Games like Zynga's Adventure World and Vostu's GolMania sure look nice in full screen, but how about in a really full screen? That's what London, England-based PlayJam looks to make possible. The company just announced an agreement with Adobe, the creator of Flash (the most common technology behind social games), to bring Flash-based social games to Internet-connected HDTVs.
PlayJam, which works with social game developers to bring social games to HDTVs from Samsung, LG, Panasonic and Sony, will bring both 2D and 3D-based Flash games to said flat screens. "Features such as billing, leader-boards, tournaments and integration with third party social networks and TV programming can be seamlessly integrated via PlayJam's SDK," PlayJam said in a release.
The developer tools are said to release in the second quarter of 2012, so between Jan. 1 and March 31, 2012. PlayJam currently has deals with developers like Relentless--the studio behind console quiz game series Buzz--but these tools will be up for grabs from any developer. And the fact that the company just scored another $5 million funding from investors like GameStop Digital Ventures and Adobe Ventures should nudge social game makers along.
With social game makers including Zynga looking to branch off of Facebook and onto new platforms, it's easy to see a day when we could manage our metropolises in CityVille on the old 55-inch plasma. And when you consider the imminent advent of 3D graphics through Flash, thanks to Unreal, (in theory) PlayJam offers an intriguing prospect. Well, at least the potential end of click-and-drag navigation.
Showing posts with label social games. Show all posts
Showing posts with label social games. Show all posts
Tuesday, January 10, 2012
Free Team Fortress 2 turns 20 to 30 percent of players into payers
Show me the mon--wait, scratch that. Valve has already seen it, and co-founder Gabe Newell is interested. During a conference in Seattle, the overseer of hit hardcore game franchises like Portal said that Team Fortress 2--its popular multilplayer shooter that recently went free-to-play--has seen incredible results in how many paying customers it has created.
"And then the conversion rate, when we talk to partners who do free-to-play, a lot of people see about a 2 to 3 percent conversion rate of the people in their audience who actually buy something, and then with Team Fortress 2, which looks more like Arkham Asylum in terms of the user profile and the content, we see about a 20 to 30 percent conversion rate of people who are playing those games who buy something," Newell revealed, according to Geekwire.
Newell alluded to the average number of social gamers that pay for in-game items and boosts. Calling it a fairly recent statistic, the Valve CEO said that's far larger than games like, say, FarmVille experience. "We don't understand what's going on," Newell said. "All we know is we're going to keep running these experiments to try and understand better what it is that our customers are telling us."
So, expect more of Valve's game franchises to go free-to-play for its 35 million plus Steam (its popular games distribution service) users. But consider the ripple effect Newell's words might have on other traditional game companies. Other than Valve's games, more hardcore games will undoubtedly go free-to-play. And they'll all have those blasted social games to thank.
"And then the conversion rate, when we talk to partners who do free-to-play, a lot of people see about a 2 to 3 percent conversion rate of the people in their audience who actually buy something, and then with Team Fortress 2, which looks more like Arkham Asylum in terms of the user profile and the content, we see about a 20 to 30 percent conversion rate of people who are playing those games who buy something," Newell revealed, according to Geekwire.
Newell alluded to the average number of social gamers that pay for in-game items and boosts. Calling it a fairly recent statistic, the Valve CEO said that's far larger than games like, say, FarmVille experience. "We don't understand what's going on," Newell said. "All we know is we're going to keep running these experiments to try and understand better what it is that our customers are telling us."
So, expect more of Valve's game franchises to go free-to-play for its 35 million plus Steam (its popular games distribution service) users. But consider the ripple effect Newell's words might have on other traditional game companies. Other than Valve's games, more hardcore games will undoubtedly go free-to-play. And they'll all have those blasted social games to thank.
