OpenFeint co-founder leaves, Gree International head becomes CEO

Well, that sure was quick. Just months after Japanese social game network Gree acquired OpenFeint (for a cool $104 million, mind you), the latter's co-founder and CEO has left the company, VentureBeat reports. The Burlingame, Calif.-based mobile social game network's 26-year-old co-founder Jason Citron has moved on to new opportunities, and has been replaced by Gree's head of international operations Naoki Aoyagi (pictured).

"In just over 24 months, OpenFeint has grown to over 120 million users across 7,000 games," Aoyagi said in a release. "I thank Jason for his leadership growing the company and wish him well in his new adventures." But, according to VentureBeat, the old switcheroo might not have been so cut and dry.

VentureBeat's Dean Takahashi reports hearing rumors that Citron had been fired from the company before contacting OpenFeint and Citron, both of which declined to comment on the news until Aoyagi made the above statement in a release. However, both companies aim to announce their plans for integration between the U.S. operations of both companies in the coming weeks.

In other words, Gree's westward expansion into the U.S. through OpenFeint is imminent, and Gree will likely have even more of a say in how OpenFeint handles things now with a former Gree executive at the reins. Gree hopes to turn U.S. mobile gamers into the apparently wild spenders that Japanese mobile gamers tend to be.

However, direct Japanese competitor DeNA has already launched its Mobage mobile social games platform in the U.S. through recent acquisition ngmoco, and already has support of major U.S. carrier AT&T (though, it is AT&T). It looks like this holiday season will prove whether Gree and OpenFeint can catch up to their new rivals, not to mention existing western competitors like Zynga and EA, both of which have global and mobile ambitions. At any rate, it's going to be a very merry Christmas for mobile gamers.

[Image Credit: VentureBeat]

Do you think Gree and OpenFeint can catch up to DeNA under its new management? What do you hope to see from Citron now that he's freed himself from the company he helped bring up to this point? Sound off in the comments. Add Comment

Scrabble gets ridiculously meta in Scrabble Showdown [Video]

Scrabble Showdown
We think it's official: Scrabble is now available on every game platform ever--even cable TV. What if we told you that, while playing Scrabble on Facebook against your friends playing on their smartphones, you could watch folks play on TV? (Now, if that's not meta, we don't know what is.) Scrabble Showdown, a new game show on The Hub cable TV network produced by Hasbro Studios, will debut this Saturday, Sept. 17, at 6:30 p.m. EST. (Check here to see where it will play in your area.)

In the half-hour long game show, families compete in a variety of Scrabble games including Scrabble Babble, Slam, Flash and the Final Lightning Round (you know, because it wouldn't be a game show without one of those). Of course, there are major prizes at stake like vacations to "anywhere in the world," according to a release. At this point, you really will have zero excuse to not own your friends in Scrabble on Facebook.

This show, hosted by Justin Willman of The Food Network's Cake Wars, is bound to get intense. I mean, have you seen professional Scrabble players? They'll be flocking to this new battlefield in no time. Check out a preview of the show below, and if you tune in this weekend--who knows--you might learn a trick or two to school your friends with on Facebook.


Do you plan on tuning into Scrabble Showdown this weekend? What other Facebook or casual games do you think would make a fun game show? Sound off in the comments. Add Comment

A sad 75 percent of (expensive) MapleStory marriages end in divorce

And you thought the 50 percent divorce rate of real marriages in the U.S. was bad. Nexon reports that, of the 26,982 in-game MapleStory marriages, 20,344 (or 75 percent) end in annulment. And those in-game betrothals aren't cheap--each union in the free-to-play MMO (massively multiplayer online game) costs $25 in Nexon Cash, the South Korean developer's paid currency.

After seeing the massive (and kind of depressing) divorce rate, the Nexon community team turned to its players to find out just what was up. And while the company didn't find out much, it did uncover some hilarious somber stories. Take Seth, a 19-year-old MapleStory player from Colorado Springs, Colo:

    My former Maple spouse and I started off great; going on party quests together, boss runs, training, helping each other become better Maplers. Then I realized after a while that she was only out there to get free things off of me and we got in this conversation where she admitted to this accusation, so I decided I would have to annul our Maple marriage.

MapleStory matrimony
Here's a pro tip, kids: Think hard before marrying someone online whom you've yet to meet in person. Sure, it's all in good fun ... right until you start to share account information and lose all your goodies. (Another major no-no.)

"Getting married in MapleStory can be quite a fun event for the happy couple and their friends," MapleStory producer Crystin Cox said in a release. "While it looks like our players break up at a much higher rate than people do in real life, at least our players are not on the hook for alimony."

Fair enough, we guess. I think it's safe to assume this feature won't make it into MapleStory Adventures, which debuted on Facebook just over the summer, a version of the game I enjoyed immensely (and so do over 3 million monthly players). But with stats like this, consider it good news that this feature won't see the light of day elsewhere.

[Image Credits: Ylwong, Phame]

Have you ever married someone in MapleStory? What do you think of marriages in games like MapleStory, and would you like to see this feature come to the Facebook version of the game knowing the risks? Sound off in the comments. Add Comment

Plants vs Zombies's Crazy Dave finds his calling: hip hop music [Video]

Unintelligible stammering backed by some smooth zombie croons, but hip hop nevertheless. In this new video by PopCap, Crazy Dave (you know, the guy who sells you stuff?) from Plants vs Zombies takes a shot at making a hip hop video. Of course, you'll never know what the guy is spitting out rhymes about, as he can't say much more than "wabby" and "wabbo."

