Games.com News. CityVille, FarmVille, CastleVille games news http://blog.games.com Games.com News. CityVille, FarmVille, CastleVille games news http://blog.games.com/media/feedlogo.gif Games.com News. CityVille, FarmVille, CastleVille games news http://blog.games.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/FarmVille Sneak Peek: Zynga Bingo promotion coming soonhttp://blog.games.com/2012/02/09/farmville-sneak-peek-zynga-bingo-promotion/http://blog.games.com/2012/02/09/farmville-sneak-peek-zynga-bingo-promotion/http://blog.games.com/2012/02/09/farmville-sneak-peek-zynga-bingo-promotion/#comments


Zynga Bingo may not yet be available on Facebook, but we already know that Zynga is planning a cross-promotional train for the game across its other Facebook properties. For example, FVNation has found a promotional image for the upcoming Zynga Bingo promotion in FarmVille, as players will be asked to reach at least Level 6 in Zynga Bingo in order to receive a prize package back on their farm.

The prize? A pack of 10 free branded Unwithers. It seems this is now the go-to prize in FarmVille cross-promotions, as we've seen Unwithers given away from playing games like CastleVille and Hidden Chronicles in the past. It's likely this will just be the first of many games to receive promotions in association with Zynga Bingo, as the developer always looks to its established player base to try out its newest games.

We'll make sure to let you know as Zynga Bingo launches on Facebook, along with any other promotions that happen to come out along the way.

[Image Credit: FVNation]

Are you excited to receive more free unwithers in this upcoming Zynga Bingo promotion? Sound off in the comments.

 

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]]>http://o.aolcdn.com/dims/GAME/5/168/168/100/http://www.blogcdn.com/blog.games.com/media/2012/02/zynga-bingo.jpg
Zynga Bingo may not yet be available on Facebook, but we already know that Zynga is planning a cross-promotional train for the game across its other Facebook properties. For example, FVNation has found a promotional image for the upcoming Zynga Bingo promotion in FarmVille, as players will be asked to reach at least Level 6 in Zynga Bingo in order to receive a prize package back on their farm.

The prize? A pack of 10 free branded Unwithers. It seems this is now the go-to prize in FarmVille cross-promotions, as we've seen Unwithers given away from playing games like CastleVille and Hidden Chronicles in the past. It's likely this will just be the first of many games to receive promotions in association with Zynga Bingo, as the developer always looks to its established player base to try out its newest games.

We'll make sure to let you know as Zynga Bingo launches on Facebook, along with any other promotions that happen to come out along the way.

[Image Credit: FVNation]

Are you excited to receive more free unwithers in this upcoming Zynga Bingo promotion? Sound off in the comments.]]>cross-promotionfarmville cross-promotionfarmville unwitherfarmville zynga bingozyngazynga bingozynga bingo cross-promotionzynga bingo facebookBrandy Shaul2012-02-09T20:45:00+00:00FarmVille: Calves and Foals finally receive animal masteryhttp://blog.games.com/2012/02/09/farmville-baby-animal-mastery/http://blog.games.com/2012/02/09/farmville-baby-animal-mastery/http://blog.games.com/2012/02/09/farmville-baby-animal-mastery/#comments The day has finally arrived, farmers! Calves and Foals, along with other baby animals, are now finally masterable in FarmVille! If you have a large collection of calves, foals, baby turkeys and so on, you'll now be able to earn mastery signs for each kind of animal, just as you can for each kind of adult animal on your farms. That is, a Holstein Calf has a different mastery sign than a Pink Calf, as but one of the many examples.

If you've been saving up plenty of calves or foals in anticipation of this launch, you may think that you'll instantly master these animals with one harvest, but that's not necessarily the case, as the mastery stars for most calves (for instance) can require upwards of 400 harvest per star. Still, as most of these baby animals can be harvested once per day, you'll still be able to master these animals fairly quickly, earning signs in the process that can be placed inside your equally new Animal Mastery Billboard.

With the launch of this baby animal mastery, we've finally seen the fulfillment of a promise made by Zynga some months ago. Better late than never, right?

What do you think of the launch of baby animal mastery in FarmVille? Have you saved up baby animals for when this eventually did arrive? Sound off in the comments.

 

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]]>http://o.aolcdn.com/dims/GAME/5/168/168/100/http://www.blogcdn.com/blog.games.com/media/2012/02/farmville-on-facebook-8.jpgThe day has finally arrived, farmers! Calves and Foals, along with other baby animals, are now finally masterable in FarmVille! If you have a large collection of calves, foals, baby turkeys and so on, you'll now be able to earn mastery signs for each kind of animal, just as you can for each kind of adult animal on your farms. That is, a Holstein Calf has a different mastery sign than a Pink Calf, as but one of the many examples.

If you've been saving up plenty of calves or foals in anticipation of this launch, you may think that you'll instantly master these animals with one harvest, but that's not necessarily the case, as the mastery stars for most calves (for instance) can require upwards of 400 harvest per star. Still, as most of these baby animals can be harvested once per day, you'll still be able to master these animals fairly quickly, earning signs in the process that can be placed inside your equally new Animal Mastery Billboard.

With the launch of this baby animal mastery, we've finally seen the fulfillment of a promise made by Zynga some months ago. Better late than never, right?

What do you think of the launch of baby animal mastery in FarmVille? Have you saved up baby animals for when this eventually did arrive? Sound off in the comments.]]>animal masterybaby animal masterycalf masteryfarmville animal masteryfarmville baby animal masteryfarmville calf masteryfarmville foal masteryfoal masteryzyngaBrandy Shaul2012-02-09T20:20:00+00:00CityVille French Chateau: Everything you need to knowhttp://blog.games.com/2012/02/09/cityville-french-chateau/http://blog.games.com/2012/02/09/cityville-french-chateau/http://blog.games.com/2012/02/09/cityville-french-chateau/#comments With the launch of the French Chateau in CityVille, we've seen a new way for your friends to help you construct buildings in the game. Using this French Chateau as an example, you'll still need to ask for a single building material, but will then need to ask friends for "points" to reach an overall construction total for the building (similar to how you ask friends when looking to master a business).

You'll first need to collect 15 Fleur-de-lis, which is done by asking your friends to send them to you via individual requests.

The other portion of this building project will see you reaching 350 points by spending energy to do so. You can spend either one energy or blocks of ten energy at a time, with each energy point giving you one more point towards 350. You can spend all of your own energy, of course, but you can also ask friends for additional points. This is done through a general news post on your wall.

Once you've finished the French Chateau, you'll have a home worth 2,000 - 4,000 citizens. It offers 326 coins in rent once a day. Along the way, you can also finish the French Chateau! goal, which request you to place and complete the building with at least one friend's help, and collect the 15 Fleur-de-Lis. The rewards for this goal are only 3 energy, but that's understandable considering that they're all the same tasks for finishing the French Chateau in the first place.

Either way, it will be interesting to see if this way of constructing buildings will catch on with players, and will be seen in future features, or if players will wish to just collect building materials as usual. We'll make sure to let you know which one is the case.

What do you think of the French Chateau and the new way to complete buildings in CityVille? Sound off in the comments.

 

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]]>http://o.aolcdn.com/dims/GAME/5/168/168/100/http://www.blogcdn.com/blog.games.com/media/2012/02/chateau.jpgWith the launch of the French Chateau in CityVille, we've seen a new way for your friends to help you construct buildings in the game. Using this French Chateau as an example, you'll still need to ask for a single building material, but will then need to ask friends for "points" to reach an overall construction total for the building (similar to how you ask friends when looking to master a business).

You'll first need to collect 15 Fleur-de-lis, which is done by asking your friends to send them to you via individual requests.

The other portion of this building project will see you reaching 350 points by spending energy to do so. You can spend either one energy or blocks of ten energy at a time, with each energy point giving you one more point towards 350. You can spend all of your own energy, of course, but you can also ask friends for additional points. This is done through a general news post on your wall.

Once you've finished the French Chateau, you'll have a home worth 2,000 - 4,000 citizens. It offers 326 coins in rent once a day. Along the way, you can also finish the French Chateau! goal, which request you to place and complete the building with at least one friend's help, and collect the 15 Fleur-de-Lis. The rewards for this goal are only 3 energy, but that's understandable considering that they're all the same tasks for finishing the French Chateau in the first place.

Either way, it will be interesting to see if this way of constructing buildings will catch on with players, and will be seen in future features, or if players will wish to just collect building materials as usual. We'll make sure to let you know which one is the case.

What do you think of the French Chateau and the new way to complete buildings in CityVille? Sound off in the comments.]]>cityville french chateaucityville french chateau goalfrench chateaufrench chateau goalzyngaBrandy Shaul2012-02-09T20:00:00+00:00The Sims Social: Ask friends over for a visithttp://blog.games.com/2012/02/09/sims-social-ask-friends-over/http://blog.games.com/2012/02/09/sims-social-ask-friends-over/http://blog.games.com/2012/02/09/sims-social-ask-friends-over/#comments As many quests in the Sims Social often ask you to complete tasks with other Sims, whether that be dancing or watching TV together, or simply engaging them in a specific kind of conversation, doing that has just become a bit easier, as you can now ask your friends' Sims over to your in-game home to complete these tasks using items already in your own Sim's home.

