Pink Panther's Amazing Adventure
Unfortunately, we doubt this is Steve Martin's debut in social gaming. Both Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios (MGM) and IPFgames have announced Pink Panther's Amazing Adventure, the first Facebook game to feature the classic rosy cat burglar. Few details are available about the specifics of the branded social game, but it will launch on Facebook and later expand to Google+ and beyond.
The little more we know about old Pink's Facebook adventure is that players will solve various puzzles using clues provided, all of which will hold true to the "original charm and mischievous nature of The Pink Panther franchise," according to a release. Players will also get to play various mini-games within Pink Panther's Amazing Adventure that will serve to supplement the game's main storyline.
Oddly enough, MGM and IPFgames look to target women aged 30 to 55 with Pink Panther's Amazing Adventure, but somehow appeal to all ages. "We're very excited to take the lead in bringing this brand to Facebook as MGM's first social game," parent company IPFranchise CEO Kandice Cota said in a release. "It represents fans of all ages and a worldwide audience who have loved The Pink Panther since the late 60s." In short, Pink Panther's Amazing Adventure will be for everyone ... whenever it hits.
Are you psyched to hear that Pink Panther is coming to Facebook? What do you hope the game will be like when it finally launches?
Thứ Ba, 6 tháng 3, 2012
Poll: Will you buy into the PlayStation Vita's 'social gaming revolution?'
Sony's answer to Nintendo's 3DS (and the legion of iOS and Android devices) is here. The PlayStation Vita is finally available in the U.S. and Europe, with the standard Wi-Fi version going for a hefty $250 and the 3G variety going for $300. And let's not forget the near-essential propriety memory cards that go for anywhere from $25 to $99.
At any rate, the PS Vita does look like one slick piece of technology, with more social features than you can shake a joystick at. In fact, Sony has billed its newest toy as the "social gaming revolution" in much of its promotional material. Bullet points like Near make the handheld console seem as if it's never to leave your side, offering gaming goodness at all times. That said, Sony's new crown jewel faces stiff competition and its own price tag. With that, we ask you:
Will you buy a PlayStation Vita?
I don't really play games on the go.Are you kidding? I'm playing mine right now.I'm fine with my smartphone, thanks.I'll wait for the price to drop.
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At any rate, the PS Vita does look like one slick piece of technology, with more social features than you can shake a joystick at. In fact, Sony has billed its newest toy as the "social gaming revolution" in much of its promotional material. Bullet points like Near make the handheld console seem as if it's never to leave your side, offering gaming goodness at all times. That said, Sony's new crown jewel faces stiff competition and its own price tag. With that, we ask you:
Will you buy a PlayStation Vita?
I don't really play games on the go.Are you kidding? I'm playing mine right now.I'm fine with my smartphone, thanks.I'll wait for the price to drop.
VoteView ResultsShare ThisPolldaddy.com
Have something unique to add to the discussion?
Rayman's raving Rabbids invade Facebook in their first social game
"Rabbidizing" isn't a word we ever imagined would enter our vocabulary, but here we are. After ravaging the Wii, Xbox 360 and other game consoles with their craziness, the Rabbids have assaulted Facebook in Ubisoft's Rabbids Invasion. First found in Rayman's world, Ubisoft's pride and joy, the Rabbids' goofy antics don't appear to be nearly as crazy this time around.
In Rabbids Invasion, players will commandeer an army of Rabbids as they invade the most conventional game types on Facebook (i.e. your farming and city management games). Players take a drab farm town and give it a kooky Rabbids charm, turning it into a Rabbid-infested farm and eventually a booming metropolis of all things Rabbid. While the game looks to spin the world of traditional social games on its head, it does so in the most conventional way possible.
In order to paint the town Rabbid, so to speak, players essentially farm plots and collect from businesses. Players might transform those fuddy-duddy farm plots and boring businesses into something new, but it's largely done in the same way as before: clicking. The game's goofy potty humor seems like an attempt to mask that this branded social game is just like the sub genres it looks to poke fun at.
