Posts Tagged ‘casual gaming’

Battle.net + Facebook = Blizzard luv

Friday, May 7th, 2010

Facebook means a lot of different things to a lot of different people. To some, it’s a pure social network. To others it’s a multimedia sharing space, while others see it as a “quick-play” casual gaming platform. And up until now, social/casual games were/are all the rage on Facebook. Well all of that is about to change; at least from one angle.

starcraft2fb505x-largeAnnounced yesterday, Blizzard Entertainment revealed a bit more of their strategy surrounding the revival of Battle.net, and perhaps why they’ve forced all users of Blizzard products to be registered here. Beginning with the (projected) July 27th launch date of the long awaited StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty, players will have a Facebook opt-in option. What this means is that players on Blizzard products (e.g. WoW, StarCraft, Diablo) will have the option of connecting to their friends who also have Battle.net accounts.

“Step one in our relationship is to have this Friends Importation,” says Battle.net project director Greg Canessa. “Really what you are going to do once you buy StarCraft II and you take it home and install it and log onto Battle.net for the first time, you’ll be able to essentially hit a button and bring all your Facebook friends that are also on Battle.net into Battle.net and create (Real ID) relationships.”

As with all forms of progress, there are obvious up and down sides to this move. On the up side, I’m quite certain there’s bound to be the “Oh no way, you play WoW too?”, as I discovered a few summers’ back when chatting with an old college buddy (on Facebook chat, none the less). On the other side of the coin, this move essentially eliminates gaming anonymity. Certainly, one of the draws, especially of MMORPG’s and RTS’s on the scale that Blizzard is creating IS that fantasy of being something pixilated that you are not in real life. For example, yes Humans (Alliance) are the most populated of all World of Warcraft races, but if players wanted to be something they already are, then why the other racial options? Why the Horde for that matter?

Either way you look at it, this is a huge nod from one of the largest and most influential gaming companies in the world towards to convergence of social networking and social gaming.

“We’re pleased to be working with Facebook to integrate their platform with Battle.net to enhance the social-entertainment experience for our players,” said Paul Sams, chief operating officer of Blizzard Entertainment. “This new functionality will make it easier than ever to connect with friends on Battle.net and play StarCraft II and future Blizzard Entertainment games together.”

Looking down the road, let’s just put it out there right now: Blizzard may just have found a way to appease the “hardcore” gaming fans who will never lay down a cent for a microtransaction, and are very happy with their monthly subscription, while at the same time, opening up a number of inroads to those that enjoy the social gaming/microtransaction model. Remember, Blizzard’s mystical pony raked in a boatload of cash, clearly indicating that players are willing to fork over even more than their monthly subscription fee. My prediction is that Blizz will launch the service, build it up, and then begin releasing social ‘missions’ based on current titles. A WoW fishing championship for example, or a StarCraft Assault on XYZ…share with your friends, etc…

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New Study: Women competitive, social, brand engaged, loyal casual gamers

Wednesday, November 11th, 2009

There was a time when the term ‘gamer’ held a certain negative connotation to it. Past studies have shown that this once held preconception is vastly different today. With the advent and popularity surrounding casual gaming, the gaming landscape has changed dramatically. Just how dramatically? A new report released by Q Interactive and Social Media World Forum has found that female gamers are highly engaged with brands and virtual currency consumption.

QinteractiveWhile the sample size is still relatively small, approximately 2000, the results are enough to make any marketer or developer of casual games jump for joy. The study found that female gamers are passionate and competitive about Green Patches and Happy Aquariums, and often stock up on virtual currency. The study also found that women are highly engaged in branded virtual goods, and are much more likely to acquire virtual currencies through winning more, or accepting a branded offer, as opposed to paying for it with “real world” money.

“As brands seek relevant and natural ways to shake hands with women via social media, the gaming and application marketplace holds tremendous potential to integrate in a consumer-friendly, meaningful way,” said Matt Wise, President, Q Interactive. “Women seek a partner to support their entertainment, which is exceptionally important given their busy lives.”

