If you have been playing Zynga’s latest Facebook game – Adventure World – then, Indiana Jones must have crossed your mind many a times.
Just wanted to drop in a quick update on the game with this post. The developer has announced via the game’s Facebook page that “Indiana Jones will soon be whipping his way into Adventure world!” But, it’s too soon to say what role his character will play. Nevertheless, the game will be a lot more fun with this flamboyant, adventure loving, archaeologist in the game.
So, keep your fingers cross until Indy’s character come to grace the game in October.
The Sims Social has now an average of 9.3 million DAU surpassing FarmVille's 8.1 million by over 1 million., with players playing at an average of three times a day in 15 to 20 minutes intervals.
“The Sims Social” from EA and Playfish has now overtaken Farm Ville from Zynga as the no. 2 game on Facebook, according to Appdata. The Sims Social has now seen an average of 9.3 million DAU, with players playing at an average of three times a day in 15 to 20 minutes intervals.
During the first week of its debut, Sims Social had 4.6 million DAU, while making it the 10th most popular game on Facebook. But now it has amassed over 9.3 million DAU within a month surpassing FarmVille’s 8.1 million by over 1 million.
EA’s CFO, Eric Brown commented: “What has made [The Sims Social] a success so far is the Playfish expertise… combined with the creative excellence of the core Sims team,” said Brown. “Those teams work together exceptionally well”.
But no doubt, Zynga’s CityVille still tops the DAU chart with nearly 14 million users. But regardless, Sims Social which is still a new game in Facebook has succeded in gaining a huge DAU base within a very short time. However, in MAU base, it has just over 34.3 million bit short of FarmVille’s 35.6 million.
Taking in view the domination of Zynga’s games in Facebook, EA and Playfish has a lot more to achieve in coming days, if it is to make Sim Social above all.
Adventure World from Zynga soon to be released on Facebook.
Social game maker Zynga revealed on Facebook Page that its latest game title will be ‘Adventure World’. The game is developed around a number of different puzzles, maps, and lands. The game is very much influence from the movie series-Indiana Jones: from the main character to the story kine and even the game font and style, but not the same.
Here is a snippet description of the Game:
“Set during the golden age of exploration, you travel the world with friends in search of artifacts, secrets of the past, and adventure! Along the journey, you unlock ancient secrets, culminating in the final secret to be revealed in the lost city of gold: El Dorado!”
Zynga was to go for an IPO in July but will be delayed until November. Over the past few months it has launched many new games like, “Pioneer Trail”- a game within another game, FrontierVille, “CityVille Hometown” and “Hanging With Friends”. Adventure World is the latest game, which Zynga is announcing just within a month when Pioneer Trail was announced two weeks back.
Zynga simply announced that the game is ‘coming soon’ but it is unclear when the game will be released. Adventure World is speculated to be another big hit if given a chance of Zynga’s success story such as CityVille, FarmVille and Empires & Allies. Here is the preview trailer of the game, have a look and be prepared.
Zynga, the online gaming company from San Francisco which is behind the Facebook hallmarks like FarmVille, CityVille, Empires & Allies and Zynga Poker has on Friday filed to raised $1 billion in an initial public offering- the biggest internet IPO since Google. Zynga wants to invest more than any other company in games by offering shares to the public. Zynga is a company with real revenue and real profit with reported profit of $90.6 million on $597.5 million in annual revenue for its 2010fiscal year ended on Dec. 31.
The company offers its games free but makes huge revenue from users who spend money on virtual goods to enhance their stature in its games besides a portion of its revenue from online advertisements. Zynga’s games attracts over 148 million visitors a month across the globe. Facebook is the sole distribution, marketing, promotion and payment platform for Zynga. But the only revenue source becomes a key risk factor for the games developer.
The company is relying too much on Facebook. Any modification or changes in Facebook’s services or policies or better inclination with its competitors will have an adverse impact on the company. But as of now, the company has proven its valuation within Facebook. It has to keep on innovating to keep that valuation. No wonder, it will face more competition and periodic ebbs and flows. Nevertheless, it should be prepared.
Till the end of today, the 30th June 2011, Facebook users will be able to buy game and virtual goods with game credits or Facebook Credits via most credit cards or PayPal. Come tomorrow, all transactions – not only virtual items in social games, but digital goods like movies and music – will take place via Facebook credits only.
Consumer Watchdog filed a complaint with the U.S. Federal Trade Commission over the company’s virtual currency arguing, in a 28-page complaint, that “the new Facebook Credits terms will enable Facebook to maintain and extend its monopoly power over the market for virtual goods purchased in social games.”
In addition, the complaint accuses the social networking giant of restricting competition by prohibiting game developers from offering lower prices to users outside the Facebook platform.
Ten Facebook Credits approximately cost UD$1, and the sale of Facebook Credits is currently estimated to be in excess of US$2 billion.
With its hand on 30% of every transaction that takes place via Facebook Credits, the introduction Facebook Credits as the only virtual currency on Facebook, and without any competition, puts the networking powerhouse on the road to dominance of all online commercial transactions and further extend Facebook’s already overwhelming monopoly power.
