Who saw this one coming? (Not us, based on AppData numbers.) Raptr, the social network and tracking service for gamers, issued a report detailing its First Annual Playtime Awards, recognizing the most played games across several genres. When it comes to social games, EA and Playfish's The Sims Social dominated, accumulating more playtime in its first month than any social game released this year did in its first 30 days.
The report goes on to reveal that the average Sims Social player logged 1.37 hours in the first week, which is 16 percent more than Zynga's two best games released this year. Breaking it down even further, The Sims' debut on Facebook also garnered five times the playtime of Zynga's Mafia Wars 2, 18 percent more than CastleVille, and 33 percent more than Empires & Allies. (However, CastleVille garnered longer average play sessions than its competitor.)
Finally, Raptr points out that, when The Sims Social launched this summer, playtime in FarmVille and E&A dropped by 25 percent. In other words, The Sims killed it this year on Facebook--at least where Raptr users are concerned. This is undoubtedly an achievement for Playfish's most successful game, but it's story plays out rather differently on services like AppData. You could argue that Raptr users are generally more "hardcore" gamers, so we can't wait to see their response when (or if) SimCity lands. Check out the full report, including the winners of all of the other genres, right here.
Are you surprised that The Sims Social won Raptr users over this year?
Thứ Tư, 4 tháng 1, 2012
The father of Super Mario is retiring, but not according to Nintendo
Is this the end of an era? Not quite, but it's pretty darn close. Shigeru Miyamoto, creator of legendary video game franchises like Super Mario and The Legend of Zelda, revealed to Wired that he will retire from his current position at Nintendo. While the designer made a point to say that he will remain with the company, working on smaller projects with younger teams, Nintendo has denied Miyamoto's words, saying "this is absolutely not true," to Reuters.
"Inside our office, I've been recently declaring, 'I'm going to retire, I'm going to retire,'" Miyamoto told Wired through an interpreter. "I'm not saying that I'm going to retire from game development altogether. What I mean by retiring is, retiring from my current position."
The creator of the Mushroom Kingdom went on to say that he wishes to return to being hands-on with the game design process within Nintendo, working on smaller projects with younger game developers. According to Wired, Miyamoto made the decision in confidence of the staff that worked on acclaimed games like Super Mario 3D Land for the 3DS and The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword for the Wii. Nintendo has denied what the developer said in the interview completely.
"There seems to have been a misunderstanding," a Nintendo spokeswoman told Reuters. "He has said all along that he wants to train the younger generation. He has no intention of stepping down. Please do not be concerned." Miymoto told Kotaku a few years back that he had no intention of retiring entirely. Rest easy, Nintendo fans.
[Via Kotaku]
[Image Credit: Giant Bomb]
Are you surprised that Miyamoto plans to step down from his big-time role at Nintendo? Does this necessarily spell doom for the age-old game company?
"Inside our office, I've been recently declaring, 'I'm going to retire, I'm going to retire,'" Miyamoto told Wired through an interpreter. "I'm not saying that I'm going to retire from game development altogether. What I mean by retiring is, retiring from my current position."
The creator of the Mushroom Kingdom went on to say that he wishes to return to being hands-on with the game design process within Nintendo, working on smaller projects with younger game developers. According to Wired, Miyamoto made the decision in confidence of the staff that worked on acclaimed games like Super Mario 3D Land for the 3DS and The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword for the Wii. Nintendo has denied what the developer said in the interview completely.
"There seems to have been a misunderstanding," a Nintendo spokeswoman told Reuters. "He has said all along that he wants to train the younger generation. He has no intention of stepping down. Please do not be concerned." Miymoto told Kotaku a few years back that he had no intention of retiring entirely. Rest easy, Nintendo fans.
[Via Kotaku]
[Image Credit: Giant Bomb]
Are you surprised that Miyamoto plans to step down from his big-time role at Nintendo? Does this necessarily spell doom for the age-old game company?