To do this, you'll simply hover over a Sim's picture in your friends list and then click on "Ask Over." In a few seconds, the Sim will immediately appear in your game, outside your Sim's front door. From there, you can click on your own Sofas, Stereos and more to see new tasks like "Dance Together" or "Watch TV Together" appear. You can also talk to these friends' Sims, but all of these tasks will spend your own energy, rather than bonus energy you would have had if you had visited these friends on your own.

Will this be a game changer for the Sims Social? It doesn't really seem like it, but it does offer a bit more convenience for those players who might not like visiting specific friends because their homes are so large (and therefore take a long time to load).

Will you use this new feature to ask friends' Sims over to your home to play? Sound off in the comments.

 

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]]>http://o.aolcdn.com/dims/GAME/5/168/168/100/http://www.blogcdn.com/blog.games.com/media/2012/02/the-sims-social-on-facebook.jpgAs many quests in the Sims Social often ask you to complete tasks with other Sims, whether that be dancing or watching TV together, or simply engaging them in a specific kind of conversation, doing that has just become a bit easier, as you can now ask your friends' Sims over to your in-game home to complete these tasks using items already in your own Sim's home.

To do this, you'll simply hover over a Sim's picture in your friends list and then click on "Ask Over." In a few seconds, the Sim will immediately appear in your game, outside your Sim's front door. From there, you can click on your own Sofas, Stereos and more to see new tasks like "Dance Together" or "Watch TV Together" appear. You can also talk to these friends' Sims, but all of these tasks will spend your own energy, rather than bonus energy you would have had if you had visited these friends on your own.

Will this be a game changer for the Sims Social? It doesn't really seem like it, but it does offer a bit more convenience for those players who might not like visiting specific friends because their homes are so large (and therefore take a long time to load).

Will you use this new feature to ask friends' Sims over to your home to play? Sound off in the comments.]]>eaelectronic artsplayfishsims socialsims social ask friends oversims social simsBrandy Shaul2012-02-09T19:40:00+00:00FarmVille Tree Mastery Billboard: Everything you need to knowhttp://blog.games.com/2012/02/09/farmville-tree-mastery-billboard/http://blog.games.com/2012/02/09/farmville-tree-mastery-billboard/http://blog.games.com/2012/02/09/farmville-tree-mastery-billboard/#comments Well, that didn't take long. Just days after releasing the Animal Mastery Billboard in FarmVille, the Tree Mastery Billboard has now launched, completing the trio of mastery sign storage items in the game. Like the previously released billboard storage areas, this one must first be built using various building materials. These are different than the materials used in the other two signs, so unfortunately, you won't be able to use any extras you had in your Gift Box to get a head start here.

To build the first phase of the Tree Mastery Billboard, you'll need 24 ingredients: eight each of Scaffolding, Masking Tapes and Wood Stains. You can either purchase these individually for one Farm Cash each, or can ask your friends to send them to you via individual requests.

As you upgrade the Tree Mastery Billboard, it will be able to hold more and more signs, up to the maximum of 500 signs. You can flat out purchase a billboard with a capacity of 500 signs for 318 Farm Cash, but it also looks like you'll be able to purchase additional billboards for coins after you compete this first option given to you when logging into the game.

What do you think of this new Tree Mastery Billboard? Sound off in the comments.

 

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]]>http://o.aolcdn.com/dims/GAME/5/168/168/100/http://www.blogcdn.com/blog.games.com/media/2012/02/farmville-on-facebook-5.jpgWell, that didn't take long. Just days after releasing the Animal Mastery Billboard in FarmVille, the Tree Mastery Billboard has now launched, completing the trio of mastery sign storage items in the game. Like the previously released billboard storage areas, this one must first be built using various building materials. These are different than the materials used in the other two signs, so unfortunately, you won't be able to use any extras you had in your Gift Box to get a head start here.

To build the first phase of the Tree Mastery Billboard, you'll need 24 ingredients: eight each of Scaffolding, Masking Tapes and Wood Stains. You can either purchase these individually for one Farm Cash each, or can ask your friends to send them to you via individual requests.

As you upgrade the Tree Mastery Billboard, it will be able to hold more and more signs, up to the maximum of 500 signs. You can flat out purchase a billboard with a capacity of 500 signs for 318 Farm Cash, but it also looks like you'll be able to purchase additional billboards for coins after you compete this first option given to you when logging into the game.

What do you think of this new Tree Mastery Billboard? Sound off in the comments.]]>farmville tree masteryfarmville tree mastery billboardtree masterytree mastery billboardzyngaBrandy Shaul2012-02-09T19:10:00+00:00FarmVille Anti Cupid Goals: Everything you need to knowhttp://blog.games.com/2012/02/09/farmville-anti-cupid-goals/http://blog.games.com/2012/02/09/farmville-anti-cupid-goals/http://blog.games.com/2012/02/09/farmville-anti-cupid-goals/#comments Since the Anti Valentine's Day theme in FarmVille isn't as large as the regular Valentine's Day theme in the store, it only makes sense that we'd see goals in the game that will help expand on this lesser-supported theme. That's the case this week, as FarmVille Freak has discovered the details surrounding nine new goals that have shown up in the game, all surrounding an "Anti Cupid" theme.

Love is in the Air
  • Get 4 Black Rose Bouquets
  • Harvest Cow Pasture
  • Harvest 50 Flowers

For this Black Rose Bouquet task, and any other "Get X item" tasks, you'll need to ask your friends to send you these items before you can move on. Your rewards for finishing this first goal are 125 XP, Cupid's Stinky Pig and 2,500 coins.

Sours for the Sweet
  • Get 6 Boxes of Sour Candy
  • Harvest Stinky Pig
  • Harvest 75 Aloe Vera

Rewards: 150 XP, Puckered Porcupine, 3,000 coins

Anti-Anti
  • Get Anti Valentine's Day Cards
  • Harvest Puckered Porcupine
  • Harvest 100 Corn

Rewards: 175 XP, 3x Farmhands, 3,500 coins

It's a Trap
  • Get 8 Party Invitations
  • Harvest Stinky Pig Twice
  • Harvest 125 Jalapeno

Rewards: 200 XP, Anti Love Giraffe, 4,000 coins

Cupid Cakes
  • Get 8 Cupid Party Cakes
  • Harvest Love Giraffe
  • Harvest 125 Pineapples

Rewards: 225 XP, Black Heart Gnome, 4,500 coins

Decorated for Detriment
  • Get 8 Cupid Party Decorations
  • Harvest Puckered Porcupine Twice
  • Harvest 150 Fruit

Rewards: 250 XP, 3x Arborists, 5,000 coins

Like Fish in a Barrel
  • Get 9 Party Games
  • Harvest Love Giraffe Twice
  • Harvest 150 Cranberries

Rewards: 275 XP, Anti Cupid, 5,500 coins

Like Arrows
  • Get 10 Like Arrows
  • Master Stinky Pig to Level 1
  • Harvest 150 Red Tulips

Rewards: 300 XP, Turbo Charger, 5,000 coins

Cupid Love
  • Get 12 Cupid Candles
  • Master Puckered Porcupine to Level 1
  • Harvest 200 Soybean

Rewards: 325 XP, Mr. & Mrs. Cupid, 6,500 coins

These goals will be available in the game for the next two weeks, so even if you have plans through the Valentine's Day holiday, you'll still have some time afterwards to finish them off and receive all of the available rewards therein. Good luck finishing them all in time!

Check out the rest of our Valentine's Day coverage right here.

What do you think of this Anti-Valentine's Day / Anti-Cupid Goals in FarmVille? Sound off in the comments.

 

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]]>http://o.aolcdn.com/dims/GAME/5/168/168/100/http://www.blogcdn.com/blog.games.com/media/2012/02/farmville-on-facebook-6.jpgSince the Anti Valentine's Day theme in FarmVille isn't as large as the regular Valentine's Day theme in the store, it only makes sense that we'd see goals in the game that will help expand on this lesser-supported theme. That's the case this week, as FarmVille Freak has discovered the details surrounding nine new goals that have shown up in the game, all surrounding an "Anti Cupid" theme.

Love is in the Air
  • Get 4 Black Rose Bouquets
  • Harvest Cow Pasture
  • Harvest 50 Flowers

For this Black Rose Bouquet task, and any other "Get X item" tasks, you'll need to ask your friends to send you these items before you can move on. Your rewards for finishing this first goal are 125 XP, Cupid's Stinky Pig and 2,500 coins.