Planet Cazmo: Monster Battles enters MocoSpace's orbit on HTML5
Planet Cazmo: Monster Battles
HTML5 gaming is about to (hopefully) nail yet another landing. Boston, Mass.-based social game platform MocoSpace announced that developer Planet Cazmo will release its first HTML5-based social game, Monster Battles, this December. The game will debut to the 22 million gamers on the MocoSpace games platform with a bevy of unique creatures to enter the ring.
In Planet Cazmo: Monster Battles, players will capture, collect, trade and, most importantly, pit different creatures against one another in brutal (but probably adorable) combat with flashy powers. "We are thrilled to be working with MocoSpace and creating a new HTML5 mobile game title especially for their users," Planet Cazmo CEO Michael Levine said in a release."We believe that HTML5 is a great way to reach large numbers of gamers."
Of course, Planet Cazmo is far from alone. Zynga just made a big bet on HTML5-based social games with mobile web versions of FarmVille, Words With Friends and Zynga Poker. CrowdStar CEO Peter Relan made clear his goal of launching the first game to reach 1 billion players through the mobile web, and Wooga released an HTML5 version of its new Magic Land.
Mobile gaming is undoubtedly huge, but HTML5 games in mobile browsers have yet to reach the caliber of native mobile games. MocoSpace's confidence in Planet Cazmo's ability to put out a graphically-rich HTML5 is promising. But really, we just want to see the flashy powers in action.
HTML5 gaming is about to (hopefully) nail yet another landing. Boston, Mass.-based social game platform MocoSpace announced that developer Planet Cazmo will release its first HTML5-based social game, Monster Battles, this December. The game will debut to the 22 million gamers on the MocoSpace games platform with a bevy of unique creatures to enter the ring.
In Planet Cazmo: Monster Battles, players will capture, collect, trade and, most importantly, pit different creatures against one another in brutal (but probably adorable) combat with flashy powers. "We are thrilled to be working with MocoSpace and creating a new HTML5 mobile game title especially for their users," Planet Cazmo CEO Michael Levine said in a release."We believe that HTML5 is a great way to reach large numbers of gamers."
Of course, Planet Cazmo is far from alone. Zynga just made a big bet on HTML5-based social games with mobile web versions of FarmVille, Words With Friends and Zynga Poker. CrowdStar CEO Peter Relan made clear his goal of launching the first game to reach 1 billion players through the mobile web, and Wooga released an HTML5 version of its new Magic Land.
Mobile gaming is undoubtedly huge, but HTML5 games in mobile browsers have yet to reach the caliber of native mobile games. MocoSpace's confidence in Planet Cazmo's ability to put out a graphically-rich HTML5 is promising. But really, we just want to see the flashy powers in action.
Friday, January 6, 2012
Facebook games will access your address and number (again)
That wasn't long, was it? Facebook games will once again have access to more of your personal information, Mashable reports. Just over a month ago, Facebook retracted its change to third-party applications (i.e. games) that would allow them to access your home address and mobile number due to feedback. Then, members of Congress brought the change into question, leading to a lengthy exchange between Facebook and US representatives Edward Markey (D-Massachusetts) and Joe Barton (R-Texas).
Facebook responded to the questioning with, "We have not yet decided when or in what manner we will re-deploy the permission for mobile numbers and addresses," Facebook Vice President of Global Public Policy Marne Levine said. "As noted above, we are evaluating whether and how we can increase the visibility of applications' requests for permission to access user contact information. We are also considering whether additional user education would be helpful."
New Permissions window
In other words, Facebook has every intention of bringing the change back. However, how clear the website will make it within that initial "Request for Permission" window is up in the air. According to Mashable, the above image wasn't enough for the disgruntled users. Later in its response to the representatives, Facebook noted adding another pop-up notifying users of this increased access could reduce click-through rates by as much as 3 percent, Mashable reports. Well, duh.
Mass. representative Markey reports that he will continue to watch Facebook, all the while the website recently released a new draft of its privacy policy that's far more legible than before. Yet this doesn't change the fact that games are about to get a lot more personal with your data.
