Activision Blizzard 'methodically investing in mobile and social gaming'

Can this love-hate relationship between veteran games publisher Activision Blizzard and Facebook games end now? VentureBeat reports that, during an analyst meeting, Activision CFO Thomas Tippl said that the company is "methodically investing in mobile and social gaming projects." Tippl also went into how the publisher could make a whopping $1.25 billion from new projects that seek new, non-traditional sources of revenue like micro-transactions and in-game purchases. You know, like Facebook and mobile social games?

However, there seems to be a major disconnect in the company's overall ideology between executives, unless Activision is simply telling the right folks what they want to hear. Recently, Activision Publishing boss Eric Hirshberg said, "Valuations of some of the companies in that space are out of whack," to Bloomberg at this year's Gamescom event in Cologne, Germany. In the very same interview, Hirshberg hinted that the Call of Duty (pictured) pusher is looking into social games.

And before then, Hirshberg said during the 13th Annual Pacific Crest Global Technology Leadership Forum that, "Call of Duty has more players who pay-to-play online than any Facebook game, and our players pay more per player on average than any Facebook game."

What's even better is that before Hirshberg came to hardcore gaming's defense, Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick outright revealed that "a lot of work is being done on Facebook games" within the company. Now, it's completely fine for traditional publishers to get into new distribution models than your tried, true and tired retail stores--just look at, well, everybody else.

However, it seems that at least some Activision Blizzard folks are entering Facebook and mobile games kicking and screaming, based on what Hirshberg has been saying compared to his colleagues. (Though, neither Kotick nor Tippl sound particularly thrilled about the whole ordeal, either.)

That said, the publisher would definitely benefit from a more unified--and a little more chipper, eh?--message if it wants to convince Facebook and mobile gamers to hop on board. And based on the way Activision Blizzard has been talking about its social game efforts, we just can't wait to see these games.

Are you excited or worried to hear that Activision Blizzard is getting into social games "officially?" How do you think the company will fare with the likes of EA and Zynga. Sound off in the comments. Add Comment

Zynga Mobile Chief: Mobile is a 'new social gaming frontier'

Everyone else is right there with ya, big red. During an interview with The Guardian, Zynga Mobile SVP David Ko said, "We believe that mobile represents a new social gaming frontier. We've always said we want Zynga to be the best content creators in the world, and we are platform agnostic." More and more Zynga fans expect to play its games on their phones and tablets, which wasn't exactly where CEO Mark Pincus's heart was many moons ago.

Regardless of whether Zynga has been creating mobile games since Zynga Poker hit iOS devices in 2008, it was only the advent of Facebook Connect that motivated the company to dig deeper into the platform. From that we got games like FarmVille and CityVille Hometown, neither of which are feature-complete versions of their Facebook counterparts. (The latter of which is a different game entirely.)

Now, The Guardian reports that Zynga is looking to take advantage of mobile devices' key features like cameras and accelerometers in future games. And tablets appear to be a big deal in Zynga HQ--Ko told The Guardian the company was "very bullish" on the idea. And HTML5, the emergent web coding language that's been touted as the proverbial messiah for cross-platform social gaming, is something Ko admits the company is interested in.

"HTML5 is interesting, although I do feel it is early," Ko told The Guardian. "With those acquisitions, you can see into our thinking in this area a little bit." (Ko there is referring to companies like Newtoy and Dextrose.) Zynga already released one game through HTML5: Mafia Wars Atlantic City.

However, HTML5 games have yet to achieve the complexity of, say, Hanging With Friends, which Zynga just released on Android devices. Regardless, all eyes--including Zynga's--are on those 4-inch screens that rarely leave your side. And with companies as unlikely as Capcom making buku bucks on mobile games, you can bet Zynga is a' hustlin'.

Are you waiting for more mobile games from Zynga? What would you like to see the developer do next on smartphones? Sound off in the comments. 1 Comment

CrowdStar CEO: We want to create a game that reaches a billion people

The question is, however, can it be done? Speaking at this week's HTML5 Dev Conference in San Francisco, YouWeb chairman and CrowdStar--It Girl, anyone?--CEO Peter Relan (obviously not pictured) said, "We want to create the game that reaches a billion people." VentureBeat reports that the general consensus of the event was that HTML5 is the future of social and mobile gaming.