Rabbids Invasion gameplay
At any rate, Rabbids Invasion is one slick-looking and smoothly animated Facebook game that, for fans of the Rabbids antics on consoles, will likely serve players well. Unfortunately, the game's similarities to all the rest become apparent within minutes of play. Though, the ability to "Rabbidize" your profile page through the game sounds pretty nifty.
Click here to play Rabbids Invasion on Facebook Now >
[Via Inside Social Games]
Are you excited to hear that a new Rabbids game is around? What do you think of the game's approach to poking fun at social game tropes?
In Rabbids Invasion, players will commandeer an army of Rabbids as they invade the most conventional game types on Facebook (i.e. your farming and city management games). Players take a drab farm town and give it a kooky Rabbids charm, turning it into a Rabbid-infested farm and eventually a booming metropolis of all things Rabbid. While the game looks to spin the world of traditional social games on its head, it does so in the most conventional way possible.
In order to paint the town Rabbid, so to speak, players essentially farm plots and collect from businesses. Players might transform those fuddy-duddy farm plots and boring businesses into something new, but it's largely done in the same way as before: clicking. The game's goofy potty humor seems like an attempt to mask that this branded social game is just like the sub genres it looks to poke fun at.
Rabbids Invasion gameplay
At any rate, Rabbids Invasion is one slick-looking and smoothly animated Facebook game that, for fans of the Rabbids antics on consoles, will likely serve players well. Unfortunately, the game's similarities to all the rest become apparent within minutes of play. Though, the ability to "Rabbidize" your profile page through the game sounds pretty nifty.
Click here to play Rabbids Invasion on Facebook Now >
[Via Inside Social Games]
Are you excited to hear that a new Rabbids game is around? What do you think of the game's approach to poking fun at social game tropes?
Blackwood & Bell Mysteries 'Add Me' Page: Make new friends fast!
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Facebook wants to work with European social game developers, too
U.S. game makers like Zynga, PopCap and Playdom aren't the only pioneers in the social games world, you know. There are plenty of social game creators in Europe and abroad that give American Facebook games a run for their money ... literally. And Facebook doesn't want to merely recognize top 10 social game makers like Wooga, King.com and Nordeus.
The multibillion-dollar social network wants to make sure it continues to be smooth sailing for them. The Guardian reports that Facebook has started a social games team in Europe designed to represent the EMEA region (Europe, the Middle East and Africa). The move to create a team that mirrors the U.S. was spurred by the visible success of companies like Wooga and King,com reached by creating games that are somewhat different from what your Zynga's and EA's offer.
"We're in the third evolution of the gaming platform, as the world-building and social/casual space has begun to consolidate," Facebook's EMEA director of business development and partnerships Christian Hernandez told The Guardian. "Newer players are coming into untapped areas and satisfying new types of users, who don't want to play FarmVille but might want to play strategy or shooter games, or free games around jackpot, slots or blackjack. This is the fastest growing and most interesting area."
According to The Guardian, Hernandez thinks that Europe is "the most interesting region in terms of the innovation" when it comes to Facebook games. Mobile social games will be a large focus for Facebook Europe, so don't be surprised to see more mobile games come from the Diamond Dash and Bubble Witch Saga houses.
Which of the top European-made Facebook games are your favorite? At the moment, who do you think is making better Facebook games: the U.S. or EMEA?
The multibillion-dollar social network wants to make sure it continues to be smooth sailing for them. The Guardian reports that Facebook has started a social games team in Europe designed to represent the EMEA region (Europe, the Middle East and Africa). The move to create a team that mirrors the U.S. was spurred by the visible success of companies like Wooga and King,com reached by creating games that are somewhat different from what your Zynga's and EA's offer.
"We're in the third evolution of the gaming platform, as the world-building and social/casual space has begun to consolidate," Facebook's EMEA director of business development and partnerships Christian Hernandez told The Guardian. "Newer players are coming into untapped areas and satisfying new types of users, who don't want to play FarmVille but might want to play strategy or shooter games, or free games around jackpot, slots or blackjack. This is the fastest growing and most interesting area."