[Image Credits: Masalai and Mashable]
What do you think of this change coming back to Facebook games? Will this cause you to stop playing them or play them differently?
Facebook responded to the questioning with, "We have not yet decided when or in what manner we will re-deploy the permission for mobile numbers and addresses," Facebook Vice President of Global Public Policy Marne Levine said. "As noted above, we are evaluating whether and how we can increase the visibility of applications' requests for permission to access user contact information. We are also considering whether additional user education would be helpful."
New Permissions window
In other words, Facebook has every intention of bringing the change back. However, how clear the website will make it within that initial "Request for Permission" window is up in the air. According to Mashable, the above image wasn't enough for the disgruntled users. Later in its response to the representatives, Facebook noted adding another pop-up notifying users of this increased access could reduce click-through rates by as much as 3 percent, Mashable reports. Well, duh.
Mass. representative Markey reports that he will continue to watch Facebook, all the while the website recently released a new draft of its privacy policy that's far more legible than before. Yet this doesn't change the fact that games are about to get a lot more personal with your data.
[Image Credits: Masalai and Mashable]
What do you think of this change coming back to Facebook games? Will this cause you to stop playing them or play them differently?
Tuesday, December 27, 2011
Perfect World Entertainment's first Facebook game finds a Perfect Getaway
Perfect Getaway
You probably would have never imagined that the perfect getaway would be right inside your browser. But here it is ... literally. Foster City, Calif.-based Perfect World Entertainment (PWE) has released its first ever Facebook game, Perfect Getaway, Social Times reports. Known for publishing massively multiplayer games (MMOs) like Perfect World International and roleplaying games like Torchlight, PWE is treading deep, uncharted waters with Perfect Getaway. In the game, players take control of a major cruise ship, customizing it and their staff while taking patrons on relaxing cruises. As the head of your own cruise ship, you'll visit exotic, tropical locations such as the Caribbean, Cuba and Jamaica while collecting souvenirs and other sea-bound activities.
"We're excited to get into Facebook games and we feel that the market is still growing and we feel like we want to hit the mainstream Facebook gaming market with high quality products," Jason Park, GM of Perfect World, told Social Times. PWE also hinted that, since PWE is traditionally a hardcore MMO developer, that more hardcore features are going to find their way into Perfect Getaway. According to Social Times, there a bunch more features to look forward to in Perfect Getaway:
In summary Perfect Getaway includes:
Personalize your Captain! - Become the Captain of your very own cruise ship. Choose from a wide variety of outfits and hairstyles to make your Captain truly yours.
Hire your Friends to be part of your Crew - Invite your friends to join and work on your cruise ship! Earn money by managing your service stations.
Keep your Passengers Happy to Succeed - New passengers will board your cruise ship at every port. Keep them happy to get a perfect cruise rating.
Decorate your Cruise Ship - Customize your cruise ship by changing hull styles and adding decorations to your boat.
Set Sail to Real Landmarks and Destinations - Travel to real locations to collect special souvenirs at each dock. Collect all of the souvenirs to unlock a special item.
Click here to play Perfect Getaway on Facebook Now >
Have you tried this new Facebook game? What do you think of yet another traditional game developer getting into Facebook? What else would you like to see from this studio on Facebook?
You probably would have never imagined that the perfect getaway would be right inside your browser. But here it is ... literally. Foster City, Calif.-based Perfect World Entertainment (PWE) has released its first ever Facebook game, Perfect Getaway, Social Times reports. Known for publishing massively multiplayer games (MMOs) like Perfect World International and roleplaying games like Torchlight, PWE is treading deep, uncharted waters with Perfect Getaway. In the game, players take control of a major cruise ship, customizing it and their staff while taking patrons on relaxing cruises. As the head of your own cruise ship, you'll visit exotic, tropical locations such as the Caribbean, Cuba and Jamaica while collecting souvenirs and other sea-bound activities.
