When Facebook launched its mobile apps and games platform on iPhone and iPad, we were admittedly confused. But after Facebook CTO Bret Taylor (pictured) spoke with mocoNews, we have a better idea of what Facebook is getting at with "Project Spartan." According to Taylor, Facebook hopes to go 100 percent cross platform with Facebook Mobile through the mobile web, but its master plan goes deeper still.
"It really addresses some of the areas I've heard a lot of concerns about from mobile developers, and it plays to our strengths," Taylor told mocoNews. "For startups, it's very difficult to get their apps discovered. They have a honeymoon period in the app stores where they might be in a top 10 list and get a lot of downloads, but once that honeymoon period is over, discovery is very difficult. By integrating with these social channels in mobile, they can get discovered in really organic ways."
Facebook looks to bring the discoverability of Facbook games and apps to mobile. Sure, Facebook has the support of some major game creators with HTML5-based versions of Words with Friends, FarmVille and even wooga's new Magic Land. But at the moment, users have to search for these apps through Facebook's iOS app or mobile web presence--not exactly an ideal method for discovery.
It sounds like Taylor and Facebook look to grow the mobile and social games industries all at once across all platforms including Android, Windows Phone and Blackberry. To do that, Facebook is encouraging more developers to create HTML5 or native mobile app versions of their social games that Facebook Mobile can redirect to, which is about the only way we see this method working. However, with game shares (at least for non-gamers to see) almost entirely in the Ticker--which doesn't exist on mobile--where do the new social gamers come in?
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Showing posts with label mobile gaming. Show all posts
Showing posts with label mobile gaming. Show all posts
Tuesday, January 10, 2012
It Girl maker CrowdStar looks beyond Facebook for 1 billion players
At last month's HTML5 Dev Conference in San Francisco, CrowdStar CEO Peter Relan (pictured) said, "We want to create the game that reaches a billion people." The company has announced just how it plans to make that happen: Project Trident. CrowdStar revealed its plans to create a global, mobile platform and recognizable gaming franchises. Of course, CrowdStar will still hang out with Facebook--let's just say "it's complicated."
TechCrunch reports that, as part of its plan to diversify beyond Facebook, CrowdStar will launch It Girl (and Top Girl for iOS) franchise in Asia across Japan, Korea and China. Starting with NHN Japan, the company plans to introduce both It Girl and Top Girl to five Asian social networks in Q4 (October through December) alone. According to TechCrunch, Top Girl has already been downloaded from the App Store 4 million times.
In addition to launching It Girl on five Asian social networks before Dec. 31, CrowdStar reportedly plans to release another three games before year's end across Facebook, mobile and global networks. That amounts to more games released in the end of 2011 than CrowdStar put out in all of 2010.
It looks like the maker of hits like Happy Aquarium seeks to make a comeback, and according to TechCrunch, one of those eight games will hit this weekend. (We'll have more details on that soon enough.) But this comes just as competitor Zynga announces its own pseudo-independent social game platform and a ton of games. Anyone else feeling a bit ... claustrophobic?
TechCrunch reports that, as part of its plan to diversify beyond Facebook, CrowdStar will launch It Girl (and Top Girl for iOS) franchise in Asia across Japan, Korea and China. Starting with NHN Japan, the company plans to introduce both It Girl and Top Girl to five Asian social networks in Q4 (October through December) alone. According to TechCrunch, Top Girl has already been downloaded from the App Store 4 million times.
In addition to launching It Girl on five Asian social networks before Dec. 31, CrowdStar reportedly plans to release another three games before year's end across Facebook, mobile and global networks. That amounts to more games released in the end of 2011 than CrowdStar put out in all of 2010.
It looks like the maker of hits like Happy Aquarium seeks to make a comeback, and according to TechCrunch, one of those eight games will hit this weekend. (We'll have more details on that soon enough.) But this comes just as competitor Zynga announces its own pseudo-independent social game platform and a ton of games. Anyone else feeling a bit ... claustrophobic?
G5 builds a free download of Virtual City Playground on iPhone, Android
CityVille Hometown is the only definitive CityVille experience on iPhone, but some mobile gamers might dream bigger. That's where Swedish developer G5 hopes to come in with Virtual City Playground for iPhone and Android. The game was just released to both devices for absolutely free, which allows players to enjoy its Sandbox Mode, building and maintain their own city.
Recently released to the iPad in August, the game appears to take numerous factors into consideration as players develop their cities like mass transit, recycling and general eco-friendliness. Players get to launch community events in their cities to keep citizens happy, which contribute to the balance players must keep between Time, Income, Environment, Population, and Happiness for a successful city.
