Top 25 Facebook Games - December 2011: FarmVille Strikes Back

I guess in Facebook game years, FarmVille is kind of like Obi Wan Kenobi. And boy, did Zynga's farming game come back stronger than we could possibly imagine, or what? As The Sims Social falls from its cushy number two spot after losing 7.9 million monthly players, FarmVille swoops in with a 2.8 million gain this month. CityVille lost a few million, but still clings to the top.

EA and Playfish's slugger dipped even further on December's daily players chart to fifth place with a loss of 1.1 million players. (This is what we chalk all that up to.) Of course, CastleVille--Zynga's fastest-growing game ever--makes a grand entrance into both top 25 charts. The kingdom-builder shot up to fifth place in monthly players with 20.8 million, and an impressive second place in daily players with 7.3 million. That should be the shot in the arm the company needs for its imminent public offering, no?

Not so fast, considering Mafia Wars 2 didn't even make the charts in daily players, the best measure of a game's dedicated (and paying) audience. Zynga launched Mafia Wars 2 in October. The game does, however, have 11.3 million monthly players, which ties it with Wooga's Diamond Dash. That puzzle game is nine months old.
Top 25 Facebook Games by MAU
An interesting newcomer to this lineup is Nordeus's Top Eleven, which creeps up in 25th place on the daily players charts with 950,000. Unfortunately, the rest of these charts look like business as usual, aside from Zynga's major losses including Adventure World, which hemorrhaged 4.3 million monthly players. Though, it's refreshing to see some more developers continue to thrive in the top 25 charts, like King.com with Bubble Witch Saga and 6waves Lolapps with Ravenskye City.

[Source and Image Credit: Inside Social Games]

How can The Sims Social reclaim its second place spot? What other games do you think deserve to be on this list?

Zynga gets real, aims for third place among EA, Activision Blizzard

Zynga sure talked a big game earlier this summer with an estimated valuation of anywhere between $11.5 and $20 billion, but perhaps it spoke too soon. According to its most recent S-1 filing with the US Security and Exchanges Commission (SEC), Zynga now expects to value at between $5.9 and $7 billion when it goes public on the Nasdaq as early as Dec. 12. However, the company looks to initially raise a bit more than it previously expected: $1.15 billion when it debuts under the ticker "ZNGA".

The company still expects to price its shares between $8.50 and $10, with 699.4 million total shares. While the company does plan to raise more than previously reported, this brings the FarmVille maker back down to reality somewhat. The four-year-old company originally expected to be worth more than even Call of Duty publisher Activision Blizzard's $14 billion and EA's $7 billion. But with a projected valuation--the expected total worth of a company based on several factors--starting at $5.9 billion, neither will happen.

Zynga lowered the valuation due to poor market conditions, according to Inside Social Games. It appears that the company's IPO roadshow is already underway, as Zynga has posted a 30-minute video detailing the entire presentation. Within the presentation, Zynga focused on its growth in the mobile arena, with 11.1 million daily players across iOS and Android, among other things. Check it out right here.

[Via Inside Social Games]

[Image Credit: Fiscal Times]

Do you think Zynga can at least tie with EA when it goes public? Would you ever invest?

Final Fantasy Brigade arrives on mobile (in Japan) this month

Back in October, Square Enix and DeNA announced that a social Final Fantasy game was in the works, but revealed few details. At a press conference in Tokyo today, the duo announced that the game, called Final Fantasy Brigade, will go into closed beta in mid-December and will launch to the public in late December on the Mobage social gaming platform in Japan.

In Final Fantasy Brigade, each player will take command of an airship and explore "the Final Fantasy universe," by joining up with friends to complete quests and earn experience points. The game will be very Final Fantasy in nature, and will include things like magic crystals, monsters and special abilities. You will also be able to go head-to-head against friends, and see who has the one airship posse to rule them all.

Final Fantasy Brigade: Will it be a hit or a flop? Sound off in the comments below.

Bug Village is the third game on Google+ that isn't on Facebook

And if you even try to say Sudoku Puzzles counts, we're no longer friends. Glu Mobile has announced that its iOS and Android village-builder Bug Village has hit Google+, and it's the first of many to hit Google's social games platform in the coming months. Bug Village is essentially CityVille, but with insects rather than humans: Players decorate and manage a colony of bugs.

And that's about all you need to know, as upon first attempt at loading Bug Village, this writer's entire computer choked up. It looks like Glu Mobile and developer Mandreel have some ... bugs to work out. (Hey, you lob 'em, and we'll go for the fences.) Regardless, the publisher appears bullish on Google+ as a viable social games platform.

"Glu is committed to Google and connecting with gamers around the world in new ways. Google+ has already demonstrated momentum as an intuitive social platform," Glu Mobile CEO Niccolo de Masi said in a release. "We are excited to offer Bug Village on Google+ and look forward to introducing additional titles."

