If you're running low on Farm Cash (or just enjoy taking advantage of a good bargain), make sure to keep an eye on your email. Zynga is sending out emails to a group of FarmVille players, offering them 50% off Farm Cash, but only for a limited time.
This deal is offered as a New Year's celebration - a way to start off 2012 on a positive note. Unfortunately, these emails do contain links that must be followed to activate the 50% off coupon in your game, so you won't be able to just load your farm and magically see the offer appear. Sure, offers are currently going through rotation, but these currently contain free-gifts-with-purchases, rather than an actual discount on Farm Cash itself. Also, not all players are receiving these coupons. It could be that they're just being sent out to the game's most active players, or perhaps those that have purchased Farm Cash in the past, but either way, you'll need to keep an extra special eye on your inbox until the end of the week to make sure you don't miss out on your chance to score extra Farm Cash at a fairly reasonable price.
You'll be able to redeem your coupon until the end of the work week, January 13 at 11:59 PM EST. The coupon applies to all Farm Cash and coin packages, so it's at least worth looking before turning down the opportunity altogether.
Did you receive a 50% off Farm Cash coupon from Zynga, or are you still waiting? If you received one, have or will you use it?
Chủ Nhật, 11 tháng 3, 2012
Hidden Chronicles Conquistador Camp: Our guide to finding every item
In Zynga's Hidden Chronicles, you're tasked with discovering the lost secrets of artifacts once owned by your late uncle. The first chapter of the game sees you investigating artifacts in an old library, with the third of these artifacts being the Jade Crocodile. This Jade Crocodile has six scenes, and only one of them is premium, leaving five for you to explore for free. You'll unlock the scenes by having more and more Estate Points in your manor, but when you finally reach this section of the game, the second scene you'll be tasked with completing is the Conquistador Camp.
We're here with a guide showing you where to find the scene's many items, so if you're working on building up your combo points or just on the scene's individual mastery scale, make sure to check out our images below! Note: The items you'll receive will just be a selection of all of those pictured below.
If you're looking to find a particular item: Hit Ctrl +F (or Command + F if on a Mac) and type in the name of the object you're looking for. This will take you directly to its image.
Super Clue:
Make Popcorn (drag corn from crate to frying pan)
Set 1:
Crab
Buckler Shield
Toucan
Ladle
Monkey
Rabbit
Set 2:
Boa Constrictor
Deer
Poisonous Frog
Golden Axe
Set 3:
Black Beans
Agave Cactus
Cannonballs
Set 4:
Gold Disc
Avocados
Scallop Shell Bowl
Set 5:
Mouse
Quill
Jade Mask
Set 6:
Powder Flask
Monarch Butterfly
Conquistador Helmet
Parrot
Set 7:
Woven Basket
Wooden Cross
Bound Journal
Matchlock Rifle
Jaguar
Set 8:
Emerald Necklace
Jaguar Pelt
Horseshoe
Set 9:
Tortillas
Hairless Dogs
Set 10:
Chainmail
Turtle
Horse Armor
Leather Gloves
There are a handful of items not pictured above, as the game generates each set of items randomly. When we come across those missing items, we'll make sure to update this space with how you too can find them. In the meantime, feel free to start decorating your Manor and working on building up your own mastery of this scene or any other in the game!
Check out the rest of our Hidden Chronicles Cheats & Tips right here.
Have you finished every trophy of mastery for this Conquistador Camp scene? What do you think of Zynga's take on the hidden object genre thus far?
Game of the Day: Cosmic
cosmic game of the day
KA-POW! That's the noise of asteroids smashing into each other at hundreds of miles an hour in open space. In Cosmic, you'll have to do just that, orchestrate the collision of dozens of asteroids, comets, and more. Of course, make sure to look out for tricky black holes that absorb debris. Also, hit one of the destructive stars going super nova and not only will it be game over, but all life in the galaxy will vaporize (pictured above). You're being given a hefty resposibility.
With explosions, asteroids, black holes, and more, Cosmic is totally awesome. Cosmic is a mix of luck and skill; you'll carefully plant your first explosion, and hope that other asteroids smash into it. There's a ton of levels for you to play though, so get started straight away!
Click here to play Cosmic!
cosmic game of the day cosmic game of the day
What level were you able to make it to in Cosmic?
KA-POW! That's the noise of asteroids smashing into each other at hundreds of miles an hour in open space. In Cosmic, you'll have to do just that, orchestrate the collision of dozens of asteroids, comets, and more. Of course, make sure to look out for tricky black holes that absorb debris. Also, hit one of the destructive stars going super nova and not only will it be game over, but all life in the galaxy will vaporize (pictured above). You're being given a hefty resposibility.
With explosions, asteroids, black holes, and more, Cosmic is totally awesome. Cosmic is a mix of luck and skill; you'll carefully plant your first explosion, and hope that other asteroids smash into it. There's a ton of levels for you to play though, so get started straight away!
Click here to play Cosmic!
cosmic game of the day cosmic game of the day
What level were you able to make it to in Cosmic?
Seismic Games: 'We're really going after the Zynga community'
Whenever a new social game creator burst onto the scene with promises of "shaking up the status quo," it's tough not respond with a bit of skepticism. Perhaps it's cynicism. Maybe it's even the creeping feeling of blasé toward the promise of anything new amidst the overwhelming sensation of déjà vu in the world of social games. Of course, Seismic Games hopes to change that.
But you might be surprised by the way in which this studio born of veterans from Pandemic Studios, which sold to EA for a cool $775 million in 2007, looks to make that happen. Since the Star Wars: Battlefront series creator unfortunately closed its doors in 2009, Seismic Games co-founder and CEO Greg Borrud decided he was tired of "making video games for guys, 20 years old, sitting in their dorm room." We connected with Borrud recently to get a better sense of just how his new studio plans to attack the social games world in a new way and what the horizon looks like to him.
What's your take on the current state of popular social games?
They've created something incredibly new, something that a lot of people haven't been able to do. They tapped into a whole new audience of gamers. There's not many people who have stopped playing Call of Duty so they can start playing FarmVille. What it has done is really expand the audience, and that's incredibly exciting as a game developer. Them along with what's happening in mobile has effectively made games ubiquitous.
The vast majority of people--whether it's Words With Friends or FarmVille or Call of Duty--[have] a touch point with games. The other thing that they've done is something that traditional games have struggled with quite a bit is the price point. We saw this at EA quite a bit, which is thinking, "Wow, we're having to spend tons of money to get people to go to a store to spend $60 on a game, in the middle of a recession." And then there's rampant piracy.
There are just all of these issues around the traditional gaming model, and what social games did is break down all of the barriers and effectively did what iTunes did for music. They found a way to monetize gamers in a way that gamers like.
I do feel that, given the cost it takes to develop one of these products, I'm still puzzled by the lack of innovation that's happening. There are definitely people pushing boundaries here and there, but certainly the whole group of social games has come under this "me too" thing right now. Everybody is kind of rehashing the same game over and over again. And it's really interesting that that's happened, given the risks that you can take. So I think that's what we're hoping, is to be a part of that conversation around this kind of next-gen of social gaming.
Is it possible that what we're seeing now with the "me too" games is the social games industry already becoming risk averse to innovation?
I think it can happen. Especially as certain companies go public, there become new obligations that you have to respect and you have to deal with. But, the bottom line is, you can make a Facebook game for a couple hundred thousand dollars in a dorm room. It can be done, new products can get out there relatively inexpensively. And then it's a matter of finding their audience.