G5 will provide free updates to the game regularly, but Virtual City Playground contains 87 quests that you must pay up to access through in-app purchases. And just like its city-builder competition, the game sports Game Center and Facebook integration as well as 95 achievements to earn.
And when you keep Virtual City Playground in the background, it's said that your citizens will continue to work for you by transporting goods. Not much seems to have changed since the game hit iPad, but that doesn't seem to be the point. If you've yet to get a look at what Virtual City Playground is all about, check out this trailer. (Hint: It looks a lot ... like, way similar to most city-builders.)
Click here to download Virtual City Playground on iPhone and here to download on Android Now >
Recently released to the iPad in August, the game appears to take numerous factors into consideration as players develop their cities like mass transit, recycling and general eco-friendliness. Players get to launch community events in their cities to keep citizens happy, which contribute to the balance players must keep between Time, Income, Environment, Population, and Happiness for a successful city.
G5 will provide free updates to the game regularly, but Virtual City Playground contains 87 quests that you must pay up to access through in-app purchases. And just like its city-builder competition, the game sports Game Center and Facebook integration as well as 95 achievements to earn.
And when you keep Virtual City Playground in the background, it's said that your citizens will continue to work for you by transporting goods. Not much seems to have changed since the game hit iPad, but that doesn't seem to be the point. If you've yet to get a look at what Virtual City Playground is all about, check out this trailer. (Hint: It looks a lot ... like, way similar to most city-builders.)
Click here to download Virtual City Playground on iPhone and here to download on Android Now >
Beat down wizards for sweet deals with Wizardia on Facebook and mobile
Wizardia, an upcoming sword-and-sorcery Facebook game by Lithuanian developer Yummi Apps, seems to promise everything cool these days. Wizardia is both an Android and iOS game with Google Maps integration for location-based gameplay and sponsored real world prizes.
Taken separately, none of these features are particularly novel, since Parallel Kingdom is another fantasy mobile title that's already well-known for its use of Google Maps. Games And Prizes is entirely devoted to the namesake. But Yummi Apps, which just recently remodeled itself from a commercial apps producer into a social games developer, plans to bring all these elements into one package. And they plan to pull it off sometime this fall, too.
As far as what playing Wizardia would be like, Yummi Apps hopes to combine city building with turn-based strategy. According to a release, Yummi Apps specifically cites CityVille as an inspiration, and gives a nod to the PC stalwart, Heroes of Might and Magic.
Though billing itself as "the first social game in the world to integrate real life into online gaming" would be a lie, Wizardia does enough to take the concept farther than most. Not to jinx Wizardia, which looks more polished than anything we've seen before (just watch the above trailer), but we've also known of similarly ambitious projects that never took off. Yet if everything works out, one day this brand-integrated Facebook game will have you battling in a Barnes & Noble for a book discount. Or perhaps, like Rovio's caffeinated plans for Angry Birds, you could get your game on in Starbucks for free cups of coffee.
Taken separately, none of these features are particularly novel, since Parallel Kingdom is another fantasy mobile title that's already well-known for its use of Google Maps. Games And Prizes is entirely devoted to the namesake. But Yummi Apps, which just recently remodeled itself from a commercial apps producer into a social games developer, plans to bring all these elements into one package. And they plan to pull it off sometime this fall, too.
As far as what playing Wizardia would be like, Yummi Apps hopes to combine city building with turn-based strategy. According to a release, Yummi Apps specifically cites CityVille as an inspiration, and gives a nod to the PC stalwart, Heroes of Might and Magic.
Though billing itself as "the first social game in the world to integrate real life into online gaming" would be a lie, Wizardia does enough to take the concept farther than most. Not to jinx Wizardia, which looks more polished than anything we've seen before (just watch the above trailer), but we've also known of similarly ambitious projects that never took off. Yet if everything works out, one day this brand-integrated Facebook game will have you battling in a Barnes & Noble for a book discount. Or perhaps, like Rovio's caffeinated plans for Angry Birds, you could get your game on in Starbucks for free cups of coffee.
Friday, December 30, 2011
Final Fantasy Tactics artist launches Traveling Fairy mobile social game
With the help of Square Enix, the character artist for the Final Fantasy Tactics games on the Nintendo DS has launched a mobile social game in Japan titled Traveling Fairy. It's available only on the Mobage social network through mode-Duo, which has been home to mobile social versions of hyper-popular franchises like Shenmue and Phantasy Star. According to Siliconera, the game uses GPS technology to split Japan in 505 regions brimming with frilly fairies.