When the game finally does load, you'll likely be impressed by its 3D graphics and fun animations. (Though, we're not sure system-locking load sessions are worth that.) And the above screen is what you'll be looking at for the next hour, if you don't want to pay up. A gut reaction, sure, but having to wait an hour before for something to finish immediately upon starting the game is not the best first-time player experience.
Bug Village in action
Google+ seems to have had trouble gaining steam with its games platform, but has recently garnered support from successful social game developers including Digital Chocolate, Vostu and Spry Fox. However, it's going to take a lot more than simply more games, if Google wants to compete on Facebook's level in the games space.

Click here to play Bug Village on Google+ Now (if you want) >

Have you tried Bug Village on your mobile devices before? What do you think Google+ needs to really compete with Facebook in games?

Game of the Day: Mine 60

Your ship has suffered a critical flaw and you have only 60 seconds left before it explodes! But others will be caught in the blast... how far can you fly away, and how many lives can you save?

Mine 60 is simplicity itself. Just use the arrow keys to guide your ship down the path. But though it's not as complex as some of our other featured games, it's still fun for a quick play. See if you can beat my record of 10,054. Think you're up for the challenge?

Click here to play Mine 60!
mine 60 game of the day     mine 60 game of the day
How far were you able to get in Mine 60?

Pioneer Trail Crop Crafting Nursery: Everything you need to know

If you're above level 17 in Pioneer Trail, and are tired of planting the same old crops day in and day out, why not take a look at the new Crop Nursery that has just been released in the game? This Crop Nursery will allow you to "craft" crops, with there being three new crops available to create as of this writing. There are also animals up for grabs in the feature's accompanying goals, so let's jump right into this feature, shall we?

First things first, you'll need to build your Crop Nursery. Once you place the base on your land, you'll need to collect quite a few ingredients from friends:

    12 Windstruments
    12 Plant Guides
    12 Large Bags of Soil
    15 Wikiwah Seeds
    15 Handcrafted Pots
    15 Wooden Planters


The Windstruments, Plant Guides and Large Bags of Soil can be earned by posting general requests on your wall / news feed, while the other three items come from individual requests sent to friends. When you've finished building the Crop Nursery, you can head inside to view the Crafting Workbench, where you can actually craft packets of seeds for these new crops (like the Choconut Squash). Of course, there are goals to complete as well.

Learnin Begins

    Place Crop Nursery
    Tend 40 Adult Cows on your Homestead
    Collect 10 Nursing Pots


Your rewards for this first (relatively simple) goal are two Hazelnut Trees, 250 coins and 250 XP. You can purchase more of these Hazelnut Trees in the market if you so choose.

Squashin It

    Collect 2 Crop Nursery Daily Bonuses
    Harvest 10 Hazelnut Trees
    Craft 30 Choconut Squash


Luckily, you'll receive 30 Choconut Squash by crafting this new crop just a single time. However, doing that is easier said than done. You'll first need to have seven Hazelnuts (found by tending Hazelnut Trees) and seven Cocoa Grafts (ask your friends to send them to you) to craft just a Coco-Hazel Sprout. You'll then need 10 of these, along with a Squash Sprout (ask your friend for one) to actually create the 30 Choconut Squash seeds.

When you finish this entire goal, you'll receive 3 Longhorn Bulls, 500 XP, and an unlock for the Tomato Pepper recipe.

A-Maize-Ing

    Tend 25 Longhorn Bulls
    Craft 30 Tomato Peppers
    Collect 10 Maize Baskets


This process of crafting the Tomato Peppers is similar to that of the Squash above. You'll need eight Longhorn Fertilizer (tend Longhorn Bulls) and seven Tomato Vines (ask friends) to create a single Texas Tomato. You'll need three Texas Tomatoes and 12 Chili Flowers (ask friends) to craft a batch of 30 Tomato Pepper seeds.

When you finish this goal, you will have technically completed all of the goals associated with this Crop Nursery / Crafting event, and you'll receive a Hummingbird and 750 XP. However, there's one more crop available, if you're up to creating it.

The Wikiwah Buttercorn is available to craft after completing the above goals. You'll need to have 10 Hummingbird Nectar (tend Hummingbirds) and eight Corn Roots (ask friends) to create a batch of five Sweet Corn. You'll then need those five Sweet Corn (just a single batch) and 16 Butternut Seeds (ask friends) to craft a batch of 30 Wikiwah Buttercorn seeds. Why mess with crafting the Buttercorn at all, if it's not required for a goal? Well, tending it can give off bonus energy and Fast Hands Boosts. So, not a total loss, if you have some extra time on your hands, don't you think?

Will you rush to build your Crop Nursery in Pioneer Trail, or are you still trying to clear out your goal window of Christmas and New Year's Eve content?

Two of our top iPhone games of 2011 score GDC Awards nominations

Between Angry Birds injecting itself into the proverbial bloodstream of mobile gamers all over and gem after gem hitting the App Store, it's safe to say 2011 was an amazing year for iPhone and iPad games. It looks like some of our choices for the top free iOS games of last year were right on the money, at least with the critical minds of the Game Developers Conference.

