Social games help drive growth for China's Tencent network

The largest social network in the world's largest country just keep getting, um, larger. And social games are a big part of that ever-increasing largeness, according to the latest financial results from China's TenCent.

Sure, services like instant messaging, bundled SMS packages and events like the World Cup also contributed to Tencent's 65% increase in year-over-year for the first half of 2010. But their latest financial report highlights many areas where social games helped drive growth, including:

    Tencent mobile business, which saw revenue from mobile social games increase.
    Tencent's QZone blogging platform, where revenue increases were "mainly fueled by enhancements in bundled privileges relating to social games."
    Tencent's online game revenues increased due to 5.9% on the strength of "improved monetization" for games like Cross Fire. These games are expected to do even better in the third quarter because of the "improved seasonality" of the summer school holiday.
    "Our recently launched game titles, namely Dragon Power, a hardcore 2D MMOG, and World of Fantasy, a self-developed MMOG, also contributed to the growth in revenues."

It's not all peaches and cream for Tencent gaming, though. Looking ahead, the company expects "the success rate and extent of success for new game titles may decrease" because of "slowing industry growth, intensifying competition and increasing sophistication of gamers." And the company has recently come under fire for rampant game copying and efforts to push smaller players out of the market. Remind you of anyone?

The creator of Zynga Poker ain't down with online gambling yet [Report]

Zynga Casino
Now that the lot of social and casual games makers are bound to hop on the imminent online gambling bandwagon in the U.S., it was safe to assume that Zynga would be in on the action. Apparently, that's not so, according to what nameless sources close to the multi-billion-dollar game maker told Business Insider. One source told the website that Zynga hasn't even tried to make online gambling games in countries where laws are less strict.

A source told Business Insider that Zynga doesn't want to "screw up that community," likely referring to the existing online gambling circles of foreign countries. "You might not want to take money from your friends or your mother on Facebook," the anonymous source said. "But at the same time, the people you play with don't have to be your Facebook friends."

Of course, another nameless source agreed that games in which players wager real money would be a huge opportunity for the company. That's especially considering Zynga already has Zynga Poker and plans to release a Zynga Casino suite of games including Zynga Bingo. In short, the company already has the infrastructure to create such a game or multiple games to support online gambling.

According to an anonymous source talking to Business Insider, there have been talks of making such a game within Zynga HQ, but none are planned for the foreseeable future. And, if you ask us, a number of companies already in that space are likely more than willing to partake, like Caesars, DoubleDown Interactive and more. If Zynga comes around to changing its mind, it better do it quick, before the goldmine it's sitting on gets stripped.

[Image Credit: Zynga]

Why do you think Zynga might be wary of entering the online gambling sector? Would you ever wager your real money in a Facebook game?

In Star Supremacy on Facebook, go to war with the game's creators

Want to differentiate your strategy social game from the rest of them? Then get involved. Chinese developer Barbily plans to do just that with its Facebook version of browser-based, sci-fi strategy MMO (massively multiplayer online game), Star Supremacy. The game launches today on Facebook, and already the Barbily team plans to engage its players by bringing the fight to them.

For starters, three Barbily GMs (game masters) will actively play Star Supremacy, controlling two advanced colonies each. Of course, all of these territories will be home to massive reserves of resources, which players can attack for major gains. Barbily will publish the coordinates of these developer-controlled colonies on the Star Supremacy Facebook fan page. However, Barbily warns that there will be consequences if players decide to set up trade routes through these colonies or organize large assaults.

In other words, just try and take it to the developers--they're waiting for a good fight. Like most Facebook game developers with new games, Barbily will give its players free in-game gifts when the fan page reaches 500 and 1,000 "Likes". But the Suzhou-based developer thinks it's far different from Zynga's lot of games.
Star Supremacy in action
"What makes us different from CityVille, FarmVille, CastleVille, or even Empires & Allies is that we are a sci-fi RTS game. " Barbily PR manager Thomas Watson said. "We've read a lot of feedback from players both inside and outside our forums. Players expect a lot from a browser-based RTS. I am proud to say that our developers are working very fast and very hard to bring out new features and big fixes on a weekly basis."