You can't do that in the traditional games space. It's just impossible. I mean, I know there's the rising indie game community, but the barrier of entry for traditional games versus social games is completely different. The big players have certainly cornered the market on the audience, but then it also comes down to the audience. Do they really want something new? I think that's probably the bigger question.
The people playing CastleVille or CityVille: Do they actually want something new, or are they just happy with the same old same old? I dunno, and I think that's the question that's going to be answered this year as you get a lot of new stuff that's very high quality. That'll be the interesting question: Are the gamers just kind of content with something that's familiar and comfortable, or do they want to experience new types of products. We'll see.
Seismic Games
How does Seismic Games plan to sway popular opinions--in terms of numbers--of social games that they're just Skinner Boxes and things like that?
The first thing is to try and come up with something that's a really engaging, compelling product that's an expression of who you are. That's one way where we think we can hopefully break through, that the product is a truly social product. And that the game is more a reflection of who you are.
I do think there are certain hooks that you can put in the game that preach something that's not only fun and compelling to play and very interesting, but something that can be shared with other people in a really interesting way. I think by doing that you start to break down some of the traditional barriers with the games, and you make something that's much more of a social experience.
That's where we're trying to push, that's where we're trying to do some new stuff. We'll see if that brings the audience with it. We honestly believe it will. We think that's something that's new and compelling, and that doesn't mean people are going to move away from what they're playing right now. But the bottom line is that there's a lot more time in people's days to play these types of games, and we hope that they'll give ours a try.
We're seeing a great number of start-up studios, primarily coming from the traditional games world, that to spin the social games industry on its head. Aside from the increasingly risk-averse world of traditional games, why do you think that is?
The primary one, in my opinion, is ultimately we're game designers. We love to create stuff, we create new things, we love to experiment, we like to try to engage with our audience in new ways. And, when you're working on the third or fourth or fifth iteration of the exact same game, you start to lose that passion.
Here's a way to continue to do what I love in a completely compelling and engaging way. People want to be game designers, and it's hard to do that in the traditional games space right now. With so many eyes on it, so many obligations in terms of the financial return and the risk averse nature of it a lot of game designers' hands are tied. This is the brave new world. This is where you really can innovate. This is where you really can do new stuff. So, I think that's why you see a lot of folks coming over.
Now, we're told that Seismic Games isn't necessarily a "hardcore" social games studio. Could you explain that? What is the distinction there?
The main thing is your audience, who you're going after. I think there are a number of studios now starting to crop up, you know our friends over at Rumble, that are really going for that traditional gamer market. We're not targeting that audience, that traditional gamer audience. We hope that we can bring some of those guys in.
But we're going more directly after the people that are currently playing social games. [We're] more directly going towards women, we're going for a wide spectrum of people. But we're really going after the Zynga community. We want to offer something else. Now, what's funny is they are, by definition, very hardcore gamers [laughs].
That's very true.
They play games potentially more than most people do, but they don't associate themselves as hardcore gamers. When the term "hardcore gamer" is used, we usually associate it with people who are playing a traditional PC game or console games. We're just talking about a demographic that is the heart of who social gamers are today.
It's funny. This comes back to a gal we hired here, actually. She's our community manager, and we were talking to her about some of the games she used to play. And she was talking about playing YoVille back in the day.
And she was saying, "Well, I'm not a hardcore gamer. I like YoVille, I play it. You know, and I've kind of worked out this way to optimize it. What I do is I have my laptop by my bed, and I set my alarm for 4 a.m., because I know that's when the things reset. Then I wake up and I roll over, I do what I need to do in the game and I go back to sleep." But you know, "No, I'm not a hardcore gamer."
Like, I wouldn't do that, and you're looking at one of the most hardcore gamers you've ever heard of [laughs]. So, it's a really interesting thing. And that's just because the term "gamer" comes with a little bit of baggage.
What's the number one thing that excites you most about the potential future of social games?
The breadth of the audience. I mean, you're talking about hundreds of millions of people playing social games out there that you could potentially reach. And, as a game designer, what you want more than anything else is people playing your game and having a really fun and compelling experience.
And that ability to continue to grow that audience, not just in the U.S. but worldwide, is really exciting to us. And coupled with all of the new innovations in game designs--and we can talk technologies. Technology is absolutely going to evolve, just like it evolved in the traditional games space, and that's exciting to us.
What's most exciting to us are the innovations in game design, the new types of genres that are going to evolve and the new audiences that you're going to bring in. And the way that you connect all of those audiences together. And then how you connect those audiences between the social and mobile spaces.
That level of interconnectedness, that level of creativity as you reach this audience is something that's--I think we're just at the beginning of potentially what we can do. And hopefully we can begin to deliver that as we reach into 2012 with our first game.
What do you think of Seismic Games now, based on our talk with Borrud? Have social games already become risk averse, judging from what's out there (and what didn't take off)?
But you might be surprised by the way in which this studio born of veterans from Pandemic Studios, which sold to EA for a cool $775 million in 2007, looks to make that happen. Since the Star Wars: Battlefront series creator unfortunately closed its doors in 2009, Seismic Games co-founder and CEO Greg Borrud decided he was tired of "making video games for guys, 20 years old, sitting in their dorm room." We connected with Borrud recently to get a better sense of just how his new studio plans to attack the social games world in a new way and what the horizon looks like to him.
What's your take on the current state of popular social games?
They've created something incredibly new, something that a lot of people haven't been able to do. They tapped into a whole new audience of gamers. There's not many people who have stopped playing Call of Duty so they can start playing FarmVille. What it has done is really expand the audience, and that's incredibly exciting as a game developer. Them along with what's happening in mobile has effectively made games ubiquitous.
The vast majority of people--whether it's Words With Friends or FarmVille or Call of Duty--[have] a touch point with games. The other thing that they've done is something that traditional games have struggled with quite a bit is the price point. We saw this at EA quite a bit, which is thinking, "Wow, we're having to spend tons of money to get people to go to a store to spend $60 on a game, in the middle of a recession." And then there's rampant piracy.
There are just all of these issues around the traditional gaming model, and what social games did is break down all of the barriers and effectively did what iTunes did for music. They found a way to monetize gamers in a way that gamers like.
I do feel that, given the cost it takes to develop one of these products, I'm still puzzled by the lack of innovation that's happening. There are definitely people pushing boundaries here and there, but certainly the whole group of social games has come under this "me too" thing right now. Everybody is kind of rehashing the same game over and over again. And it's really interesting that that's happened, given the risks that you can take. So I think that's what we're hoping, is to be a part of that conversation around this kind of next-gen of social gaming.
Is it possible that what we're seeing now with the "me too" games is the social games industry already becoming risk averse to innovation?
I think it can happen. Especially as certain companies go public, there become new obligations that you have to respect and you have to deal with. But, the bottom line is, you can make a Facebook game for a couple hundred thousand dollars in a dorm room. It can be done, new products can get out there relatively inexpensively. And then it's a matter of finding their audience.
You can't do that in the traditional games space. It's just impossible. I mean, I know there's the rising indie game community, but the barrier of entry for traditional games versus social games is completely different. The big players have certainly cornered the market on the audience, but then it also comes down to the audience. Do they really want something new? I think that's probably the bigger question.
The people playing CastleVille or CityVille: Do they actually want something new, or are they just happy with the same old same old? I dunno, and I think that's the question that's going to be answered this year as you get a lot of new stuff that's very high quality. That'll be the interesting question: Are the gamers just kind of content with something that's familiar and comfortable, or do they want to experience new types of products. We'll see.