The annual conference's award ceremony, as the Game Developers Choice (GDC) Awards, has revealed its nominations for 2012. Amongst your Skyrim's and Portal 2's are the mobile games, namely Tiny Tower by NimbleBit and Halfbrick's Jetpack Joyride. Here's all of the nominees in the Best Handheld/Mobile Game category:

    Tiny Tower (NimbleBit)
    Super Mario 3D Land (Nintendo)
    Jetpack Joyride (Halfbrick)
    Infinity Blade II (Chair Entertainment)
    Superbrothers: Sword & Sworcery EP (Capy Games/Superbrothers)


We loved Tiny Tower for its inventive, valiant attempt at charming even the most curmudgeon "hardcore" gamer into what amounts to a social game without the "social". Jetpack Joyride, on the other hand, is simply an accomplishment in the just-one-more-round play hook that's so well-suited for mobile. While only two of our favorite free iPhone/iPad games made the list, this writer has a tough time deciding out of any of these choices. If you've yet to pick up any of these games, now's the time.

Did your favorite mobile/handheld game make the list of GDC Awards nominees? Which game do you think most deserves the accolades?

With PlayJam, GameHouse wants in on the biggest screen in the house

If London-based TV games network PlayJam has its way, you'll be playing social games on every damned screen you own. As it turns out, the folks behind hits like Collapse! want in on that action, too. GameHouse has announced a partnership with PlayJam that will bring its top casual games to Samsung, LG, Sony, Panasonic, Western Digital, Vestel and Google TV starting in early 2012.

Through PlayJam's TV games network, GameHouse games like Collapse! and Little Shop Treasures will get packed with features like "cross-network tournaments, leader-boards, real-time mass participation events, virtual currencies and recommendations," according to PlayJam. In theory, it would be as if the games never left Facebook, but moved on to much larger tracks of land.

We mean that giant 55-inch screen sitting in your living room. "The GameHouse catalog of over 3,000 casual games is enjoyed online every day by millions of users around the world," GameHouse GM of account management Aimee Meehan said in a release. "We're excited about our partnership with PlayJam because we can now provide families using IPTV with top GameHouse hits such as Little Shop Treasures and Super Collapse! Puzzle Gallery."

Last year, PlayJam promised that 2012 would be the year of social games on our HDTVs, and it was certainly right. The company is joined by the likes of none other than Zynga, which just launched Zynga Poker on Google TV, in its effort to get social games on every screen in the home. But, if you ask us, we like to play social games while watching TV.

Are you psyched to hear that games like Collapse! will soon hit your HDTV? Do you think social games have a place on the biggest screen in the house?

Game of the Day: Texas Hold'em Poker (No Limit)

poker texas hold em game of the day
Today's Game of the Day is No Limit Texas Hold'em Poker. No limit means there is no limit to how much (virtual) money you can win. But when you win big, someone has to lose big, so you'll have to play your cards carefully to stay above the water.

Texas Hold'em Poker is the most popular poker game being played today. This game of betting is a poker variation of seven card stud where players share common cards called "the board." For a full set of rules, click the in-game help button. Make sure to sign in and create your own character as well. And of course, shoot the breeze with your fellow players in the game chat.

Click here to play Texas Hold'em Poker!
poker texas hold em game of the day     poker texas hold em game of the day
Were you able to make any money in Texas Hold'em Poker?

Study: Older women don't just dig social games, but mobile games, too

Everybody knows that the average player of Facebook games is a middle-aged mother, but could moms be down with mobile games, too? A new study by mobile game network MocoSpace found that 27 percent of women aged 30 and older spend more than three hours daily playing games on their mobile devices, while 30 percent spend one to two hours playing.

However, only 18 percent of men in the same age group spend three hours daily playing the games, while 33 percent play for one or two. In other words, more women might be hooked on their favorite mobile game than men. If this signals a trend, it's that women might be just as into games on their smartphones as they are on Facebook.

MocoSpace reports that mobile gaming is skyrocketing across the board, as 46 percent of mobile gamers said that they played games more on a mobile device than elsewhere, compared to the previous year. Of course, it's important to keep in mind that these are the results of a survey of over 15,000 MocoSpace users conducted in December 2011. (The platform is home to 25 million, we're told.)

And, contrary to popular opinion, mobile gaming might be more of a couch potato experience than, say, a my-god-will-this-line-ever-end experience. According to recent data by NPD Group, 47 percent of mobile gamers play at home. In comparison, only 12 percent play while commuting to work and just 10 percent while in line. It's no surprise, then, that every game creator out there is all-eyes on the supercomputer in your pocket.

Ladies: Do you find yourself more interested in games on your phone than on, say, on Facebook? Everybody: Where do you play games on your smartphone or tablet the most?