Zynga tells American Airlines to 'LET ALEC PLAY' (in word tiles)
Behold, the mighty power of celebrity. After actor Alec Baldwin was removed from an American Airlines plane sitting at the gate in Los Angeles International Airport, allegedly while playing Words With Friends, Zynga took the opportunity to chime in. On the company's Twitter account, Zynga wrote, "Hey @AmericanAir, don't ground @AlecBaldwin for playing. A.B.S.U.R.D. is worth *at least* 11 points in @WordsWFriends #LetAlecPlay."
Zynga then articulated its tongue-in-cheek response with the image you see to the right in another tweet, part of which reads, "Alec 1. @AmericanAir 0." Get it? Zynga strung the words "LET ALEC PLAY" together using word tiles in Words With Friends. That's just plain cute.
Perhaps as a result of the incident, which Baldwin explained in detail in a piece on The Huffington Post, Words With Friends gained 100,000 players today on Facebook alone, according to AppData. And, based on AppData's readings on the iOS version of Words With Friends, the game's ranking experienced major spikes in all categories. Again, behold the power of celebrity.
This is far from the first time a celebrity has ... candidly expressed their love of social games. Actresses Emma Stone and Mila Kunis have both admitted to FarmVille addictions, while folks like John Mayer and Eliza Dushku are known to be fans, according to Boston Herald. We like the game as much as the next couple million people, but it looks like this is becoming more about Words With Friends than it really is, no?
[Image Credit: Zynga]
Are you still a fan of Words With Friends, and do you support Mr. Baldwin? What other celebrities do you suspect are social game fanatics?
Zynga then articulated its tongue-in-cheek response with the image you see to the right in another tweet, part of which reads, "Alec 1. @AmericanAir 0." Get it? Zynga strung the words "LET ALEC PLAY" together using word tiles in Words With Friends. That's just plain cute.
Perhaps as a result of the incident, which Baldwin explained in detail in a piece on The Huffington Post, Words With Friends gained 100,000 players today on Facebook alone, according to AppData. And, based on AppData's readings on the iOS version of Words With Friends, the game's ranking experienced major spikes in all categories. Again, behold the power of celebrity.
This is far from the first time a celebrity has ... candidly expressed their love of social games. Actresses Emma Stone and Mila Kunis have both admitted to FarmVille addictions, while folks like John Mayer and Eliza Dushku are known to be fans, according to Boston Herald. We like the game as much as the next couple million people, but it looks like this is becoming more about Words With Friends than it really is, no?
[Image Credit: Zynga]
Are you still a fan of Words With Friends, and do you support Mr. Baldwin? What other celebrities do you suspect are social game fanatics?
Flutter on Facebook flits into the sunset on December 23
It's no secret that Facebook games don't have the best reputation when it comes to doing things differently. So it's especially sad to see one of the more unique games -- Flutter by Runaway Play -- prepare for its last flight. The game, in which you take on the role of a butterfly flitting around lush environments, will be no more as of December 23.
For the 30,000 of you who are still playing the game -- you'll be able to partake in the game's final flight with a new quest, a few freebies and more. Those include:
- Premium items (except potions, power-ups, and WWF items) can be purchased with HD instead of Facebook Credits
- Play a final quest that involves a "magical mishap" with an owl.
- A free free flower pack or two
Right now, the game's main forest has a new sunset background and, during the last week, will go into nighttime mode before "going to sleep." My god, it's all so sad, isn't it?
But wait! Before you get all misty eyed, there's some positive news, too. The Runaway Play blog says that, while this version of Flutter is going away, its using the down time to rebuild the game from scratch and will eventually launch a new, improved Flutter at a later time. From the post:
"We are a lot more experienced now than we were when we first designed the game, and have been working very very hard to design an approach for the next version of Flutter which is a far better core experience. So from 23rd December we will be going into our chrysalis, putting our heads down, and emerging with a much more spectacular creature."
There, there. Don't you feel better? Stay tuned for more details on the new and improved Flutter as it emerges.
For the 30,000 of you who are still playing the game -- you'll be able to partake in the game's final flight with a new quest, a few freebies and more. Those include:
- Premium items (except potions, power-ups, and WWF items) can be purchased with HD instead of Facebook Credits
- Play a final quest that involves a "magical mishap" with an owl.