Seismic Games
How does Seismic Games plan to sway popular opinions--in terms of numbers--of social games that they're just Skinner Boxes and things like that?
The first thing is to try and come up with something that's a really engaging, compelling product that's an expression of who you are. That's one way where we think we can hopefully break through, that the product is a truly social product. And that the game is more a reflection of who you are.
I do think there are certain hooks that you can put in the game that preach something that's not only fun and compelling to play and very interesting, but something that can be shared with other people in a really interesting way. I think by doing that you start to break down some of the traditional barriers with the games, and you make something that's much more of a social experience.
That's where we're trying to push, that's where we're trying to do some new stuff. We'll see if that brings the audience with it. We honestly believe it will. We think that's something that's new and compelling, and that doesn't mean people are going to move away from what they're playing right now. But the bottom line is that there's a lot more time in people's days to play these types of games, and we hope that they'll give ours a try.
We're seeing a great number of start-up studios, primarily coming from the traditional games world, that to spin the social games industry on its head. Aside from the increasingly risk-averse world of traditional games, why do you think that is?
The primary one, in my opinion, is ultimately we're game designers. We love to create stuff, we create new things, we love to experiment, we like to try to engage with our audience in new ways. And, when you're working on the third or fourth or fifth iteration of the exact same game, you start to lose that passion.
Here's a way to continue to do what I love in a completely compelling and engaging way. People want to be game designers, and it's hard to do that in the traditional games space right now. With so many eyes on it, so many obligations in terms of the financial return and the risk averse nature of it a lot of game designers' hands are tied. This is the brave new world. This is where you really can innovate. This is where you really can do new stuff. So, I think that's why you see a lot of folks coming over.
Now, we're told that Seismic Games isn't necessarily a "hardcore" social games studio. Could you explain that? What is the distinction there?
The main thing is your audience, who you're going after. I think there are a number of studios now starting to crop up, you know our friends over at Rumble, that are really going for that traditional gamer market. We're not targeting that audience, that traditional gamer audience. We hope that we can bring some of those guys in.
But we're going more directly after the people that are currently playing social games. [We're] more directly going towards women, we're going for a wide spectrum of people. But we're really going after the Zynga community. We want to offer something else. Now, what's funny is they are, by definition, very hardcore gamers [laughs].
That's very true.
They play games potentially more than most people do, but they don't associate themselves as hardcore gamers. When the term "hardcore gamer" is used, we usually associate it with people who are playing a traditional PC game or console games. We're just talking about a demographic that is the heart of who social gamers are today.
It's funny. This comes back to a gal we hired here, actually. She's our community manager, and we were talking to her about some of the games she used to play. And she was talking about playing YoVille back in the day.
And she was saying, "Well, I'm not a hardcore gamer. I like YoVille, I play it. You know, and I've kind of worked out this way to optimize it. What I do is I have my laptop by my bed, and I set my alarm for 4 a.m., because I know that's when the things reset. Then I wake up and I roll over, I do what I need to do in the game and I go back to sleep." But you know, "No, I'm not a hardcore gamer."
Like, I wouldn't do that, and you're looking at one of the most hardcore gamers you've ever heard of [laughs]. So, it's a really interesting thing. And that's just because the term "gamer" comes with a little bit of baggage.
What's the number one thing that excites you most about the potential future of social games?
The breadth of the audience. I mean, you're talking about hundreds of millions of people playing social games out there that you could potentially reach. And, as a game designer, what you want more than anything else is people playing your game and having a really fun and compelling experience.
And that ability to continue to grow that audience, not just in the U.S. but worldwide, is really exciting to us. And coupled with all of the new innovations in game designs--and we can talk technologies. Technology is absolutely going to evolve, just like it evolved in the traditional games space, and that's exciting to us.
What's most exciting to us are the innovations in game design, the new types of genres that are going to evolve and the new audiences that you're going to bring in. And the way that you connect all of those audiences together. And then how you connect those audiences between the social and mobile spaces.
That level of interconnectedness, that level of creativity as you reach this audience is something that's--I think we're just at the beginning of potentially what we can do. And hopefully we can begin to deliver that as we reach into 2012 with our first game.
What do you think of Seismic Games now, based on our talk with Borrud? Have social games already become risk averse, judging from what's out there (and what didn't take off)?
Gardens of Time maker Playdom dug Triple Town enough to publish it
That's the mark of an impressive social game if we're ever seen one. Playdom, the Disney-owned social game developer known best for Gardens of Time, has announced that it will publish Spry Fox's Triple Town on Facebook starting next week. This essentially means that Playdom will provide the independent developer with promotional and marketing support to help Triple Town blow up.
"It's easy to identify a truly great game when you play one, and that was the experience the Playdom team had when we first played Spry Fox's Triple Town," Disney SVP of social games John Spinale wrote in a blog post announcing the deal. "If you've already played Triple Town, you probably know exactly what I'm talking about...the team at Spry Fox developed one of the most fun and addictive games we've played in a long time."
And he's pretty much right on the money. We here at Games.com seriously dig the game, and it's made the top 10 list for 2011 on a number of other websites. However, Spry Fox CEO David Edery is already quick to defend his studio's decision, given that it's sometimes frowned upon for indie game developers to join up with publishers.
"We want to create great original games. We do not wish to spend our time creating a massive company with a huge operational arm, with all the overhead that entails," Edery wrote in a blog post with a list of reasons behind the deal. "So, we will retain complete creative control of Triple Town on Facebook while Playdom takes care of the many important operational and marketing responsibilities that Spry Fox is not well positioned to manage." If all it comes down to is more players experiencing one of the best social games to hit Facebook and Google+ in 2011, then we wouldn't be too worried about it.
Are you excited to hear that you might soon have more friends to play Triple Town with? What do you think of the game thus far, and Playdom's decision to publish it?
"It's easy to identify a truly great game when you play one, and that was the experience the Playdom team had when we first played Spry Fox's Triple Town," Disney SVP of social games John Spinale wrote in a blog post announcing the deal. "If you've already played Triple Town, you probably know exactly what I'm talking about...the team at Spry Fox developed one of the most fun and addictive games we've played in a long time."
And he's pretty much right on the money. We here at Games.com seriously dig the game, and it's made the top 10 list for 2011 on a number of other websites. However, Spry Fox CEO David Edery is already quick to defend his studio's decision, given that it's sometimes frowned upon for indie game developers to join up with publishers.
"We want to create great original games. We do not wish to spend our time creating a massive company with a huge operational arm, with all the overhead that entails," Edery wrote in a blog post with a list of reasons behind the deal. "So, we will retain complete creative control of Triple Town on Facebook while Playdom takes care of the many important operational and marketing responsibilities that Spry Fox is not well positioned to manage." If all it comes down to is more players experiencing one of the best social games to hit Facebook and Google+ in 2011, then we wouldn't be too worried about it.
Are you excited to hear that you might soon have more friends to play Triple Town with? What do you think of the game thus far, and Playdom's decision to publish it?
Thứ Sáu, 9 tháng 3, 2012
MindJolt's Jewels of the Amazon looks to shine on Facebook
Diamond Dash and Bejeweled Blitz, beware: A new crystal-crusher approaches. MindJolt has announced that its next big social game, Jewels of the Amazon, is now available on Facebook. Following in the footsteps of its successful Bubble Atlantis, Jewels of the Amazon is a take on the arguably saturated match-three genre of puzzle games, but with a brief storyline.
