Forget the Japanese Invasion of the 1980s, the Japanese Invasion is here ... again in social games. (Seriously, what does every parent call every video game system ever? That damned Nintendo.) Gree, a Japanese company that runs the Gree mobile social games platform, has bought OpenFeint, a company that does exactly the same thing in the US. You've probably seen OpenFeint in hit iPhone games like Angry Birds and Fruit Ninja, meaning this acquisition could result in a little name change. USA Today reports that the purchase was made for a sweet $104 million, and is another step in Gree's plan to create a global social gaming network that expands past its 25 million mobile users. In other words, Zynga better watch its back.
"We are excited that Gree shares our belief in the OpenFeint network and are ecstatic to partner with a renowned global leader to build a multi-billion dollar business," OpenFeint CEO Jason Citron said in a statement. "Together, we will deliver the strongest global ecosystem of gaming networks to our combined 100 million users." And it takes more than one invader to call it an invasion, correct?
This isn't the first time that a Japanese company has bought an American one. DeNa, a rival of Gree's, bought mobile game developer Ngmoco for an insane $403 million just months ago. These companies are throwing down some serious cash for the sake of their mission: global domination--of the social gaming space. Surely Zynga will rise to the challenge, so just grab some fresh popcorn, sit back and watch the fur fly.
Showing posts with label mobile social games. Show all posts
Showing posts with label mobile social games. Show all posts
Tuesday, December 27, 2011
Thursday, December 15, 2011
Bejeweled 2 to bedazzle Kindle Fire along with Scrabble, Monopoly et al
The Kindle Fire could approach "Blazing Speed" before it's even released. (Get it? No? Ah, never mind.) EA Mobile has announced that a number of its mobile social game properties (and one rather "hardcore" game) have been pushed to the Amazon Appstore for Android and optimized for the upcoming Kindle Fire tablet.
Namely Bejeweled 2, Monopoly, The Game of Life and Scrabble will be available when the Kindle Fire launches. But those three games are also joined by Tetris (which is damn near everywhere) and survival horror hit Dead Space. When Zynga announced that Words With Friends would hit the Kindle Fire, we wondered whether that was a sign that the device might be hot on social gaming.
Now that versions of two of the most addictive Facebook games to date will be featured on Kindle Fire, we're certainly getting warmer. No, wait, that's just our credit cards burning holes in our wallets.
"EA is proud to be part of Kindle Fire," EA's Bernard Kim said, according to Social Times. "On Kindle Fire, we're offering some of the world's most popular titles with incredible gameplay and breathtaking graphics that anyone can play and enjoy anytime, anywhere." Does "incredible graphics" mean we'll finally get to see those wooden word tiles in HD, grains and all?
Do you plan on picking up a Kindle Fire when it releases? Could the device prove to be a hotbed for mobile social gaming like the iOS lineup has?
Namely Bejeweled 2, Monopoly, The Game of Life and Scrabble will be available when the Kindle Fire launches. But those three games are also joined by Tetris (which is damn near everywhere) and survival horror hit Dead Space. When Zynga announced that Words With Friends would hit the Kindle Fire, we wondered whether that was a sign that the device might be hot on social gaming.
Now that versions of two of the most addictive Facebook games to date will be featured on Kindle Fire, we're certainly getting warmer. No, wait, that's just our credit cards burning holes in our wallets.
"EA is proud to be part of Kindle Fire," EA's Bernard Kim said, according to Social Times. "On Kindle Fire, we're offering some of the world's most popular titles with incredible gameplay and breathtaking graphics that anyone can play and enjoy anytime, anywhere." Does "incredible graphics" mean we'll finally get to see those wooden word tiles in HD, grains and all?
Do you plan on picking up a Kindle Fire when it releases? Could the device prove to be a hotbed for mobile social gaming like the iOS lineup has?
Saturday, December 10, 2011
Bejeweled 2 to bedazzle Kindle Fire along with Scrabble, Monopoly et al
The Kindle Fire could approach "Blazing Speed" before it's even released. (Get it? No? Ah, never mind.) EA Mobile has announced that a number of its mobile social game properties (and one rather "hardcore" game) have been pushed to the Amazon Appstore for Android and optimized for the upcoming Kindle Fire tablet.
Namely Bejeweled 2, Monopoly, The Game of Life and Scrabble will be available when the Kindle Fire launches. But those three games are also joined by Tetris (which is damn near everywhere) and survival horror hit Dead Space. When Zynga announced that Words With Friends would hit the Kindle Fire, we wondered whether that was a sign that the device might be hot on social gaming.
Now that versions of two of the most addictive Facebook games to date will be featured on Kindle Fire, we're certainly getting warmer. No, wait, that's just our credit cards burning holes in our wallets.
"EA is proud to be part of Kindle Fire," EA's Bernard Kim said, according to Social Times. "On Kindle Fire, we're offering some of the world's most popular titles with incredible gameplay and breathtaking graphics that anyone can play and enjoy anytime, anywhere." Does "incredible graphics" mean we'll finally get to see those wooden word tiles in HD, grains and all?
Do you plan on picking up a Kindle Fire when it releases? Could the device prove to be a hotbed for mobile social gaming like the iOS lineup has?
Namely Bejeweled 2, Monopoly, The Game of Life and Scrabble will be available when the Kindle Fire launches. But those three games are also joined by Tetris (which is damn near everywhere) and survival horror hit Dead Space. When Zynga announced that Words With Friends would hit the Kindle Fire, we wondered whether that was a sign that the device might be hot on social gaming.
Now that versions of two of the most addictive Facebook games to date will be featured on Kindle Fire, we're certainly getting warmer. No, wait, that's just our credit cards burning holes in our wallets.
"EA is proud to be part of Kindle Fire," EA's Bernard Kim said, according to Social Times. "On Kindle Fire, we're offering some of the world's most popular titles with incredible gameplay and breathtaking graphics that anyone can play and enjoy anytime, anywhere." Does "incredible graphics" mean we'll finally get to see those wooden word tiles in HD, grains and all?
Do you plan on picking up a Kindle Fire when it releases? Could the device prove to be a hotbed for mobile social gaming like the iOS lineup has?
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