I Confess!

I had to cop to my h/c gamer buddy last week that I've been playing nothing but nonstop FARMVILLE! Ever since they gave me a bakery I can't get enough of that damn game. I need so much money to afford an ice cream shoppe and only 5 more days until its gone! I will never enter in my CC number but damn, if I didn't have such principles. My farm has gotten TOO adorable!

 

Hobby vs. Game

http://blog.games.com/2010/07/29/quote-of-the-moment-my-farmville-hobby/

"I believe we can understand more about why people play games like Farmville by looking hard at stamp collections, sewing circles, and model railroads than by looking at the history of computer "games." Computer "hobby" is a better mental model."

Oh, yeah? Well, gaming is my hobby. What now???

Disney Acquires Social Gaming Company Playdom for up to $763.2 Million

http://mashable.com/2010/07/27/disney-playdom/

Editors note - Social City and Sorority Life are both Facebook Games

Disney has officially acquired Playdom, the makers of popular social games like Social City and Sorority Life, for $563.2 million, with an additional $200 million that could be paid out based on performance.

...

Clearly Disney is serious about the social gaming space; the acquisition comes less than a month after the media giant acquired iPhone app development firm Tapulous. The company sees a lot of synergies between its new social gaming properties and its highly visible brands. “We see strong growth potential in bringing together Playdom’s talented team and capabilities with our great creative properties, people and world-renowned brands like Disney, ABC, ESPN and Marvel,” said Walt Disney CEO Robert Iger in a statement.

Google Talking to Game Devs about Creating Facebook Competitor

http://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/29638/Google_Talking_To_Game_Devs_About_Creating_Facebook_Competitor.php

If Google launches the reported games-friendly social network, it would find itself in direct competition with Facebook, which is home to the leading social network games. A successful Google social network could also give game developers another viable platform to reach the millions of "social" gamers who spend real-world cash on virtual items.

Mwahahaha! Compete, my pretties! Compete, and innovate!

FrontierVille!

My latest addiction is a Facebook Game called Frontierville. It's like Farmville only cuter, faster, more pavlovian. The rewards for my patient clicking come more quickly and do-able tasks pop up one after another, letting me know once again I have done a good job providing for my family on the Frontier. I beleive it was a psychologyofgames.com article that discussed how if we got that kind of guaranteed gratification in life, we wouldn't be playing Farmville so much. I can't wait for the day that shiny .gifs saying "Well Done! Ten Points and a Pig!" come exploding out of my screen when I finish a big spreadsheet.

Oh My!

http://blog.games.com/2010/04/15/memoirs-of-a-pet-society-geisha/

After a grueling few hours getting her hair molded with hot wax, Gretchen returns to her okiya for a quick snack before a lunchtime appointment. No sashimi for you today, Kitty!