"We're excited to get into Facebook games and we feel that the market is still growing and we feel like we want to hit the mainstream Facebook gaming market with high quality products," Jason Park, GM of Perfect World, told Social Times. PWE also hinted that, since PWE is traditionally a hardcore MMO developer, that more hardcore features are going to find their way into Perfect Getaway. According to Social Times, there a bunch more features to look forward to in Perfect Getaway:
In summary Perfect Getaway includes:
Personalize your Captain! - Become the Captain of your very own cruise ship. Choose from a wide variety of outfits and hairstyles to make your Captain truly yours.
Hire your Friends to be part of your Crew - Invite your friends to join and work on your cruise ship! Earn money by managing your service stations.
Keep your Passengers Happy to Succeed - New passengers will board your cruise ship at every port. Keep them happy to get a perfect cruise rating.
Decorate your Cruise Ship - Customize your cruise ship by changing hull styles and adding decorations to your boat.
Set Sail to Real Landmarks and Destinations - Travel to real locations to collect special souvenirs at each dock. Collect all of the souvenirs to unlock a special item.
Click here to play Perfect Getaway on Facebook Now >
Have you tried this new Facebook game? What do you think of yet another traditional game developer getting into Facebook? What else would you like to see from this studio on Facebook?
Casual Collective is now Kixeye, CEO says most Facebook games 'suck'
We're not sure what the word means exactly, but Backyard Monsters and Desktop Tower Defense creator Casual Collective has re-branded itself as Kixeye (pronounced "kicks eye").
"[Kixeye] sounds cool, but we also wanted to change our name because we don't make casual games anymore," says CEO Will Harbin. "We're focused on making games with traditional game mechanics and gameplay."
To that point: The company recently released a new Facebook game -- Battle Pirates -- which borrows heavily from more traditional real-time strategy games and is clearly designed to appeal to fans of this more "hardcore" video game genre.
kixeye interview
With Battle Pirates, Harbin says he hopes to unlock that niche market of StarCraft-loving suits. Set far in the future in 2067, the game allows players to control fleets of naval nightmares as they violently batter each other with a list of futuristic weaponry. In addition to a story for players to follow, all the action happens in real time against other players.
"We're trying to expand the social gaming audience,' he says, "so our theory is that of the 700 million plus Facebook accounts, there are tons of people with Xboxes and PlayStations at home, and they don't see Facebook as a viable gaming platform because, frankly, to them, the games suck."
And, Harbin agrees, that a vast majority of Facebook games, do indeed, "suck."
"A year ago, 100% of the Facebook games suck, and now about 99% of them suck," he says.
So that begs the question -- how do we know that Kixeye's game fall into that same sucky category? Players, so far, seem to be voting with their wallets. Harbin tells Venture Beat that, in Backyard Monsters, 6 percent of players paid up, while 9 percent of players are paying in Battle Pirates already.
We'll have a full review of the game soon, but stats like that show that social gaming is just starting to reach its full potential with the 'hardcore' gaming set.
"[Kixeye] sounds cool, but we also wanted to change our name because we don't make casual games anymore," says CEO Will Harbin. "We're focused on making games with traditional game mechanics and gameplay."
To that point: The company recently released a new Facebook game -- Battle Pirates -- which borrows heavily from more traditional real-time strategy games and is clearly designed to appeal to fans of this more "hardcore" video game genre.
kixeye interview
With Battle Pirates, Harbin says he hopes to unlock that niche market of StarCraft-loving suits. Set far in the future in 2067, the game allows players to control fleets of naval nightmares as they violently batter each other with a list of futuristic weaponry. In addition to a story for players to follow, all the action happens in real time against other players.
"We're trying to expand the social gaming audience,' he says, "so our theory is that of the 700 million plus Facebook accounts, there are tons of people with Xboxes and PlayStations at home, and they don't see Facebook as a viable gaming platform because, frankly, to them, the games suck."
And, Harbin agrees, that a vast majority of Facebook games, do indeed, "suck."
"A year ago, 100% of the Facebook games suck, and now about 99% of them suck," he says.