While that's certainly true, we've yet to see what differentiates Star Supremacy from the growing lot of sci-fi strategy games on Facebook like Edgeworld and Galaxy Life. We certainly haven't heard of a Facebook game's developers taunting its players to battle immediately upon release before.

Click here to play Star Supremacy on Facebook Now >

Are you a strategy social game fan? Have you tried Star Supremacy yet, and what's your favorite in the sub genre yet?

Surveys: Casual gamers make up 63 percent of all UK Internet users

I guess PopCap was right to launch Bejeweled 3 in London, huh? The newest UK National Gamers Survey has found that 28 million Internet users in the UK, or 63 percent of the total, are casual gamers. Business 2 Community reports that, of those 28 million, 20 million play casual games on a mobile device. Of course, this likely means games including FarmVille and Angry Birds, but way over half of the British Internet population is widespread nonetheless.

Need more convincing? The survey goes on to report that it finds 40 percent of time spent on Facebook is playing games, and that 19 percent of social gamers admit their addiction. While some countries aren't as addicted to social media as the US, the numbers go to show that no culture is immune to the gripping effects of social games.

However, also keep in mind the the survey was conducted by a pro-gamer organization. The B2C report continues to mention more detailed, unsurprising statistics such as demographics and projected profits but just the figure "63 percent" is enough to show the seemingly unstoppable spread of social gaming.

[Image Credit: GamesRadar]

How long do you think it will take before that number reaches, say, 80 percent of all UK Internet users? How will this level of ubiquity affect the industry as a whole?

Resident Evil: Outbreak Survive infects Japanese social network GREE

Capcom has wasted no time getting its hands in mobile and social gaming, and now the developer brings the all-too-familiar grunts and groans of Resident Evil to social games. VG Chartz reports that Capcom will launch Resident Evil: Outbreak survive on GREE, one of Japan's most popular social gaming networks, this coming June. According to VG Chartz, the game will release on Japanese smartphones and task players with collaborating together to, you know, survive.

More specifically, survivors must share weapons, ammo and healing items as they complete missions together. Considering Resident Evil's immense popularity in the states as well, we're hopeful Capcom will smarten up and unleash this plague on the US. Only the best of plagues, of course: games.

[Image Credit: Capcom]

Would you play a Resident Evil game on Facebook? What if it were a Facebook Connected iPhone game

Will the infamous 'Add Me' page be but a memory, thanks to Zynga?

Update: Thanks to a few of our awesome readers, we've learned that the "Zynga Recommended Friends" feature is live. You can access it and make the change right here. However, it appears that this option is simply to opt out of features like FarmVille Friends and Building Buddies. However, Zynga game-wide recommended friends is still a possibility in the future.

Man, and we just made all of those "Add Me" pages! Fansite CE Gamers reports that Zynga will soon (or already has) roll out a feature known as "Zynga Recommended Friends." This will allow the developer to recommend friends for you--regardless of whether they're your Facebook friends--based on your level, mutual (in-game) friends.

In essence, this is FarmVille Friends, but across all Zynga games. CE Gamers provides the below screen shot, but it's unclear where this image comes from exactly, as the Zynga home page does not have a log-in option that we're aware of. And RewardVille only allows log-ins via Facebook with no customization options. Our best guess is that this is part of the upcoming Project Z initiative, which will supposedly a Zynga games network outside of Facebook ... but powered by Facebook.

However, here's the thing: According to this screen shot, Zynga friends that aren't Facebook friends with you will have access to your public profile. That's all well and good for those who know how to put their profile on lockdown, but what about those who don't? And while it appears that you'll be able to opt out of recommendations, you may still receive them from Zynga. Just think--soon, you might not have to get lost in 2,500 comment-long threads, all with the same words: Add Me!!!11!11!!!1
Zynga Recommened Friends

Would you prefer to have Zynga recommend friends for you? Is Zynga going too far with your privacy, should you opt in?

Get Hooked on RockYou's underwater card game on Facebook

Earlier this month, we brought you exclusive first details concerning RockYou's new Facebook game Hooked, an underwater-themed card game based on five card poker. Now that the game has launched in open beta (in a very simple form, at present), we're able to bring you a complete rundown of what to expect from this game. Don't let simple appearances deceive you, however, as there's actually a lot of fun at dangling on the end of the line.

