Zynga and American Express have recently announced a strategic partnership that will allow card holding members to spend their Membership Points in a variety of Zynga related ways. An industry first, the partnership offers participants the opportunity to pay for limited edition virtual goods, along with physical and virtual game cards across Zynga titles including FarmVille, FrontierVille, PetVille, YoVille, Treasure Island, and Café World.
“Our partnership with American Express marks the first time that virtual goods are available for purchase with rewards points and reinforces our commitment to offer consumers meaningful experiences that enhance their game play,” said Vishal Makhijani, SVP of Business Operations at Zynga. “Cardmembers can instantly redeem their reward points to purchase limited edition virtual goods for their favorite Zynga games.”
On tap for Amex Membership Rewards members are unique FarmVille manors and windmills, CafeWorld fountains and stoves, as well as YoVille roadsters and robots. Starting December 6th, an additional 20 more virtual items will enter the program including a Fancy Gold Hot Tub and Gold Fountain for FrontierVille players, and a Treasure Island Zebra.
“Our relationship with Zynga, one of the key players in the digital space, marks a new redemption category for American Express and reflects our ongoing commitment to expanding and deepening the value we offer customers online,” said Dan Schulman, Group President Enterprise Growth, American Express. “With millions of Cardmembers looking to use Membership Rewards points, Zynga can now offer our loyal customer base an exciting new way to engage with their popular social games.”
While Zynga continues to push out various reskinned versions of the same game, and now in various global locations; there’s still one Zynga title that stands alone – Zynga Poker. Remember, Zynga filed for a patent on virtual chips, and now they’ve cut an industry first deal with Amex to allow users to spend Membership Rewards points inside a virtual property? It might not be something that American Express would want to associate itself with, but any takers on a the possibility of further Zynga/Amex cooperation? Being able to gamble away spend my Membership Rewards points in a game of Poker? I’m betting that this is not the last we’ll see from Zynga via Amex. Or rather, Amex via Zynga?
EA’s traditional bread and butter, boxed, in-store retail games, which account for 75 percent of EA’s revenues has continued it’s downward spiral, and clearly Riccitiello has seen the writing on the wall. Or at least, heard what investors have had to say. As Reuters reports, EA’s shares, as well as those of other video game publishers have seen some tough times over the past year, mostly incited by pessimism about the overall direction of the video game industry.