Facebook hits game simplifier with cease and desist, players riot

Well, they may not have grabbed torches and pitchforks just yet, but I wouldn't rule it out... Players of many Facebook games were left disappointed this morning, as popular (and free) Chrome and Firefox browser plug-in Friendly Gaming Simplifier (FGS) was hit with a death knell in the form of a legal notice from Facebook, Inc. based in Menlo Park, California.

While not all users actively utilized the Friendly Gaming Simplifier (the plug-in would click on news feed posts in many popular Facebook games such as The Sims Social, CityVille or Ravenwood Fair), the plug-in had racked up an impressive following of players "in-the-know," who kept the project a secret for fear of such an outcome (the actual amount of installs is unknown, but the plug-in's Facebook page has over 135,000 Likes). Unfortunately, player secrecy can only go so far, as Facebook has deemed the creator, who goes by the handle Flies, an "unwelcome/dangerous person to [the] Facebook infrastructure" and that any continued activity on the site, even of a personal nature, will be "regarded as unauthorized access to [Facebook's] protected computer network."

In other words, if Flies continues to support FGS, or even tries to use Facebook as a basic social network, he'll be hit hard by Facebook legal. Needless to say, Flies (a student) doesn't have the resources to fight back, so the plug-in and all associated websites and source codes will vanish at the end of today, January 6. A petition has already shot up to almost 5,000 signatures and 1,400 comments, begging Facebook to change its decision.

While this is definitely devastating to Flies, it's more interesting when looking at the situation from Facebook's or even the average game player's standpoint. Was this legal action really taken because Flies was doing something wrong? The plug-in itself wasn't a cheat, as it wouldn't collect items that had already reached their intended limits (set by game developers), and it never gave users direct access to any sort of Facebook "back end." That being the case, does Facebook simply want games to be "harder" to play? Zynga CEO Mark Pincus has already stated that he doesn't like when players have longer play sessions, which this plug-in would definitely allow for, so who's responsible really? Did Zynga or another Facebook developer ask Facebook to get involved, or is this really all of Facebook's doing? Either way, it leaves users scrambling to find an adequate replacement, as game releases are never-ending and users must spend that much more time manually collecting bonuses to not get left behind.

Image Credit: The Simpsons Movie



[Via Friendly Gaming Simplifier Blog]

Did you use the Friendly Gaming Simplifier, or do you actively use a plug-in that performs the same function? Are you sad to see Facebook going after these kinds of apps and ultimately making your game-playing time that much harder?

To battle! Gameloft sees DeNA, GREE with mobile social game network

Look, it's tough enough to keep up with both Facebook and Twitter, so can't we all just make one network like a happy family? French mobile (and social) game maker Gameloft revealed to Inside Mobile Apps (ISA) that it's working on a mobile social games network set to launch in 2012. And whadd'ya know, so are Japanese game companies DeNA and GREE.

"We are indeed working on the development of a mobile social gaming network," Gameloft senior VP of marketing and sales Gonzague de Vallois told ISA in an interview. "The target is to launch it first half of 2012. The goal is to keep enriching our fans' gaming experience through new innovative features."

According to de Vallois, the plan is to diversify Gameloft's offering of games as much as possible with new releases for both core and casual game players, meaning both more free-to-play and premium-priced games are in Gameloft's future. However, while de Vallois foresees harmony between the two schools of mobile gaming, he predicts challenges, too.

"In terms of business model, we think a balance will happen between premium and freemium as we see that consumers have different tastes and games have different monetization logics," he told ISA. "2012 will also be the emergence of mobile gaming social networks and there will certainly be a fierce competition on this field." The Gameloft exec is certainly right in saying that, but the question is, will there be room for yet another place for mobile gamers to socialize? Read the full interview here.

What's your mobile social game network of choice right now, if any? Do you think there's room for yet another in the mix between Mobage, OpenFeint, Game Center and possibly even Zynga's zTags?

CityVille Storage Facility: Everything you need to know

While Goods storage is one of the biggest battles you'll need to face in CityVille (that is, always having enough storage to store the Goods needed to keep your businesses constantly in operation), there's only so much land you can actually dedicate to having storage buildings to hold those Goods. And while the recently released Storage Building Upgrades are nice, allowing you to store much more in the same amount of space, that's still not a permanent solution to the problem. In comes the Storage Facility, an upcoming feature to CityVille that will soon start rolling out to users. Note: As of this writing, this Storage Facility is unreleased, so any details from here on in could be changed before it actually launches.

It looks like the construction of the Storage Facility will first require 10 energy and then 25 building materials to complete. As of right now, you'll need to collect the following:

    5 Warehouse Lights
    5 Shipping Palettes
    5 Shelves
    5 Locks
    5 Cargo Forklifts


When you complete this step, you'll be given an initial capacity of two storage buildings. From here, the feature takes on features like that of a Neighborhood, in that you'll need to ask staff members to help you unlock the next three spots. Once you've done that, you'll have a total of five storage slots on the Level 1 Storage Facility.