The basic premise of Hooked is simple. Each game lasts 60 seconds, and sees you trying to earn as many points as possible by creating hands of five cards, or, in this case Card Fish. Fish come in different colors and, as you'd expect, from suits in a regular deck of cards, which help you form quick flushes. You'll even start each and every hand with two Card Fish. To be specific, these two cards are random, and you'll then be given a selection of seven more cards to choose from. You'll have to choose just three to make the best hand possible to earn points.

You can return cards three and four (that is, your first two selections) to the pile by spending a Pearl, a type of premium currency. You can also activate power-ups--again, using Pearls--like an Eel that will allow you to see more Card Fish. As for scoring, it follows the basic rules of Poker, with a basic hand worth 100 points, even if it has no pairs, etc. As you earn Pairs, Two Pairs, Three of a Kind, Straights, Full Houses and more, you'll earn more and more points for that particular hand.
Throughout each 60-second game, bonus fish will randomly swim across the bottom of the screen, giving you a chance for instant point bonuses. If you complete a Flush or Rainbow Hand, you'll earn a multiplier bonus. (Rainbow Hands are comprised of one card of each uniquely colored Card Fish--blue, red, purple, yellow and black.) As of right now, the game comes with just two modes: Solo and Match Play. Since the game is so new, I unfortunately wasn't able to find anyone else to play a Match with, but you can still play by yourself while in this mode in case another player comes along later on.
Gallery: Hooked on Facebook

As you play games, you'll earn Tickets that will eventually allow you to purchase power-ups, along with items for an aquarium feature called "The Cove," that is also yet-to-be-released. Players will level up, allowing them access to different areas on the map. These different locations unlock other power-up fish besides the Eel, like Rainbow Fish that give you a chance to earn more points by acting as Wild Cards. Once you start playing with other friends, you'll also be able to track your high score against them on both overall and weekly high score tables.

While Hooked may be incredibly simplistic in its current form, I actually find the gameplay to be some of the most hectic and enjoyable around, at least when compared to other games that are presented in 60-second bite-sized chunks. While we're (mostly) all familiar with the way Poker hands are created in slower games, you're left to think incredibly quickly in Hooked. Clicking on the wrong Card Fish can be the difference between massive points and barely anything at all. It will be interesting to see how Facebook's overall audience takes to this underwater adventure, especially as more features are added, and we'll be sure to let you know if this one takes off.

Click here to play Hooked on Facebook Now >

Have you tried Hooked on Facebook? What's your high score so far in this underwater card game? What did you think of the game so far?

'Zynga is making games for accidental gamers,' studio VP says

Look, nobody gets hooked on FarmVille by accident--there's always that friend. Zynga studio VP Bill Mooney (pictured) recently spoke to students at The University of California at Santa Cruz during its Research Review Day about the company's design philosophy. During his talk, titled "Social Games: An Overview and Exploration," Mooney said, "Zynga is making games for accidental gamers," according to IndustryGamers.

The studio head was implying that Zynga doesn't create video games for hardcore or traditional gamers. Sure, that's stating the obvious, but it's vitally important to remember when looking at Zynga's games. They're not exactly technological marvels, accessible to those who just don't get the complexity of controllers and traversing 3D space. But as players progress, they become well-versed in increasingly complex interfaces, thus becoming, well, gamers.

Regardless, social gamers still aren't the same as traditional game fans, and probably never will be. (At least until another friend introduces them to something new.) And because of these "accidental gamers" have a different understanding of what a game should be, Zynga says it caters to that understanding. "You're not shipping a product, you're running an amusement park," Mooney told the students.

And traditional game companies are trying to keep up with that philosophy, wary that even hardcore gamers might yearn for that experience. (Just look at Activision Blizzard's Call of Duty Elite.) "Don't be like work, don't ask too much, be social, help me connect," Mooney said. That, ironically enough, might be the burgeoning industry's greatest challenge, if you ask the right folks.

[Image Credit: Josh Lowensohn (CNET)]

What do you expect from your social games these days? Have you come to expect this level of "connectedness" from other games or services, too?