Players will travel across Japan--hopefully not literally, for a mobile game--to collect region-specific fairies, level them up in fights against demons and take down boss demons to conquer regions and earn rare items. Thankfully, players can effectively travel to other regions without going there through a hosting system that allows players to host others in their own physical region. Think of it as position broadcasting, of sorts. Of course, the game is free to play, but features goods for sale. Even if this won't come to the US (which has not been confirmed or denied), color us excited for what it means for location-based gaming when bigwigs get involved.
[Image Credit: Siliconera]
Have had a chance to try this game somehow? What do you think of location-based gaming?
Players will travel across Japan--hopefully not literally, for a mobile game--to collect region-specific fairies, level them up in fights against demons and take down boss demons to conquer regions and earn rare items. Thankfully, players can effectively travel to other regions without going there through a hosting system that allows players to host others in their own physical region. Think of it as position broadcasting, of sorts. Of course, the game is free to play, but features goods for sale. Even if this won't come to the US (which has not been confirmed or denied), color us excited for what it means for location-based gaming when bigwigs get involved.
[Image Credit: Siliconera]
Have had a chance to try this game somehow? What do you think of location-based gaming?
Tuesday, December 27, 2011
Zynga gobbles up GodFinger developer Wonderland, creates Zynga Mobile UK
Zynga Mobile UK
Perhaps Zynga's recent sheep invasion in London was symbolic of something greater. The developer with more satellite studios than you can count on two hands just bought Wonderland Software, the UK-based studio behind the iPhone hit GodFinger. Gamasutra reports that the studio will operate as Zynga Mobile UK, but neither company disclosed what was spent on the acquisition.
While Zynga is assimilating the team, it is not taking over publishing rights to GodFinger, which is published by Ngmoco. That company was recently acquired by Japanese social game company DeNA, which could explain a lot. But more importantly, this is the company's thirteenth purchase in just 11 months.
Zynga has talent from nearly every major sector in gaming, but Wonderland is the company's third acquisition of a mobile developer. Like every social game developer in the world, Zynga is clearly going after the mobile scene in a big way. Wonderland joins Words With Friends creator Newtoy and Area/Code, the studio behind Drop7, as Zynga's mobile arms.
Wonderland CEO Matthew Wiggins will stay on the team and become the general manager of Zynga Mobile UK. "Wonderland Software has always been dedicated to pursuing big and creative ideas and turning them into games that players love," Wiggins said in a statement. "We are thrilled to continue our vision as part of the Zynga family and to reach millions of mobile players across a spectrum of devices."
What do you think Zynga will do with this new company under its belt? Will Zynga begin to create original mobile games through its three, freshly-bought studios?
Perhaps Zynga's recent sheep invasion in London was symbolic of something greater. The developer with more satellite studios than you can count on two hands just bought Wonderland Software, the UK-based studio behind the iPhone hit GodFinger. Gamasutra reports that the studio will operate as Zynga Mobile UK, but neither company disclosed what was spent on the acquisition.
While Zynga is assimilating the team, it is not taking over publishing rights to GodFinger, which is published by Ngmoco. That company was recently acquired by Japanese social game company DeNA, which could explain a lot. But more importantly, this is the company's thirteenth purchase in just 11 months.
Zynga has talent from nearly every major sector in gaming, but Wonderland is the company's third acquisition of a mobile developer. Like every social game developer in the world, Zynga is clearly going after the mobile scene in a big way. Wonderland joins Words With Friends creator Newtoy and Area/Code, the studio behind Drop7, as Zynga's mobile arms.
Wonderland CEO Matthew Wiggins will stay on the team and become the general manager of Zynga Mobile UK. "Wonderland Software has always been dedicated to pursuing big and creative ideas and turning them into games that players love," Wiggins said in a statement. "We are thrilled to continue our vision as part of the Zynga family and to reach millions of mobile players across a spectrum of devices."
What do you think Zynga will do with this new company under its belt? Will Zynga begin to create original mobile games through its three, freshly-bought studios?
Thursday, December 15, 2011
Crime City maker assaults iOS first, Facebook later with Modern War
Now, isn't that odd? Crime City creator Funzio has decided to do the reverse of most social game companies: release a new on iPhone and iPad first, then come back to Facebook. Funzio has released its second original game, Modern War, to iOS devices. The game looks terribly similar to the iOS version of Crime City that released late this summer.