- A free free flower pack or two
Right now, the game's main forest has a new sunset background and, during the last week, will go into nighttime mode before "going to sleep." My god, it's all so sad, isn't it?
But wait! Before you get all misty eyed, there's some positive news, too. The Runaway Play blog says that, while this version of Flutter is going away, its using the down time to rebuild the game from scratch and will eventually launch a new, improved Flutter at a later time. From the post:
"We are a lot more experienced now than we were when we first designed the game, and have been working very very hard to design an approach for the next version of Flutter which is a far better core experience. So from 23rd December we will be going into our chrysalis, putting our heads down, and emerging with a much more spectacular creature."
There, there. Don't you feel better? Stay tuned for more details on the new and improved Flutter as it emerges.
Want to come clean about your FarmVille addiction to all of New York?
If that intrigues you, then Zynga is certainly the place to do it. The FarmVille maker is running a contest on its fan page, calling for players to proclaim their love of Zynga's games to the world. Well, "the world" being Times Square in New York City through New Year's Eve. (So ... pretty much the world.) Zynga's calling it the "I Love Play" contest, and it's actually an app for players to install.
Once players click on the "Get Started" button, they'll be asked to install an app on their Facebook profile. Then, it's time to complete a somewhat lengthy form asking for your name, images of yourself and the game board from your favorite game, and a quote to go along with your entry. Finally, you'll be asked to give a shout-out to a friend. Hit "Submit" and you might find yourself on a billboard in Times Square through New Year's Eve.
And ... that's about it. There's no real prize to be won in this contest. Well, some might consider giving the world the ultimate "Hey, look at my farm, dammit!" a prize in and of itself. All this contest reminds us of is the fact that, back in the day, social gamers made separate Facebook accounts for a reason. Wait, why was that again? Oh, right.
[Image Credit: Good To Go Tees]
Will you enter this contest and attempt to proclaim your love of Zynga games to the world? Do you think this is a silly contest?
Once players click on the "Get Started" button, they'll be asked to install an app on their Facebook profile. Then, it's time to complete a somewhat lengthy form asking for your name, images of yourself and the game board from your favorite game, and a quote to go along with your entry. Finally, you'll be asked to give a shout-out to a friend. Hit "Submit" and you might find yourself on a billboard in Times Square through New Year's Eve.
And ... that's about it. There's no real prize to be won in this contest. Well, some might consider giving the world the ultimate "Hey, look at my farm, dammit!" a prize in and of itself. All this contest reminds us of is the fact that, back in the day, social gamers made separate Facebook accounts for a reason. Wait, why was that again? Oh, right.
[Image Credit: Good To Go Tees]
Will you enter this contest and attempt to proclaim your love of Zynga games to the world? Do you think this is a silly contest?
Yazino hopes to 'reinvent gambling' with in-sync social casino games
We'll be the first to admit it: Casino games have become a dime a dozen on Facebook recently. From Zynga's own Zynga Poker to Poker Rivals by Playfish and DoubleDown Casino, the sub genre is quickly becoming crowded. (Even PopCap appears keen on the genre.) That said, it's going to take a unique approach for a chance to attract a healthy chunk of that player base.
Yazino, a UK-based social gaming start-up founded in 2008, looks to bring exactly that with what CEO Hussein Chahine calls "in-sync" gaming. Chahine's vision is to have players compete and chat in real time across the web, iOS and Android devices--and Yazino is already doing just that. The seven games Yazino has today all started with a simple idea.
"The idea that we came by is, 'How do we take poker--a very engaging, a lot of emotions, there's a bit of skill when you play--and build an engine that builds completely synchronous games,'" Chahine tells us. "It's dedicated to games that are multiplayer by nature, and people want to play together. In all of the gambling industry, poker was the most powerful."
With that, Chahine and crew opted to create several classic casino games with the real-time competition that poker provides. And it's because of this direct competition that the Yazino chief believes his team works toward games that are truly social. "We have games on social networks, rather than social games," Chahine says. "If we put Solitaire on Facebook, would Solitaire be a social game?"