Zynga studio VP Lou Castle leaves for Las Vegas casino games maker

Hey, look on the bright side, Zynga: At least the guy didn't leave for a competitor. IndustryGamers reports that former Zynga studio VP Lou Castle (pictured) left for Shuffle Master, a Las Vegas-based creator of various casino game products like shufflers. According to IndustryGamers, Castle's move was purely for personal reasons, just months after joining the social game giant.

"The Zynga gig was clearly a 5 day a week, 24/7 requirement," Castle told IndustryGamers. "[I have] twins in senior year of high school and [Shuffle Master's] a local job. Life's too short, so I couldn't resist." Quite the noble move, eh? Well, Castle had already served on Shuffle Master's board of directors for six years before becoming the company's CSO, or chief strategy officer. Castle opted to resign from his position on the board as Chairman of the Audit Committee before taking on the job.

Castle is best known for his contributions in creating the famed strategy game series, Command & Conquer, as co-founder of Westwood Studios. The former Zynga executive most recently joins Treasure Isle GM Jeremy Verba in leaving the company. Verba also entered a completely different industry, becoming the CEO of famous (or infamous?) online dating website eHarmony.

These recent departures from Zynga aren't to other game companies, but away from the games industry entirely. Whether Zynga proves to be the video game swan song for industry veterans has yet to be seen. But the San Francisco-based social games maker presses on, with almost too many games announced recently.

Why do you think folks are leaving Zynga, but for companies in completely different industries? Is this the start of a trend of the social game maker?

Coco Girl on Facebook: For the fervent fashionista in all of us

Alright, so the fashion game has already been done on Facebook. But Damian Harburger, CEO of Argentina-based social game developer MetroGames, thinks that it hasn't been done right. Well, until now. We know, you're used to seeing hardcore-skewed social games come from the developer like AutoHustle.

Consider this most recent release a fundamental shift for the studio. Harburger tells us that, from here on out, MetroGames will focus largely on women when it comes to Facebook games, and on the more hardcore crowd (mostly men) in its mobile efforts.

Coco Girl is a Facebook game designed for the fashionista in every girl (and guy, in this writer's very particular case). Every girl has her opinions on fashion--some are just more vocal than others, no?--and Coco Girl provides the medium through which to express them.

At every turn in Coco Girl, you're given the opportunity to voice your take on various outfits and in a multitude of situations. In fact, rating your fellow females' outfits is the basis of the game. Sure, players can visit various shops and dress their heavily customized avatar (seriously, even I spent at least 30 minutes fine-tuning my lady). But it's the ability to give other players' clothing choices your two cents, or Rubies in this case, that's the star of this fashion show.

Coco Girl isn't governed by an energy system or too much of a gameplay structure, though you are given daily tasks to complete and quests to embark on. The quests are simply introductory, tiny tasks designed to introduce you to the game's myriad features and customization options. Your Daily Ruby-Maker Checklist is the bread and butter of Coco Girl, and is essentially what's going to get you the Rubies you need to purchase now outfits, make-up and accessories.

Gallery: Coco Girl on Facebook
While in your character's home, you will notice a magazine called Fashion Expert. Every day, you'll open it up and rate at least 20 outfits based on whether you dig them, or whether they're appropriate for certain situations like, say, a job interview or a casting call for a horror movie. However, the amount of Rubies you earn for doing this depends directly upon whether you're opinions gel with the rest of the Coco Girl player base.

While this does well to keep you in line with "what's hot" at the moment, it has the potential to limit daring or unique fashion statements. Nevertheless this is perhaps the most elegant approach yet to having opinions play a meaningful role in a Facebook game. Players can then participate in various mini games in the Coco Carnival to add a dash of variety to simply voting on get-ups, which of course will result in precious Rubies.

The first of which is Fashion Slots, a game in which you must successfully complete an outfit that a fellow lady is looking for. You do this by stopping a spinning wheel of various clothing items in a particular category. As you continue to try and select the correct items, the wheel will spin faster. Then there is Elusive Treasures, a hidden object game that times you on how many, well, hidden objects you can spot within the time limit. The Final mini game is Love Machine, a puzzle game that has players rearranging pipes to create a direct path between two lovers.
Coco Girl Home
All three mini games offer a considerable challenge and refreshing variety to Coco Girl. More importantly, they also provide Tickets, a currency that can only be spent in Coco Carnival on more Rubies or accessories for your avatar to hold. Finally, you can create Daily Looks and Quest Looks--an important aspect of Coco Girl, if you want to be a respected fashion expert in-game.