Sours for the Sweet
  • Get 6 Boxes of Sour Candy
  • Harvest Stinky Pig
  • Harvest 75 Aloe Vera

Rewards: 150 XP, Puckered Porcupine, 3,000 coins

Anti-Anti
  • Get Anti Valentine's Day Cards
  • Harvest Puckered Porcupine
  • Harvest 100 Corn

Rewards: 175 XP, 3x Farmhands, 3,500 coins

It's a Trap
  • Get 8 Party Invitations
  • Harvest Stinky Pig Twice
  • Harvest 125 Jalapeno

Rewards: 200 XP, Anti Love Giraffe, 4,000 coins

Cupid Cakes
  • Get 8 Cupid Party Cakes
  • Harvest Love Giraffe
  • Harvest 125 Pineapples

Rewards: 225 XP, Black Heart Gnome, 4,500 coins

Decorated for Detriment
  • Get 8 Cupid Party Decorations
  • Harvest Puckered Porcupine Twice
  • Harvest 150 Fruit

Rewards: 250 XP, 3x Arborists, 5,000 coins

Like Fish in a Barrel
  • Get 9 Party Games
  • Harvest Love Giraffe Twice
  • Harvest 150 Cranberries

Rewards: 275 XP, Anti Cupid, 5,500 coins

Like Arrows
  • Get 10 Like Arrows
  • Master Stinky Pig to Level 1
  • Harvest 150 Red Tulips

Rewards: 300 XP, Turbo Charger, 5,000 coins

Cupid Love
  • Get 12 Cupid Candles
  • Master Puckered Porcupine to Level 1
  • Harvest 200 Soybean

Rewards: 325 XP, Mr. & Mrs. Cupid, 6,500 coins

These goals will be available in the game for the next two weeks, so even if you have plans through the Valentine's Day holiday, you'll still have some time afterwards to finish them off and receive all of the available rewards therein. Good luck finishing them all in time!

Check out the rest of our Valentine's Day coverage right here.

What do you think of this Anti-Valentine's Day / Anti-Cupid Goals in FarmVille? Sound off in the comments.]]>anti-cupid goalsfarmville anti-cupid goalsfarmville anti-valentines dayfarmville goalsfarmville valentines dayfarmville valentines day 2012valentines dayvalentines day 2012zyngaBrandy Shaul2012-02-09T18:50:00+00:00Angry Birds on Facebook will sling, shatter and shake things up [Video]http://blog.games.com/2012/02/09/angry-birds-facebook-power-ups/http://blog.games.com/2012/02/09/angry-birds-facebook-power-ups/http://blog.games.com/2012/02/09/angry-birds-facebook-power-ups/#comments Rovio could have easily just slapped Angry Birds on Facebook and called it a day. (And we would all have played it in droves.) But no, if the Finnish game maker was going to bring the biggest mobile game to the largest social gaming platform, by golly it was going to do it right. When Angry Birds lands on Facebook this coming Tuesday, it will bring with it four nifty power-ups.

Players will have access to some major enhancement for their furious, flightless birds, more details for all four of which were recently released by Rovio in cute videos. First up is Sling Scope, which will grant players with pinpoint accuracy for their next shot. Next is King Sling, a power-up that will maximize birds' power and velocity, followed by Super Seeds that will give birds a growth spurt. Finally, we imagine the mysterious Birdquake will destabilize the enemy pigs' forts (as if they needed it).

Angry Birds on Facebook won't just pump up the game's various avian creatures, but provide players with more reason to come back than their perfectionist tendencies: competition. The Facebook version will challenge players with their friends' top scores through friendly leaderboards. Players will also get to earn bronze, silver or gold crowns for the overall top scores of each level, which they can brag about on Facebook. One has to wonder what this means for Angry Birds on Google+, right?

[Via All Facebook]

Are you psyched for Angry Birds on Facebook? Which of the power-ups do you think will be your favorite? Sound off in the comments. Add Comment.




 

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]]>http://o.aolcdn.com/dims/GAME/5/168/168/100/http://www.blogcdn.com/blog.games.com/media/2012/02/angrybirdsfacebook.jpgRovio could have easily just slapped Angry Birds on Facebook and called it a day. (And we would all have played it in droves.) But no, if the Finnish game maker was going to bring the biggest mobile game to the largest social gaming platform, by golly it was going to do it right. When Angry Birds lands on Facebook this coming Tuesday, it will bring with it four nifty power-ups.

Players will have access to some major enhancement for their furious, flightless birds, more details for all four of which were recently released by Rovio in cute videos. First up is Sling Scope, which will grant players with pinpoint accuracy for their next shot. Next is King Sling, a power-up that will maximize birds' power and velocity, followed by Super Seeds that will give birds a growth spurt. Finally, we imagine the mysterious Birdquake will destabilize the enemy pigs' forts (as if they needed it).

Angry Birds on Facebook won't just pump up the game's various avian creatures, but provide players with more reason to come back than their perfectionist tendencies: competition. The Facebook version will challenge players with their friends' top scores through friendly leaderboards. Players will also get to earn bronze, silver or gold crowns for the overall top scores of each level, which they can brag about on Facebook. One has to wonder what this means for Angry Birds on Google+, right?

[Via All Facebook]

Are you psyched for Angry Birds on Facebook? Which of the power-ups do you think will be your favorite? Sound off in the comments. Add Comment.




]]>all facebookangry birdsangry birds facebookangry birds facebook power-upsangry birds facebook previewangry birds facebook videoFacebook gamesroviosocial gamesJoe Osborne2012-02-09T18:25:00+00:00EA's COO hopes The Sims Social could be even more social some dayhttp://blog.games.com/2012/02/09/the-sims-social-ea-peter-moore/http://blog.games.com/2012/02/09/the-sims-social-ea-peter-moore/http://blog.games.com/2012/02/09/the-sims-social-ea-peter-moore/#comments Playfish's hit Facebook game The Sims Social, taken literally, isn't the most social game ever. And not many Facebook games are, really. Peter Moore, COO of Playfish owner and veteran games publisher EA, knows this, and said as much to Gamasutra in an interview during the company's recent showcase event in New York City.

"Right now, it's mostly asynchronous gameplay... I can't visit you in real-time in The Sims Social, you don't know all the silly things we do, it's mostly a one-way experience. I'd love to leave you a note; all I can do is leave you that 'Peter visited' type thing. There's nothing I can do that is personal," Moore said to Gamasutra. "But how cool would it be if I'm 'there' and you say, 'there's a TV show on'... and we watch TV together? That's my vision of when you think how social network games need to evolve. I think eventually someone's going to get there, and hopefully it's us."

Moore envisions the near future of Facebook gaming as a "Facebook gaming 2.0," with lots of big changes headed the genre's way over the next six to 12 months. EA made two massive gambles to break into the social games space. That's not to say anything of ill will toward either purchase, but spending hundreds of millions (or possibly even $1 billion) is a gamble no matter how you slice it.

According to the COO, both were worthy investments, with The Sims Social being "a tremendous success for the company." The numerous branding opportunities alone for the game has EA seeing dollar signs. Now all EA needs is for those dollar signs to turn Moore's vision into reality.

Are you satisfied with The Sims Social as it is right now? What do you think the future of social games will look like? Sound off in the comments. Add Comment.

 

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]]>http://o.aolcdn.com/dims/GAME/5/168/168/100/http://www.blogcdn.com/blog.games.com/media/2012/02/the-sims-social.pngPlayfish's hit Facebook game The Sims Social, taken literally, isn't the most social game ever. And not many Facebook games are, really. Peter Moore, COO of Playfish owner and veteran games publisher EA, knows this, and said as much to Gamasutra in an interview during the company's recent showcase event in New York City.

"Right now, it's mostly asynchronous gameplay... I can't visit you in real-time in The Sims Social, you don't know all the silly things we do, it's mostly a one-way experience. I'd love to leave you a note; all I can do is leave you that 'Peter visited' type thing. There's nothing I can do that is personal," Moore said to Gamasutra. "But how cool would it be if I'm 'there' and you say, 'there's a TV show on'... and we watch TV together? That's my vision of when you think how social network games need to evolve. I think eventually someone's going to get there, and hopefully it's us."

Moore envisions the near future of Facebook gaming as a "Facebook gaming 2.0," with lots of big changes headed the genre's way over the next six to 12 months. EA made two massive gambles to break into the social games space. That's not to say anything of ill will toward either purchase, but spending hundreds of millions (or possibly even $1 billion) is a gamble no matter how you slice it.

According to the COO, both were worthy investments, with The Sims Social being "a tremendous success for the company." The numerous branding opportunities alone for the game has EA seeing dollar signs. Now all EA needs is for those dollar signs to turn Moore's vision into reality.

Are you satisfied with The Sims Social as it is right now? What do you think the future of social games will look like? Sound off in the comments. Add Comment.]]>cooeaea cooea coo peter mooreelectronic arts coo peter mooreElectronic-ArtsFacebook gamesGamasutrapeter mooreplayfishsims socialsocial gamesJoe Osborne2012-02-09T17:25:00+00:00MapleStory Adventures' V-Day update turns aphrodisiacs into monstershttp://blog.games.com/2012/02/09/maplestory-adventures-valentines-day-update/http://blog.games.com/2012/02/09/maplestory-adventures-valentines-day-update/http://blog.games.com/2012/02/09/maplestory-adventures-valentines-day-update/#comments Nexon's getting all mushy (and a little creepy) with its next major content update for MapleStory Adventures on Facebook. Now available in game, the Valentine's Day update brings a brand new Level 25 dungeon titled "Mr. Oyster Bed." (Get it?) Players who slay the monstrous mood-enhancer that awaits them on Floor 3 can earn kooky fashion items like Pink Flower Tube or the Rainbow Tie-Dye Shirt.