In other words, Modern War is essentially Crime City, but with dudes in military uniforms wielding M4 rifles rather than guys in torn jeans, brandishing knives. Players can take down terrorists (original!), bomb enemy vessels and structures and battle against other players in asynchronous, turn-based bouts. Of course, players can build alliances to defend themselves and bring to hurt more easily to other players.
According to TechCrunch, the game's graphics are designed to appeal to traditional gamers, and Modern War differentiates itself from Crime City with new combat options like jets and naval units. Players can share the game with friends on Facebook, but the focus here is mobile first, which is somewhat of a new concept for Facebook game makers.
It looks like we know just where Funzio's focus has shifted, just as the company takes on former EA exec Jamil Moledina. There's no word yet on whether the Facebook version will be connected to the iPhone and iPad varieties. But looking at how Mafia Wars 2 is doing on Facebook--a ... spiritual successor to Crime City--we can see why Funzio would hold back for a bit.
Click here to download Modern War on iPhone or iPad Now >
Are you a Crime City fan still? Do you think Modern War is different enough to pique your interest?
In other words, Modern War is essentially Crime City, but with dudes in military uniforms wielding M4 rifles rather than guys in torn jeans, brandishing knives. Players can take down terrorists (original!), bomb enemy vessels and structures and battle against other players in asynchronous, turn-based bouts. Of course, players can build alliances to defend themselves and bring to hurt more easily to other players.
According to TechCrunch, the game's graphics are designed to appeal to traditional gamers, and Modern War differentiates itself from Crime City with new combat options like jets and naval units. Players can share the game with friends on Facebook, but the focus here is mobile first, which is somewhat of a new concept for Facebook game makers.
It looks like we know just where Funzio's focus has shifted, just as the company takes on former EA exec Jamil Moledina. There's no word yet on whether the Facebook version will be connected to the iPhone and iPad varieties. But looking at how Mafia Wars 2 is doing on Facebook--a ... spiritual successor to Crime City--we can see why Funzio would hold back for a bit.
Click here to download Modern War on iPhone or iPad Now >
Are you a Crime City fan still? Do you think Modern War is different enough to pique your interest?
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
CrowdStar, others dock in Sibblingz Spaceport for mobile social games
If we haven't driven home yet that mobile will be massive in the future of social games, we clearly haven't done our job. Luckily, news like the fact that Sibblingz has signed on It Girl creator CrowdStar and a number of other developers to use its Spaceport service helps us make good on that.
TechCrunch reports that--in addition to CrowdStar--BitRhymes, IKIGames, LuckyLabs, Fortune Planet and DeezGames have signed on to use Spaceport to create mobile versions of their Facebook games. Spaceport is Sibblingz's cloud-based game development platform that allows developers like CrowdStar to create mobile games that work on both iOS and Android devices.
Essentially, it allows developers to create a mobile game once and have it run on multiple mobile devices. The platform makes use of coding languages like Javascript and HTML5, but neither of which are known for making robust or fully-featured games on iPhones or Android phones. However, Sibblingz claims that games built on Spaceport feature an app-like experience.
What Sibblingz means is that, while these games are built using simpler code languages, they will perform like, say CityVille Hometown by Zynga. That game was built using tools specifically for iOS devices and is thus more visually impressive and feature-rich than mobile browser games. However, according to TechCrunch, developers can even create games specifically for iPhones and iPads through Spaceport.
Sibblingz also says that developers can make games for Facebook's worst-kept secret, Project Spartan--an initiative to bring Facebook to mobile devices through browsers using HTML5 complete with full-featured apps and games--through Spaceport. Jeez, on paper it sounds like Spaceport can do anything but make the cash flow.
Regardless, what's important to take away here is that social game developers realize that mobile is where it's at. Frankly, it's one area where clear winners have yet to be defined, much unlike Facebook (ahem, Zynga and EA). At this point, anyone could come out a winner on mobile, and perhaps the companies that embrace cross-platform game creation like CrowdStar will have the upper hand.
Do you think these developers have a chance at winning the mobile race these social game creators are running with Spaceport? Who do you think will ultimately win the mobile social gaming war? Sound off in the comments. Add Comment
TechCrunch reports that--in addition to CrowdStar--BitRhymes, IKIGames, LuckyLabs, Fortune Planet and DeezGames have signed on to use Spaceport to create mobile versions of their Facebook games. Spaceport is Sibblingz's cloud-based game development platform that allows developers like CrowdStar to create mobile games that work on both iOS and Android devices.