Also like in a Neighborhood, you can expand your Storage Facility using additional parts and additional staff members. Level 2 requires eight each of the items listed above, and gives you only one free storage slot by default. You'll need to ask four more friends to unlock up to 10 total storage slots for buildings.

Finally, Level 3 requires 12 each of Step Ladders, Shipping Docks, Storage Barrels, Work Gloves and Crowbars. You won't receive a free slot here, so you'll be left asking five friends to help you unlock the entire level's storage capacity, bringing your grand total of available storage to 15 individual buildings. If you don't have that many buildings, then of course you can purchase some more and immediately store them, but if 15 is too few a number, it looks like you can purchase more than one (and complete the same upgrade steps) until your individual needs are met.

As of this writing, an individual Storage Facility will cost 200,000 coins to purchase, and will take up a 5x5 space on your land. Still, for all of the storage it looks to allow, that's definitely a space I'm willing to sacrifice to save in the long run. Won't you?

[Via and Image Credit: CityVille Wiki]

What do you think of the upcoming Storage Facility in CityVille? Will you need to purchase more than one to store all of your Goods Storage Buildings, or will one be enough based on what you currently own?

Cafe World goes futuristic with 80% off Cafe Cash sale

During Black Friday of last year, chefs were offered some major discounts on Cafe Cash bundles in Cafe World, and now, that sort of sale has launched yet again, bringing with it discounts of up to 80% off. There are three bundles to choose from here, each of which comes with Cafe Cash, coins, spices and at least one stove, along with "futuristic decor."

Here's a complete rundown of the three packages, including what you'll receive inside:

$5 Package ($26 value)

    25 Cafe Cash
    1,000 coins
    20 Spices
    Red Lightning Stove
    Futuristic Decor


$17 Package ($84 value)

    120 Cafe Cash
    10,000 coins
    20 Spices
    50% Lightning Stove
    Futuristic Decor


$28 Package ($140 value)

    350 Cafe Cash
    10,000 coins
    20 Spices
    Three 50% Lightning Stoves
    Futuristic Decor


The Futuristic Decor package contains an "unlimited supply" of five items: futuristic chairs, tables, floor tiles, lamps and wall panels. That being the case, it's really the other contents of these packages that should be the deciding factor in which one you should purchase. Also keep in mind that you should be able to purchase more than one of a particular bundle, if you really want to stock up on Spices or Cafe Cash. Just make sure to shop fast, as this bargain will only be available for a little more than a day, as of this writing. At that point, the bundle prices will vanish, and it's unlikely we'll see them again (at least in this exact configuration).

Will you purchase any of these Cafe Cash bundles in Cafe World?

FarmVille Valentine's Day Items: Lovestruck Gnome, Heart Path and more

There are only a few days left until Valentine's Day, so if you're still looking for a gift idea for that special FarmVille player in your life, why not take a look at some of the items released in tonight's game update? If the items cost Farm Cash, you can send them to that special someone, only for them to find the item in their game the next time they login. Here's a complete look at the new items that are available.

Trees

Eastern Redbud Tree - 6 Farm Cash
Oklahoma Redbud Tree - 12 Farm Cash

Animals

Kiss Boar - 16 Farm Cash
Ameraucanas - 2 million coins
Juliet Bear - 16 Farm Cash
Chocolate Rabbit - 12 Farm Cash

Buildings

Heart Shape Home - 15 Farm Cash

Decorations

Lovestruck Gnome - 12 Farm Cash
Love Gondola - 20 Farm Cash
Heart Path - 4,000 coins

These items will be available in the game for the next two weeks, so even if you have to wait until Valentine's Day itself before you have some Farm Cash on hand to spend, these items will still be there waiting for you when you come back.

Check out the rest of our Valentine's Day coverage right here.

What do you think of these Valentine's Day items? Which ones will you purchase for your farms?

FarmVille Anti-Valentine's Day Items: Dark Willow Tree, Black Rose Arch and more

With Valentine's Day being just a few days away, if you're still missing the warm and cozy feelings often associated with the holiday, you can continue to purchase Anti-Valentine's Day items in the FarmVille marketplace. There are new trees, animals and more available for purchase this evening, and as usual, we're here with a complete look at these items for your browsing pleasure.

Trees

Dark Willow Tree - 8 Farm Cash
Giant Dark Willow Tree - 14 Farm Cash

Animals

Single Donkey - 16 Farm Cash
Black Cherry Pony - 24 Farm Cash

Decorations

Black Rose Arch (re-released item) - 10,000 coins
Black Flower - 8 Farm Cash

Unfortunately, there still aren't as many items in this Anti-Valentine's Day theme as there are in the traditional Valentine's Day theme, but what is available will remain so for the next two weeks. We've also seen some arguably Anti-Valentine's Day items release in this week's Mystery Game, so make sure to check that out as well.

Check out the rest of our Valentine's Day coverage right here.

What do you think of these Anti-Valentine's Day items? Do you like them more than the traditional Valentine's Day items, or do you think both sets of items are equally lovely?