This content update also brings with it a new item slot expansion to increase the amount of goodies they can store. More importantly, however, players will get to face new Valentine's-themed baddies, like the Choco Mimic. Ultimately defeating Mr. Oyster and Choco Mimic will reward players will nifty items, like the Valentine Chocolate Box or the Cupid's Wings Cape.

Luckily for Nexon, MapleStory Adventures has seen a resurgence in monthly players in recent days. The game currently welcomes 510,000 monthly and just 60,000 daily players, according to AppData. We're sure more content updates like this could help the game welcome back even more monthly players. At the very least it would hold them over until KartRider hits Facebook.
Leave it to Nexon to make something as ugly as an oyster into one adorable boss creature. Then again, seeing something largely considered to be an aphrodisiac brought to life with cutesy little eyes only to be pummeled by equally-lovable adventurers for loot is ... just plain weird. At any rate, players can check out how MapleStory Adventures celebrates Valentine's Day right now.

Are you still clicking away in MapleStory Adventures? Either way, what do you think the game needs to draw back in its lost millions of players? Sound off in the comments. Add Comment.

 

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]]>http://o.aolcdn.com/dims/GAME/5/168/168/100/http://www.blogcdn.com/blog.games.com/media/2012/02/tina.pngNexon's getting all mushy (and a little creepy) with its next major content update for MapleStory Adventures on Facebook. Now available in game, the Valentine's Day update brings a brand new Level 25 dungeon titled "Mr. Oyster Bed." (Get it?) Players who slay the monstrous mood-enhancer that awaits them on Floor 3 can earn kooky fashion items like Pink Flower Tube or the Rainbow Tie-Dye Shirt.

This content update also brings with it a new item slot expansion to increase the amount of goodies they can store. More importantly, however, players will get to face new Valentine's-themed baddies, like the Choco Mimic. Ultimately defeating Mr. Oyster and Choco Mimic will reward players will nifty items, like the Valentine Chocolate Box or the Cupid's Wings Cape.

Luckily for Nexon, MapleStory Adventures has seen a resurgence in monthly players in recent days. The game currently welcomes 510,000 monthly and just 60,000 daily players, according to AppData. We're sure more content updates like this could help the game welcome back even more monthly players. At the very least it would hold them over until KartRider hits Facebook.
MapleStory Adventures Mr. Oyster Bed
Leave it to Nexon to make something as ugly as an oyster into one adorable boss creature. Then again, seeing something largely considered to be an aphrodisiac brought to life with cutesy little eyes only to be pummeled by equally-lovable adventurers for loot is ... just plain weird. At any rate, players can check out how MapleStory Adventures celebrates Valentine's Day right now.

Are you still clicking away in MapleStory Adventures? Either way, what do you think the game needs to draw back in its lost millions of players? Sound off in the comments. Add Comment.]]>Facebook gamesmaplestorymaplestory adventuresmaplestory adventures mr oystermaplestory adventures updatemaplestory adventures valentinesmaplestory adventures valentines day updatenexonsocial gamesvalentinevalentines dayJoe Osborne2012-02-09T16:15:00+00:00Hasbro could take FarmVille, CityVille and more to toy land this fallhttp://blog.games.com/2012/02/09/zynga-hasbro-farmville-cityville-toys/http://blog.games.com/2012/02/09/zynga-hasbro-farmville-cityville-toys/http://blog.games.com/2012/02/09/zynga-hasbro-farmville-cityville-toys/#comments
If you thought Facebook games were just for middle-aged moms, think again. Zynga and Hasbro have announced a partnership allowing the toy company to release numerous toys and games based on Zynga's leading social games starting this fall. While specifics weren't mentioned in the release, Zynga says this partnership could lead to several pieces of "co-branded merchandise."

"This partnership is so special because it represents an exciting leap forward in enabling people to connect their virtual and real worlds," Zynga CEO Mark Pincus said in a release. "Hasbro has inspired play through their famous toys, games and action figures and we look forward to working with a company that continually creates meaningful and fun brands."

Hasbro CEO and president Brian Goldner said in the release that he's proud to help bring Zynga's games to even more people than its 227 million monthly players. While Hasbro is largely known for its board games, action figures and toddlers' toys, the company is also heavily involved in the games space.

"Zynga is bringing more games to mainstream culture and is redefining how people play. At Hasbro, we're proud to help bring their games to even more people around the world," Goldner said. "This strategic alliance plays off of both Hasbro's and Zynga's proven strengths and is emblematic of the new innovations and new platforms we are creating across our entire gaming portfolio."

So, will we see FarmVille's critters in toy form? Probably, but we've seen that before (see above). There's no reason why this couldn't mean more. Based on how vague this announcement is, there doesn't seem to be much stopping Zynga from using Hasbro's brands in its games. Who's up for Magic: The Gathering on Facebook by Zynga? This guy right here, that's who.

Are you excited to know that Zynga will break through into the toy world once again? What would you like to see come of this partnership? Sound off in the comments. Add Comment.

 

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]]>http://o.aolcdn.com/dims/GAME/5/168/168/100/http://www.blogcdn.com/blog.games.com/media/2012/02/farmvilleplush1-520x520.jpgFarmVille Plush If you thought Facebook games were just for middle-aged moms, think again. Zynga and Hasbro have announced a partnership allowing the toy company to release numerous toys and games based on Zynga's leading social games starting this fall. While specifics weren't mentioned in the release, Zynga says this partnership could lead to several pieces of "co-branded merchandise."

"This partnership is so special because it represents an exciting leap forward in enabling people to connect their virtual and real worlds," Zynga CEO Mark Pincus said in a release. "Hasbro has inspired play through their famous toys, games and action figures and we look forward to working with a company that continually creates meaningful and fun brands."

Hasbro CEO and president Brian Goldner said in the release that he's proud to help bring Zynga's games to even more people than its 227 million monthly players. While Hasbro is largely known for its board games, action figures and toddlers' toys, the company is also heavily involved in the games space.

"Zynga is bringing more games to mainstream culture and is redefining how people play. At Hasbro, we're proud to help bring their games to even more people around the world," Goldner said. "This strategic alliance plays off of both Hasbro's and Zynga's proven strengths and is emblematic of the new innovations and new platforms we are creating across our entire gaming portfolio."

So, will we see FarmVille's critters in toy form? Probably, but we've seen that before (see above). There's no reason why this couldn't mean more. Based on how vague this announcement is, there doesn't seem to be much stopping Zynga from using Hasbro's brands in its games. Who's up for Magic: The Gathering on Facebook by Zynga? This guy right here, that's who.

Are you excited to know that Zynga will break through into the toy world once again? What would you like to see come of this partnership? Sound off in the comments. Add Comment.]]>hasbroHasbro Gameshasbro zyngahasbro zynga dealtoyszyngazynga hasbrozynga hasbro dealzynga toysJoe Osborne2012-02-09T15:30:00+00:00FarmVille Pic of the Day: Wedding bells are ringing at lisaperry1970's farmhttp://blog.games.com/2012/02/09/farmville-pic-of-the-day-lisaperry1970-wedding/http://blog.games.com/2012/02/09/farmville-pic-of-the-day-lisaperry1970-wedding/http://blog.games.com/2012/02/09/farmville-pic-of-the-day-lisaperry1970-wedding/#comments
Click the image to make it larger.

Getting married on Valentine's Day isn't the most original idea in the world, but it's undeniably romantic. One FarmVille player, lisaperry1970, tied the knot with her husband a decade ago, making this year's Valentine's Day their 10th wedding anniversary. To celebrate, Lisaperry1970's farm contains a custom-built wedding chapel, tons of holiday decor from the last two years, and Lisa's avatar dressed up as a fairy tale bride (note the Queens of Hearts gown and the frogs in attendance) awaiting her prince.
Click the image to make it larger.

As far as we could tell, the chapel is made entirely of Heart Fence, Wedding Fence, Violet Fence, and pink hay bales. Topping that off is pretty pink bell tower and several of last year's Wedding Flower Pots, which are a different style from this year's and cost 20,000 Coins each. Surrounding the farm is a wall of Violet Fences where "BE MINE I LOVE U" is imprinted using Pink Fences. For more detailed screenshots of this over-the-top wedding farm, check out the creator's forum thread.

Check out the rest of our Valentine's Day 2012 coverage here.

Do you know the day you'd like to get married on? Sound off in the comments. Add Comment

If you have an AWESOME FarmVille farm that you want to see featured on Games.com, please email a picture to editors@games.com, Include a few words about the inspiration for your design and maybe a few tips for people who need an assist!

 

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]]>http://o.aolcdn.com/dims/GAME/5/168/168/100/http://www.blogcdn.com/blog.games.com/media/2012/02/farmville-lisaperry1970-chapel-thumb.png
Click the image to make it larger.