Blackjack by Yazino
While only two of Yazino's games--Blackjack and Slots Wheel Deal--are available on iOS, all of its games are on Facebook. Well, sort of. The company's seven games appear to be Facebook applications, but when launched redirect to Yazino's own website, which hosts the games complete with your list of Facebook friends and even random matchmaking. So, why take this route? According to Chahine, Facebook simply can't handle synchronous, multiplatform gaming at the moment.
"Synchronous play has a much deeper and more competitive advantage over asynchronous games. Because of the immersive nature of synchronous games, [the Facebook Ticker] is really a distraction, and actually quite annoying," Chahine admits. "It's like you're [watching] a horse race--you only want to know about what the horse is doing. Do I really care about 'Fred is listening to music?' The synchronous nature and intensity of these games require a different ambiance and a different environment."
Hussein ChahineYazino also looks to give players the option to create personal communities within the larger player base. Chahine (pictured right) uses the English football club Manchester United as an example: A group of friends who play in Manchester United together will soon have the option to create their own sub group, complete with its own leader boards. Because of this, along with the prospects of live chat and real-time gameplay across platforms, Chahine tells us that using Facebook directly isn't an option. (However, it's important to take note that this strategy appears to leave Yazino free from the grips of Facebook Credits too.)
Of course (well, at least in the U.S.), players can't cash in on their virtual winnings, as online gambling was effectively outlawed years ago. And apparently, players are actually happy to accept this reality, according to Chahine. The Yazino head also chalks that up to the fact that players can enjoy its games for free through offers and chips provided daily. Giving players the opportunity to play for free is "a big area of focus" for Yazino, Chahine tells us. And according to him, the entire social gaming scene would be different if online gambling hadn't suffered its run-ins with the law before the turn of the decade. Zynga Poker was one of Zynga's first games, after all.
"Zynga is the only player that's not a gambling site that could throw that game. Poker Stars didn't have the opportunity," Chahine tells us. "They were banned from Facebook, so if PokerStars and the other big sites were allowed even from a virtual perspective. So, if they were allowed to enter that market, there's no way Zynga would have had that success with Zynga Poker."
Slots Wheel Deal by Yazin0
In other words, Facebook could have very well been dominated by casino and gambling games if not for Internet gambling's dashed history with the law before and during Facebook's rise. But Yazino isn't interested in real money gambling. Period. (But is it any less real when players can pay for chips, but not see a return?) Regardless, what Chahine says is that Yazino is interested in is to "reinvent gambling in a much more sophisticated way."
"When you play together, our emotions are heightened," Chahine gushes. "It's more amplified, it's more real and we become more competitive. We do believe at Yazino, what we're trying to become is the pioneer of friendly competition."
Have you tried any of Yazino's games on Facebook (sort of) or mobile yet? What are your thoughts on the rise of casino games on Facebook and elsewhere?
Yazino, a UK-based social gaming start-up founded in 2008, looks to bring exactly that with what CEO Hussein Chahine calls "in-sync" gaming. Chahine's vision is to have players compete and chat in real time across the web, iOS and Android devices--and Yazino is already doing just that. The seven games Yazino has today all started with a simple idea.
"The idea that we came by is, 'How do we take poker--a very engaging, a lot of emotions, there's a bit of skill when you play--and build an engine that builds completely synchronous games,'" Chahine tells us. "It's dedicated to games that are multiplayer by nature, and people want to play together. In all of the gambling industry, poker was the most powerful."
With that, Chahine and crew opted to create several classic casino games with the real-time competition that poker provides. And it's because of this direct competition that the Yazino chief believes his team works toward games that are truly social. "We have games on social networks, rather than social games," Chahine says. "If we put Solitaire on Facebook, would Solitaire be a social game?"
Blackjack by Yazino
While only two of Yazino's games--Blackjack and Slots Wheel Deal--are available on iOS, all of its games are on Facebook. Well, sort of. The company's seven games appear to be Facebook applications, but when launched redirect to Yazino's own website, which hosts the games complete with your list of Facebook friends and even random matchmaking. So, why take this route? According to Chahine, Facebook simply can't handle synchronous, multiplatform gaming at the moment.