A closer look at female gamers

  • 85 percent of those surveyed use five or less games and/or apps regularly, indicating an inclination to be loyal to a handful of favorites; approximately 15 percent regularly invest in six or more games/apps at a time
  • More than half (57 percent) are earning/spending virtual currency daily
  • Introduction to new games and apps rest heavily on word-of-mouth: Nearly three-quarters (74 percent) got involved in a game or app due to “a recommendation” by family or friend or because they “noticed a friend or family member’s score”
  • 95 percent utilize virtual currency primarily to “gift” and/or advance games
  • In interacting with games and apps, 57 percent feel virtual gifting – for example, giving a bag of virtual makeup from Sephora – is as meaningful as real life gifting

How Brands and female gamers interact

  • All but six percent (97 percent) of women prefer to earn virtual currency through either winning more or accepting a branded offer – versus paying for it with “real” money
  • While they game and app quite regularly, only one in ten women have actually used “real” money to purchase virtual currency; of that, 85 percent have spent under $100 in their gaming and aping activities – ever
  • Of women who have signed up for branded offers to get more virtual currency, 67 percent found the offer useful
  • 37 percent of those women chose the branded offers based on “content”; 17 percent went for offers with free products or services

“Applications and games are quickly becoming part of everyone’s daily lives,” said Ian Johnson, Director, Social Media World Forum. “This provides a terrific opportunity for brands to serve as a trusted, valued partner to them. By having a presence in the game and app space, brands get the benefit of reaching an influential consumer set. With the support of brands, advance in games and apps and we’re finding also get information from brands they value.”

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USA Network sets stage for casual gaming

Thursday, September 17th, 2009

Major television network USA Network, a division of NBC Universal announced today that they’ve entered into partnership with NeoEdge Networks, Bunchball, and Bigpoint. All three games developers will contribute to USA’s Character Arcade, a casual games portal. Startup GlowPlay was tapped by the network to develope the portal’s interface and social features. Character Arcade features roughly 50 ad-based casual games, free-to-play titles, complete with virtual goods sales via microtransactions, and the obligatory social networking features as the hook.

USA's Character ArcadeNeoEdge will be contributing the ad based games segment to Character Arcade. As part of the agreement, NeoEdge will then in turn wrap ads around a number of USA’s properties and distribute them across their own games distribution network which includes top slots such as MSN Games and Yahoo! Games.

German based Bigpoint will handle the free-to-play, microtransaction based games in the form of MMO’s. While the focus of Character Arcade seems to be pointed in the short-and-sweet casual game, Bigpoint’s contributions are sure to add variety to the lineup, perhaps even drawing in players that have never previously considered an MMO.

Rounding out the deal, Bunchball, responsible for return traffic and community interaction will be kicking off with a rewards and points platform. Bunchball is also planning a full Facebook and Twitter integration packet, as well as supporting interaction on a number of other social media centric destinations. Using their own proprietary SocialLink technology, as well as Facebook Connect, Bunchball’s contribution will allow fans across various networks share scores, set up challenges, and interact via chat as they play together. Another selling point in Bunchball’s corner: USA can then offer further return and interaction incentives through their own virtual goods system.

If “traditional” and/or “old” media stepping up their game (literally) and entering new territories sounds a bit familiar, remember, back in March we reported on the Syfy, ZooKazoo, Acclaim Games partnership deal. As part of this deal, Syfy was/is looking to diversify their offerings and engage an audience that may or may not have ever thought of themselves as “gamers.” It looks like USA is doing just about the same thing here. However, this is a prime example of new meeting old. The USA Network counts 36 years of air play, they’ve tapped four relatively new firms to deliver a package that appeals to both new and old, while delivering a quality and positive end user experience.

In an interview with Dean Takahashi of VentureBeat, USA Network VP Jesse Reniss sums it up, “The intersection of social media and games is the hottest part of the industry now. The projection is that casual games will be a $10 billion to $11 billion business by 2011 and that is something we want to be part of.”