Getting married on Valentine's Day isn't the most original idea in the world, but it's undeniably romantic. One FarmVille player, lisaperry1970, tied the knot with her husband a decade ago, making this year's Valentine's Day their 10th wedding anniversary. To celebrate, Lisaperry1970's farm contains a custom-built wedding chapel, tons of holiday decor from the last two years, and Lisa's avatar dressed up as a fairy tale bride (note the Queens of Hearts gown and the frogs in attendance) awaiting her prince.
Click the image to make it larger.

As far as we could tell, the chapel is made entirely of Heart Fence, Wedding Fence, Violet Fence, and pink hay bales. Topping that off is pretty pink bell tower and several of last year's Wedding Flower Pots, which are a different style from this year's and cost 20,000 Coins each. Surrounding the farm is a wall of Violet Fences where "BE MINE I LOVE U" is imprinted using Pink Fences. For more detailed screenshots of this over-the-top wedding farm, check out the creator's forum thread.

Check out the rest of our Valentine's Day 2012 coverage here.

Do you know the day you'd like to get married on? Sound off in the comments. Add Comment

If you have an AWESOME FarmVille farm that you want to see featured on Games.com, please email a picture to editors@games.com, Include a few words about the inspiration for your design and maybe a few tips for people who need an assist!]]>farm artfarm of the dayfarmvillefarmville farm artfarmville farm of the dayfarmville featured farmfarmville pic of the dayfeatured farmpic of the daypicture of the dayvalentines dayzyngaJenny Ng2012-02-09T14:00:00+00:00Adventure World maker Zynga Boston GM seeks adventure elsewherehttp://blog.games.com/2012/02/09/adventure-world-zynga-boston-gm-leaves/http://blog.games.com/2012/02/09/adventure-world-zynga-boston-gm-leaves/http://blog.games.com/2012/02/09/adventure-world-zynga-boston-gm-leaves/#comments Cue that piano jam from The Incredible Hulk. The Boston Globe and Mass High Tech report that Zynga Boston GM Nabeel Hyatt has left the Zynga subsidiary studio to become a partner at investment firm Spark Capital. Hyatt oversaw the studio's (formerly Conduit Labs), development of Adventure World, Zynga's first game to receive a complete branding overhaul with Indiana Jones.

"The office is still strong and growing," Hyatt told Boston Globe via e-mail, "with a solid success with 'Adventure World' and some other projects underway." According to The Boston Globe, former Pixar animation director and Adventure World product lead Fareed Mosavat has replaced Hyatt as general manager of Cambridge-based Zynga Boston.

Adventure World currently sits at 5.8 million monthly and 790,000 daily players, according to AppData, and hardly one of Zynga's eighth most popular with nearly 10 million fewer monthly players than Empires & Allies. Unfortunately, the game has seen a steady decline since receiving the branding makeover.

Hyatt's background is primarily in in all things entrepreneurial--he founded Conduit Labs to create music-centric social games--so the move makes sense. However, with Adventure World facing a downturn, it will be interesting to see what Zynga Boston cooks up next. Perhaps it's time for something entirely different at Zynga, like a return to the studio's musical roots.

Are you an avid Adventure World fan? What do you think/hope Zynga Boston might be up to next? Sound off in the comments. Add Comment.

 

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]]>http://o.aolcdn.com/dims/GAME/5/168/168/100/http://www.blogcdn.com/blog.games.com/media/2012/02/indiana-jones-adventure-world-post-1.jpgCue that piano jam from The Incredible Hulk. The Boston Globe and Mass High Tech report that Zynga Boston GM Nabeel Hyatt has left the Zynga subsidiary studio to become a partner at investment firm Spark Capital. Hyatt oversaw the studio's (formerly Conduit Labs), development of Adventure World, Zynga's first game to receive a complete branding overhaul with Indiana Jones.

"The office is still strong and growing," Hyatt told Boston Globe via e-mail, "with a solid success with 'Adventure World' and some other projects underway." According to The Boston Globe, former Pixar animation director and Adventure World product lead Fareed Mosavat has replaced Hyatt as general manager of Cambridge-based Zynga Boston.

Adventure World currently sits at 5.8 million monthly and 790,000 daily players, according to AppData, and hardly one of Zynga's eighth most popular with nearly 10 million fewer monthly players than Empires & Allies. Unfortunately, the game has seen a steady decline since receiving the branding makeover.

Hyatt's background is primarily in in all things entrepreneurial--he founded Conduit Labs to create music-centric social games--so the move makes sense. However, with Adventure World facing a downturn, it will be interesting to see what Zynga Boston cooks up next. Perhaps it's time for something entirely different at Zynga, like a return to the studio's musical roots.

Are you an avid Adventure World fan? What do you think/hope Zynga Boston might be up to next? Sound off in the comments. Add Comment.]]>adventure world gm leavesadventure world indiana jonesboston globemass high technabeel hyattSpark Capitalzyngazynga bostonzynga boston gmzynga boston gm leaveszynga boston loses gmJoe Osborne2012-02-09T13:25:00+00:00The Sims Social Love is in the Air Quest: How to finish it fasthttp://blog.games.com/2012/02/09/the-sims-social-love-is-in-the-air-quest-guide/http://blog.games.com/2012/02/09/the-sims-social-love-is-in-the-air-quest-guide/http://blog.games.com/2012/02/09/the-sims-social-love-is-in-the-air-quest-guide/#comments
If you don't know what's coming next week, we feel very sorry for your significant other. It's Valentine's Day, silly, and The Sims Social knows where it's at. Developer Playfish has released its obligatory theme for the Hallmark lovely holiday, and with it comes a brand new Skill items, the Amour Edition Typewriter, the Amour Edition Stove and the Amour Dinner for Two. More importantly, however, is that a new quest is available for players to complete in The Sims Social: Love is in the Air.

This five-step quest is relatively simple to complete, but scales in difficulty right around the final two task. Regardless, you'll want to tackle this quest, as a free Amour Stuffed Unicorn awaits those who finish it, which normally goes for 39 SimCash. For Love is in the Air, you'll need 12 Love, 10 Fruit, 15 Soapsuds, at least eight friends and a Skill item. On to how to best finish this quest:

Love is in the Air Part 1
  • Become Inspired
  • Ask 1 Friend for Valentine's Card

To become inspired, simply fulfill all of your Sim's needs. When they're all a deep, bright green, you'll know. Then, post to your Facebook Wall through the quest window to fulfill this second requirement.
Love is in the Air Part 2
  • Have 12 Love
  • Check Social Networks 3 Times
  • Ask 5 Sims if They are Single

Love comes from flirting with fellow Sims, though players can ask for it from friends directly, too. To check Social Networks, you can click on your friends' computers and choose the relevant option as well as your own. Asking five Sims if they're single is as simple as visiting neighbors, clicking on them, and choosing the option.

Love is in the Air Part 3
  • Reprogram LoveBot 3 Times
  • Phone Littlehaven FM 3 Times
  • Carve Eugene in 7 Beds

Bella has a LoveBot in her house, so visit her, click on her LoveBot and choose the relevant option three times. Players can "Phone Littlehaven FM 3" on either their own phone or their friends' phones. The final task requires players to "Carve Eugene" into seven different beds, not one bed seven times, hence the need for so many friends.
Love is in the Air Part 4
  • Have 10 Fruits
  • Harvest 8 Watermelon
  • Have 15 Soapsuds

The only way to get 10 Fruit is to ask friends directly, which we imagine can be done through the quest window. Harvesting eight Watermelon will cost a total of 152 Simoleons and take a long 12 hours. Soapsuds can only be found through friends, so ask them for the items through the quest window.

Love is in the Air Part 5
  • Ask 8 Friends Over
  • Earn 500 Simoleons from Skills
  • Mail Bottles of Aphrodisiac to Eugene

To Ask Friends Over, simply hover a friend's player icon on the friend bar lining the bottom of the screen and choose "Invite Over." You can use any old Skill item to earn the 500 Simoleons. To mail Bottles of Aphrodisiac to Eugene, simply click on your Mailbox and the relevant option. However, completing this task will take 24 hours. Finally, the Amour Stuffed Unicorn is yours.

[Sources: The Sims Social Fansite, Aude06]

Have you started Love is in the Air in The Sims Social yet? What tips might you have for finishing it even faster? Sound off in the comments. Add Comment.

 

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]]>http://o.aolcdn.com/dims/GAME/5/168/168/100/http://www.blogcdn.com/blog.games.com/media/2012/02/valentine.pngThe Sims Social Valentine's Week If you don't know what's coming next week, we feel very sorry for your significant other. It's Valentine's Day, silly, and The Sims Social knows where it's at. Developer Playfish has released its obligatory theme for the Hallmark lovely holiday, and with it comes a brand new Skill items, the Amour Edition Typewriter, the Amour Edition Stove and the Amour Dinner for Two. More importantly, however, is that a new quest is available for players to complete in The Sims Social: Love is in the Air.