So that begs the question -- how do we know that Kixeye's game fall into that same sucky category? Players, so far, seem to be voting with their wallets. Harbin tells Venture Beat that, in Backyard Monsters, 6 percent of players paid up, while 9 percent of players are paying in Battle Pirates already.
We'll have a full review of the game soon, but stats like that show that social gaming is just starting to reach its full potential with the 'hardcore' gaming set.
Wednesday, December 21, 2011
NASA to create space-themed social game combining in-depth education with fun
A few years ago, NASA held a research challenge looking for a developer and game proposal for an educational, space-themed video game that could not only be extremely educational, but also fun and commercially viable. Now, four years later, we've started to see the fruits of that challenge, as Canadian developer Project Whitecard has created a Kickstarter video preview, asking the public at large for donations to boost the project along (for the record, its goal has already been met).
The game is called Astronaut: Moon, Mars & Beyond, and it will play like an MMO set in the year 2035. Space flight for the average citizen is now not only available, but actually encouraged, as players will make their way through our solar system (and potentially beyond), landing on Mars and exploring other celestial bodies with both friends and strangers alike. In the game's story, a threat to "civilization as we know it" has emerged, and you'll need to build a base somewhere in outer space (yes, Mars is an option) and eventually outfit a team of other players or potentially NPCs (non-player characters) with high-tech gear to fight back.
Astronauts is described by the developers as being Harry Potter in space, as players are centered around the Arthur C. Clarke Astronaut Academy Station, which is the game's version of "Hogwarts." We'll be assigned missions in this fictional version of outer space, and can then go about our business in either player vs. environment or team vs. team modes. True scientific challenges will appear in the game, as we'll need to worry about radiation, extreme heat or cold and other elements that true-to-life astronauts and NASA as a whole must deal with everyday.
If everything goes well for Project Whitecard, we can expect to see the full launch of Astronaut: Moon, Mars & Beyond on PC, Mac and iOS in December of 2012. Sure, that's a long time to wait, but hey - space is a pretty big place to recreate.
[Via Mashable]
Are you interested in trying out Astronaut: Moon, Mars & Beyond when it launches? Will you donate any money to the cause of helping the game reach final production? What do you think of educational video games - do they have a place, or are they out of touch with what gamers want?
The game is called Astronaut: Moon, Mars & Beyond, and it will play like an MMO set in the year 2035. Space flight for the average citizen is now not only available, but actually encouraged, as players will make their way through our solar system (and potentially beyond), landing on Mars and exploring other celestial bodies with both friends and strangers alike. In the game's story, a threat to "civilization as we know it" has emerged, and you'll need to build a base somewhere in outer space (yes, Mars is an option) and eventually outfit a team of other players or potentially NPCs (non-player characters) with high-tech gear to fight back.
Astronauts is described by the developers as being Harry Potter in space, as players are centered around the Arthur C. Clarke Astronaut Academy Station, which is the game's version of "Hogwarts." We'll be assigned missions in this fictional version of outer space, and can then go about our business in either player vs. environment or team vs. team modes. True scientific challenges will appear in the game, as we'll need to worry about radiation, extreme heat or cold and other elements that true-to-life astronauts and NASA as a whole must deal with everyday.
If everything goes well for Project Whitecard, we can expect to see the full launch of Astronaut: Moon, Mars & Beyond on PC, Mac and iOS in December of 2012. Sure, that's a long time to wait, but hey - space is a pretty big place to recreate.
[Via Mashable]
Are you interested in trying out Astronaut: Moon, Mars & Beyond when it launches? Will you donate any money to the cause of helping the game reach final production? What do you think of educational video games - do they have a place, or are they out of touch with what gamers want?
Saturday, December 10, 2011
Facebook Game Tips: How to make News Feeds more visible to friends
There are several reasons why Facebook games are so damn popular. For one, they have little to no barrier to entry. Well, aside from just one little hang-up. You're only as successful in CityVille, The Sims Social or what have you as the amount of friends you have. (Or how rich you are, but we're going to pretend Facebook Credits don't exist for a few minutes, kay?)