According to The Guardian, Hernandez thinks that Europe is "the most interesting region in terms of the innovation" when it comes to Facebook games. Mobile social games will be a large focus for Facebook Europe, so don't be surprised to see more mobile games come from the Diamond Dash and Bubble Witch Saga houses.
Which of the top European-made Facebook games are your favorite? At the moment, who do you think is making better Facebook games: the U.S. or EMEA?
Thứ Bảy, 3 tháng 3, 2012
EA transplant to Zynga confirmed: Jeff Karp joins as marketing head
by Joe Osborne, Posted Aug 22nd 2011 9:45AM
Jeff KarpThe cat has been officially removed from the bag ... by Zynga. The FarmVille creator confirmed to us that Jeff Karp (pictured), former executive VP of EA's casual games label, EA Play, has been hired as Chief Marketing and Revenue Officer at Zynga. Of course, Karp will oversee all marketing operations at the $11.5 billion company (at least), as well as international sales.
Before joining Zynga, Karp enjoyed 11 years at EA in various executive positions including chief revenue officer of the EA Games label. It was there he oversaw international marketing for properties like Battlefield, Medal of Honor, Mass Effect and more, according to Zynga's statement.
This EA-Zynga transplant joins a number of high-level traitors former EA executives. Most recently it's rumored that Mark Turmell, senior creative director at EA Sports and creator of NBA Jam, has joined Zynga. Just this June, former GM of EA-owned Easy Studios Ben Cousins joined Ngmoco to head its Sweden studio. And there are plenty more to mention.
It's unfortunate that just as the company goes full speed ahead into social and casual games with one of the biggest buys in recent gaming history that some of its most important positions have gone temporarily vacant. But it looks like The Sims Social could already be the shot in the arm EA needed--it's already attracted over 7 million players.
Do you think this will be a harmful loss for EA? With The Sims Social and whatever PopCap is up to, do you think EA could bounce back and enter the ring with Zynga?
Jeff KarpThe cat has been officially removed from the bag ... by Zynga. The FarmVille creator confirmed to us that Jeff Karp (pictured), former executive VP of EA's casual games label, EA Play, has been hired as Chief Marketing and Revenue Officer at Zynga. Of course, Karp will oversee all marketing operations at the $11.5 billion company (at least), as well as international sales.
Before joining Zynga, Karp enjoyed 11 years at EA in various executive positions including chief revenue officer of the EA Games label. It was there he oversaw international marketing for properties like Battlefield, Medal of Honor, Mass Effect and more, according to Zynga's statement.
This EA-Zynga transplant joins a number of high-level traitors former EA executives. Most recently it's rumored that Mark Turmell, senior creative director at EA Sports and creator of NBA Jam, has joined Zynga. Just this June, former GM of EA-owned Easy Studios Ben Cousins joined Ngmoco to head its Sweden studio. And there are plenty more to mention.
It's unfortunate that just as the company goes full speed ahead into social and casual games with one of the biggest buys in recent gaming history that some of its most important positions have gone temporarily vacant. But it looks like The Sims Social could already be the shot in the arm EA needed--it's already attracted over 7 million players.
Do you think this will be a harmful loss for EA? With The Sims Social and whatever PopCap is up to, do you think EA could bounce back and enter the ring with Zynga?
Think Facebook games stink lately? Then make one in Pixaquarium
Come on, you know after witnessing the umpteenth bug in FarmVille you said to yourself, "Hell, even I could do this better!" Well, now's your chance to make good on your foolish statements made in anger, with Pixaquarium Game Maker by Stuntbird Games. More of a creation platform than a game, Pixaquarium gives players the tools to make their own games within the game, albeit far simpler ones that are governed by a template.
You have control over nearly every aspect of the games you create from background artwork to your character's image and the shape of your enemies. But what's most interesting about this is that players can share their game creations with friends, according to a release. Sure sounds like it beats sharing gifts.
"My oldest daughter was bringing me drawings to put into that game," Stuntbird Games President Dean Ruggles said of his inspiration for the game in a statement. "I realized that a game that was as much about creativity as play could be fun. I thought of it as active entertainment, which is new in the game world, in that Pixaquarium is all about being artistic and inventing a new world to play in."