In fact, that's exactly the title of Cray-Z's--Crazy Dave's most fitting stage name--debut video, "Wabby Wabbo." According to its description, Ded Jam Records decided that the world deserved to hear Crazy Dave's mindless blabbering in a more appropriate format: rap music. (Let the flaming in the comments commence!)

We don't want to ruin all the surprises, but just know this: Cray-Z, like just about all successful hip hop artists, seriously loves his bling, expensive cars and collaborating with back-up vocalists for seconds at a time. Oh, and a fan-favorite zombie makes a show-stopping vocal contribution ... literally.

Considering all the work PopCap has been up to on the game already, we're guessing this is just how the team prefers to spend their free time. And please, guys, if your free time results in more comedy gold like this, definitely squeeze in more of that free time. Check out the video below.


[Video Credit: PlantsVsZombies]

Are you a fan of Plants vs Zombies? What about PopCap's hilarious videos surrounding its games? Sound off in the comments. Add Comment

Get your booze on in Malibu Rum's Beach Club on Facebook

If developers can make Facebook games in which you grow and sell a certain controversial plant and not hear "boo," I guess a game revolving around the firewater can slide. Because the sales of Malibu Rum tend to dip ... a lot in the colder months, Pernod Ricard, the company behind Malibu Rum, created a Facebook game to promote the awareness of its brand.

The game, which launched today, is known simply as Beach Club, and frankly, it's a pretty impressive branded Facebook game. (Look, more and more companies are going to be up to this in the future, and the games are only becoming more detailed, elaborate and visually impressive.) The game, which has Malibu Rum branding aplenty, tasks players with running their very own beach island.

Beach Club, developed by Aegis Media Group's Isobar, is said to block underage Facebook users from playing by relying on both the birth dates in their profiles and an age verification immediately after installing the app. They're not exactly airtight methods of keeping the kiddies out, but do more to keep the game in front of 21 to 35-year-olds than other Facebook games surrounding questionable topics.

According to AdAge, Malibu made a conscious effort to keep the game geared toward adults through more than just age verification. The game makes liberal use of more mature-looking artwork than other games aimed at the same crowd. "In our game the drawing of the avatars are more mature, they are clearly adults walking around this beach," Malibu senior brand manager AnnaMarie Battiloro told AdAge.
Beach Club overview
Oddly enough, the game isn't governed by an energy system or much of anything that limits your play time, unlike most games. While the game is available globally on Facebook, U.S. players earn points that go toward a vacation to Barbados, the rum's birthplace, that Malibu is giving away through Beach Club.

You'll earn these valuable points by keeping the guests of your resort happy through landscaping and adding new attractions to your tropical getaway. The most notable of which is a beach-side bar. Guests will approach the bar, and clicking on it unveils a mini game of sorts in which players have to bartend a series of Malibu Rum-themed drinks. You'll take guests' orders and have to fill them accordingly and quickly by clicking and dragging various ingredients.
Beach Club bartending
And it's all done to the sound of a 30-minute long club soundtrack with some of this past summer's most popular original tracks. Battiloro told AdAge that Malibu doesn't want Beach Club to be "overtly tied to the brand." "We actually are not trying to earn fans from this at all, Battiloro said. "We are trying to earn more brand loyalty, recognition and association."

But when a beach comber drives past our beach resort, leaving the Malibu Rum logo in its wake, we seriously doubt that. But you know what, this is one of the more full-featured, smoothly-animated branded games we've seen in awhile on Facebook. And if this is the direction brands will go when making games on Facebook, I'm not sure I mind that much.

Click here to play Beach Club on Facebook Now >

After hopping into the game, what do you think of Beach Club so far? What do you think of branded games on Facebook? Could they ever reach the quality of original Facebook games? Sound off in the comments. Add Comment

Have the (retro) time of your life in Dirty Dancing on Facebook

When we first found that a Dirty Dancing Facebook game was in the works, I admittedly almost thought I was dreaming. But nay, it is, in fact, real and has officially launched on the platform. Toronto-based developer Social Game Universe and Lionsgate have released a retro-inspired social homage to one of the arguably greatest '80s flicks of all time. (Personally, it's not my schtick, but even I wouldn't argue with the 10.9 million fans of Dirty Dancing on Facebook.)

"We wanted to create a game that would not only capture the essence and aesthetic of the Dirty Dancing film, but also offer Facebook gamers an opportunity to experience it in a whole new way," Social Game Universe CEO Nathon Gunn said in a release. "By enabling players to partner with their Facebook friends to generate love and romance at Kellerman's, they can add their own unique spin to the game, creating a different social experience for each player."

Just like we heard before, players will essentially curate an 8-bit version of the Kellerman's Resort from the movie through little blasts of lovey-dovey stuff called Romance Waves, which will make your guests stay longer. Players, guided by either Johnny or Baby from the classic film (Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Grey, respectively), perform dance rehearsals with combinations of different dance techniques to garner more Romance Waves.

