creative director at EA Tiburon in Orlando, Fla., and while his Linkedin profile has yet to be updated with the new position, his departure is official. "We appreciate Mark's contribution to Tiburon and EA Sports and wish him well in future endeavors," an EA spokesman told Kotaku.
A number of EA employees have reportedly left the company in recent months for ventures in social gaming. Former EA CCO John Schappert has left the company for Zynga, and former EA CCO Bing Gordon has invested in the monolithic company. Ben Cousins of EA's free-to-play developer Easy Studios left the company for Ngmoco's (owned by Japanese gaming giant DeNA) new Sweden studio.
Amidst rampant departures, EA runs headstrong into the social games world and is making huge strides to compete--the company bought Bejeweled developer PopCap for a whopping potential $1.3 billion recently. However, it will be interesting to see if these talent losses affect EA's ability to go toe-to-toe with Zynga, but with an entire company's worth of talent now, we'd say it has a pretty solid shot at the big time. We've contacted Zynga for comment.
[Via GameSpot]
What do you think Turmell could bring to Zynga? Will EA's PopCap buy make up for the loss of a few key players?
Facebook games to hit the red carpet at 2011 Golden Joystick Awards
This year, you may see CityVille Sam strutting or the Zuma Blitz frog hopping along the red carpet at the 2011 Golden Joystick Awards on Oct. 21 at the Westminster Bridge Park Plaza in London. (OK, probably not, but that would be seriously awesome.) Future, hosts of the awards for 29 years running, have teamed up with UK games magazine GamesMaster this time around and have introduced a new category: free-to-play games.
More importantly, there is a number of Facebook games on the list that could win the coveted honor of Free-to-play Game of the Year. CityVille, Empires & Allies, FIFA Superstars and Zuma Blitz have all been put up for a vote by the public starting now. However, they're beset on all sides by plenty more free-to-play MMOs (massively multiplayer online games) like the popular League of Legends, RuneScape and Champions Online among eight others.
Everyone knows that Facebook games are popular. But it's only recently that they have been publicly recognized at large media events. For instance, FarmVille and social other games scored nominations at this year's Webby Awards, while a number of upcoming social games like Sims Social and MargaritaVille were featured at this year's E3. (Even a game about illegal farming was nominated for an award recently.) So, consider this a call to action.
Voting in the Golden Joysticks is absolutely free and available now right here. And those who vote in every category will be eligible for prizes like copies of the nominated games and even a PS Vita--but back to the mission. Should you accept it, you must vote for your favorite Facebook game and make sure that the world's biggest place for games is not only recognized, but beats the competition. Dismissed!
[Image Credit: Future]
Do you think Facebook games have a place now in award shows like these? Which of the four Facebook games would you vote for?
More importantly, there is a number of Facebook games on the list that could win the coveted honor of Free-to-play Game of the Year. CityVille, Empires & Allies, FIFA Superstars and Zuma Blitz have all been put up for a vote by the public starting now. However, they're beset on all sides by plenty more free-to-play MMOs (massively multiplayer online games) like the popular League of Legends, RuneScape and Champions Online among eight others.
Everyone knows that Facebook games are popular. But it's only recently that they have been publicly recognized at large media events. For instance, FarmVille and social other games scored nominations at this year's Webby Awards, while a number of upcoming social games like Sims Social and MargaritaVille were featured at this year's E3. (Even a game about illegal farming was nominated for an award recently.) So, consider this a call to action.
Voting in the Golden Joysticks is absolutely free and available now right here. And those who vote in every category will be eligible for prizes like copies of the nominated games and even a PS Vita--but back to the mission. Should you accept it, you must vote for your favorite Facebook game and make sure that the world's biggest place for games is not only recognized, but beats the competition. Dismissed!
[Image Credit: Future]
Do you think Facebook games have a place now in award shows like these? Which of the four Facebook games would you vote for?
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