But what if you have all the Facebook friends you could ever ask for, and still no one lends you a hand when you ask for more bricks, permits or Energy? Is every last one of your Facebook friends a jerk? It's a possibility, but highly unlikely.
What is more than likely the case is that your News Feed posts aren't as visible to your friends as they could be. So here are three ways to improve the visibility of your Facebook game News Feed posts:
Edit News Feed Settings
Come Out From Hiding
On the Facebook home page, hover over the words "News Feed" on the left sidebar and click on the pencil icon. Once you click that, a list of names and apps will likely appear. To remove the app in question from hiding, press the gray "X" next to it. Once you're done making changes, be sure to click "Save". If the game in question isn't on this list, that's a good thing.
Control Default Privacy
Open the Floodgates
First, you should check your general app settings allow friends to see posts made from the Facebook games you play. In the upper right corner of the Facebook home page, click the little downward-facing arrow and click "Privacy Settings." Make sure that your default setting is set to either "Friends", or you can make a custom list of people can see your posts made from games.
How You Connect
Next, look for the words "How You Connect," and click on the words "Edit Settings" to the right of them. Once a pop-up appears, make sure that next to words "Who can see Wall posts by others on your profile?" that it is set to "Friends" or whatever custom list you'd like to make. You can also change these settings for individual games.
Check the Plumbing (Or Hit the Restart Button)
After clicking "Done", you'll be back in control of the main Privacy Settings page. So, click on "Edit Settings" next to the words "Apps and Websites." Then, click the "Edit Settings" button next to the words "Apps you use." Look for the game you're having trouble with, and click on the word "Edit" to the right of it. Where it reads "App activity privacy," make sure that it's set to "Friends".
The Sims Social Settings
Also make sure that the app is allowed to either "Post to Facebook as me" or "Publish games and app activity." If not, you can attempt to reinstall the game by removing it and revisiting the game's Facebook fan page to reinstall it. (Warning: We cannot guarantee that your game progress will be maintained, so attempt this method at your own risk!) We'd recommend contacting customer support for the game in question if you're wary of losing your game information.
If these three methods don't result in more help from your friends (or there was nothing to change), we're sorry, but your Facebook friends are a bunch of jerks.
[Via Mafia Wars Maniac]
Are you having trouble getting help from your Facebook friends through general News Feed posts? If you have some tips of your own
But what if you have all the Facebook friends you could ever ask for, and still no one lends you a hand when you ask for more bricks, permits or Energy? Is every last one of your Facebook friends a jerk? It's a possibility, but highly unlikely.
What is more than likely the case is that your News Feed posts aren't as visible to your friends as they could be. So here are three ways to improve the visibility of your Facebook game News Feed posts:
Edit News Feed Settings
Come Out From Hiding
On the Facebook home page, hover over the words "News Feed" on the left sidebar and click on the pencil icon. Once you click that, a list of names and apps will likely appear. To remove the app in question from hiding, press the gray "X" next to it. Once you're done making changes, be sure to click "Save". If the game in question isn't on this list, that's a good thing.
Control Default Privacy
Open the Floodgates
First, you should check your general app settings allow friends to see posts made from the Facebook games you play. In the upper right corner of the Facebook home page, click the little downward-facing arrow and click "Privacy Settings." Make sure that your default setting is set to either "Friends", or you can make a custom list of people can see your posts made from games.
How You Connect
Next, look for the words "How You Connect," and click on the words "Edit Settings" to the right of them. Once a pop-up appears, make sure that next to words "Who can see Wall posts by others on your profile?" that it is set to "Friends" or whatever custom list you'd like to make. You can also change these settings for individual games.