Upon starting the game, each player chooses their own style of dance from a small selection, which becomes their permanent style. When recruiting friends asynchronously for dance rehearsals comprised of three dancers, you will unlock new dance combinations and collect even more Romance Waves to keep guests falling in love, sticking around longer, and spending coins on your various attractions.

Dirty Dancing Facebook in Action
To keep faithful to its legendary source material, every Romance Wave blast will let out clips from songs featured in Dirty Dancing's Oscar-winning soundtrack. And as players discover new dance rehearsal combinations, they will unlock secret combinations for big Romance Wave rewards. Of course, you can also boost your progress by spending Watermelons, the game's paid currency, on decorations and attractions to get your guests to spend.

This all creates a cycle of finding new dance routines through combining your friends' dance styles in new ways, bursts of Romance and expanding and restoring your version of the Kellerman's Resort. As you keep you and your friends' feet tapping and romancing, you can take pictures of your resort and share them with friends as well as help them out by visiting. And hey, if you're patiently waiting for the next Dirty Dancing flick to hit in 2013, maybe this will hold you over.

Click here to play Dirty Dancing on Facebook Now >

If you've tried the game already on Facebook, what do you think of it so far? Will you be playing this in anticipation of the next film? Sound off in the comments. Add Comment

Game of the Day: Bomboozle 2

bomboozle 2 game of the dayMatch like-colored blobs together in groups of three or more to frantically collect oodles of points. If match you match five or more blobs, you'll receive a bomb to unleash carnage on a massive scale. But if you only match 3, a pesky skull will drop into play that can only be destroyed by one of those devastating bombs. Run out of possible moves though, and the fun's all over.

As you progress, you discover new blobs that make Bomboozle 2 even trickier. Fortunately, as you keep bursting blob chains, you'll fill up your power up meters located at the bottom of the boards. As you'll soon discover, these can be invaluable in a tight spot. So be sure to flip, rearrange, and explode your way out of trouble. There are a bunch of different ways to play Bomboozle, so choose a mode and have fun!

Click here to play Bomboozle 2!
bomboozle 2 game of the day     bomboozle 2 game of the day
Pro Tips:

    * Sure the bomb explosions are awesome, but don't over use them. If you ever see a combo of 4 or more, make that your next move rather than a bomb.
    * Try to save your bombs for when they are all within range of each other. That way when you do detonate a bomb, it will set off a chain reaction and clear the board.
    * Like bombs, don't use your power ups (located at the bottom of the board) too often. Save them up for when you really need them. For example, if you have a ton of skulls at the bottom of the board and a couple treasure chests at the top, that would be a great time to use the board flip power up.


Click here to play Bomboozle 2!

What do you think of Bomboozle 2? Were you able to clear the whole board?

Building the Pioneer Trail Potting Shed: Everything you need to know

For releasing a brand new game complete with four massive maps worth of content, Zynga sure is focusing quite a lot of effort on our homesteads in Pioneer Trail. But rather than speculate on that, how's about we tell you just how to build this brand new feature to the game, the Potting Shed?

This new building, available to players Level 15 and higher, allows players to unlock two brand new crops and create a new item that's said to make planting crops far easier. The new feature is introduced through three new Goals that will slowly guide you through the Potting Shed's many features and eventually reward you with Cranberries and Pineapples to plant. Here's everything you need to know about the Potting Shed:

When you first log into the game, you will be greeted by a pop-up that explains that Granny has come down with the collywobbles (which is a real thing, mind you). Click on the "Let's Build" button to get started on creating your very own Potting Shed and this series of Goals.

A Cure For The Collywobbles

    * Place The Potting Shed
    * Clear 5 Rocks On Your Homestead
    * Collect 15 Ginger Ale


After placing the Potting Shed from that introductory pop-up, just click on five rocks to clear them. Then, the 15 Ginger Ale look like they're requested for through your friends. Once this simple Goal is complete, you'll score 250 XP and 250 Coins.

A Symbol Of Welcome

    * Craft 1 Multi-Planter
    * Clobber 5 Groundhogs
    * Collect 10 Pineapple Cuttings


The fastest way to clobbering five Groundhogs is to plant lots of Potatoes, which cost 90 coins and take four hours to harvest. The 10 Pineapple Cuttings seem to also come from friend requests, too. At this point, the Goals assume you've already built the Potting Shed, which, once placed, requires the following items to complete:
The top three items in the above image--10 Clay Pots, Bean Poles and Sittin' Stools--look to be sourced through general News Feed Posts, while the latter three seem to be found by asking friends for them directly. Once you've finished begging asking for the 75 items in total, click on the complete Potting Shed to open a brand new Crafting Bench.
Potting Shed Crafting 1     Potting Shed Crafting 2
Click on the images to make them larger.

This Multi-Planter requires several crafted items that are made through asking for the items above. For instance, you must ask for 15 Springs and 15 Pipes to make one Hinge Arm, which is required to make the Seed-O-Matic (along with one other item that's made in a similar fashion).

Then, that Seed-O-Matic and 15 Whirelygigs (found through asking even more friends) are used to craft the finished product, the Multi-Planter (pictured below). Once you finally finish this long and arduous Goal, 500 XP, 500 Coins and the Pineapples crop are yours.