This five-step quest is relatively simple to complete, but scales in difficulty right around the final two task. Regardless, you'll want to tackle this quest, as a free Amour Stuffed Unicorn awaits those who finish it, which normally goes for 39 SimCash. For Love is in the Air, you'll need 12 Love, 10 Fruit, 15 Soapsuds, at least eight friends and a Skill item. On to how to best finish this quest:

Love is in the Air Part 1
  • Become Inspired
  • Ask 1 Friend for Valentine's Card

To become inspired, simply fulfill all of your Sim's needs. When they're all a deep, bright green, you'll know. Then, post to your Facebook Wall through the quest window to fulfill this second requirement.
The Sims Social LoveBot The Sims Social Amour Edition Stove The Sims Social Amour Edition Dinner for Two
Love is in the Air Part 2
  • Have 12 Love
  • Check Social Networks 3 Times
  • Ask 5 Sims if They are Single

Love comes from flirting with fellow Sims, though players can ask for it from friends directly, too. To check Social Networks, you can click on your friends' computers and choose the relevant option as well as your own. Asking five Sims if they're single is as simple as visiting neighbors, clicking on them, and choosing the option.

Love is in the Air Part 3
  • Reprogram LoveBot 3 Times
  • Phone Littlehaven FM 3 Times
  • Carve Eugene in 7 Beds

Bella has a LoveBot in her house, so visit her, click on her LoveBot and choose the relevant option three times. Players can "Phone Littlehaven FM 3" on either their own phone or their friends' phones. The final task requires players to "Carve Eugene" into seven different beds, not one bed seven times, hence the need for so many friends.
The Sims Social Cupids Arrow The Sims Social Amour Water Bed The Sims Social Amour Edition Typewriter
Love is in the Air Part 4
  • Have 10 Fruits
  • Harvest 8 Watermelon
  • Have 15 Soapsuds

The only way to get 10 Fruit is to ask friends directly, which we imagine can be done through the quest window. Harvesting eight Watermelon will cost a total of 152 Simoleons and take a long 12 hours. Soapsuds can only be found through friends, so ask them for the items through the quest window.

Love is in the Air Part 5
  • Ask 8 Friends Over
  • Earn 500 Simoleons from Skills
  • Mail Bottles of Aphrodisiac to Eugene

To Ask Friends Over, simply hover a friend's player icon on the friend bar lining the bottom of the screen and choose "Invite Over." You can use any old Skill item to earn the 500 Simoleons. To mail Bottles of Aphrodisiac to Eugene, simply click on your Mailbox and the relevant option. However, completing this task will take 24 hours. Finally, the Amour Stuffed Unicorn is yours.

[Sources: The Sims Social Fansite, Aude06]

Have you started Love is in the Air in The Sims Social yet? What tips might you have for finishing it even faster? Sound off in the comments. Add Comment.]]>eaElectronic-ArtsPlayfishsims socialthe sims social cheats and tipsthe sims social love is in the airthe sims social love is in the air guidethe sims social love is in the air questthe sims social queststhe sims social valentines questthe sims social valentines themethe sims social valentines weekJoe Osborne2012-02-09T12:10:00+00:00Mobage maker Ngmoco hit with layoffs, shuttered games [Report]http://blog.games.com/2012/02/09/mobage-ngmoco-layoffs-shuttered-games/http://blog.games.com/2012/02/09/mobage-ngmoco-layoffs-shuttered-games/http://blog.games.com/2012/02/09/mobage-ngmoco-layoffs-shuttered-games/#comments
Yet the DeNA-owned company is still hiring in several departments. Curiouser and curiouser. TechCrunch reports that ngmoco, the mobile games company responsible for Rolando and Godfinger (by Wonderland Software), has laid off some 30 staff, including its (relatively new) CMO and other senior employees. One of its games has been shut down, while another has been "pared down," according to TechCrunch, citing a nameless source.

It's strange news, especially considering the mobile game developer-turned-publisher was bought by Japanese mobile social game giant DeNA last year for a whopping $400 million. What makes this even more shocking is the fact that ngmoco had been acquiring developers like Akatama Labs and signing game partnerships mere months prior. Ngmoco CEO Neil Young provided TechCrunch with this:
Armed with the insights we've gained from both the Western and Japanese markets and after completing the integration of a series of key acquisitions, we've organized our global operations to best support and deliver on our mission to build the leading Global Social Mobile Game Platform company. We're incredibly proud of our company and our products. We thank everyone that has helped us get to where we are today.
Somehow, Young managed to shed not a sliver of light on the reason behind neither the alleged layoffs nor why it's still hiring amidst supposed layoffs. According to TechCrunch, these changes are normal after such large buyouts, though it's the first time this writer has heard of such a thing, given ngmoco's particular situation. At any rate, we imagine it's full steam ahead for the global mobile social game network, Mobage.

[Via TouchArcade]

Are you shocked to hear that ngmoco could have laid off a number of its staff while hiring more? What do you think of Mobage so far? Sound off in the comments. Add Comment.

 

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]]>http://o.aolcdn.com/dims/GAME/5/168/168/100/http://www.blogcdn.com/blog.games.com/media/2012/02/ngmoco.jpgngmoco Yet the DeNA-owned company is still hiring in several departments. Curiouser and curiouser. TechCrunch reports that ngmoco, the mobile games company responsible for Rolando and Godfinger (by Wonderland Software), has laid off some 30 staff, including its (relatively new) CMO and other senior employees. One of its games has been shut down, while another has been "pared down," according to TechCrunch, citing a nameless source.

It's strange news, especially considering the mobile game developer-turned-publisher was bought by Japanese mobile social game giant DeNA last year for a whopping $400 million. What makes this even more shocking is the fact that ngmoco had been acquiring developers like Akatama Labs and signing game partnerships mere months prior. Ngmoco CEO Neil Young provided TechCrunch with this:
Armed with the insights we've gained from both the Western and Japanese markets and after completing the integration of a series of key acquisitions, we've organized our global operations to best support and deliver on our mission to build the leading Global Social Mobile Game Platform company. We're incredibly proud of our company and our products. We thank everyone that has helped us get to where we are today.
Somehow, Young managed to shed not a sliver of light on the reason behind neither the alleged layoffs nor why it's still hiring amidst supposed layoffs. According to TechCrunch, these changes are normal after such large buyouts, though it's the first time this writer has heard of such a thing, given ngmoco's particular situation. At any rate, we imagine it's full steam ahead for the global mobile social game network, Mobage.

[Via TouchArcade]

Are you shocked to hear that ngmoco could have laid off a number of its staff while hiring more? What do you think of Mobage so far? Sound off in the comments. Add Comment.]]>denalaid offlayoffsmobagemobile gamingmobile social gamesngmocongmoco laid offngmoco layoffsngmoco lays off 30Joe Osborne2012-02-09T10:45:00+00:00Since free-to-play shift, Jetpack Joyride soars past 13 million downloadshttp://blog.games.com/2012/02/09/jetpack-joyride-free-to-play-13-million-downloads/http://blog.games.com/2012/02/09/jetpack-joyride-free-to-play-13-million-downloads/http://blog.games.com/2012/02/09/jetpack-joyride-free-to-play-13-million-downloads/#comments
If readers need any more reason to download this game, then we're simply out of ideas. Jetpack Joyride by Fruit Ninja creator Halfbrick has surpassed 13 million downloads since going free-to-play (F2P). (Here's your validation for all of those studies and statistics.) The endless runner (flier?) in vein of hits like Robot Unicorn Attack and Canabalt has garnered several award nominations, including nods from both the Game Developer's Choice Awards and the Interactive Achievement Awards.

Not to mention it's been a favorite in the games media since its launch in summer 2011, inspiring game of the year nods from several websites. In fact, we loved it so much that it made our Top 10 Free iPhone and iPad Games of 2011 list. And get this: At the time, it was only free thanks to a promotion. While Jetpack Joyride is worth more than the $.99 it used to cost, you officially have no excuse for not trying this game.

Actually, you couldn't pick a better time to begin your joyride with protagonist Barry Steakfries, as we're told Halfbrick plans to release the biggest update for Jetpack Joyride to date next month. With that, we're sure Jetpack Joyride will hold you over until that long-awaited Fruit Ninja sequel hits. You know, the one Halfbrick plans to build a whole studio for?

Click here to download Jetpack Joyride for Free on iPhone or iPad Now >

Are you in on the Jetpack Joyride craze? If not, why aren't you downloading it right now? Sound off in the comments. Add Comment.

 

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]]>http://o.aolcdn.com/dims/GAME/5/168/168/100/http://www.blogcdn.com/blog.games.com/media/2012/02/jetpack-joyride-3-1328797136.jpgJetpack Joyride If readers need any more reason to download this game, then we're simply out of ideas. Jetpack Joyride by Fruit Ninja creator Halfbrick has surpassed 13 million downloads since going free-to-play (F2P). (Here's your validation for all of those studies and statistics.) The endless runner (flier?) in vein of hits like Robot Unicorn Attack and Canabalt has garnered several award nominations, including nods from both the Game Developer's Choice Awards and the Interactive Achievement Awards.

Not to mention it's been a favorite in the games media since its launch in summer 2011, inspiring game of the year nods from several websites. In fact, we loved it so much that it made our Top 10 Free iPhone and iPad Games of 2011 list. And get this: At the time, it was only free thanks to a promotion. While Jetpack Joyride is worth more than the $.99 it used to cost, you officially have no excuse for not trying this game.