Players can either tackle the game's 70 levels through eight different ancient tribal worlds littered with different obstacles, like varied board shapes, and power-ups like bombs, rainbows, multipliers and a bonus frenzy mode. There's also a Bonus Island for players to take on, which provides the blitz-like play that Bejeweled Blitz popularized on Facebook. According to MindJolt, the San Francisco-based studio plans to update Bonus Island weekly with new game boards.
Of course, there are weekly leaderboards in Jewels of the Amazon, driving players to compete for number one. Friends can also team up by sending each other power-ups to master the game's trickier levels. It looks like MindJolt plans for Jewels of the Amazon to become its next big franchise, as a mobile release in the works, too. Check out the woefully short trailer below:
Click here to play Jewels of the Amazon on Facebook Now >
Are you a Bubble Atlantis fan, and are you intrigued by Jewels of the Amazon? Do you think there's room for another match-three game on Facebook?
Players can either tackle the game's 70 levels through eight different ancient tribal worlds littered with different obstacles, like varied board shapes, and power-ups like bombs, rainbows, multipliers and a bonus frenzy mode. There's also a Bonus Island for players to take on, which provides the blitz-like play that Bejeweled Blitz popularized on Facebook. According to MindJolt, the San Francisco-based studio plans to update Bonus Island weekly with new game boards.
Of course, there are weekly leaderboards in Jewels of the Amazon, driving players to compete for number one. Friends can also team up by sending each other power-ups to master the game's trickier levels. It looks like MindJolt plans for Jewels of the Amazon to become its next big franchise, as a mobile release in the works, too. Check out the woefully short trailer below:
Click here to play Jewels of the Amazon on Facebook Now >
Are you a Bubble Atlantis fan, and are you intrigued by Jewels of the Amazon? Do you think there's room for another match-three game on Facebook?
MindJolt's Jewels of the Amazon looks to shine on Facebook
Diamond Dash and Bejeweled Blitz, beware: A new crystal-crusher approaches. MindJolt has announced that its next big social game, Jewels of the Amazon, is now available on Facebook. Following in the footsteps of its successful Bubble Atlantis, Jewels of the Amazon is a take on the arguably saturated match-three genre of puzzle games, but with a brief storyline.
Players can either tackle the game's 70 levels through eight different ancient tribal worlds littered with different obstacles, like varied board shapes, and power-ups like bombs, rainbows, multipliers and a bonus frenzy mode. There's also a Bonus Island for players to take on, which provides the blitz-like play that Bejeweled Blitz popularized on Facebook. According to MindJolt, the San Francisco-based studio plans to update Bonus Island weekly with new game boards.
Of course, there are weekly leaderboards in Jewels of the Amazon, driving players to compete for number one. Friends can also team up by sending each other power-ups to master the game's trickier levels. It looks like MindJolt plans for Jewels of the Amazon to become its next big franchise, as a mobile release in the works, too. Check out the woefully short trailer below:
Click here to play Jewels of the Amazon on Facebook Now >
Are you a Bubble Atlantis fan, and are you intrigued by Jewels of the Amazon? Do you think there's room for another match-three game on Facebook?
Players can either tackle the game's 70 levels through eight different ancient tribal worlds littered with different obstacles, like varied board shapes, and power-ups like bombs, rainbows, multipliers and a bonus frenzy mode. There's also a Bonus Island for players to take on, which provides the blitz-like play that Bejeweled Blitz popularized on Facebook. According to MindJolt, the San Francisco-based studio plans to update Bonus Island weekly with new game boards.
Of course, there are weekly leaderboards in Jewels of the Amazon, driving players to compete for number one. Friends can also team up by sending each other power-ups to master the game's trickier levels. It looks like MindJolt plans for Jewels of the Amazon to become its next big franchise, as a mobile release in the works, too. Check out the woefully short trailer below:
Click here to play Jewels of the Amazon on Facebook Now >
Are you a Bubble Atlantis fan, and are you intrigued by Jewels of the Amazon? Do you think there's room for another match-three game on Facebook?
Quarrel: Risk meets Scrabble on Xbox Live Arcade, and it works
Do you enjoy the territory domination in Risk? Do you like the brain-training word formation in Scrabble? Would you like to play both at once? If you answered "Yes," you might want to take a look at Denki and Ignition's Quarrel on Xbox Live Arcade, an incredibly polished war of words that is now available for 400 Microsoft Points ($5 US).
First released on iOS, Quarrel's gameplay is centered around groups of eight jumbled letters that can be rearranged to form anagrams (the words that use all of the individual letters), in addition to a slew of other shorter words. Regardless of the gameplay mode, you and your computer or real-world opponents will each be given different territories on cute, tropically-themed islands. It's your goal to attack your opponents and take over their territories until you eventually control the entire island.
Each territory can hold up to eight individual troops, with each troop giving you access to one letter in your "answer." Say you're given a set of letters with the anagram "Favorite," but you only have five troops on your territory. You could then only make a word up to five letters long (Favor, for example). Letters are assigned point values like in Scrabble, so just because you may be outnumbered, if you can use a "unique" letter like an X or Z, you could still earn enough points to win the encounter.
Gallery: Quarrel on Xbox Live Arcade
Even though the gameplay setup is incredibly basic, it works really well for fans of word games in general. There are tons of gameplay modes to choose from, from the basic Quick Match (against up to three computer or living opponents via Xbox Live), to the career mode of Domination that lets you take over the entire Quarrel world, one different map at a time. The Challenge mode gives you specific stipulations to meet while playing, while the Showdown mode gives you a more challenging, heads-up experience against one opponent at a time.
As the iOS version of Quarrel is lacking entirely in multiplayer (an odd, but large oversight), the simple inclusion of it here is an automatic positive, but currently finding someone online is as much of a challenge as actually coming up with great words. Once you do find an opponent or two, the turn order is randomized, meaning that players who are stuck going last might have a boring time of things, as they'll have to wait quite a while to go on the offensive. Still, if you're involved in defenses or play along as two other players battle it out, you'll have the chance to earn bonus troops that can be called in at the beginning of a conflict if you're feeling too outnumbered. All the while, you're met with charming graphics, sound effects and troop models. Each player is given a random army, comprised of aliens, ninjas, robots and so on. There's a great attention to detail here, which makes it all the more disappointing that the game hasn't taken off with the online community just yet.
Quarrel is a game that seems to just "work," regardless of its console. Sure, this Xbox Live Arcade version instantly tops that on iOS as you can actually play with other humans online, but this gameplay setup is so intuitive and downright fun that it would work great on a platform like Facebook as well (actually, I would love it if that happened). For the $5 price tag, even those with a passing interest in word games would do well to pick this one up.
Click here to learn more about Quarrel on XBLA Arcade -->
Have you tried Quarrel on either 360 or iPad? How do you think this word game stacks up against the other games in the genre?
Pioneer Trail: Debris Spawner and Railroad coming soon
This week has been a pretty great one for news in the Pioneer Trail, but not just about new feature news; rather, news about things that are being worked on in the background or will eventually launch in the game. Over on the game's official forums, Community Manager Stumpgrinder has given users a heads-up to upcoming events.
First and foremost, if you've ever needed to clear 10 Skulls, Cacti or Rocks for a goal, but don't have the collectibles to earn them for free, or simply don't have enough room on your Homestead for them to grow naturally (let's be honest, that happens a lot), we'll soon be able to spawn our own debris right when we need it, thanks to the Debris Spawner. This will be a building project that can be upgraded, giving out more debris for each upgrade. The name "Debris Spawner" isn't final, so if you'd like to help Zynga come up with a better one, you're encouraged to do so.