Multi-PlanterCranberries

    * Harvest 30 Pineapples
    * Clear 15 Debris On Your Homestead
    * Collect 15 Buckets Of Bog Water


Now, this final is somewhat simpler. Simply plant and harvest 30 Pineapples, though information on the exact stats of this new crop are unavailable to us as of this writing. Then, simply click around on 15 Debris. The 15 Buckets of Bog Water most likely come from asking your friends, as per usual.

This final Goal, once completed, will reward you with 750 XP, 750 Coins and the Cranberries crop. Now, enjoy your new crops and the ability to plant eight crops at once with the Multi-Planter.

[Source and Image Credit: Zynga]

Check out the rest of our FrontierVille Cheats & Tips right here. >

Have you already started on your Potting Shed? What tips do you have for completing these Goals, the new building and the Multi-Planter even more quickly? Sound off in the comments. 1 Comment

FarmVille Pic of the Day: Hemi 426's zoo takes animal collecting to the next level

Click the image to make it larger.

With recent FarmVille releases such as the Aviary Habitat, Zoo Habitat, Pet Run, and Wildlife Habitat, it was only a matter of time before awesome zoo farms came flooding in. But, after browsing through a few, there was no question that Hemi 426's zoo was the most impressive of them all. Folks, prepare yourselves, because this farm will blow you away.

Hemi 426's zoo spares no expense; there is a ridiculous amount of content for just one farm. The most impressive part is, the farm is all so well organized. Usually, this type of farm would look like a total mess, with animals, and buildings thrown all over the place. On the other hand, Hemi 426's zoo farm is beautifully designed, with areas for each exhibit. It even incorporates hay bale walkways and staircases to the petting zoo and lower levels. And of course, you have to respect the ridiculous amount of mastery signs Hemi 426 has accumulated. But words can't possibly do this epic creation justice, so take a look at the close up pictures below:
Click the images to see them larger.
farmville zoo Hemi 426 Trapped Area
    farmville zoo Hemi 426 Petting Zoo
farmville zoo Hemi 426 Masteries     farmville zoo Hemi 426 Foals
farmville zoo Hemi 426 Exotic Creatures
    farmville zoo Hemi 426 Sheep
farmville zoo Hemi 426 Zoo Area
    farmville zoo Hemi 426 Atrium
What do you think of Hemi 426's zoo farm? Which is your favorite exhibit?

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!

The Sims Social: Grab free fan gifts with our links roundup

Update: On 9/19 at 1:19 p.m., the Sims Social official fan page announced that the following links will be expiring soon, but didn't specify when. For more freebies, you can also try grabbing the exclusive Dunkin' Donuts Lawn Chair (announced 9/15) and the Pogo Arcade Machine (discovered yesterday).

After a botched attempt at granting free fan freebies for The Sims Social last month, Playfish and EA have begun rolling out free fan gifts again so players can get a second chance.

Also, if you were one of the lucky players who did manage to grab those free gifts the first time around, you're still eligible to grab more! (Hey, you can always sell them to make some Simoleons.)

Anyway, these gifts were released one at a time, spaced over several consecutive days, so to make it easier for you guys, we've rounded up the links in one post.

Here's what you need to do:

Step 1: Log into Facebook.

Step 2: You still have to 'Like' the official fan page in order for these to work.

Step 3: Click on the item you want in the chart below. (Note: Each link will open a New Window.)

       
       
       

Below is a list of what's been given out so far, and when they did it. This page will be updated as the freebies continue.

    * Liebefunkenmann SS-10 Keyboard (Sept. 6)
    * CharKoohl Black BBQ (Sept. 7)
    * Still Life Easel (Sept. 8)
    * Basix Bookshelves (Sept. 9)
    * Neukum Classic Guitar (Sept. 10)
    * Llamark Chillblast Fall (Sept. 11)
    * PerpetuLux-Sable (Sept. 12)
    * Rub-A-Dub-Tub (Sept. 13)
    * Pompeii Fireplace (Sept. 14)


Which is your favorite free gift? Did you know that aside from looking pretty, some of these are important to completing certain missions in the game? Sound off in the comments. 7 Comments

FarmVille: Lighthouse Cove crafting recipes show up in Pubs

While we already knew that Lighthouse Cove will be launching in FarmVille "soon," the exact release date hasn't been announced. That "soon" however, looks to be incredibly so, as new Crafting Recipes, dealing with unreleased Lighthouse Cove crops have started appearing in the currently accessible crafting buildings.

As two particular examples, if you travel to the English Countryside and look into your Pub, you'll see Blackberry Brandy and Potato Soup, two recipes that require unreleased crops: the Darrow Blackberries and Kennebec Potatoes, respectively. Now, while this might make you think that these two crops will just be released in the English Countryside instead, let's not forget that these two crops were first spotted in a whole slew of Mastery Signs dealing with what was then known as the New Hampshire farm, which was then officially announced to be Lighthouse Cove.

While that still doesn't explain how these recipes ended up inside these Crafting Cottages (heck, it could be that they will come to the English Countryside instead, although that's highly unlikely at this point), it could simply be a test by Zynga, or a quiet released sneak peek for those who are paying close attention. Either way, we'll make sure to let you know when these crops officially release, and where you can craft these new recipes, as soon as they launch.

Do you have any other unreleased crop crafting recipes hiding away in your Crafting Cottages? What are they? Let us know in the comments.