Actually, you couldn't pick a better time to begin your joyride with protagonist Barry Steakfries, as we're told Halfbrick plans to release the biggest update for Jetpack Joyride to date next month. With that, we're sure Jetpack Joyride will hold you over until that long-awaited Fruit Ninja sequel hits. You know, the one Halfbrick plans to build a whole studio for?

Click here to download Jetpack Joyride for Free on iPhone or iPad Now >

Are you in on the Jetpack Joyride craze? If not, why aren't you downloading it right now? Sound off in the comments. Add Comment.]]>f2pf2p gamesfree iPhone gamesfree-to-playfree-to-play gameshalfbrickhalfbrick-studiosipad gamesiphone gamesjetpack joyridejetpack joyride freejetpack joyride free-to-playjetpack-joyridemobile gamingJoe Osborne2012-02-09T09:20:00+00:00FarmVille Anti Valentine's Day Items: Dark Heart Tree, Black Rose Mini and morehttp://blog.games.com/2012/02/09/farmville-anti-valentines-day-items-dark-heart-tree/http://blog.games.com/2012/02/09/farmville-anti-valentines-day-items-dark-heart-tree/http://blog.games.com/2012/02/09/farmville-anti-valentines-day-items-dark-heart-tree/#comments Just as the Valentine's Day theme has continued to grow in FarmVille, so too has the Anti Valentine's Day theme. There are new trees, animals and even decorations to choose from in the store, so let's take a look at these newly released items.

Trees

Dark Heart Tree - 6 Farm Cash
Giant Dark Heart Tree - 12 Farm Cash

Animals

Black Rose Mini Horse - 26 Farm Cash
Heartbreak Boar - 16 Farm Cash

Buildings

Broken Heart Home - 18 Farm Cash

Decorations

Black Rose Fountain - 10 Farm Cash
Black Rose Fence - 5,000 coins

Avatar Costumes

Skunk - 5 Farm Cash

These items will be available for the next two weeks (I'd guess the trees have been inappropriately marked in the store, as they are currently listed as being available for just three days, as of this writing). If you're looking forward to storing some of these items until next year, remember you have extra storage space with which to do it!

Check out the rest of our Valentine's Day coverage right here.

What do you think of these newest Anti-Valentine's Day items? Sound off in the comments.

 

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]]>http://o.aolcdn.com/dims/GAME/5/168/168/100/http://www.blogcdn.com/blog.games.com/media/2012/02/farmville-on-facebook-4.jpgJust as the Valentine's Day theme has continued to grow in FarmVille, so too has the Anti Valentine's Day theme. There are new trees, animals and even decorations to choose from in the store, so let's take a look at these newly released items.

Trees

Dark Heart Tree - 6 Farm Cash
Giant Dark Heart Tree - 12 Farm Cash

Animals

Black Rose Mini Horse - 26 Farm Cash
Heartbreak Boar - 16 Farm Cash

Buildings

Broken Heart Home - 18 Farm Cash

Decorations

Black Rose Fountain - 10 Farm Cash
Black Rose Fence - 5,000 coins

Avatar Costumes

Skunk - 5 Farm Cash

These items will be available for the next two weeks (I'd guess the trees have been inappropriately marked in the store, as they are currently listed as being available for just three days, as of this writing). If you're looking forward to storing some of these items until next year, remember you have extra storage space with which to do it!

Check out the rest of our Valentine's Day coverage right here.

What do you think of these newest Anti-Valentine's Day items? Sound off in the comments.]]>anti-valentines-dayfarmville anti-valentines dayfarmville valentines dayfarmville valentines day 2012valentines dayvalentines day 2012zyngaBrandy Shaul2012-02-09T00:17:00+00:00FarmVille Valentine's Day Items: Magpie Duck, Romeo Alpaca and morehttp://blog.games.com/2012/02/09/farmville-valentines-day-items-magpie-duck-romeo-alpaca/http://blog.games.com/2012/02/09/farmville-valentines-day-items-magpie-duck-romeo-alpaca/http://blog.games.com/2012/02/09/farmville-valentines-day-items-magpie-duck-romeo-alpaca/#comments There are quite a few new items available in FarmVille's Valentine's Day theme, with some of these items being similar to those previously released in the game, but still bringing in enough shades of pink and red to be worth a purchase. As usual, we're here with a complete look at these items for your shopping pleasure.

Trees

Valentine Cookies Tree - 8 Farm Cash
Big Valentine Cookies Tree - 14 Farm Cash

Animals

Magpie Duck - 2 million coins
Rose Boar - 16 Farm Cash
Romance Horse - 26 Farm Cash
Romeo Alpaca - 12 Farm Cash

Buildings

Glass Wedding Hall - 20 Farm Cash

Decorations

Pegasus Carriage - 12 Farm Cash
Wedding Flower Pot - 10,000 coins
Aphrodite Gnome - 12 Farm Cash

Avatar Costumes

Cupid II - 15 Farm Cash

These items will be in the game for the next two weeks, giving you time to stock up on these items for use in next year's Valentine's Day celebration, since they'll last well after the holiday itself comes and goes. We'll make sure to let you know if other items launch in this Valentine's Day theme, so keep checking back with us.

Check out the rest of our Valentine's Day coverage right here.

What do you think of these Valentine's Day items? Sound off in the comments.

 

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]]>http://o.aolcdn.com/dims/GAME/5/168/168/100/http://www.blogcdn.com/blog.games.com/media/2012/02/farmville-on-facebook-1-1328764506.jpgThere are quite a few new items available in FarmVille's Valentine's Day theme, with some of these items being similar to those previously released in the game, but still bringing in enough shades of pink and red to be worth a purchase. As usual, we're here with a complete look at these items for your shopping pleasure.

Trees

Valentine Cookies Tree - 8 Farm Cash
Big Valentine Cookies Tree - 14 Farm Cash

Animals

Magpie Duck - 2 million coins
Rose Boar - 16 Farm Cash
Romance Horse - 26 Farm Cash
Romeo Alpaca - 12 Farm Cash

Buildings

Glass Wedding Hall - 20 Farm Cash

Decorations

Pegasus Carriage - 12 Farm Cash
Wedding Flower Pot - 10,000 coins
Aphrodite Gnome - 12 Farm Cash

Avatar Costumes

Cupid II - 15 Farm Cash

These items will be in the game for the next two weeks, giving you time to stock up on these items for use in next year's Valentine's Day celebration, since they'll last well after the holiday itself comes and goes. We'll make sure to let you know if other items launch in this Valentine's Day theme, so keep checking back with us.

Check out the rest of our Valentine's Day coverage right here.

What do you think of these Valentine's Day items? Sound off in the comments.]]>farmville valentines dayfarmville valentines day 2012valentines dayvalentines day 2012valentines day itemszyngaBrandy Shaul2012-02-09T00:02:00+00:00CastleVille Food Courtship Quests: Everything you need to knowhttp://blog.games.com/2012/02/08/castleville-food-courtship-quests/http://blog.games.com/2012/02/08/castleville-food-courtship-quests/http://blog.games.com/2012/02/08/castleville-food-courtship-quests/#comments If you're looking for some extra tasks to complete in CastleVille, there are four new quests to complete in the game, surrounding Chef Mia, a famous chef who is about to make a visit in your Kingdom. There are only four quests in the Food Courtship series as of this writing, that deal with preparing your Kingdom for Mia's arrival, so we're here with a guide on how to complete them. Let's get started!

Clean Sweep
  • Clear or Tend 5 Nature Items
  • Sell 10 Items
  • Collect from 4 Homes

For this "nature items" task, things like Grass will obviously work, but you can also tend flowers if you find that to be easier. Also, for the selling task, you don't have to sell decorations, or anything truly valuable. You can just sell excess crops or any other item you happen to have in your storage / inventory that you don't need right at the moment. For finishing this first quest, you'll receive 750 coins and 15 XP.

Feel the Love
  • Have 3 Oven Mitts
  • Feed Chickens 10 Times
  • Water Saplings 10 Times

The Oven Mitts are earned either at random when fishing or by asking your friends to send some to you via a general news post on your wall. Saplings cost 400 or 600 coins in the store, depending on which one you'd like to purchase, so if you don't have 10 saplings already in your kingdom, at least they're not terribly expensive. When you finish this quest, you'll receive 1,000 coins and 20 XP.

Welcome Mia!
  • Tend 25 Neighbors' Flowers
  • Collect 15 Milk Bottles
  • Craft 3 Wood Planks

Wood Planks take an hour each to craft in your Workshop, while Milk Bottles are earned at random when collecting from adult cows. When you complete this quest, you'll earn 1,000 coins and 20 XP.

Home Cooking
  • Place the Foundation of Mia's House
  • Build Mia's House
  • Buy and Place 5 Flowers

You'll be given the base of Mia's House at the beginning of this quest. You'll need just two Stone Blocks, two Wood Planks and two Rope to finish it, with those items being available to craft in your Workshop. When you finish this quest, you'll receive 750 coins, 15 XP and the Mia's Cooking Pot item.

This finishes the four quests in the Mia introduction "Food Courtship" series, but Mia isn't done in our games just yet. We'll make sure to let you know what those further quests demand of you, so keep checking back with us!