In other news, we also know that a Railroad will be coming to the left side of our Homesteads, but the use for such a thing is as-of-this-writing unknown. In addition, more buildings will be launching in the game's Emporium line, so if you still want to store more buildings than are currently possible, know that Zynga's still working on allowing you to do just that. In fact, we'll see buildings released that can be used to store entire themes of buildings (perhaps storing all animal buildings inside one massive barn?).
Either way, we'll stay on top of things as usual, and will let you know when any of these features start to roll out in full in the game. In the meantime, just try to keep your head above water (in terms of the game's goals), until things hopefully get better.
Are you looking forward to these new features? Which one do you think will be your favorite?
First and foremost, if you've ever needed to clear 10 Skulls, Cacti or Rocks for a goal, but don't have the collectibles to earn them for free, or simply don't have enough room on your Homestead for them to grow naturally (let's be honest, that happens a lot), we'll soon be able to spawn our own debris right when we need it, thanks to the Debris Spawner. This will be a building project that can be upgraded, giving out more debris for each upgrade. The name "Debris Spawner" isn't final, so if you'd like to help Zynga come up with a better one, you're encouraged to do so.
In other news, we also know that a Railroad will be coming to the left side of our Homesteads, but the use for such a thing is as-of-this-writing unknown. In addition, more buildings will be launching in the game's Emporium line, so if you still want to store more buildings than are currently possible, know that Zynga's still working on allowing you to do just that. In fact, we'll see buildings released that can be used to store entire themes of buildings (perhaps storing all animal buildings inside one massive barn?).
Either way, we'll stay on top of things as usual, and will let you know when any of these features start to roll out in full in the game. In the meantime, just try to keep your head above water (in terms of the game's goals), until things hopefully get better.
Are you looking forward to these new features? Which one do you think will be your favorite?
CityVille PSA: Santa's heading back to the North Pole in one week
If you're a bit of a procrastinator in Zynga's CityVille, or just simply haven't had a chance to finish all of the game's Christmas features due to other responsibilities, this is your seven day warning. At the end of the next week, the big man in red will back up shop and will head back to the North Pole for another year, taking his goals and other features (those that haven't been removed already, that is) with him.
This apparently includes the Save the Holidays event (all three Acts), and the ability to expand out into the Holiday Town expansions in your city. The Giving Tree, Santa's Sleigh and more will all vanish from the game if you've yet to complete them, so this is definitely the time to drop everything else you're doing and start working on this, if you have any desire to do so.
Unfortunately, the folks at Zynga haven't confirmed whether or not this deadline also applies to some of the timed goals in the game, like the Let's Go Sledding goal, for instance. We'll make sure to let you know if we find out just how far this deadline stretches, but for now, starting helping Santa before it's too late!
Did you finish all of the Christmas-themed content in CityVille weeks ago, or are you just now getting around to it? Do you think you'll be able to finish everything in time?
This apparently includes the Save the Holidays event (all three Acts), and the ability to expand out into the Holiday Town expansions in your city. The Giving Tree, Santa's Sleigh and more will all vanish from the game if you've yet to complete them, so this is definitely the time to drop everything else you're doing and start working on this, if you have any desire to do so.
Unfortunately, the folks at Zynga haven't confirmed whether or not this deadline also applies to some of the timed goals in the game, like the Let's Go Sledding goal, for instance. We'll make sure to let you know if we find out just how far this deadline stretches, but for now, starting helping Santa before it's too late!
Did you finish all of the Christmas-themed content in CityVille weeks ago, or are you just now getting around to it? Do you think you'll be able to finish everything in time?
Pioneer Trail Anniversary Extravaganza: Everything you need to know
Time flies when you're having fun, as we've learned this week in Pioneer Trail that Hank and Fanny are about to celebrate their one year anniversary. To be fair, the couple has only been married for about half that time, but let's not forget that the romance was first allowed in the game around Valentine's Day in 2011. Sure, the game has text that talks about it being a year after they got married, but we'll give Zynga the benefit out of the doubt that those are just oversights and that we didn't actually travel into the future. Either way, Hank wants to cook a great dinner for Fanny, but needs our help. On top of that, Fanny doesn't have anything pretty enough to wear for this grand occasion, so you'll need to help her as well! Let's get started on our look at how to do just that.
Keepin' Fanny Busy
Click on Plan the Date from Hank's Anniversary
Tend 60 Apple Trees
Clear 8 Wildflowers
The "Hank's Anniversary" phrase here applies to a pond and tree that have appeared on the outskirts of the right side of your Homestead, and the rest of this event will deal with upgrading that area as you go along. By clicking on the lake and then clicking on "Plan the Date," you'll pass that task. When you finish this first goal, you'll receive a Gazebo, a Bridge Buildin' Book and 300 XP.
On the Right Foot
Hire Bess Twice
Sell 25 Adult Sheep
Help Hank Fix Up the Lake
To fix up the lake, you'll need to gather parts from your friends (four Lake Flowers, three Flowered Hedges and six Romantic Candles) and will also need to have 150,000 coins to spend, have the Bridge Buildin' Book from the last goal and eight Row Boat Planks, which are earned by chopping Pine Trees. Combine all of that to finish this particular building project and goal task. When you finish the other steps of this goal and complete it entirely, you'll receive some Comfy Shoes, three Pink Lily Seeds and 400 XP.
All Dressed Up
Harvest 25 Pink Lilies
Collect 10 Draping Fabric
Help Fanny Get Ready for her Date
Similar to the lake upgrades above, you'll need to collect items for Fanny's outfit that she'll wear on the date. You'll need to ask your friends to send you six Pearl Necklaces and eight Silver Bangles, and will then have to craft six Fancy Skirts. These are made with Blue Clothes and pieces of Strong Thread, which are both earned from friends. Finally, you'll need to tend Adult Sheep to earn 10 Wool Fleece and collect the daily bonus from the Tailor's Shop to earn three Muslin Pieces. With that done (along with this goal's two other tasks), you'll receive eight Mixed Tulip Seeds, some Fancy Glasses and 500 XP.
Getting Gussied Up
Harvest 25 Cotton
Harvest 35 Mixed Tulips
Help Fanny with her Makeup
Here, we're left with a similar situation as before, but you'll need to collect eight Fancy Beads and six Classy Makeup items from friends, craft three Dress Bonnets and eight "Love is in the Air" items, collect eight Floral Accents from harvesting Lilies and of course have the Fancy Glasses from the last goal to finish here. When you finish this goal, you'll receive a Frontier Cookbook, a Stylish Sheep and 600 XP.
Cookin' Up Romance
Harvest 60 Corn
Harvest 80 Tomatoes
Help Hank with Some Finishing Touches
This goal deals with Hank actually cooking the dinner, so you'll need to craft six Mushroom Cream Sauces and 12 Love is in the Air items, ask your friends for 15 Place Settings and 10 Sparkling Ciders, and tend adult cows until you've earned 10 Filet Mignon. For finishing this goal, you'll receive a Dinner Table, a Waiter Duck and 600 XP.
Flowers for Fanny
Collect 3 General Store Daily Bonuses
Harvest 50 Pink Roses
Harvest 40 Red Roses
For finishing this last goal, you'll receive three Magnolia Trees, a Date Album and two more Stylish Sheep. You'll also be able to purchase more of these Magnolia trees from the store for 9,500 coins each, if you'd like to do so.
[Via and Image Credit: Zynga]
Along with the Tunnel of Love, you've got a lot to work on this Valentine's Day holiday, but we'll make sure to let you know if anything else launches on top of this.