Pixaquarium in action
While I wouldn't agree about this type of gameplay being new, it's one of the first Facebook games I've seen clearly geared toward the little ones. Especially those who might have dreams of making their own games. The game is revolved around players uploading photos or other images to play with in the game. So imagine scenarios like a player making a game that includes their best friend to share with them.
It sounds like a great opportunity to increase the meaning of sharing content in Facebook games, but I would imagine kids will need their parents' help with the editor. (As for playing the games, that's as simple as avoiding the bad guys and collecting stars.) As simplified as it is, it might be a bit too much for the single-digit crowd. Regardless, nothing beats making a mini game of yourself slaying aliens and goblins in less than a few minutes, but prepare to pay if you want to save your work.
Click here to play Pixaquarium Game Maker on Facebook Now >
Do you think user-generated content could take off in Facebook games? If you could make any Facebook game, what would it be?
You have control over nearly every aspect of the games you create from background artwork to your character's image and the shape of your enemies. But what's most interesting about this is that players can share their game creations with friends, according to a release. Sure sounds like it beats sharing gifts.
"My oldest daughter was bringing me drawings to put into that game," Stuntbird Games President Dean Ruggles said of his inspiration for the game in a statement. "I realized that a game that was as much about creativity as play could be fun. I thought of it as active entertainment, which is new in the game world, in that Pixaquarium is all about being artistic and inventing a new world to play in."
Pixaquarium in action
While I wouldn't agree about this type of gameplay being new, it's one of the first Facebook games I've seen clearly geared toward the little ones. Especially those who might have dreams of making their own games. The game is revolved around players uploading photos or other images to play with in the game. So imagine scenarios like a player making a game that includes their best friend to share with them.
It sounds like a great opportunity to increase the meaning of sharing content in Facebook games, but I would imagine kids will need their parents' help with the editor. (As for playing the games, that's as simple as avoiding the bad guys and collecting stars.) As simplified as it is, it might be a bit too much for the single-digit crowd. Regardless, nothing beats making a mini game of yourself slaying aliens and goblins in less than a few minutes, but prepare to pay if you want to save your work.
Click here to play Pixaquarium Game Maker on Facebook Now >
Do you think user-generated content could take off in Facebook games? If you could make any Facebook game, what would it be?
Pac-Man maker creates joint social mobile games studio with DeNA
But Pac-Man is already on iPhon--no, social mobile games. Namco Bandai, the company responsible for the most recognizable character in gaming, will take a crack at social mobile games with a new studio co-created by DeNA. GamesIndustry.biz reports the massive Japanese social mobile games company (does Mobage ring a bell?) has contributed 25 percent of the 100 million yen studio project, named BDNA Inc.
While this is certainly a huge step for Namco Bandai, the company already has extensive mobile game experience since bringing a number of its properties like Pac-Man and Galaga to smartphones. In fact, the two companies have even worked together before, according to GamesIndustry.biz, on Gundam Royale. The game released on the Japanese Mobage mobile game network to 3 million players last year.
Namco Bandai Games executive VP Shin Unozawa will lead BDNA's operations, while it's board of directors will be led by Isao Moriyasu, and Keigo Watanabe of DeNA, alongside Hirotaka Reizei and Hideyuki Okabayashi of Namco. The Pac-Man maker has had limited success on Facebook, with just under 1.5 million monthly players across its games, most of which are social renditions of its arcade classics.
All the while, DeNA has been tearing it up since Mobage, now powered by recent buy Ngmoco, launched in English for U.S. and western European audiences through Android. The service will now be the go-to place for games on AT&T Android phones, not to mention the squad of legendary designers DeNA has on board like Mega Man's creator Keiji Inafune. Perhaps BDNA Inc, which opens Oct. 1, is just the boost Pac-Man needs to dominate in a world overrun by new arcade-style games.
Which of Namco's properties would you like to see re-imagined by BDNA, Inc. first? Would you rather the studio focus on new, original games instead?