HTML5 is a web-based coding language that, in theory, will allow game creators to develop a single game that could be played across multiple devices through web browsers without a change in the experience. Currently, however, HTML5 isn't looking so hot as a gaming platform--HTML5 games aren't as sophisticated yet as even FarmVille on iPhone--but it's gaining steam.

"We sense that web 3.0 is here," Relan said during a panel at the conference. "Mobile devices will get to six billion people. They will become pervasive. We greatly overestimate what we can do with a technology in two years, and greatly underestimate what we can do in 10 years." Relan is confident that, from arcade-style games, HTML5 games will evolve into more complex experiences, citing games on the iPhone as an example.

And Relan shares this sentiment with a number of folks in the space. Rovio marketing exec Peter Vesterbacka has already mentioned his company's goals of reaching 1 billion players with the Angry Birds franchise. Even EA CEO John Riccitiello sees his company topping 1 billion players worldwide. And the mighty Zynga, despite being less than bullish on this whole dang-fangled HTML5 thing, is rumored to be working with Facebook on its not-so-secret Project Spartan.

But wait a tick--we're talking 1 billion players of a single game, no? To do that, it's going to take not only the right technology, but a game with enough widespread appeal to hit critical mass. If anything, the number one challenge game creators will face in this effort isn't whether it is possible, but whether they can craft characters that folks of any background can fall in love with.

Do you think any of these companies could create a game that will reach 1 billion players or downloads? What do you think it will take to accomplish such a feat. Sound off in the comments. 1 Comment

FarmVille Pic of the Day: FeketeV's towering oak

Folks, just a few more hours and we'll be smooth sailing on weekend waves; it's a beautiful thing. But perhaps just as beautiful is today's featured farm, designed by the one and only FeketeV. This splendid FarmVille design takes a simple concept and makes it wonderful.

FeketeV clearly set out to make their farm into a tree. Simple. But folks, I'm sure you'll agree with me when I say that if one of us had attempted to design a tree farm, it definitely would not have looked this good. The detail is incredible, you almost forget there is a FarmVille farm plot underneath it all. From the shading on the trunk to the azure hay bale skies of deepest summer in the background, this farm is a masterpiece. The overlapping and cascading trees create a natural, organic effect that really makes this farm special.

What do you guys think of FeketeV's tree farm?

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!

Empires & Allies: Play Adventure World, score a Red Vampire Jet

The cross promotions for Adventure World, Zynga's brand new giant Facebook game from Zynga Boston, have officially exploded. After taking tours through both CityVille and Mafia Wars, Empires & Allies players can now score their own limited edition item, the Red Vampire Jet, for giving the new game a ride. All you need to do is long into E&A and click on an icon of a red plane on the right of your game screen.

Once you click this, click on the button to jump into Adventure World. You have until Oct. 6 to reach Level 6 in the massive game to score the item. Since the item won't be given to players until that date, we're unsure as to what it does. But our best guess is that it will be an aerial military unit. And it looks quite interesting with a very "seaplane" look to it.

Before the bevy of cross promotions, Adventure World wasn't doing so hot. But now, after diligent in-game advertisements like these, Zynga Boston's debut has reached over 29.5 million monthly players, and it looks to soon topple E&A, according to AppData. Oh, and the fact that the game will soon be thoroughly branded with Indiana Jones will certainly help that growth. Things are on the up and up for Adventure World, and the team already looks to capitalize on this critical mass.

Are you going to play Adventure World for this new item? What do you think of the cross promotions in Zynga's games overall? Sound off in the comments. Add Comment

Adventure World Mountain Chase Expedition: Everything you need to know

As we told you yesterday, a trio of new Expeditions have launched in Adventure World, being triggered by the upcoming appearance of Indiana Jones in the game. First came the Great River Expedition, and now, we'll take a look at the second of two: The Mountain Chase. This particular Expedition requires you to have 400 Supplies and two each of Foods, Fuel and Water. You'll have a period of three days to finish this entire Expedition, which contains three quests to complete.