Keepin' Fanny Busy
Click on Plan the Date from Hank's Anniversary
Tend 60 Apple Trees
Clear 8 Wildflowers
The "Hank's Anniversary" phrase here applies to a pond and tree that have appeared on the outskirts of the right side of your Homestead, and the rest of this event will deal with upgrading that area as you go along. By clicking on the lake and then clicking on "Plan the Date," you'll pass that task. When you finish this first goal, you'll receive a Gazebo, a Bridge Buildin' Book and 300 XP.
On the Right Foot
Hire Bess Twice
Sell 25 Adult Sheep
Help Hank Fix Up the Lake
To fix up the lake, you'll need to gather parts from your friends (four Lake Flowers, three Flowered Hedges and six Romantic Candles) and will also need to have 150,000 coins to spend, have the Bridge Buildin' Book from the last goal and eight Row Boat Planks, which are earned by chopping Pine Trees. Combine all of that to finish this particular building project and goal task. When you finish the other steps of this goal and complete it entirely, you'll receive some Comfy Shoes, three Pink Lily Seeds and 400 XP.
All Dressed Up
Harvest 25 Pink Lilies
Collect 10 Draping Fabric
Help Fanny Get Ready for her Date
Similar to the lake upgrades above, you'll need to collect items for Fanny's outfit that she'll wear on the date. You'll need to ask your friends to send you six Pearl Necklaces and eight Silver Bangles, and will then have to craft six Fancy Skirts. These are made with Blue Clothes and pieces of Strong Thread, which are both earned from friends. Finally, you'll need to tend Adult Sheep to earn 10 Wool Fleece and collect the daily bonus from the Tailor's Shop to earn three Muslin Pieces. With that done (along with this goal's two other tasks), you'll receive eight Mixed Tulip Seeds, some Fancy Glasses and 500 XP.
Getting Gussied Up
Harvest 25 Cotton
Harvest 35 Mixed Tulips
Help Fanny with her Makeup
Here, we're left with a similar situation as before, but you'll need to collect eight Fancy Beads and six Classy Makeup items from friends, craft three Dress Bonnets and eight "Love is in the Air" items, collect eight Floral Accents from harvesting Lilies and of course have the Fancy Glasses from the last goal to finish here. When you finish this goal, you'll receive a Frontier Cookbook, a Stylish Sheep and 600 XP.
Cookin' Up Romance
Harvest 60 Corn
Harvest 80 Tomatoes
Help Hank with Some Finishing Touches
This goal deals with Hank actually cooking the dinner, so you'll need to craft six Mushroom Cream Sauces and 12 Love is in the Air items, ask your friends for 15 Place Settings and 10 Sparkling Ciders, and tend adult cows until you've earned 10 Filet Mignon. For finishing this goal, you'll receive a Dinner Table, a Waiter Duck and 600 XP.
Flowers for Fanny
Collect 3 General Store Daily Bonuses
Harvest 50 Pink Roses
Harvest 40 Red Roses
For finishing this last goal, you'll receive three Magnolia Trees, a Date Album and two more Stylish Sheep. You'll also be able to purchase more of these Magnolia trees from the store for 9,500 coins each, if you'd like to do so.
[Via and Image Credit: Zynga]
Along with the Tunnel of Love, you've got a lot to work on this Valentine's Day holiday, but we'll make sure to let you know if anything else launches on top of this.
Adventure World Storage Shed: Everything you need to know
While the last few weeks have been pretty generous in Adventure World, giving us plenty of items to use in decorating our Base Camps, what if you're tired of looking at a few items (say, those Christmas-themed items that simply don't apply anymore). Well, you wouldn't want to delete them, since you may never have a chance to have them again, so why not store them? Oh, right, the game won't let you... at least, not for much longer. That's right, a storage shed is coming to Adventure World!
While the Storage Shed isn't available to all players just yet, we do have the details for what you'll need to do to build one, courtesy of Zynga's official Adventure World blog. You'll need to purchase the Storage Shed from the buildings section of the store, and will then need to ask your friends to send you building ingredients.
4 Corrugated Walls
4 Roof Panels
4 Work Lights
4 Door Hinges
4 Lock Hinges
4 Electric Cables
Once you've collected these first items, you'll be able to store 10 items in your Storage Shed. You can add items to it by clicking on the new "Store" icon and then choosing the particular decorations that you want to store. You'll be able to upgrade the Storage Shed (presumably by collecting more and more building ingredients), eventually taking the building's maximum storage capacity to 100 individual items. While this does include the Christmas Holiday Tree, we've been warned that not all individual items can be stored. Those items will be the exception, however, and not the rule.
Just keep looking out for this new Storage Shed in your own game, as it will apparently launch to all users pretty soon.
Check out the rest of our Adventure World Cheats & Tips right here.
Are you excited to be able to finally store items in Adventure World, or do you like keeping everything out to remind you of your adventures with the game?
While the Storage Shed isn't available to all players just yet, we do have the details for what you'll need to do to build one, courtesy of Zynga's official Adventure World blog. You'll need to purchase the Storage Shed from the buildings section of the store, and will then need to ask your friends to send you building ingredients.
4 Corrugated Walls
4 Roof Panels
4 Work Lights
4 Door Hinges
4 Lock Hinges
4 Electric Cables
Once you've collected these first items, you'll be able to store 10 items in your Storage Shed. You can add items to it by clicking on the new "Store" icon and then choosing the particular decorations that you want to store. You'll be able to upgrade the Storage Shed (presumably by collecting more and more building ingredients), eventually taking the building's maximum storage capacity to 100 individual items. While this does include the Christmas Holiday Tree, we've been warned that not all individual items can be stored. Those items will be the exception, however, and not the rule.
Just keep looking out for this new Storage Shed in your own game, as it will apparently launch to all users pretty soon.
Check out the rest of our Adventure World Cheats & Tips right here.
Are you excited to be able to finally store items in Adventure World, or do you like keeping everything out to remind you of your adventures with the game?
CityVille Villa Rotonda: Everything you need to know
Do you like being told where to expand your land in CityVille, if it means being rewarded with an exclusive (usually awesome prize) in the process? If so, the new Villa Rotonda feature is for you, as it allows users level 55 and above to finish a new goal - Italian Renaissance - and earn the Villa Rotonda home.
There are actually three tasks to this goal in all:
Collect 30 Villa Blueprints
Collect from a Level 3 Library 5 Times
Expand to the Villa Rotonda
The Villa Blueprints are earned through a general news item shared on your wall, while you can learn more about the Library's upgrades right here. For the expansion requirement, it looks like this Villa Rotonda will be on the far right side of the map for most players, but of course its exact position depends on which expansions you've already unlocked on your own. As it stands, you'll need to complete the same basic expansion tasks - adding population and collecting Zoning Permits - to expand out to the Rotonda. Once you make it out there, you will have to actually finish this goal before being given the Rotonda as a permanent item in your town.
Placing the item in your city reveals its stats: a population of up to 4,850 citizens, and rent in the amount of 490 coins each day. This entire goal (and the Villa Rotonda itself) will only stay active in the game until February 8, so you'll need to expand as quickly as you can to make sure you have a chance of reaching (and keeping) this item long after that date. Good luck!
Check out the rest of our CityVille Cheats & Tips right here.
What do you think of this Villa Rotunda feature? Will you expand your land out to reach it?