What do you think of the new character Mia in CastleVille? Have you already finished these quests? Sound off in the comments.

 

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]]>http://o.aolcdn.com/dims/GAME/5/168/168/100/http://www.blogcdn.com/blog.games.com/media/2012/02/1-castleville-on-facebook-1328662675.jpgIf you're looking for some extra tasks to complete in CastleVille, there are four new quests to complete in the game, surrounding Chef Mia, a famous chef who is about to make a visit in your Kingdom. There are only four quests in the Food Courtship series as of this writing, that deal with preparing your Kingdom for Mia's arrival, so we're here with a guide on how to complete them. Let's get started!

Clean Sweep
  • Clear or Tend 5 Nature Items
  • Sell 10 Items
  • Collect from 4 Homes

For this "nature items" task, things like Grass will obviously work, but you can also tend flowers if you find that to be easier. Also, for the selling task, you don't have to sell decorations, or anything truly valuable. You can just sell excess crops or any other item you happen to have in your storage / inventory that you don't need right at the moment. For finishing this first quest, you'll receive 750 coins and 15 XP.

Feel the Love
  • Have 3 Oven Mitts
  • Feed Chickens 10 Times
  • Water Saplings 10 Times

The Oven Mitts are earned either at random when fishing or by asking your friends to send some to you via a general news post on your wall. Saplings cost 400 or 600 coins in the store, depending on which one you'd like to purchase, so if you don't have 10 saplings already in your kingdom, at least they're not terribly expensive. When you finish this quest, you'll receive 1,000 coins and 20 XP.

Welcome Mia!
  • Tend 25 Neighbors' Flowers
  • Collect 15 Milk Bottles
  • Craft 3 Wood Planks

Wood Planks take an hour each to craft in your Workshop, while Milk Bottles are earned at random when collecting from adult cows. When you complete this quest, you'll earn 1,000 coins and 20 XP.

Home Cooking
  • Place the Foundation of Mia's House
  • Build Mia's House
  • Buy and Place 5 Flowers

You'll be given the base of Mia's House at the beginning of this quest. You'll need just two Stone Blocks, two Wood Planks and two Rope to finish it, with those items being available to craft in your Workshop. When you finish this quest, you'll receive 750 coins, 15 XP and the Mia's Cooking Pot item.

This finishes the four quests in the Mia introduction "Food Courtship" series, but Mia isn't done in our games just yet. We'll make sure to let you know what those further quests demand of you, so keep checking back with us!

What do you think of the new character Mia in CastleVille? Have you already finished these quests? Sound off in the comments.]]>castleville food courtshipcastleville food courtship questscastleville miacastleville questsfood courtshipfood courtship questszyngaBrandy Shaul2012-02-08T23:13:00+00:00CastleVille: Add a fourth Workshop to your Kingdom for Crownshttp://blog.games.com/2012/02/08/castleville-fourth-workshop-crowns/http://blog.games.com/2012/02/08/castleville-fourth-workshop-crowns/http://blog.games.com/2012/02/08/castleville-fourth-workshop-crowns/#comments

As we've all come to learn by now, the Workshop is one of the most important buildings in all of CastleVille, as it can craft all sorts of items, required either for the game's various quests, or just to make your time easier in the game. Before today, there was a limit on how many Workshops a single Kingdom could hold, with that limit being three Workshops per Kingdom. Now, though, you can pay Crowns to add one more to your game.

While this additional Workshop isn't available for coins, you can purchase it for Crowns: 500 Crowns, to be exact. We won't lie: that's a lot of Crowns, and if you were to purchase them at their normal price, you'll end up paying upwards of $50 just for the 465 Crown package. Even then, you'd still be short, and would need to spend even more money for more Crowns. It's possible that if this price isn't low enough to get users to spend real dough, that Zynga will lower the price accordingly, but for now, if you want the added convenience of being able to craft four items at a time, you'll need to pay the big bucks to actually do it.

Will you pay Crowns to purchase a fourth Workshop for your game? How many Crowns would you pay, if not 500? Sound off in the comments.

 

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]]>http://o.aolcdn.com/dims/GAME/5/168/168/100/http://www.blogcdn.com/blog.games.com/media/2012/02/castleville-on-facebook-1328753120.jpg
As we've all come to learn by now, the Workshop is one of the most important buildings in all of CastleVille, as it can craft all sorts of items, required either for the game's various quests, or just to make your time easier in the game. Before today, there was a limit on how many Workshops a single Kingdom could hold, with that limit being three Workshops per Kingdom. Now, though, you can pay Crowns to add one more to your game.

While this additional Workshop isn't available for coins, you can purchase it for Crowns: 500 Crowns, to be exact. We won't lie: that's a lot of Crowns, and if you were to purchase them at their normal price, you'll end up paying upwards of $50 just for the 465 Crown package. Even then, you'd still be short, and would need to spend even more money for more Crowns. It's possible that if this price isn't low enough to get users to spend real dough, that Zynga will lower the price accordingly, but for now, if you want the added convenience of being able to craft four items at a time, you'll need to pay the big bucks to actually do it.

Will you pay Crowns to purchase a fourth Workshop for your game? How many Crowns would you pay, if not 500? Sound off in the comments.]]>4th workshopcastleville crownscastleville fourth workshopcastleville workshopworkshopzyngaBrandy Shaul2012-02-08T21:15:00+00:00CityVille Honeymoon Hotel Goals: Everything you need to knowhttp://blog.games.com/2012/02/08/cityville-honeymoon-hotel-goals/http://blog.games.com/2012/02/08/cityville-honeymoon-hotel-goals/http://blog.games.com/2012/02/08/cityville-honeymoon-hotel-goals/#comments As part of the Honeymoon Hotel feature in CityVille, a new series of goals has launched in the game, bringing one more touch of romance to your city. We're here with a complete guide on how to finish these goals and earn your rewards, so let's get started.

Stay at the Honeymoon Hotel
  • Place the Honeymoon Hotel
  • Collect 10 Times from Flower Kiosk
  • Water any Gardens 15 Times

You'll need to collect from either a Level 2 or Level 3 Flower Kiosk, so make sure you've upgraded your business(es) before you get started here. For finishing this goal, you'll receive 1,000 coins and 3 energy.

Spread the Love!
  • Collect 35 Chocolate Boxes
  • Collect from Wedding Hall Twice
  • Collect from 3 Attractions

The Chocolate Boxes are earned at random by collecting from businesses or by simply asking your friends to send them to you. When you finish this goal, you'll receive 50 XP and 300 Goods.

We're Just Friends
  • Collect 6 Times from Honeymoon Hotel
  • Ask for 25 Love Letters
  • Turn in the Honeymoon Hotel Collection

You'll receive a Romantic Boat Ride decoration for finishing this goal. It must be placed in water, but it will offer a 27% payout bonus to any surrounding homes and businesses you happen to have near the water.

These goals don't have a time limit, but as they're associated with Valentine's Day, they just might disappear from the game before some others. Either way, so long as you place the base of your Honeymoon Hotel in your city now, it's unlikely that will ever go away, so keep that in mind.

[Via CityVille Wiki]

Check out the rest of our Valentine's Day coverage right here.

What do you think of this Honeymoon Hotel goal series? Sound off in the comments.

 

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]]>http://o.aolcdn.com/dims/GAME/5/168/168/100/http://www.blogcdn.com/blog.games.com/media/2012/02/lovehotel-1328752622.jpgAs part of the Honeymoon Hotel feature in CityVille, a new series of goals has launched in the game, bringing one more touch of romance to your city. We're here with a complete guide on how to finish these goals and earn your rewards, so let's get started.

Stay at the Honeymoon Hotel
  • Place the Honeymoon Hotel
  • Collect 10 Times from Flower Kiosk
  • Water any Gardens 15 Times

You'll need to collect from either a Level 2 or Level 3 Flower Kiosk, so make sure you've upgraded your business(es) before you get started here. For finishing this goal, you'll receive 1,000 coins and 3 energy.

Spread the Love!
  • Collect 35 Chocolate Boxes
  • Collect from Wedding Hall Twice
  • Collect from 3 Attractions

The Chocolate Boxes are earned at random by collecting from businesses or by simply asking your friends to send them to you. When you finish this goal, you'll receive 50 XP and 300 Goods.

We're Just Friends
  • Collect 6 Times from Honeymoon Hotel
  • Ask for 25 Love Letters
  • Turn in the Honeymoon Hotel Collection

You'll receive a Romantic Boat Ride decoration for finishing this goal. It must be placed in water, but it will offer a 27% payout bonus to any surrounding homes and businesses you happen to have near the water.

These goals don't have a time limit, but as they're associated with Valentine's Day, they just might disappear from the game before some others. Either way, so long as you place the base of your Honeymoon Hotel in your city now, it's unlikely that will ever go away, so keep that in mind.

[Via CityVille Wiki]

Check out the rest of our Valentine's Day coverage right here.

What do you think of this Honeymoon Hotel goal series? Sound off in the comments.]]>cityville goalscityville honeymoon hotel goalscityville hotelhoneymoon hotelhoneymoon hotel goalszyngaBrandy Shaul2012-02-08T21:05:00+00:00