Every look you create in the game, once saved, can and probably will be voted upon by other players--friend or not--in the Fashion Expert feature. The Daily Looks are voted upon using a star system, while Quest Looks, the outfits you create to best fit certain situations, are a simple thumbs-up or thumbs-down affair. And at the end of the day in Coco Girl, it's all about the votes, it seems.

The ultimate Goal of Coco Girl is to have one of your outfits make it into the Daily Looks Hall of Fame. The get-ups that get the most positive votes are featured every day, and those that the score the most of all time get a spot and recognition forever. You can even buy those top-ranking outfits for Facebook Credits, if you want a competitive edge.

Coco Girl, on top of its detailed artwork, slick animations and varied gameplay, is all about what matters in a Facebook game about fashion: the looks and what people think about 'em, because we all have an opinion.

Click here to play Coco Girl on Facebook Now >

Have you tried Coco Girl on Facebook yet? What do you think of Facebook games directly geared towards women? Do you think any game thus far has been one that "gets it?" Sound off in the comments. Add Comment

Bossa Studios's Facebook debut, Monstermind, will crush your dreams

But in a good way, we promise. Like the U.S., folks in the UK are super cereal (isn't that what kids are saying these days?) about the social games movement. The Guardian reports that Shine TV has acquired London-based social game startup Bossa Studios for an undisclosed amount.

Elisabeth Murdoch's TV production company (recently bought out by daddy's News Corp) has reportedly been eying social gaming for a long time. And what do you know--her timing could not have been better.

According to The Guardian, 11-month-old Bossa Studios looks to unveil its first project, Monstermind (pictured), next week on Facebook. However, it looks like the game is available now on Facebook, though in an "open beta." (For all intents and purposes, the game is live and available for all to play.)

"We have long identified social gaming as a critical component to this strategy, and in Bossa Studios we discovered an entrepreneurial, creative team that shared our passion for creative excellence," Miss Murdoch told The Guardian. "They have bold ideas for this space which we naturally welcome and will be a significant addition to the Shine Group."

Monstermind looks to be a fresh take on the city-building genre that CityVille has done so well to popularize. Well, fresh in the sense that, in addition to building cities, you can sic giant monsters to crush your friends' towns. The game features nearly full 3D visuals and an art style that screams "The Blob meets Sim City." Check out the game's trailer below to see what we mean.



Click here to play Monstermind on Facebook Now >

Were you waiting for a new approach to city-builders on Facebook? What do you think so far of this new studio's first contribution to Facebook gaming? Sound off in the comments. Add Comment

We can almost hear the 3 Blokes team in Australia screaming "Fire everything!" as they hit the proverbial "Launch" button on its first Facebook game under publisher RockYou, Galactic Allies. (It would be most appropriate, no?) Real-time strategy fans can jump in on the thrill of space-faring, asynchronous player vs player combat, complete with 3D visuals.

Essentially, Galactic Allies is RockYou and 3 Blokes's answer to the growing trend of hardcore strategy games on Facebook. However, the duo make a point of mentioning that this is a more casual approach to the burgeoning sub genre, and that the game features a heavy focus on an episodic storyline. And in keeping with current trends sparked by developers like Kixeye in War Commander, players can control units individually.
Gallery: Galactic Allies on Facebook
This means you'll likely be able to maneuver your starships around enemy fire, adding another layer of strategy to combat in the game. "Galactic Allies alters expectations for what a Facebook game can be," said 3 Blokes VP and GM George Fidler in a release. "It's a deep and compelling strategy game, but with the accessibility of a browser game." (It also looks like it takes the general idea behind Galactic Trader, one of 3 Blokes's first games, and blows it wide open using some familiar art assets.)