Check the Plumbing (Or Hit the Restart Button)
After clicking "Done", you'll be back in control of the main Privacy Settings page. So, click on "Edit Settings" next to the words "Apps and Websites." Then, click the "Edit Settings" button next to the words "Apps you use." Look for the game you're having trouble with, and click on the word "Edit" to the right of it. Where it reads "App activity privacy," make sure that it's set to "Friends".
The Sims Social Settings
Also make sure that the app is allowed to either "Post to Facebook as me" or "Publish games and app activity." If not, you can attempt to reinstall the game by removing it and revisiting the game's Facebook fan page to reinstall it. (Warning: We cannot guarantee that your game progress will be maintained, so attempt this method at your own risk!) We'd recommend contacting customer support for the game in question if you're wary of losing your game information.
If these three methods don't result in more help from your friends (or there was nothing to change), we're sorry, but your Facebook friends are a bunch of jerks.
[Via Mafia Wars Maniac]
Are you having trouble getting help from your Facebook friends through general News Feed posts? If you have some tips of your own
Friday, September 30, 2011
Half of all U.S. social gamers own a game console, RockYou study says
As if we already didn't know: Some social gamers are more "hardcore" than we thought. But the next study released that attempts to drive this point home is courtesy of Zoo World creator RockYou and conducted by Interpret, a media research firm. Titled the "Social Gamer Thought Leadership Research Study," it finds that 50 percent of U.S. social gamers own a traditional gaming console.
The study, which polled over 2,00 social game fans living in the U.S. aged 18 and older with a 60-40 women to men split, also found that social gamers are more "sophisticated." To back up the claim, the study reports a quarter of social gamers prefer games with quests, and that 22 percent admit that score-sharing drives their urge to play more. Oh, and these players also spend quite a bit of time with the games.
Of the over 2,000 people polled, RockYou and Interpret found that the average social gamer spends an average of 9.5 hours playing out of the 13 average hours they spend on networks like Facebook. The average social game player, according to the study, has just over 16 real-life frieds playing these games with them and has made 20 new friends through social games. Of course, the study doesn't get into how deep said friendships are, but how could you?
The study also reports that 42 percent of social gamers would play a social game more, if offered real world rewards like coupons or gift cards. (But isn't the idea to get them to pay up?) It was just recently that Raptr discovered that a number of Zynga fans may be Halo and Grand Theft Auto fans, too. And before that, Kabam found in its own study that the hardcore crowd on Facebook is growing.
What should you take away from this influx of studies and reports? Regardless of whether you still dig tending to virtual crops or running a shanty town, many developers--even the "casual" ones--seem all but done with your farms and cities of yore.
What do you think of the numerous reports on the growing hardcore crowd in social games? How do you think this will change the industry in the long run? Sound off in the comments. Add Comment
The study, which polled over 2,00 social game fans living in the U.S. aged 18 and older with a 60-40 women to men split, also found that social gamers are more "sophisticated." To back up the claim, the study reports a quarter of social gamers prefer games with quests, and that 22 percent admit that score-sharing drives their urge to play more. Oh, and these players also spend quite a bit of time with the games.
Of the over 2,000 people polled, RockYou and Interpret found that the average social gamer spends an average of 9.5 hours playing out of the 13 average hours they spend on networks like Facebook. The average social game player, according to the study, has just over 16 real-life frieds playing these games with them and has made 20 new friends through social games. Of course, the study doesn't get into how deep said friendships are, but how could you?
The study also reports that 42 percent of social gamers would play a social game more, if offered real world rewards like coupons or gift cards. (But isn't the idea to get them to pay up?) It was just recently that Raptr discovered that a number of Zynga fans may be Halo and Grand Theft Auto fans, too. And before that, Kabam found in its own study that the hardcore crowd on Facebook is growing.
What should you take away from this influx of studies and reports? Regardless of whether you still dig tending to virtual crops or running a shanty town, many developers--even the "casual" ones--seem all but done with your farms and cities of yore.