There are actually three tasks to this goal in all:
Collect 30 Villa Blueprints
Collect from a Level 3 Library 5 Times
Expand to the Villa Rotonda
The Villa Blueprints are earned through a general news item shared on your wall, while you can learn more about the Library's upgrades right here. For the expansion requirement, it looks like this Villa Rotonda will be on the far right side of the map for most players, but of course its exact position depends on which expansions you've already unlocked on your own. As it stands, you'll need to complete the same basic expansion tasks - adding population and collecting Zoning Permits - to expand out to the Rotonda. Once you make it out there, you will have to actually finish this goal before being given the Rotonda as a permanent item in your town.
Placing the item in your city reveals its stats: a population of up to 4,850 citizens, and rent in the amount of 490 coins each day. This entire goal (and the Villa Rotonda itself) will only stay active in the game until February 8, so you'll need to expand as quickly as you can to make sure you have a chance of reaching (and keeping) this item long after that date. Good luck!
Check out the rest of our CityVille Cheats & Tips right here.
What do you think of this Villa Rotunda feature? Will you expand your land out to reach it?
Chủ Nhật, 4 tháng 3, 2012
CivWorld on Facebook might be a blast, if we could play already
CivWorld is down
If you're one of the 73 thousand players who seem to have brought the CivWorld servers to their knees, you already know that the first Firaxis game on Facebook is currently offline for many players. But considering how small of a number that is, we're going to guess you might be out of the loop. Well, the game has suffered connection issues since its launch last week, really. After much complaining and dreaded 004 error codes, Firaxis decided to respond recently with:
We've had a large volume of people join the game in a very short amount of time (which is great!), and that has led to some technical challenges that we're addressing right now. Restoring access to everyone is our team's top priority. We've put some fixes into place and the team is working diligently on the remaining issues. We'll continue to keep you updated on our progress and have you back ruling the world soon!
Despite the poor first steps, we're sure Firaxis is working on a resolution as of this writing. While you wait, why not try some Empires & Allies so you can make an educated vote in one of our future Facebook Game Faceoff features? It's the American thing to do, really. In the meantime, we've contacted Firaxis for comment.
Have you been able to play CivWorld at all since its launch? Either way, what do you think of the strategy game?
If you're one of the 73 thousand players who seem to have brought the CivWorld servers to their knees, you already know that the first Firaxis game on Facebook is currently offline for many players. But considering how small of a number that is, we're going to guess you might be out of the loop. Well, the game has suffered connection issues since its launch last week, really. After much complaining and dreaded 004 error codes, Firaxis decided to respond recently with:
We've had a large volume of people join the game in a very short amount of time (which is great!), and that has led to some technical challenges that we're addressing right now. Restoring access to everyone is our team's top priority. We've put some fixes into place and the team is working diligently on the remaining issues. We'll continue to keep you updated on our progress and have you back ruling the world soon!
Despite the poor first steps, we're sure Firaxis is working on a resolution as of this writing. While you wait, why not try some Empires & Allies so you can make an educated vote in one of our future Facebook Game Faceoff features? It's the American thing to do, really. In the meantime, we've contacted Firaxis for comment.
Have you been able to play CivWorld at all since its launch? Either way, what do you think of the strategy game?
Rumors: First PopCap, now Ohai--EA looks for leg up in social games
Remember that mystery buyer that was rumored to pick up PopCap for an insane $1 billion? How about the scuttlebutt that a mystery shopper was eying up Ohai? As it turns out, they're both EA, the veteran games publisher that has tailed Zynga on Facebook with games like Madden NFL Superstars and Pet Society for some time. According to VentureBeat, unnamed sources have revealed that the company has purchased Ohai for an undisclosed amount, though the website guesses that it wasn't much.
While an opt to buy a company like PopCap with hit properties like Bejeweled and Plants vs Zombies (even if for $1 billion) is fairly obvious, a move to purchase a company like Ohai is a bit more ... puzzling. (Though, the company did just release a new game, Unicorn Parade.) Especially considering the fact that EA owns companies in the social games industry like Playfish and Chillingo, publisher of Angry Birds in the U.S.
However, some considerable talent has passed through Ohai, like former CEO Susan Wu, a professional gamer turned former venture capitalist. But with most of that talent long gone after a few lukewarm releases, why else would EA want Ohai? Our best guess is for good talent at a cheap price, but we know just about as much as you do.
Regardless of whether either rumor turns out to be true, know this: EA is on the hunt, and if it isn't PopCap or Ohai it'll be someone else. With lots of cash and lots of reason to close that gap between its now third-place 31 million players, EA looks like it's ready for another shopping spree.
[Image Credit: Ohai]
Which do you think EA is more likely to buy: Ohai or PopCap? Do you think either could help EA compete with Zynga in the social games race?
While an opt to buy a company like PopCap with hit properties like Bejeweled and Plants vs Zombies (even if for $1 billion) is fairly obvious, a move to purchase a company like Ohai is a bit more ... puzzling. (Though, the company did just release a new game, Unicorn Parade.) Especially considering the fact that EA owns companies in the social games industry like Playfish and Chillingo, publisher of Angry Birds in the U.S.
However, some considerable talent has passed through Ohai, like former CEO Susan Wu, a professional gamer turned former venture capitalist. But with most of that talent long gone after a few lukewarm releases, why else would EA want Ohai? Our best guess is for good talent at a cheap price, but we know just about as much as you do.
Regardless of whether either rumor turns out to be true, know this: EA is on the hunt, and if it isn't PopCap or Ohai it'll be someone else. With lots of cash and lots of reason to close that gap between its now third-place 31 million players, EA looks like it's ready for another shopping spree.
[Image Credit: Ohai]
Which do you think EA is more likely to buy: Ohai or PopCap? Do you think either could help EA compete with Zynga in the social games race?
Yup, it's true - Electronic Arts lassos Bejeweled maker PopCap for $650 million
Turns out (one of) the rumors from the past few weeks are true -- Bejeweled-creator PopCap has been purchased by Electronic Arts for upwards of a billion dollars, an unnamed source confirms for Games.com this afternoon. The official news should be breaking shortly... stay tuned...
And the news is out. Electronic Arts has purchased PopCap for $650 million, adding its slate of critically acclaimed, best-selling games like Bejeweled, Plants vs. Zombies, Zuma, Bookworm (and other) to EA's already vast library of games.
"We picked EA because they have recast their culture around making great digital games," said PopCap CEO David Roberts says in a statement. "By working with EA, we'll scale our games and services to deliver more social, mobile, casual fun to an even bigger, global audience."
"EA and PopCap are a compelling combination," EA CEO John Riccitiello says. "PopCap's great studio talent and powerful IP add to EA's momentum and accelerate our drive towards a $1 billion digital business. EA's global studio and publishing network will help PopCap rapidly expand their business to more digital devices, more countries, and more channels."
EA will pay $650 million in cash and $100 million in shares of EA common stock will be issued to select PopCap stockholders. PopCap sellers will also be eligible for additional cash, based on PopCap's performance through December 2013.
This is an unexpected development, especially after PopCap had been very forthcoming about its plans to go public earlier this year. It will also be interesting to see how EA will help PopCap reach a new audience and how PopCap, in turn, will enhance EA's casual games business.
And the news is out. Electronic Arts has purchased PopCap for $650 million, adding its slate of critically acclaimed, best-selling games like Bejeweled, Plants vs. Zombies, Zuma, Bookworm (and other) to EA's already vast library of games.
"We picked EA because they have recast their culture around making great digital games," said PopCap CEO David Roberts says in a statement. "By working with EA, we'll scale our games and services to deliver more social, mobile, casual fun to an even bigger, global audience."