While this is certainly a huge step for Namco Bandai, the company already has extensive mobile game experience since bringing a number of its properties like Pac-Man and Galaga to smartphones. In fact, the two companies have even worked together before, according to GamesIndustry.biz, on Gundam Royale. The game released on the Japanese Mobage mobile game network to 3 million players last year.
Namco Bandai Games executive VP Shin Unozawa will lead BDNA's operations, while it's board of directors will be led by Isao Moriyasu, and Keigo Watanabe of DeNA, alongside Hirotaka Reizei and Hideyuki Okabayashi of Namco. The Pac-Man maker has had limited success on Facebook, with just under 1.5 million monthly players across its games, most of which are social renditions of its arcade classics.
All the while, DeNA has been tearing it up since Mobage, now powered by recent buy Ngmoco, launched in English for U.S. and western European audiences through Android. The service will now be the go-to place for games on AT&T Android phones, not to mention the squad of legendary designers DeNA has on board like Mega Man's creator Keiji Inafune. Perhaps BDNA Inc, which opens Oct. 1, is just the boost Pac-Man needs to dominate in a world overrun by new arcade-style games.
Which of Namco's properties would you like to see re-imagined by BDNA, Inc. first? Would you rather the studio focus on new, original games instead?
Facebook How-To: Add the best apps to your Favorites list
Depending on how active a Facebook gamer you happen to be, the left-hand side of your Home Page might be a bit cluttered, with icons for apps both large and small that you've accessed recently. If you're the kind that frequently tries new games, but may only play them once or twice before giving up on them, it can be a bit inconvenient when your favorite apps fall off of your visible list of apps, forcing you to load your app page and then find the app among every app you have installed on your account just to play them again.
Did you know that you can actually avoid this altogether, by adding apps to your Favorites? For most users, the Favorites section has just a few standard items in it: News Feed, Messages, Events and Friends. If you use this section to store your favorite games, like Bookmarks, you'll be able to avoid the stipulation that shows apps based on how frequently or how recently you played them, creating a (for now) permanent go-to list of your favorite games. Here's a guide on doing just that.
1. Head to the Facebook Home Page by clicking on "facebook" in the top left-hand corner of any page on the site. From there, locate the first game that you'd like to add to your Favorites list, as seen below. In our example, we'll move my FarmVille app link to my Favorites list.
2. Hover your mouse to the right of the vertical black line that separates these Favorites and Apps lists from your News Feed proper. You'll see a small button appear. Click on this button to see three options: Add to Favorites, Edit Settings and Remove App.
3. Click on Add to Favorites to see the app's link immediately jump into the Favorites list, and out of the Apps list. Continue to add apps until you have added all of the games you'd like to have instant, constant access to each time you login to Facebook.
As an aside, you do not want to click on the "Remove App" choice seen in Step 2, as this will uninstall the app entirely from your account, rather than just removing the link from this page.
Again, while the Favorites list might seem a bit useless, remember that the Apps list on the Home Page has been changed. You can no longer collapse and expand your list of most-used apps: You now have to load another page showing you a list of every app you have installed, whether you've used them recently or not.
Unfortunately, with any new change on Facebook, there's a chance (a fairly high one, at that) that these features could change again, or be removed entirely. We'll stay on top of things and will let you know if things become more complicated.
Will you use the Favorites feature to separate your apps that you use the most on your Home page? Which apps will you mark as your favorites?
Did you know that you can actually avoid this altogether, by adding apps to your Favorites? For most users, the Favorites section has just a few standard items in it: News Feed, Messages, Events and Friends. If you use this section to store your favorite games, like Bookmarks, you'll be able to avoid the stipulation that shows apps based on how frequently or how recently you played them, creating a (for now) permanent go-to list of your favorite games. Here's a guide on doing just that.
1. Head to the Facebook Home Page by clicking on "facebook" in the top left-hand corner of any page on the site. From there, locate the first game that you'd like to add to your Favorites list, as seen below. In our example, we'll move my FarmVille app link to my Favorites list.