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PopCap appoints Robert Chamberlain to CFO post

Tuesday, August 18th, 2009

One of the biggest names in casual gaming, PopCap, announced yesterday that they’ve appointed Mr. Robert Chamberlain to the position of Chief Financial Officer. Having served similar roles in a myriad of companies including, F5 networks, Onyx Software and Watchguard Technologies, Chamberlain brings over 30 years of financial experience, 20 of which are in the technology sector, to the table at PopCap. Chamberlain’s track record is nothing short of stellar, demonstrating sound financial guidance and has arranged a number of IPO’s as well as company sales. Chamberlain will arrive at his new office on August 31st, and will replace temporary CFO Karla Horwitz, a partner with Tatum Executives. Ms. Horwitz has built and grown the PopCap finance team for the past 17 months.

popcap_logo_rgb“We’re thrilled to have a seasoned financial veteran like Bob joining our management team and overseeing finances,” said Dave Roberts, CEO at PopCap. “He’ll oversee a sizable team of finance and accounting professionals while also providing critical expertise to our overall expansion plans. As we mature into a sizable corporation, it will be invaluable to have him guiding our financial future in every key respect.”

Most recently, Chamberlain has served as CFO at Watchguard Technologies, Inc., where he lead a team of 62 across various company departments including finance and accounting, manufacturing, IT, HR, facilities and legal services. Previously, Chamberlain successfully managed an IPO for F5 networks, guided PhotoDisc through a merger with Getty Images, and negotiated the sale of ElseWare Corporation to Hewlett-Packard.

“PopCap’s something of an anomaly in the software business – and a rarity in the technology sector as a whole,” Chamberlain said. “Profitable from day one while growing to nearly 250 fulltime employees in ten years while never taking outside funding, which is a major accomplishment. Best of all, the company has tremendous potential, in terms of geographic, platform and channel growth – and I’m excited to be a part of it.”

Remember, PopCap is one of the rare games companies today that seems to have their fingers in just about every pot. Their flagship product, Bejeweled is a mesmerizing; some might say addicting title that has sold over 25 million units across all platforms. It’s even been incorporated into World of Warcraft as a mini-game. Based in Seattle, PopCap games are based on the premise that games should be fun and easy to learn. Their timeless series of games have been downloaded over 1 billion times, and show no signs of slowing. And as far as cross platform is concerned, PopCap is the only casual games developer with a leading market share across all major sales channels, including Web portals, retail stores, consoles, mobile phones and MP3 players.

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Casual games maker Oberon Media dives headfirst into the microtransaction end of the pool

Monday, August 10th, 2009

Late last week major casual games maker Oberon Media announced that they’ve made a big move, signaling “only the beginning” of a greater strategy of getting involved in the world of free-to-play/microtransaction supported titles.

logo_oberonBased in New York, Oberon Media develops and publishes games for casual web and most game platforms. Signaling a major shift in the way the company seeks to monetize their products, Oberon Media’s i-play division has launched Bubble Town: Party Planet (an upgrade to Bubble Town, a title that’s been played over 120 million times) on Facebook, featuring a free-to-play methodology. As with 99.44% of all free-to-play titles, Bubble Town: Party Planet allows players to use RMT (Real Money Transactions) to purchase virtual items and goods for their in-game characters.

“Oberon delivers a quality gaming experience for all devices and environments, and we see huge opportunity and growth potential with MTX-enabled content. It is our goal to bring a whole new casual gaming experience to players, and a profitable platform model to our Game Center partners,” said Don Ryan, Oberon Media Chief Operating Officer. “We decided to enter this category with Bubble Town: Party Planet because Bubble Town™ is I-play’s most successful online franchise. The new version will entice both new and old fans of the series as it brings the experience to an even higher level.”

Traditionally, Oberon Media has stuck to it’s founding principles of ‘Try before you buy’, whereby gamers can play an unlimited title for one hour, and if they enjoyed it, they’d then be asked to purchase the game. Not a bad philosophy, but in today’s microtransaction focused (and financially beneficial for developers and publishers) market, this concept seems a bit dated. Enter stage left, Oberon Media’s massive shift in their core business plan.

With this in mind, Oberon Media’s CEO Tomer Ben-Kiki stated in an interview that it pays to be cautious. Ben-Kiki admits that by getting into the game in 2003, Oberon Media was a bit late to the first generation casual games party. However, Oberon Media is still very well and alive today, perhaps owing some of the success to the overall quality of their offerings. This quality, combined with Oberon Media’s decision to white label their games, had led the company to publishing it’s products across 250 different sites.

Adding to his ‘caution is key’ statements, Ben-Kiki states that a diversified games portfolio is the wisest and financially sound option for Oberon Media. He says that Oberon Media doesn’t want to invest too early in some gaming platforms where profits can remain relatively small, and competition crowded and cutthroat.