Playfish says goodbye to Hotel City, My Empire and four more games

Playfish games shut down
The Sims Social might have dethroned the mighty FarmVille, but its success may have cut into Playfish's other Facebook games and sent them to a speedier doom, too. On August 30th, the word went out in the official Playfish forums that Hotel City, My Empire, Who Has The Biggest Brain?, Geo Challenge, Word Challenge and Bowling Buddies will be getting axed Sept. 30.

We used to cover Hotel City back in the day (the game first launched on March 26, 2010) and can remember when it was a big deal. The game was well made and had once held an all-time high of 13 million monthly players and 3 million daily players. Right now, it's at 1.4 million monthly players and about 100,000 dailies, ranking it the 9th most-played Playfish and EA game on Facebook. But it's clear that won't be enough to save it.

Hotel City's popularity is followed closely by Bowling Buddies, Word Challenge, then Geo Challenge. Finally, far beneath them all on the social games ladder are Who Has The Biggest Brain? and My Empire. Though, at least one player suspects it may not be all about numbers, because Country Story currently ranks 10th behind Hotel City. But there's been no announcement to shut it down (yet).

Are you going to miss any of these Playfish games? Care to start a betting pool on the death of Country Story? Sound off in the comments. 1 Comment

FarmVille: Lighthouse Cove takes over the travel screen [UPDATE]

UPDATE: Apparently, my "week" prediction was even too long, as users on the FarmVille forums have reported gaining access for 55 Farm Cash. If this turns out to be legitimate, we'll make sure to give you a complete rundown of how you too can access Lighthouse Cove as soon as possible. Check out our complete guide to getting early access into Lighthouse Cove (and what you can expect once your boat hits shore) right here.

If there wasn't already enough indication that Lighthouse Cove will be launching in FarmVille very, very soon, there's this. The game's travel screen animation has been blown up and replaced with this massive banner (again, it's animated, with the boat riding the waves), showing us a bit of Lighthouse Cove in the distance (well, the Lighthouse and some grass, anyway). We already know that we'll be traveling to Lighthouse Cove via boat, so this will likely be the sight we'll see when traveling for quite a while.

Does this matter? Yes, it most certainly does, as it gives us a better time table of when to expect the launch of this third farm (and when we'll apparently need to shell out 45 Farm Cash to travel there). After the launch of new crafting recipes in-game that deal with unreleased crops that (we can only assume) are part of Lighthouse Cove, and after the many teaser images Zynga has laid out for us over the last week or so, I'd wager some pretty serious (virtual) money that we'll be seeing Lighthouse Cove launch within the next week - two at most.

The FarmVille team doesn't normally release this much in-game content weeks or months before that content is ready (aside from screenshots that may be posted on Facebook fan pages, which, again, isn't live in the game), so I'd grab some Farm Cash, people. It looks like we'll be heading off to Lighthouse Cove a lot sooner than anyone imagined.

Have you spotted any other Lighthouse Cove content in your own game? Are you ready to tackle a third farm, or will you stick with the two you already have for the foreseeable future? Sound off in the comments.

FarmVille: Take a trip to Lighthouse Cove tonight (for 55 Farm Cash)

The time we've been waiting for has arrived, farmers! Lighthouse Cove has officially started its rollout in FarmVille, allowing "VIP Farmers" (ie: those that are willing to pay Farm Cash) access to this third farm via a one-time purchase of 55 Farm Cash. Everyone else will have to wait until September 19, when "free boat departures" start taking off.

If you're willing to make a purchase, you'll know that you can when you see a set of pop-ups like the ones below. If you don't have the 55 Farm Cash on your account currently, you'll be prompted to purchase it, with the 55 Farm Cash being available for $10 (conveniently in a single package).
Once you've paid for your ticket, you'll see a cutscene where Brenda will remember the beauty of the Lighthouse Cove, before a terrible storm came and swept it all away. The boat dock has been struck by lightning and the buildings (save for a few) have been destroyed.

After that point, you'll be set on your way with a series of new quests, where Brenda will introduce you to your new farm. The rules here are actually a bit different from other farms; specifically, as this is a resort town, farmland is limited, and you'll be limited to a specific amount of farm plots for the size of your farm. That is, as you expand your Lighthouse Cove, you'll gain access to plowing more plots. To start, you'll have room for just 35 farm plots, although you don't have to plow that many if you don't want to.

Other than that, things are as you'd expect - you can plant chicken coops, raise animals and other general farm tasks, and can build the Wildlife Habitat or Orchard that you've been given as free frames. You'll even be given a Mountain Lion for free in your inventory if you purchased your way in. As for repairing the Lighthouse Cove itself, you can check out our guide to repairing it right here.

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

Have you received your ticket to enter Lighthouse Cove, or will you wait until September 19, when you can get in for free? Sound off in the comments.

FarmVille Lighthouse Cove Items: Outfit your new farm with these goodies

With tonight's launch of the Lighthouse Cove in FarmVille, we're given an opportunity to stock that farm with all sorts of new goodies! There are new trees, animals, buildings and of course plenty of decorations to choose from in this initial launch, some of which even go for coins! Here's a complete rundown of these items, along with a bit of a visual sneak peek for those that decide to wait until "free" Lighthouse Cove tickets launch next week.