FarmVille Mystery Game (02/12/12): Black Valentine items now available

For those farmers that enjoy the Anti-Valentine's Day theme of items in FarmVille, or even just like animals of a darker color palette, this week's Mystery Game is for you! This week's game contains dark "Black Valentine" items, including animals and decorations. The game costs 16 Farm Cash to play, if you don't happen to have any free darts on hand, and it gives you a chance at winning one of six items:

Black Cherry Dragon
Black Cherry Mini
Black Cherry Pegacorn
Black Cupid Cat
Black Duck Pond
Broken Heart Dog

Remember, if you're going for one of each of these items, and you do manage to win them all, you'll receive a seventh prize for free: the Black Owl. Keep in mind however that you will most likely earn duplicates of some items along the way, so your overall cost for "completing" this game may very well be more expensive that it outwardly appears. Still, these items aren't guaranteed to be seen again in the game, so if you want any of them, make sure to play this game before it expires in one week's time.

Check out the rest of our Valentine's Day coverage right here.

What do you think of the dark prizes in this week's Mystery Game? Did you throw any darts at the board? If so, which items did you win?

First Snooki, now The Situation fist pumps his way into video games

At least that's how we imagine dudes on Jersey Shore get things done. Mike "The Situation" Sorrentino has signed a deal with the New Jersey-based Apps Genius to create games and apps based on his personal brand. Whatever that may be. That's right, now we'll soon see Facebook games like Snooki's Match Game and iPhone games like Snookify Me.

"This is a great opportunity for my company and I to be involved in the social gaming and mobile application industry," said Sorrentino said in a release. "Not only am I very proud to introduce Jersey culture into the social gaming and mobile application industry, but also very excited that my family is a part of it too. I love the games and applications that my family and I have been working on with Apps Genius, and I know Jersey Shore viewers and my other fans will love them too."

According to GamesIndustry.biz, four games and apps will be created in the next 18 months with development on the first project to begin immediately. One of these games is kind of required to have fist pumping, no?

[Via Kotaku]

Are you excited to hear that Jersey Shore will be in your iPhone and Facebook, too? What did you think of Snooki's Match Game on Facebook?

Tim Schafer: Publishers could have a place on Kickstarter, too

"You're almost at $1.5 million, aren't you?" I ask the Kickstarter legend. "Yeah, at just like a minute. I think we're minutes away, like a telethon," Double Fine founder (and Kickstarter legend) Tim Schafer quips. The game designer behind critically-acclaimed '90s point-and-click adventures, like Maniac Mansion 2: Day of the Tentacle and Grim Fandango, has raised over $1.6 million to create a modern adventure game since our talk.

He initially asked for $400,000. Aside from breaking records for the crowdfunding web service, this news raises a few questions, like what does this mean for game makers in the Facebook and casual games world, whose budgets are similar? Where does the publisher (i.e. EA, Activision Blizzard) fit into this clearly validated option? We sat down with Schafer to find out just that and more.

The budget that you sought initially was very similar to a social game or casual game's. What do you think of this as a trend for social and casual game developers to get into the increasingly restrictive business?

We had a great, kind of unexpected success with this. The question then, along that line, is "Can you extrapolate that to other developers, publishers? Will a bunch of people be able to do this or is this just lightning strike?"

We had a lot of advantages, you know, like a public awareness about our story and what we were trying to do. We had a lot of fans of the old game that we're talking about making--that genre of games from 20 years ago--there's a lot of awareness about that. If you're just starting out, there's a question of "Could you do that?"

I don't think you could do it exactly the same way. But I think that whether you're making a pitch to a publisher, or a [financier] or even Kickstarter, the most important thing you have to have is a good story, like "Why now? Why these people? Why this game?" I think you just have to figure out your own good story, then you could have just as much success on Kickstarter as anyone else.
Tim Schafer
In the Kickstarter video, you say that a traditional, large publisher wouldn't go after an adventure game these days. We can say what genres we think should be revived these days, but I'm curious as to what you think.

Growing up, I loved adventure games, like text adventures and things like that. You know, I actually miss stylized 3D platformers, like Psychonauts and Beyond Good and Evil. All of those games were exploring a real world that's still using platforming to do it. I think that was a fun era in gaming.

But I think it's not any specific genre we're trying to bring back. It's more just a diversity of genres, because the market tends to congregate around the last great success. It feels like someone has to risk, like millions of dollars to try out something new, and no one wants to do it. You see much more on iOS and tablets. Casual games--you see people trying and inventing new genres all of the time.

Speaking of which, what role do you think the publisher will play in the future of this field?

I mean, they have a lot of resources. A publisher is a big organization with lots of money, and they could actually be experimental with small amounts of money. It would kind of get past the fact that they're all machines that were built to build other huge devices. They're geared up to make big games, and place a few very large bets every year. It would be great if they made a lot of smaller ones, too.