"EA and PopCap are a compelling combination," EA CEO John Riccitiello says. "PopCap's great studio talent and powerful IP add to EA's momentum and accelerate our drive towards a $1 billion digital business. EA's global studio and publishing network will help PopCap rapidly expand their business to more digital devices, more countries, and more channels."
EA will pay $650 million in cash and $100 million in shares of EA common stock will be issued to select PopCap stockholders. PopCap sellers will also be eligible for additional cash, based on PopCap's performance through December 2013.
This is an unexpected development, especially after PopCap had been very forthcoming about its plans to go public earlier this year. It will also be interesting to see how EA will help PopCap reach a new audience and how PopCap, in turn, will enhance EA's casual games business.
Like playing games on Facebook? Try playing on your Samsung TV
The final frontier for social games might be what you sit in front of all night long: your television. (Do people still call it that?) GamePro reports that PlayJam, a social gaming company that specializes in TVs as its platform(s), has signed a deal with Samsung. This partnership will bring PlayJam's stable of casual games to web-enabled Samsung TVs through Smart TV software.
More specifically, London-based PlayJam games will be found through Samsung Apps, reportedly the first app store on an HDTV. While specific games weren't mentioned, a statement said that players will have access to a variety of "in-house and leading brand titles" and "thousands of casual games at the touch of a button on the remote control."
PlayJam's system has full support for social games including leader boards, cross-network tournaments, and--most importantly for some--virtual currencies. It's a brilliant idea, in theory. Where do most casual or non-gamers spend a bigger chunk of their leisure time than anywhere else? You guessed it.
GamePro guesses that social games for TV could grow even larger than Facebook games, but that all depends on the quality of the games, which we've yet to see. Regardless, the potential for growth and notoriety is certainly there, according to PlayJam CEO Jasper Smith:
I have a fundamental belief that games on TV will evolve into a huge commercial opportunity, and our combined aim is simply to provide the best games experience possible to our customers. To help make that a reality, we offer great game developers simple access to our global games network -- so that they can monetize their IP and make their games famous. TV has some extraordinary advantages over the Web and mobile, and the ability to make standout formats has never been greater.
And thanks to Facebook's recent ... rewording of its Facebook Credits terms, Facebook game developers are allowed to place their games elsewhere as long as pricing is identical. Empires & Allies on the old 55-inch, anyone? We've contacted PlayJam for more details.
[Image Credit: Slashgear]
Have you tried playing casual games on your HDTV through PlayJam? Do you this type of distribution could outgrow Facebook and smartphones?
More specifically, London-based PlayJam games will be found through Samsung Apps, reportedly the first app store on an HDTV. While specific games weren't mentioned, a statement said that players will have access to a variety of "in-house and leading brand titles" and "thousands of casual games at the touch of a button on the remote control."
PlayJam's system has full support for social games including leader boards, cross-network tournaments, and--most importantly for some--virtual currencies. It's a brilliant idea, in theory. Where do most casual or non-gamers spend a bigger chunk of their leisure time than anywhere else? You guessed it.
GamePro guesses that social games for TV could grow even larger than Facebook games, but that all depends on the quality of the games, which we've yet to see. Regardless, the potential for growth and notoriety is certainly there, according to PlayJam CEO Jasper Smith:
I have a fundamental belief that games on TV will evolve into a huge commercial opportunity, and our combined aim is simply to provide the best games experience possible to our customers. To help make that a reality, we offer great game developers simple access to our global games network -- so that they can monetize their IP and make their games famous. TV has some extraordinary advantages over the Web and mobile, and the ability to make standout formats has never been greater.
And thanks to Facebook's recent ... rewording of its Facebook Credits terms, Facebook game developers are allowed to place their games elsewhere as long as pricing is identical. Empires & Allies on the old 55-inch, anyone? We've contacted PlayJam for more details.
[Image Credit: Slashgear]
Have you tried playing casual games on your HDTV through PlayJam? Do you this type of distribution could outgrow Facebook and smartphones?
EA won't poo-poo on PopCap, CEO Riccitiello promises
xPhew--EA had us worried for a second. (But keep on your toes.) After announcing that it bought casual and social games icon PopCap for a cool $650 million and some change, gamers and the press alike worried how this would affect the Seattle-based independent developer. But according to EA CEO John Riccitiello, there's no need to worry--PopCap will be treated as a "if it's not broke" situation, according to Shacknews.
For anyone who is concerned that EA will suck the creative energy out of PopCap like one of its plant-eating zombies, don't worry, but some changes will be made. "Some of their most important designers and creators and producers are stuck to perpetually working on language localization, individual handset adaptations, individual carrier adaptations," Riccitiello said during an investors call. "It's a lot of work... It's very unproductive work for great designers." This looks to be one of wrongs EA looks to right with the acquisition.
Regardless of whether you believe Riccitiello, one thing is for sure: EA means serious business when it comes to mobile and social gaming. However, whether PopCap will be enough for the company to compete with the likes of Zynga is, of course, up in the air. And considering the companies' collective players on Facebook combined just surpasses a single Zynga game, Empires & Allies, the duo certainly has lots of work to do.
[Via Touch Arcade]
[Image Credit: That's It Guys]
How do you think the acquisition will affect PopCap's day-to-day? Will EA have a fighting chance against Zynga now that it owns the creator of Bejeweled?
For anyone who is concerned that EA will suck the creative energy out of PopCap like one of its plant-eating zombies, don't worry, but some changes will be made. "Some of their most important designers and creators and producers are stuck to perpetually working on language localization, individual handset adaptations, individual carrier adaptations," Riccitiello said during an investors call. "It's a lot of work... It's very unproductive work for great designers." This looks to be one of wrongs EA looks to right with the acquisition.
Regardless of whether you believe Riccitiello, one thing is for sure: EA means serious business when it comes to mobile and social gaming. However, whether PopCap will be enough for the company to compete with the likes of Zynga is, of course, up in the air. And considering the companies' collective players on Facebook combined just surpasses a single Zynga game, Empires & Allies, the duo certainly has lots of work to do.
[Via Touch Arcade]
[Image Credit: That's It Guys]
How do you think the acquisition will affect PopCap's day-to-day? Will EA have a fighting chance against Zynga now that it owns the creator of Bejeweled?
PopCap's Peggle and Plants vs. Zombies coming to Facebook?
This week, Electronic Arts snapped up Bejeweled creator PopCap for roughly $650 million, and during an investor meeting yesterday shared some interesting info that might send Facebook gaming fans into a tizzy.
What's the big news? It appears that PopCap will be bringing both Plants vs. Zombies and Peggle to Facebook, based on this "Success on Facebook" presentation that was shown during the meeting (see below).
popcap success on facebook
Play close attention to item #4 which says "Future outlook is strong with top IP from both EA and PopCap to come," followed by logos from Risk: Factions, The Sims Social (two EA games we know for sure are headed to Facebook), as well as logos for Peggle and Plants vs. Zombies.
In May, PopCap announced plans to release a socialized version of its zombie- and plant-themed tower defense game -- called Plants vs. Zombies Social Edition -- exclusively on China's social network Renren.com. This new socialized version of the game includes a two-minute Rampage mode, where you try to kill as many zombies as possible before the clock runs out. At the time of the announcement, the possibility of this game migrating to Facebook seemed slim, but in the brave new world of EA/PopCap, it looks like it just might happen.
We've reached out to PopCap to confirm this tidbit of news -- stay tuned.
Which do you want to play more on Facebook -- Peggle or Plants vs. Zombies?
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