Essentially, it allows developers to create a mobile game once and have it run on multiple mobile devices. The platform makes use of coding languages like Javascript and HTML5, but neither of which are known for making robust or fully-featured games on iPhones or Android phones. However, Sibblingz claims that games built on Spaceport feature an app-like experience.
What Sibblingz means is that, while these games are built using simpler code languages, they will perform like, say CityVille Hometown by Zynga. That game was built using tools specifically for iOS devices and is thus more visually impressive and feature-rich than mobile browser games. However, according to TechCrunch, developers can even create games specifically for iPhones and iPads through Spaceport.
Sibblingz also says that developers can make games for Facebook's worst-kept secret, Project Spartan--an initiative to bring Facebook to mobile devices through browsers using HTML5 complete with full-featured apps and games--through Spaceport. Jeez, on paper it sounds like Spaceport can do anything but make the cash flow.
Regardless, what's important to take away here is that social game developers realize that mobile is where it's at. Frankly, it's one area where clear winners have yet to be defined, much unlike Facebook (ahem, Zynga and EA). At this point, anyone could come out a winner on mobile, and perhaps the companies that embrace cross-platform game creation like CrowdStar will have the upper hand.
Do you think these developers have a chance at winning the mobile race these social game creators are running with Spaceport? Who do you think will ultimately win the mobile social gaming war? Sound off in the comments. Add Comment
Monday, September 26, 2011
Finally, hang out with your Android buddies in Hanging With Friends
It looks like Tuesday is unofficially Zynga Game Day, as the company just announced that Hanging With Friends is now available for free on the Android Market. Keep in mind, this comes just minutes after the company revealed Mafia Wars 2. Even better news than the fact that Android players can get in on Zynga With Friends's second mobile game is that it's now cross-platform ready.
Yes, now you can play both your iPhone-toting friends and your best Android-owning enemies buds in this crazy take on the classic pen and paper game of Hangman. In case you're unfamiliar, Hanging With Friends takes the popular turn-based exchange of the wildly popular Words With Friends and applies that to a wacky game of Hangman, but with some twists.
For one, players who choose their word for an opponent are limited by the letters provided to them. Then, that challenge is sent to a player who must guess the word with a limited amount of guesses. This exchange of posing challenges and guesses continues asynchronously until one player loses all of their balloons and falls into a pit of lava or other various deathtraps.
Luckily, you have a series of power-ups at your disposal that can restore some of your guesses or reveal letters that may or may not be part of the word your friend chose in secret. Of course, these boosts cost Coins, which you can accumulate over time by winning Hanging With Friends matches or purchasing them outright in-game.
Gallery: Hanging With Friends on Android
Of course, the Android version contains all of the features that its iOS counterpart sports, like the ability to play up to 20 games at a time, in-game chat and push notifications. Finally, you can add friends via your existing With Friends account, or just connect to Facebook (like everyone else) to find more folks to crush with your wordsmithery. Have at thee, Fandroids.
Click here to download Hanging With Friends on the Android Market Now >
Are you psyched that Hanging With Friends has finally come to Android? What other Zynga games do you hope to see on Android phones on the future? Sound off in the comments. Add Comment
Yes, now you can play both your iPhone-toting friends and your best Android-owning enemies buds in this crazy take on the classic pen and paper game of Hangman. In case you're unfamiliar, Hanging With Friends takes the popular turn-based exchange of the wildly popular Words With Friends and applies that to a wacky game of Hangman, but with some twists.
For one, players who choose their word for an opponent are limited by the letters provided to them. Then, that challenge is sent to a player who must guess the word with a limited amount of guesses. This exchange of posing challenges and guesses continues asynchronously until one player loses all of their balloons and falls into a pit of lava or other various deathtraps.
Luckily, you have a series of power-ups at your disposal that can restore some of your guesses or reveal letters that may or may not be part of the word your friend chose in secret. Of course, these boosts cost Coins, which you can accumulate over time by winning Hanging With Friends matches or purchasing them outright in-game.
Gallery: Hanging With Friends on Android
Of course, the Android version contains all of the features that its iOS counterpart sports, like the ability to play up to 20 games at a time, in-game chat and push notifications. Finally, you can add friends via your existing With Friends account, or just connect to Facebook (like everyone else) to find more folks to crush with your wordsmithery. Have at thee, Fandroids.
Click here to download Hanging With Friends on the Android Market Now >
Are you psyched that Hanging With Friends has finally come to Android? What other Zynga games do you hope to see on Android phones on the future? Sound off in the comments. Add Comment
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