Trees:

Eastern Red Cedar - 7 Farm Cash
Tulip Poplar - 7 Farm Cash
Lombardy Poplar - 15 Farm Cash
White Ash Tree - 5,000 coins
Black Gum Tree - 7 Farm Cash
Speckled Alder - 15 Farm Cash
White Cedar Tree - 15 Farm Cash

In this scenario, we're stuck with seven trees, which doesn't seem to make sense in the "Level 1 / Level 2 tree pairing setup," but we can confirm that Eastern Red Cedar Trees will produce White Cedar Trees when placed in an Orchard. You're given one of each as free gifts just for landing in Lighthouse Cove, however, so keep that in mind.

Animals:

Milking Shorthorn - 100,000 coins
Pine Marten - 100,000 coins
Main Coon - 200,000 coins
Loon Duck - 18 Farm Cash
Buttercup Chicken - 20 Farm Cash
Chinook - 20 Farm Cash
Dorset Sheep - 20 Farm Cash
Duroc Pig - 20 Farm Cash
Pineywoods Cow - 24 Farm Cash
New England Pinto - 26 Farm Cash
Sailor Cow - 24 Farm Cash
Canadian Goose - 20 Farm Cash
Quarter Pony - 24 Farm Cash
Eastern Moose - 22 Farm Cash
Mountain Lion - 20 Farm Cash
River Otter - 20 Farm Cash
Painted Turtle - 20 Farm Cash

Take particular notice of the Mountain Lion. If you purchased your way into Lighthouse Cove for 55 Farm Cash, you will have one of these big cats waiting for you in your Gift Box as a free gift for purchasing your ticket. Your farm will also have a River Otter waiting for you, for free, so feel free to skip on purchasing it if you don't care about having only one.

Buildings:

Chicken Coop - 5,000 coins
Garden Shed - 30,000 coins
Restaurant - 100,000 coins
Cove B&B - 30 Farm Cash
Garage (fully constructed) - 50 Farm Cash
Garage (frame) - 50,000 coins
Orchard (fully constructed) - 30 Farm Cash
Orchard (base) - 1,000 coins
Coastal Tool Shed - 22 Farm Cash
Coastal Barn - 30 Farm Cash
Cape House - 500,000 coins
Cottage - 20 Farm Cash
Cape Mansion - 50 Farm Cash
Post Office - 15 Farm Cash
Village Center - 50,000 coins

With these buildings, keep in mind that you'll receive a free base of an Orchard, and will also receive the Cove B&B on your land when you first arrive in Lighthouse Cove. As for the garage and restaurant, these are the vehicle storage and crafting buildings, respectively. We'll bring you a complete guide to the Restaurant feature in the Lighthouse Cove as soon as we can.

Decorations:

Beached Rowboat - 20 Farm Cash
Red Clover Pot - 1,000 coins
Ladyslipper Flower - 2 Farm Cash
Horse-Drawn Wagon - 10 Farm Cash
Inkeeper Gnome - 15 Farm Cash
Sailor Gnome - 15 Farm Cash
Fountain - 15 Farm Cash
Haystack - 10,000 coins
Pond - 15 Farm Cash
Stone Fence Gate - 50,000 coins
Picket Fence Gate - 2 Farm Cash
Daylily Flowerbed - 5,000 coins
Picket Fence - 5,000 coins
Stone Fence - 5,000 coins
Bench - 30,000 coins
Lamppost - 1 Farm Cash
You'll be given a few pieces of the Stone Fence for free when starting in Lighthouse Cove, but for the other decorations, it looks like you're on your own.

And there you have it! A complete look at what are (as of this writing) not-time-limited items available in the Lighthouse Cove farm. We'll bring you continued coverage about this new farm, so keep checking back with us for more!

What do you think of the many items made available to newcomers to the Lighthouse Cove? How many of these items will you stock up on? Sound off in the comments.

Pioneer Trail: Building Boosts now available for Horseshoes

Remember back in March/April, when Zynga partnered with Intuit to offer Intuit Business Boosts after completing themed goals in Pioneer Trail (then FrontierVille)? Those bonuses were some of the best things to happen to the game, as they allowed you to instantly recharge a building's Daily Bonus, allowing you to collect the Daily Bonus more than once in a 24 hour period. In terms of goals that ask you to collect three or four Daily Bonuses from a specific building, this meant tons of time saved, and more progress made. The only problem? They were one-time-use objects that eventually ran out.

Now, if you're willing to pay Horseshoes, you can return to the glory days of those Building Boosts, as they are now available to purchase from the store for Horseshoes (under the Special tab). For 15 Horseshoes, you'll purchase a single Business Boost, which is - again - a single-use object. That being said, the value here isn't that great, but if you're looking at spending three or four days waiting to complete a goal that you've otherwise completed, I can definitely see the draw in purchasing one to move on (and save your patience from being so tested).

There doesn't look to be an expiration date on these Building Boosts, so they should be available permanently in the store. Hopefully though, we'll see a return of the Intuit (or any free) Business Boosts in the future, so we can save our Horseshoes for another time.

What do you think of these Business Boosts? Will you purchase them to speed up your progress at completing specific goals? Sound off in the comments.

Empires & Allies: Defense Tower II available for extra island protection

Zynga has updated Empires & Allies this afternoon, offering users a chance to purchase a second Defense Tower for their island(s). As we told you previously, the Defense Tower feature allows you to build a tower on your land, which will protect a nearby section of homes and items from Invasion from your enemies. If you were disappointed in the area of effect, you can now have two towers on your land, and the tower itself has an entirely new look (pictured).