Hopefully this accessible approach will apply to the litany of upgrades players will accumulate across various missions and episodes. Judging from these early screen shots, it looks like Galactic Allies will focus heavily on dialog, but more importantly: Battles will take place both on the surface of alien planets and far above them in the infinite void. In other words, there will be plenty of things high and low to make go boom in Galactic Allies.

Click here to learn more about Galactic Allies on Facebook >

Are you a fan of strategy games on Facebook? How do you think Galactic Allies might size up against its competition? Sound off in the comments. 1 Comment

To go along with the Animal Mastery feature released in Pioneer Trail this weekend, you can now also complete one of three new collections in the game. Two of these collections go with the new animals that have also been released: the Badger and Moose, while the third goes with the 4F Mastery Club itself.

4F Collection

    * Rewards Spring Water and 80 XP


Badger Collection

    * Rewards Free Critter Milk and 120 XP


Moose Collection

    * Free Carrot Juice and 100 XP


As you might expect, you can earn each of these collections' items by tending to the appropriate animals (that is, you'll earn Badger Collection items for tending Badgers, and Moose Collection items for tending Moose), or by collecting the 4F Mastery Club's daily bonus. You'll also have a chance to earn these specific collectibles during the construction of the Mastery Club itself, although I wouldn't expect to receive the full set unless you're really lucky. By the way, if you're that lucky, would you mind letting some of that luck rub off on me?

Are you a fan of the collections in Pioneer Trail and actively try to complete them, or do you just let yourself complete these Collections casually? Let us know in the comments.

Get your booze on in Malibu Rum's Beach Club on Facebook

developers can make Facebook games in which you grow and sell a certain controversial plant and not hear "boo," I guess a game revolving around the firewater can slide. Because the sales of Malibu Rum tend to dip ... a lot in the colder months, Pernod Ricard, the company behind Malibu Rum, created a Facebook game to promote the awareness of its brand.

The game, which launched today, is known simply as Beach Club, and frankly, it's a pretty impressive branded Facebook game. (Look, more and more companies are going to be up to this in the future, and the games are only becoming more detailed, elaborate and visually impressive.) The game, which has Malibu Rum branding aplenty, tasks players with running their very own beach island.

Beach Club, developed by Aegis Media Group's Isobar, is said to block underage Facebook users from playing by relying on both the birth dates in their profiles and an age verification immediately after installing the app. They're not exactly airtight methods of keeping the kiddies out, but do more to keep the game in front of 21 to 35-year-olds than other Facebook games surrounding questionable topics.

According to AdAge, Malibu made a conscious effort to keep the game geared toward adults through more than just age verification. The game makes liberal use of more mature-looking artwork than other games aimed at the same crowd. "In our game the drawing of the avatars are more mature, they are clearly adults walking around this beach," Malibu senior brand manager AnnaMarie Battiloro told AdAge.
Beach Club overview
Oddly enough, the game isn't governed by an energy system or much of anything that limits your play time, unlike most games. While the game is available globally on Facebook, U.S. players earn points that go toward a vacation to Barbados, the rum's birthplace, that Malibu is giving away through Beach Club.

You'll earn these valuable points by keeping the guests of your resort happy through landscaping and adding new attractions to your tropical getaway. The most notable of which is a beach-side bar. Guests will approach the bar, and clicking on it unveils a mini game of sorts in which players have to bartend a series of Malibu Rum-themed drinks. You'll take guests' orders and have to fill them accordingly and quickly by clicking and dragging various ingredients.
Beach Club bartending
And it's all done to the sound of a 30-minute long club soundtrack with some of this past summer's most popular original tracks. Battiloro told AdAge that Malibu doesn't want Beach Club to be "overtly tied to the brand." "We actually are not trying to earn fans from this at all, Battiloro said. "We are trying to earn more brand loyalty, recognition and association."

But when a beach comber drives past our beach resort, leaving the Malibu Rum logo in its wake, we seriously doubt that. But you know what, this is one of the more full-featured, smoothly-animated branded games we've seen in awhile on Facebook. And if this is the direction brands will go when making games on Facebook, I'm not sure I mind that much.

Click here to play Beach Club on Facebook Now >

After hopping into the game, what do you think of Beach Club so far? What do you think of branded games on Facebook? Could they ever reach the quality of original Facebook games? Sound off in the comments. Add Comment