Zynga Archives - Memeburn

Will Facebook’s split from Zynga see it make its own games?
By Stuart Thomas on 30 November, 2012
Things have been strained between Facebook and social gaming giant Zynga for a while. Now it looks like they're making the split official. The signs that Zynga was looking to distance itself from the social network it made its name on have been there for anyone to see. Its decision to start building games for Google+ and the announcement that it was building its own platform were among the most obvious clues. Now the two have filed papers with the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) revising their long-standing contractual agreements. Under the new terms, Facebook will treat Zynga...
Anonymous does an ‘Assange’ on Zynga — leaks confidential documents
By Stephan Lourens on 29 October, 2012
Anonymous, the loosely associated hacktivist collective, has put Zynga under its scope. And it's looking serious. Zynga laid off employees just before releasing its quarterly earnings last week, and the hacker group says that the layoffs mean the "end of the US game market as we know it", as jobs are getting shipped overseas. The leaking of the alleged confidential documents and a letter was posted on anonnews.org. The group posted a video on YouTube as well which has been taken down by the video-sharing service, citing that the "video has been removed as a violation of YouTube's policy on...

2
Zynga wants users to draw brands on Draw Something
By Stuart Thomas on 3 May, 2012
So, you’re on of the masses who love Draw Something. Would you still love it if you had to, say, find yourself drawing an Apple logo, or the McDonald’s arches? If the game’s new owner Zynga has anything to do with, that may well be what you find yourself doing in the near future. The social gaming giant wants companies to start paying to have their names or products they sell featured...
Meet the Facebook, Google and Zynga overlords [Infographic]
By Lauren Granger on 20 April, 2012
We are all slaves to Mark Zuckerberg. Ok, this infographic is a bit dramatic, especially the whole ‘Internet slaves, meet your masters’ part and all the mobster-ish illustrations of major tech leaders, but it does have a point. As millions continue to sign up for Facebook or a Google account or play a game of Farmville, these companies are becoming more and more profitable and powerful. You probably know all about Google’s privacy...
Want to be a millionaire? Make a smart phone game [Infographic]
By Lauren Granger on 18 April, 2012
Would you like to make a pile of cash? I rate you go into mobile gaming. While you’re merrily launching flocks of birds at a bunch of thieving pigs, gaming companies like Rovio are cashing in. How much is the Finnish game giant making, exactly? Well, its revenue totaled a nice US$100 million last year -- a substantial increase over 2010, where it made US$10 million. Which, you know, wasn’t bad either. It’s...
Gearburn picks: 5 Great social games for iOS
By Steven Norris on 16 February, 2012
Social games: the end of hardcore gaming or its untimely saviour? Decide for yourself as we look at the top social games for iOS, which are all incidentally, free to play. CityVille Hometown Zynga, the kings of copying original titles, know how to reel the suckers in. CityVille Hometown, an updated version of FarmVille, offers little in the way of innovations, but has the same emotional hook which reels users in for that elusive...
Zynga reports continued user growth, net income loss
By Stuart Thomas on 15 February, 2012
Social gaming giant Zynga’s latest financial results have revealed a net income loss, despite continued user growth. In its annual financial summary, the company said it experienced a net loss of US$403-million. It noted, however, that a large part of that loss was down to payouts it had to make to shareholders in the wake of its IPO. Online gaming revenue continues to be a big money spinner for the company, accounting...
Farmville creator Zynga looks to go big with IPO
By Stuart Thomas on 5 December, 2011
Social gaming giant Zynga is finally ready to take its stocks public. The San-Francisco-based company reportedly plans to raise around US$1.15-billion in an initial public offering that would value the company at US$7-billion. The expected IPO figure is significantly lower than the $15 to $20-billion valuation the maker of popular games like Farmville, Zynga Poker and Mafia Wars was reportedly looking for when discussions about an IPO first began in July. But...
Zynga set to launch social network called Project Z
By Staff Reporter on 12 October, 2011
Social gaming giant Zynga is set to launch its own social gaming network in a bid to reduce its dependency on Facebook. The new venture, entitled “Project Z” is envisioned as an online community where people can play the company’s popular titles without having to go on Facebook. "For two years we have been building out products that we hope will enable a platform for direct relationships with consumers," Zynga co-founder Mark...
Google+ rocketing since opening up to the public
By Mich Atagana on 27 September, 2011
In the week since Google took its brand new social network, Google+, public the network has seen a record number of signups. A recent post by Paul Allen, Ancestry.com co-founder and unofficial Google+ statistician, revealed that Google+ has reached an estimated 43.4-million users and counting. According to Allen, roughly a third of the users were added in the few days after Google+ opened itself to the public. Allen's Google+ numbers first gained credibility in early July, when he estimated the service had 10-million users which was confirmed by Google CEO, Larry Page, two days later in a call to investors. Others have...
Google+: Now with games
By Staff Reporter on 12 August, 2011
Google has added games, including the wildly popular Angry Birds, to its exploding social network Google+. "We want to make playing games online just as fun, and just as meaningful, as playing in real life", Google senior vice president of engineering Vic Gundotra said in an official blog post. He went on to say that the new feature was gradually being rolled out on the new social network. "When you're ready to play, the Games page is waiting." Along with global game sensation Angry Birds, the initial array of offerings available at Google+ includes Bejeweled Blitz, Zynga Poker, and Dragon Age Legends. A...

3
Yes there’s a tech bubble, but will it burst anytime soon?
By Hilton Tarrant: Columnist on 28 July, 2011
"This time it's different". It's always different. When Cisco hit US$80 a share in 2000, making it the most valuable company in the world (worth US$555bn), it was different. It was also different when Goldman traded at US$235 in 2007 (and when AIG hit over US$2000 in 2000 and around US$1500 just four years ago). Perhaps in the original bubble, Dutch Tulip mania in 1637, it wasn't different. With the latest flurry of tech IPOs on Wall Street: LinkedIn, Pandora Media and Zillow (with Groupon, Zynga, LivingSocial polishing their prospectuses), it's different too. At least that's what we keep hearing. "This time there's...

2
Zynga acquires mobile software studio
By Staff Reporter on 11 July, 2011
Online social games sensation Zynga on Friday announced it has bought a Canadian company specialising in software applications for mobile devices. Mobile Five has become "Zynga Toronto" and is part of the San Francisco startup's mobile team headed by David Ko. "As a key component of our mobile efforts moving forward, Zynga Toronto will help position us in a hotbed of mobile development talent," Zynga said in an online message. Financial terms of the deal...
Game maker Zynga to file for IPO
By Staff Reporter on 29 June, 2011
Online game creator Zynga plans to file for an initial public offering shortly, in a new test of US investors' appetites for Internet companies, say media reports. The maker of FarmVille and other popular games is seeking a valuation of between $15 and $20 billion, CNBC television and The Wall Street Journal reported, citing anonymous sources close to the deal. Zynga could file its IPO papers with the Securities and Exchange Commission as early as Wednesday, the reports said. CNBC said the company would seek to raise between $1.5 billion and $2.0 billion in the offering. A Zynga spokesperson declined to comment on...

2
The unexpected winner in smartphone boom: Social gaming
By Staff Reporter on 27 June, 2011
If you thought a saturation point in social gaming had been reached, think again. More virtual livestock looks set to be traded and petulant fowl hurled at targets as the genre takes hold in the booming mobile phone market, industry experts say. Social gaming, made popular by titles such as "Farmville" and "Angry Birds", was one of the closely followed topics at last week's CommunicAsia in Singapore. The trade fair is billed as an international communications and information technology exhibition and conference is where telecom executives meet annually to check on new trends. When one takes into consideration that it has...