While this second Defense Tower works the same as the first, and does not have a larger area of effect (that is, it protects the same sized area of land as your first tower), it does add another activation slot to the feature, allowing you to keep these towers active for up to 32 hours.

Remember, even though these Defense Towers protect some of your buildings (hopefully you've placed them near your most important structures that would give your enemies the most resources if stormed), you can still Invade other empires at will. You'll just need to keep supplying your towers with energy drinks to keep them moving.

If this feature goes over well, or as our empires continue to grow in terms of land size, it's presumable that Zynga will add more Defense Towers to the game's lineup, and we'll make sure to let you know if they do.

Are you a fan of the Defense Tower feature in Empires & Allies, or do you think it tips the "fairness" scale towards those who can afford to supply the energy drinks to keep the towers going? Sound off in the comments.

FarmVille Lighthouse Cove Sneak Peek: Restaurant Crafting Cottage revealed

Another day, another Lighthouse Cove teaser image in FarmVille. But I assure you farmers, this update isn't boring - it instead offers us as look at the new Crafting Cottage we'll be able to use once Lighthouse Cove opens up in full!

To be specific, the new Crafting Cottage comes in the form of a restaurant with lovely striped awnings and even seagulls hanging out on the roof. You might recognize this building from the Loading Screen image released just days ago, although this of course shows off much more of the building's detail.

In terms of new recipes, you'll be able to craft items like Cheddar Cheese and Clam Chowder. Here's the full scoop from Zynga:

    Harvest your new crops and collect new bushels because Lighthouse Cove has all new recipes. Craft and master new recipes like Farm House Cheddar Cheese and Clam Chowder in your very own restaurant!


Of course, we'll also likely be able to upgrade the restaurant to earn more recipes and crafting tables, although it hasn't been made clear yet whether this pictured Restaurant will be the permanent appearance for the building, or if it will change in shape or size as we upgrade it. We'll make sure to bring you those details, and more, as soon as Lighthouse Cove launches "soon."

What do you think of the Restaurant Crafting Cottage? Does this announcement raise your anticipation for Lighthouse Cove? Sound off in the comments.

Pioneer Trail: Zynga offers a week of freebies in thank you letter to fans

Tonight, Zynga sent out an email to all Pioneer Trail players announcing a week-long, in-game giveaway to all its loyal fans. This email is signed by the John Osvald, the General Manager of FrontierVille, and carries the subject heading of "Been havin' trouble? Let us make it right as rain."

While he doesn't mention any specific performance issues with the game aside from success in being able to "cut the load times in half", he did very clearly acknowledge that "there have been more issues in the game than you're used to, and for that, I sincerely apologize." And just to show how sorry he is, players now have a week's worth of daily freebies to look forward to!

    From tomorrow, Saturday, September 10th through Saturday, September 17th, we'll be giving away a special present for every day you log into The Pioneer Trail, from horseshoes, to mystery crates... even the book of experience (which grants the holder a full level up!) We've also created a forum topic for discussion at forums.zynga.com. If you'd like to participate, I'll be reading! :)

You can see a copy of the official email for yourself below. (Click on the image if you need to make it bigger.)
FrontierVille Pioneer Trail Zynga fan letter from John Osvald
Will you be logging into Pioneer Trail daily next week for your free goodies? Sound off in the comments. 13 Comments

FarmVille Sneak Peek: Black Necked Swan and other birds ready to take flight

If you've already become a big fan of the Aviary animal habitat in FarmVille, you'll be happy to know that new birds are ready to take flight into the game sometime soon, that is, if new unreleased images spotted by FarmVille Freak are anything to go on. These images show us five new birds, but we're not entirely sure how they'll be released. Before we get into the speculation, however, let's take a look at their expected names:

Blue Sumatra Rooster
Black Necked Swan
Sebastopol Goose
Dabbler Duck
Ancona Duck

While the Sebastopol Goose might seem like one heck of a name (alright, it is), it does refer to a real breed of domestic Goose. As for how these animals will launch in the game, we have a couple of options. They could either launch as a fairly large update to the game's store, which will likely see these birds priced in the 15-25 Farm Cash range, or they could be new birds that will be found inside Eggs that we'll hatch over time by collecting from our Aviaries (or claiming them from friends' wall posts).

Either way, there are some real lookers in this update (just look at the Rooster's beautiful coloring!), so I'm personally excited to see how and when they'll launch. Experience tells us that the earliest we can expect them would be sometime this weekend, so keep checking back with us for more.

[Image Credit: FarmVille Freak]

Which of these birds is your favorite? Would you pay Farm Cash to add any to your farm / Aviary? Sound off in the comments.

Car Town Japan drifts onto Mobage, Cie Games opens Tokyo office

f The Fast and the Furious has taught us anything about the "real" world, it's that Tokyo is a haven for gear-heads. Car Town creator Cie Games looks to bring Japanese social gamers just what they've been looking for in a social game with Car Town Japan. Inside Social Games (ISG) reports that the Facebook racer with over 5.8 million monthly players will expand to Mobage, DeNA's mobile social games network, before the end of this week as the company opens its Tokyo office.

"When we launch future titles, you'll see us deployed internationally much more quickly on multiple platforms," Cie Games CEO Justin Choi told ISG. "We are planning on opening additional offices. We are going to use Japan as a hub to expand into other markets in Asia."