Their place is that they could be providers of the portals through which things are distributed, and help with the discovery of these games. Or they could just fund a million experimental prototypes and hope that one of them is a breakout hit.
Double Fine Adventure
You said that the mainstream games space tends to congregate around concepts, so what are your thoughts on the recent rampant copycat claims in Facebook and mobile games?

I think it's been a terrible trend where people in casual and social games are talking like "Hey, get over it. It's cool to copy games. It's fine, we can totally imitate other games. We all do it, it's no big deal." They're wrong. They're lying. It's totally bad and it's bad for everybody. I think it's embarrassing for them.

If a Facebook or casual game maker tried this model, would you invest in it via Kickstarter or otherwise? Do you wish big time game publishers would invest more in these types of projects?

Disney-branded Facebook games coming in 2012, Playdom head says

Can we all just say, "finally?" During a panel named "The Rise of Social Games" at the f8 Facebook Developers Conference in San Francisco, Disney Interactive and Playdom head John Pleasants revealed that two to four Facebook games surrounding Disney brands will hit Facebook in 2012. The general topic of the panel was the fact that branded social games are taking off.

Pleasants was joined on the panel by Kabam CEO Kevin Chou, EA Interactive head Barry Cottle and Zynga CBO Owen Van Natta. Facebook director of games partnerships Sean Ryan moderated the panel with the preface that branded games will take over the Facebook platform. And he might be right: EA just released The Sims Social, Zynga will soon re-brand its new Adventure World with Indiana Jones and Kabam recently announced The Godfather: Five Families.

Playdom, which Disney acquired in July 2010 for a whopping $740 million, is ahead of the pack with two branded games on Facebook: ESPNU College Town and ESPN Sports Bar & Grill. Both games performed well, thanks to advertising through the ESPN TV network. While Disney owns the ESPN brand, notice how neither of those actually involve the insanely popular Disney characters we've come to love.

Honestly, we're surprised this didn't happen sooner. Consider this: Disney has its own cable TV channel through which it could, in theory, advertise whatever it wants. Pleasants didn't get into why it's taken this long for Disney to throw its cast of characters into Facebook games, but did reveal the power of the Disney name.

Gnome Town, which Playdom launched in the summer--and we enjoyed quite a bit--peaked at 530,000 daily players. But just plopping the Disney logo on top of the existing one made users more likely to spend in the game just through trust of the company's name, according to Pleasants. "We think it's an advantage, if you put game play first," Pleasants said.

It's comforting to hear this emphasized by these developers. (Kabam's Chou shared the same sentiment.) Branded games on Facebook are OK in my book, but the last thing anyone wants to see is the genre become a branding machine.

[Source and Image Credit: VentureBeat]

Are you on board with the growing trend of branded games on Facebook? Do you think developers will maintain integrity as the focus on branded content in their games intensifies?

FarmVille farmers might endorse presidential candidates in-game

Soon, you might be able to show your red (or blue) colors on your digital lawn. The San Francisco Chronicle reports that social media consulting firm Campaign Solutions is working to bring political campaigns into Facebook games, namely Zynga's FarmVille. Michael Hendrix, a consultant for the firm working on Rep. Michele Bachmann's, R-Minn., presidential ad campaign, is at the helm.

"We'll throw out four or five different messages targeting different demographics," Hendrix told the San Francisco Chronicle. "You're trying to figure out which message will drive a higher response." After working with advertising tools created by Facebook to directly target Bachmann's (a Tea Party supporter) demographic, his next message is said to hit FarmVille later this year.

The consultant has "written software" that will allow players to campaign for their candidate of choice by visiting their friends' farms spreading the message. FarmVille players will also be able to place yard signs on their farms, showing support for their favorite candidate. "The majority of social gamers are stay-at-home moms over 38," said Hendrix to the San Francisco Chronicle.

The consultant hopes to use FarmVille "to target soccer moms again." According to the report, Hendrix is looking squarely at Republican supporters in his campaign. However, nothing is said of whether Campaign Solutions's efforts will include support for Democratic candidates.

We'd imagine that, if this campaign were to actually happen in FarmVille, it would have to appeal to both sides of the political spectrum. Otherwise, players might get the impression that Zynga itself is expressing its support one way or the other. Zynga has yet to mention any collaboration with this firm, so we've contacted the company for comment.

[Image Credit: Kevin Bondelli]

Would you campaign for your favorite presidential candidate in FarmVille? How do you feel about Zynga potentially allowing players to express their political opinions in-game?

Zynga looks to give CityVille a boost, launches on Google+ Games

CityVille might have just scored a much-needed shot in the arm, as Zynga's most popular Facebook game has launched on Google+. Zynga announced the move today, and the game is already playable on the platform. Unfortunately, folks who decide to take the plunge into CityVille on Google+ Games will have to start all over again.

But considering its top game has been in decline in both monthly and daily players for some time, it's clear that Zynga is looking for new users with this move. Before today, CityVille was exclusive to Facebook for Western audiences, though the developer will soon expand the game to Asian audiences on the Tencent social network.