What do you think of the numerous reports on the growing hardcore crowd in social games? How do you think this will change the industry in the long run? Sound off in the comments. Add Comment
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
Clarins looks to beautify Facebook with Spa Life, its first social game
Is it only a matter time now before mom pants get their own Facebook game? Clarins, a well-known French brand of beauty products, recently released its own Facebook game, Spa Life. The game doesn't stray far away from games like Cafe World or Restaurant City, but applies the same principles to managing a spa rather than an eatery. Developed by Freshplanet, Spa Life has players managing an influx of customers looking for everything from a "mani-pedi" to facials and more.
Of course, just like its inspirations, players can decorate, upgrade and add new services to their spa. But players can only do this if they serve their terribly impatient customers in time to make the most cash from them. And in true Facebook game fashion, players can always buy their way out of waiting for the next upgrade with Facebook Credits.
According to Mashable, Clarins's North American CEO Jonathan Zrihen saw Facebook as a golden opportunity to reach its audience. And considering we all know by now that the average Facebook gamer is a middle-aged mother, he's probably right on the money. "I knew about the craziness of Zynga games, but I didn't realize the demographic was so much in line with the demographics of our products," Zrihen told Mashable. "I was also impressed by the level of engagement these games create."
Yes, this is yet another branded game, though it's odd that players aren't inundated with the brand until much later in the game. Another interesting nod is that Spa Life attempts to use your friends' names as customers to add more social awareness to the game. Building off of that, you'll need plenty more friends to run your various services, just like you need them to staff buildings in CityVille.
Spa Life in action
Branded games are exploding on Facebook. In fact, studios like Ecko|Code are focusing all of their efforts on creating games for brands such as Showtime shows like Weeds and Dexter. Facebook game developers like Zynga and Playdom have integrated brands into their games for awhile through promotions, it's only recently that they've begun to build games around a single brand.
For instance, it looks as if Adventure World will become Zynga's first game to completely embrace a brand. In October, the game will become "Adventure World: An Indiana Jones Game" with the help of Lucasfilm. Sure, original games will continue to release, but I wouldn't be surprised if we see less of them moving forward.
Click here to Play Spa Life on Facebook Now >
Are you a Clarins fan--enough to check out this Facebook game? What do you think of branded games on Facebook and the fact that they're growing? Sound off in the comments. Add Comment
Of course, just like its inspirations, players can decorate, upgrade and add new services to their spa. But players can only do this if they serve their terribly impatient customers in time to make the most cash from them. And in true Facebook game fashion, players can always buy their way out of waiting for the next upgrade with Facebook Credits.
According to Mashable, Clarins's North American CEO Jonathan Zrihen saw Facebook as a golden opportunity to reach its audience. And considering we all know by now that the average Facebook gamer is a middle-aged mother, he's probably right on the money. "I knew about the craziness of Zynga games, but I didn't realize the demographic was so much in line with the demographics of our products," Zrihen told Mashable. "I was also impressed by the level of engagement these games create."
Yes, this is yet another branded game, though it's odd that players aren't inundated with the brand until much later in the game. Another interesting nod is that Spa Life attempts to use your friends' names as customers to add more social awareness to the game. Building off of that, you'll need plenty more friends to run your various services, just like you need them to staff buildings in CityVille.
Spa Life in action
Branded games are exploding on Facebook. In fact, studios like Ecko|Code are focusing all of their efforts on creating games for brands such as Showtime shows like Weeds and Dexter. Facebook game developers like Zynga and Playdom have integrated brands into their games for awhile through promotions, it's only recently that they've begun to build games around a single brand.
For instance, it looks as if Adventure World will become Zynga's first game to completely embrace a brand. In October, the game will become "Adventure World: An Indiana Jones Game" with the help of Lucasfilm. Sure, original games will continue to release, but I wouldn't be surprised if we see less of them moving forward.
Click here to Play Spa Life on Facebook Now >
Are you a Clarins fan--enough to check out this Facebook game? What do you think of branded games on Facebook and the fact that they're growing? Sound off in the comments. Add Comment
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