The story of this Expedition sees you gathering a rubbing from a second Standing Stone. However, you'll have competition for this stone, as a group of thieves have taken it, and you'll need to get it back. Let's get started!

Let the Chase Begin!

    * Collect the First Stone Piece
    * Collect Second Stone Piece
    * Use the Stone Base
    * Take a Rubbing of the Standing Stone


This quest is the main, overall quest for this particular Expedition, and it requires you to collect the various pieces of the stone, which has been broken up. You'll go through the thieves' campsites searching through boxes that may contain stone pieces, but not all of them do. There's no skill involved in this setup, but there will be some trial and error, so keep that in mind. While the first piece is held in a box, the second is held by a snake at the end of the path. The Stone Base is back at the beginning of the map.


Sweethearts and Sweet Tooths

    * Collect 3 Cocoa
    * Collect 12 Sugar
    * Use Cooking Fires to Bake 3 Brownies
    * Collect 3 Brownies


If anything, your research teammate Emily is definitely demanding. Just like in the Great River Expedition, you're sent on what might as well be a while goose chase by Emily in this Expedition as well, as she asks you to gather cooking ingredients for brownies that she can use to "woo her beau." Cocoa is found growing from large trees, while you can ask your friends to send you the sugar. The Cooking Fires are found inside the thieves campsites, and you'll just need to click on them when you have the proper ingredients to make the brownies.

Take Their Stuff

    * Collect 7 Backpacks
    * Collect 4 Maps


In this Expedition, you can think of Backpacks and Maps as though they were Red and Jade Vases. That is, they're scattered throughout the map, often blocked by pieces of debris, and by collecting them, you'll apparently learn more about the identity of these thieves.

When you've finally retrieved the pieces of the Standing Stone and have finished these other two goals, you will have completely finished the Mountain Chase Expedition. Indy still has one more job for you though, before he makes a true appearance, so keep checking back with us for more guides on completing that Expedition and more in the future!

Check out the rest of our Adventure World Cheats & Tips right here.

What do you think of the Mountain Chase Expedition? Do you think these "Emily-based" quests have any point of being in the game, or do you like the variety they add? Sound off in the comments.

CityVille Pet Show Timed Goal: Everything you need to know

If there's one thing we know about the character Ruth in CityVille, it's that this woman loves her pigeons. That's true to such an extent that she's decided to enter her pigeons into the local pet show. This is done through a new timed goal called "Pet Show" (or, just "Best in Show," if you prefer), and it must be completed in just 24 hours to receive the best prizes. Here's a look at what you'll need to do:

    * Get 12 Pet Shampoos
    * Collect 12 Times from any Zoo enclosure
    * Collect 12 Dubai Shipments


If you have multiple Zoo habitats in your city, just make sure you collect from all of them at once to maximize your points. You can collect from them every few hours, so if you have four habitats (for example), you'll only need to collect from each one three times. While you're waiting, you can send off for Dubai Shipments which take 12 hours to return, and can also gather the bottles of Pet Shampoo, which is accomplished via a general news item posted to your wall.

If you can finish this goal within the first 24 hours, you'll receive the Gold Trophy, 10,000 coins, 3,000 Goods and a Poodle Statue decorative item for your town. If you can't finish within the first day, but finish within 72 hours, you won't receive the Poodle Statue, but you will earn a Silver Tophy, 2,300 coins and 1,200 Goods. Finally, if you finish the goal at any point after the first 72 hours, you'll receive a Bronze Trophy and 1,200 Goods.

Remember, while you are timed once you start the goal, there doesn't appear to be any time limit for when you need to start it. That is, you are only placed on a time limit once you manually start the countdown in your game. Feel free to ignore it entirely until you're truly ready before beginning and you'll still have the full time available to you to finish (and a better chance of actually doing so).

What do you think of the Pet Show Timed Goal? Have you already started it in your game, or are you waiting for a better time before you take on a time-sensitive goal? Sound off in the comments.