It was previously understood that Zynga had an agreement with Facebook that prevented the company from launching its games on directly-competing platforms. It looks like there is some fine print in that exclusivity deal that allows Zynga to do just that. This is especially evident considering Zynga has already released Zynga Poker to Google+ Games. With the largest Facebook game now on Google+ Games, Facebook's competitor just received reinforcements in its battle for social gaming dominance. (Now, Google+ has a whopping 18 social games!)

However, this move also speaks to Zynga's growing understanding that it needs to expand to grow its thriving business. With games like EA's The Sims Social gaining fast on the red dog's top spot with now over 60 million monthly players, competition is growing for the developer on Facebook.

Zynga is also hopeful that diversification will help the company grow and increase revenues ahead of its planned $1 billion IPO (initial public offering), the prospects of which have become shaky lately. Hopefully for Google, the presence of a huge name like CityVille will instill confidence in developers to bring new game ideas to Google+.

[Via VentureBeat]

Do you plan to try out CityVille on Google+ Games? Do you think CityVille has seen its best days, or will this expansion help the game find its second wind?

Is EA's PopCap working on casino-style Facebook games? [Rumor]

PopCap Casino?
Update: PopCap declined to comment on the rumors.

Is PopCap looking to go toe to toe with Zynga and DoubleDown Interactive's casino Facebook games? According to GeekWire, a bunch of rather specific domain purchases by the recently-acquired company certainly suggest that's the case. Well, that and a recent trademark application ... and a Facebook page created with that very same trademark. Alright, PopCap has been terrible at keeping this whole thing a secret.

Lucky Gem CasinoThe game in question might be titled "Lucky Gem Casino," as Fusible points out that the Bejeweled creator recently changed a Facebook page it owns to reflect the new title. The Info tab on the page reads, "Thanks for visiting! PopCap Casino is the future home of some amazing, casino-style social games from PopCap, the worldwide leader in casual gaming."

With wording like that, it sounds as if Lucky Gem Casino will be a suite of casino games from the developer, much like DoubleDown Casino. And if you take a peak at the page's Wall, a message can be found there, presumably from the company, that reads, "Keep an eye out to experience casino-style gaming from PopCap Games!" A week later, a poll was posted asking fans about their favorite type of casino games--unsurprisingly, the "Slot Machines" category won by a landslide.

GeekWire points out that this might be because PopCap is now owned by EA, which likely has a vested interested in directly competing with Facebook game champ Zynga at every turn. However, it's also important to keep in mind that a majority of PopCap's games (not including Plants vs Zombies) are visibly influenced by a casino approach to gameplay albeit with a far heavier focus on skill rather than luck.

[Via Financial Times]

[Image Credit: Destructoid]

What do you think PopCap might be up to with this trademark, Facebook page and domain registries? Would you play a stable of casino games from the creator of Bejeweled and Zuma Blitz?

Microsoft Research releases Facebook game for 'research'

Sure you are, guys--we're onto you. The Research division at Microsoft has released its first Facebook games, Project Waterloo, in order to find out how people interact and negotiate with one another across social networks. The game is a turn-based combat simulator in which players allocate 100 generic troops across five locations. In a way, Project Waterloo works a lot like Zynga's Words With Friends.

Of course, we're referring to the one-on-one, turn-based gameplay, not the words. Players challenge friends with allocations of 100 troops either using a slider or directly entering a number in each location on the battlefield. Said friends can then respond with their own strategic positioning using 100 troops, and if they don't currently play the game, they will be invited prior to responding.

So, it might help to think of Project Waterloo as a cross between games like Words With Friends and the classic board game Battleship. Players can also start games with random players, regardless of whether they're Facebook friends. Project Waterloo, according to a post on the Microsoft Research website, is the start of the "Facebook Game Theory Lab." This will serve as a platform through which Microsoft Research explores concepts of strategic human interaction within "resource allocation and negotiation games." The team of four researchers wrote:

    The goal of the project is to test the behaviour of real people in game theoretic interactions, and especially those that take place in social networks. Some example questions are: how do people negotiate with one another? How does such negotiation take place in social networks? How can we aggregate opinions of individuals to arrive at high quality decisions? In what ways do people reciprocate other people's actions?

Project Waterloo in action
While it doesn't appear that Project Waterloo will be a source of revenue for Microsoft Research's parent company, the team does use words like "viral marketing" to explain how it will reach new players. Ultimately, we don't see a game like this taking off commercially, but it is another step in that direction, as Microsoft has already expressed interest in entering the space. Just recently, the company began to offer support to developers through its Windows Azure service. Perhaps Project Waterloo and the Facebook Game Theory Lab represent Microsoft further testing the waters.

Click here to play Project Waterloo on Facebook Now >

[Via ZDNet]

What do you think of Microsoft's very scientific foray into Facebook games? Do you think the company would ever dive into the industry like Google or Facebook has?