“We want the platforms to be mature enough,” Ben-Kiki said. “Once we roll out the business model, we will use it across a lot of platforms where our games are. I see virtual goods as a very important addition. But it is not causing an earthquake in the casual space.”

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Playfish nets over 100 million installs

Thursday, July 2nd, 2009

London based social games company, Playfish, announced yesterday that they’ve officially crossed the 100 million installs milestone.  These 100 million installs are comprised of the company’s seven different games offerings, and has been achieved in an astonishing 18 months.

playfish_blueTo name a few, Playfish is the provider of social games such as Pet Society, Restaurant City, Minigolf Party, and Bowling Buddies.  Playfish games are most often played across popular social networks, primarily facebook, bebo, and the other one MySpace.

“Social games are bringing a fundamental shift to video games – away from a single player-focused activity to one in which people play with their real-life friends,” says Atul Bagga, vice president, gaming research for ThinkEquity. “By putting the emphasis on interaction between friends, social games have expanded the potential reach beyond traditional video games to an entirely new, non-gaming audience.”

In their official release, Playfish goes on to point out that they’ve been able to accomplish in 18 months, what two gaming classics have taken 45 years and 8 years to accomplish.  The first, perhaps the most well known game in history, Monopoly took approximately 45 years to attract 100 million players, while the best selling PC game of all time, and third most popular video game series globally, the Sims, took 8 years to achieve this number.  Fair points folks, but I think you also need to look at the delivery mechanism.  Playfish is providing games for free across a readily, almost instantly available mechanism.  They’re also comparing a collective number, seven games offerings, against one singular game.  So while I’m not going to say that 100 million installations isn’t something to celebrate, I’m also not quite sure Playfish should ready to be put themselves in the same category as Monopoly and the Sims.

With that said, Playfish is undoubtedly raking in some seriously impressive numbers.  They currently count over 30 million active monthly users across their portfolio of games offerings, each of which has been in the facebook top 10 at one point or another.  Playfish’s flagship, Pet Society is played by 12 million people every month, and their newest offering Restaurant City, has seen over 5 million players since launching only 10 weeks prior.

“When we founded Playfish, our goal was to change the way the world plays games by creating experiences that are social and connected between friends,” says Kristian Segerstrale, CEO and Co-founder of Playfish. “Reaching 100 million installs in such a short time is clear proof of social gaming’s popularity and how loyal, enthusiastic and deeply engaged the Playfish community is.”

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NPD Report: casual gaming and digital downloads on the rise

Friday, May 22nd, 2009

A recent snippet of The NPD Group’s “Entertainment Trends in America” survey reveals that over the past six months, more Americans have turned to casual gaming and downloadable content over a night out at the cinema.  Close to 2 out of 3 Americans (63 percent) indicated that they’ve played a video game, while just over half have been out to the movies (53 percent) during the same period.

The survey also indicates that the increase in gaming is directly correlated to the increased availability and visibility of new and existing outlets for playing.  While not an overwhelming number, overall 10 percent indicated that they’d played a game on a social network, and 5 percent said that they’d paid to download a game from the web, a 2 percent increase from the same question last year.

“Video games account for one-third of the average monthly consumer spending in the U.S. for core entertainment content, including music, video, games,” said Anita Frazier, video games industry analyst for NPD. “While a portion of that share stems from the premium price of console games, we’re also seeing an overall increase in the number of people participating in gaming year-over-year.”

Clearly, as NPD’s Q1 2009 update to the “Entertainment Trends in America” survey includes data noting that the average gamer spent just over $38 per month on any and all types of gaming content.  Over the past year, NPD found that almost 1 in 3 (31 percent) of gamers purchased either a console or portable game, representing a .7 percent increase year-over-year.  Most interestingly, these ‘traditional’ gamers seem to be branching out, as among consumers who regularly play console or portable games, 31 percent indicated that they’d also played a game on a gaming website.  19 percent are playing on their mobile phones, 12 percent on a social networking site, and 11 percent purchased and downloaded a game to their mobile.

“As with video and music, sales of physical gaming products still account for the bulk of consumer spending on video games, but digital downloads and other delivery and game-play formats are also rising in popularity,” said Russ Crupnick, entertainment industry analyst for NPD.

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