2. Hover your mouse to the right of the vertical black line that separates these Favorites and Apps lists from your News Feed proper. You'll see a small button appear. Click on this button to see three options: Add to Favorites, Edit Settings and Remove App.
3. Click on Add to Favorites to see the app's link immediately jump into the Favorites list, and out of the Apps list. Continue to add apps until you have added all of the games you'd like to have instant, constant access to each time you login to Facebook.
As an aside, you do not want to click on the "Remove App" choice seen in Step 2, as this will uninstall the app entirely from your account, rather than just removing the link from this page.
Again, while the Favorites list might seem a bit useless, remember that the Apps list on the Home Page has been changed. You can no longer collapse and expand your list of most-used apps: You now have to load another page showing you a list of every app you have installed, whether you've used them recently or not.
Unfortunately, with any new change on Facebook, there's a chance (a fairly high one, at that) that these features could change again, or be removed entirely. We'll stay on top of things and will let you know if things become more complicated.
Will you use the Favorites feature to separate your apps that you use the most on your Home page? Which apps will you mark as your favorites?
Sony Extreme Makeover: PlayStation Home Edition: Home gets social
Sony might want to consider this golden marketing opportunity for its new-and-improved PlayStation Home. The virtual world hub that exists in the PlayStation 3 on the PlayStation Network will soon become a hub for social games, VentureBeat reports.
Since its launch in 2008, the service boasts a healthy 23 million users. But virtual worlds aren't exactly in right now, and director of PlayStation Home Jack Buser thinks it's time to adapt with a heavier focus on--what else--the games.
"We are going to 'up level' games as the heart of PlayStation Home," Buser told VentureBeat. "This means that Home itself is going to become a game. The first things you see when you get into Home are games."
This new version of Home, said to release this fall, will include large-scale group play games in addition to the avatar features it already offers. However, Home will also serve as a meta game, according to VentureBeat, that will track points earned from in-game achievements.
The "social" part--which we imagine won't reach past Home users--seems to come in when Home will ask players to team up for group objectives within games. And while all games will be accessible from the Home hub, the service will also have areas that are thematic with different genres.
PlayStation Home revision
For instance, users will find all of the action games in a territory known as the Action District that looks like something out of Grand Theft Auto, while arcade and carnival-style games will be found in a waterfront boardwalk area called Pier Park. While according to VentureBeat, Home already houses 230 games, this update will make those (and new) games the number one emphasis. Sony's certainly playing it smart to keep Home relevant in the age of Facebook games, but Home on the upcoming PS Vita could certainly seal the deal for many on the fence about the handheld--fingers crossed!
[Image Credit: VentureBeat]
Do you think Sony could bring Home to even more users with this new focus? What do you think of the service as it is now?
Since its launch in 2008, the service boasts a healthy 23 million users. But virtual worlds aren't exactly in right now, and director of PlayStation Home Jack Buser thinks it's time to adapt with a heavier focus on--what else--the games.
"We are going to 'up level' games as the heart of PlayStation Home," Buser told VentureBeat. "This means that Home itself is going to become a game. The first things you see when you get into Home are games."
This new version of Home, said to release this fall, will include large-scale group play games in addition to the avatar features it already offers. However, Home will also serve as a meta game, according to VentureBeat, that will track points earned from in-game achievements.
The "social" part--which we imagine won't reach past Home users--seems to come in when Home will ask players to team up for group objectives within games. And while all games will be accessible from the Home hub, the service will also have areas that are thematic with different genres.
PlayStation Home revision
For instance, users will find all of the action games in a territory known as the Action District that looks like something out of Grand Theft Auto, while arcade and carnival-style games will be found in a waterfront boardwalk area called Pier Park. While according to VentureBeat, Home already houses 230 games, this update will make those (and new) games the number one emphasis. Sony's certainly playing it smart to keep Home relevant in the age of Facebook games, but Home on the upcoming PS Vita could certainly seal the deal for many on the fence about the handheld--fingers crossed!
[Image Credit: VentureBeat]
Do you think Sony could bring Home to even more users with this new focus? What do you think of the service as it is now?
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