"Synchronous play has a much deeper and more competitive advantage over asynchronous games. Because of the immersive nature of synchronous games, [the Facebook Ticker] is really a distraction, and actually quite annoying," Chahine admits. "It's like you're [watching] a horse race--you only want to know about what the horse is doing. Do I really care about 'Fred is listening to music?' The synchronous nature and intensity of these games require a different ambiance and a different environment."
Hussein ChahineYazino also looks to give players the option to create personal communities within the larger player base. Chahine (pictured right) uses the English football club Manchester United as an example: A group of friends who play in Manchester United together will soon have the option to create their own sub group, complete with its own leader boards. Because of this, along with the prospects of live chat and real-time gameplay across platforms, Chahine tells us that using Facebook directly isn't an option. (However, it's important to take note that this strategy appears to leave Yazino free from the grips of Facebook Credits too.)
Of course (well, at least in the U.S.), players can't cash in on their virtual winnings, as online gambling was effectively outlawed years ago. And apparently, players are actually happy to accept this reality, according to Chahine. The Yazino head also chalks that up to the fact that players can enjoy its games for free through offers and chips provided daily. Giving players the opportunity to play for free is "a big area of focus" for Yazino, Chahine tells us. And according to him, the entire social gaming scene would be different if online gambling hadn't suffered its run-ins with the law before the turn of the decade. Zynga Poker was one of Zynga's first games, after all.
"Zynga is the only player that's not a gambling site that could throw that game. Poker Stars didn't have the opportunity," Chahine tells us. "They were banned from Facebook, so if PokerStars and the other big sites were allowed even from a virtual perspective. So, if they were allowed to enter that market, there's no way Zynga would have had that success with Zynga Poker."
Slots Wheel Deal by Yazin0
In other words, Facebook could have very well been dominated by casino and gambling games if not for Internet gambling's dashed history with the law before and during Facebook's rise. But Yazino isn't interested in real money gambling. Period. (But is it any less real when players can pay for chips, but not see a return?) Regardless, what Chahine says is that Yazino is interested in is to "reinvent gambling in a much more sophisticated way."
"When you play together, our emotions are heightened," Chahine gushes. "It's more amplified, it's more real and we become more competitive. We do believe at Yazino, what we're trying to become is the pioneer of friendly competition."
Have you tried any of Yazino's games on Facebook (sort of) or mobile yet? What are your thoughts on the rise of casino games on Facebook and elsewhere?
Thứ Sáu, 30 tháng 12, 2011
March Madness Facebook Game Showdown: And the winner is...
In a battle that went down to the wire, the venerable 'granddaddy' of Facebook games, Pet Society has prevailed over the arcade mega hit Bejeweled Blitz.
games.com march madness facebook game showdown winnerWith over one hundred thousand votes cast, Pet Society prevailed over Bejeweled Blitz 55% to 44%. The voting got hot and heavy once we got down to the finals, especially as Playfish pulled out all the stops to urge its players to vote Pet Society. With kick backs, such as coins and cheese, Playfish would have made any ward heeler proud as they delivered the votes needed to push Pet Society over the top. PopCap can still hold its head high as Blitz held its own without trying to sway the outcome.
You can bet that next year, Zynga will be pushing its games to the top after they were embarrassed by a poor showing in this year's event.
Congratulations to March Madness Facebook Game Showdown 2011 winner: Pet Society by Playfish!
games.com march madness facebook game showdown winnerWith over one hundred thousand votes cast, Pet Society prevailed over Bejeweled Blitz 55% to 44%. The voting got hot and heavy once we got down to the finals, especially as Playfish pulled out all the stops to urge its players to vote Pet Society. With kick backs, such as coins and cheese, Playfish would have made any ward heeler proud as they delivered the votes needed to push Pet Society over the top. PopCap can still hold its head high as Blitz held its own without trying to sway the outcome.
You can bet that next year, Zynga will be pushing its games to the top after they were embarrassed by a poor showing in this year's event.
Congratulations to March Madness Facebook Game Showdown 2011 winner: Pet Society by Playfish!
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