Referring to a rumored exemption granted to Zynga, Consumer Watchdog also took a dig at the leading social game developer on Facebook.
“The agreement between Facebook and Zynga, if published reports are correct, would therefore constitute a conspiracy between competitors and further extend Facebook’s already overwhelming monopoly power,” the group said.
Empires & Allies the latest offering from gaming behemoth Zynga, and it goes live today.
Zynga claims that the game includes “more social features than any Zynga game. “Unlike past Zynga games, “Empires & Allies” focuses more on competitive gameplay – there’s also apparently a single-player campaign – and appears to have a more real-time strategy focus.
In Empires & Allies, your mission is to build army units to fight evil enemy forces that have invaded a thriving, multi-island world. Players will also be able to recruit or invite friends and derive clues from allies and villains. Fund your armies by collecting rent on huts and cottages, and choose your battleground: air, land, or sea. The game looks a little more kid-friendly, going by the official trailer, than most combat games out there.
Empires & Allies debuts worldwide on Wednesday in 12 languages: Malay, Korean, and Norwegian (for the first time), English, French, Italian, German, Spanish, Portuguese, Indonesian, Turkish and traditional Chinese.
According to Gamasutra, Zynga has doubled its workforce to 1,500 from at least 12 game studios: Beijing’s XPD, Austin’s Challenge Games, San Francisco’s FooBrew, Tokyo’s Unoh Games, Boston’s Conduit Labs and Floodgate Entertainment, Frankfurt’s Dextrose AG, Dallas’ Bonfire Studios, McKinney’s (Texas) Newtoy Inc., Redwood City’s Flock, New York City’s Area/Code, and team members from Dallas’ MarketZero. The company boasts 250 million active users a month.
If you are one of those Facebook gamer who likes to lap up every single Zynga game, then here is a welcome change for you. For the otherwise, though too cartoonish, the game looks good enough for a try. Check out the official trailer below.
Zynga has announced February 27 as the first official FarmVille “Meetup with New Neighbors” day.
The leading social game developer partnered with Meetup.com to coordinate and schedule in-person meet-ups around the globe for fans of one of the most addictive and popular game on Facebook.
According to FarmVille blog,
What’s better than neighbors? More neighbors! Connect face-to-face with fellow farmers in your own hometown during the First Official FarmVille “Meetup with New Neighbors” Day February 27, 2011. On this worldwide day, hang out with other FarmVille lovers in your area—show off your farms, share tips and strategies, and of course, add new neighbors!
Interested people can join or coordinate a meetup here. If a meetup is not scheduled in your area, you can still signup to be alerted when a meetup has been coordinated.
A hacker in Devonshire, England pled guilty to stealing an alleged $12 million worth of poker chips from Zynga’s Texas Hold ‘Em on Facebook.
29-year-old Ashley Mitchell stole 400 billion virtual poker chips which is estimated at $12 million if purchased in the game.
The accused turned to eBay and attempted to sell his chips for about $600 per billion, and netted $85,870 before he was arrested.
While there is an infinite supply of virtual currency and Zynga Poker was actually not deprived of any cash or goods, Prosecutor Gareth Evans stated that it still deserves protection and although Mitchell’s crime was, truly, a victimless one, he will still face time in jail.
After Facebook, it is popular social games developer Zynga’s turn to sent out cease and desist letters for trademark infringement and start being a trademark bully.
According to a complaint submitted by Blingville posted by Techdirt, Zynga has be sending cease and desist letters to Blingville and threatening of legal action if failed to comply.
Zynga has so far published six games that have “Ville” in their titles namely CityVille, FarVille, FishVille, FrontierVille, PetVille, and YoVille. It is as a matter of fact preparing a virtual currency reward program called RewardVille.
Blingville pointed out in its complaint that “Zynga does not own and has not registered or applied for any trademark registrations at the USPTO for any trademark rights in the word ‘BlingVille’ or any word marks similar thereto.”
Moreover, Blingville is apparently searching for a judge to declare that its use of the Blingville trademark name does not infringe with any of Zynga’s trademarks. On top of that, the company is also looking for reimbursement for the legal fees it incurred from the controversy.
Ironically, Zynga has been accused of copying games, as well as got into a legal fight last year for copying the Mafia Wars, which is one of the few popular games published by the company without a ‘Ville’ word combination.
Zynga’s CityVille has climb up to the number one spot on app leaderboard so fast, I am sure, that even Zynga must have been surprised.
CityVille has now edged pass Zynga’s own number one game Farmville in about 3 weeks after its launched.
According to data from AppData, FarmVille has 56.6 million active users with 16.3 million daily active users, while CityVille has 61 million monthly active users with 16.7 million daily active users.
Beside Cityville and FarmVille, zynga also holds two more spots in the top five with FrontierVille and Texas HoldEm Poker. Mafia Wars has been losing active players over the last few months but still holds a place in the top 10.
CityVille’s future success was well expected, but it’s is very impressive to see how it amassed all those players in just a matter of few weeks.
It is true all social games eventually settle and start seeing drop-offs. FarmVille’s all time high was more than 83 million monthly active users. How soon will CityVille top that? And how long will CityVille rule? Those are yet to be seen.