According to ISG, this Japanese version of Car Town on Mobage is different from what sounds like a dedicated version of Car Town for iOS and Android devices that's in the works, which will be released "soon." Car Town Japan features a decidedly Japanese look and feel, though folks will still race, build, decorate and upgrade cars based on real-life brands like Toyota, Honda and Ford.

For you lucky folks going to the Tokyo Game Show next week, Cie Games will have a playable version of Car Town Japan there, too. For the rest of us back in the states and elsewhere, we'll just have to wait patiently until the game speeds onto our iPhones and various Android devices. So pump your brakes, and go play Car Town on Facebook some more.

[Image Credit: Inside Social Games]

Do you think this is a sign of Cie Games rise to social game notoriety among the elites like Zynga and EA? Are you excited to soon have a mobile version of Car Town to take around? Sound off in the comments. 1 Comment

Car Town Japan drifts onto Mobage, Cie Games opens Tokyo office

If The Fast and the Furious has taught us anything about the "real" world, it's that Tokyo is a haven for gear-heads. Car Town creator Cie Games looks to bring Japanese social gamers just what they've been looking for in a social game with Car Town Japan. Inside Social Games (ISG) reports that the Facebook racer with over 5.8 million monthly players will expand to Mobage, DeNA's mobile social games network, before the end of this week as the company opens its Tokyo office.

"When we launch future titles, you'll see us deployed internationally much more quickly on multiple platforms," Cie Games CEO Justin Choi told ISG. "We are planning on opening additional offices. We are going to use Japan as a hub to expand into other markets in Asia."

According to ISG, this Japanese version of Car Town on Mobage is different from what sounds like a dedicated version of Car Town for iOS and Android devices that's in the works, which will be released "soon." Car Town Japan features a decidedly Japanese look and feel, though folks will still race, build, decorate and upgrade cars based on real-life brands like Toyota, Honda and Ford.

For you lucky folks going to the Tokyo Game Show next week, Cie Games will have a playable version of Car Town Japan there, too. For the rest of us back in the states and elsewhere, we'll just have to wait patiently until the game speeds onto our iPhones and various Android devices. So pump your brakes, and go play Car Town on Facebook some more.

[Image Credit: Inside Social Games]

Do you think this is a sign of Cie Games rise to social game notoriety among the elites like Zynga and EA? Are you excited to soon have a mobile version of Car Town to take around? Sound off in the comments. 1 Comment

Tell your best FarmVille story to win early access to Lighthouse Cove

The hype surrounding Lighthouse Cove, the upcoming second expansion to FarmVille, is officially at a fever pitch. Zynga has teased us long enough about our future trip to the coastline, so it's about time it opens up the gates to Lighthouse Cove. Well, Zynga plans on doing just that ... for 25 people. Oh yes, if you want to be one of the first to step digital foot onto this new expansion, you'll have to work for it. It's time to put your writing chops to the test in a new FarmVille Story Challenge.

What you need to do is pen your brightest, most vivid FarmVille story in just 20 sentences or less, and accompany your tale with no more than seven unedited images of your farm. The game's team will then review all of the submissions posted in this forum thread and decide on 25 skilled FarmVille fabulists on Sept. 9 after 3 p.m. PST, when the contest ends.

If you're chosen as one of FarmVille's great storytellers, you will be asked to send your Facebook ID to FarmVille community manager TerriHelper through a forum private message. The winners, in addition to getting into Lighthouse Cove before everyone else (nyah, nyah!), will score exclusive items as well as a quest line just for them with "handsome rewards." If that didn't get your fingers typing yet, then nothing will. Check out the full contest rules here, and open that word processor already, will ya?

Have you started writing your epic FarmVille fable yet? What do you think of how Zynga is handling early access to Lighthouse Cove, and what are you excited for most with this new expansion? Sound off in the comments. 1 Comment

CityVille Tonga Tower Goals: Everything you need to know

The Eiffel Tower in CityVille has been but a light at the end of a tunnel for many players, a distant one. Now, Zynga has released the second step in unlocking the first Wonder to hit the game, the Tonga Tower.

This brand new Business is a tiki-themed restaurant that will eventually function as the previous Hotels released to the game. Of course, there are some daunting Goals tied directly to its construction. So, without further ado, here' everything you need to know about the Tonga Tower:

First things first, you must be at least Level 30 to access the Tonga Tower and the Goals attached to it. And while you do not have to build the Sailboat Hotel before the Tonga Tower, both are required to access the Eiffel Tower when it finally releases. If you're Level 30 and log into the game, Edgar will appear with a task for you.

Tonga Tower!

    * Place the Tonga Tower


This woefully simple Goal will introduce you to the Tonga Tower. Just click on the Place button in the Goal's window to throw it onto your city. And ... that's it--enjoy the 2 XP that is your reward. (I mean, all you did was place a building, after all.) Placing the Tonga Tower will cause it to appear nearly finished complete with scaffolding. Click on it for your next and final Goal.

CityVille Unlock Tonga Tower
CityVille Tonga Tower completeUnlock the Tonga Tower

    * Gather parts to Unlock Tonga Tower
    * Upgrade one Tiki Business to Level 3
    * Master one Tiki Crop to Level 3


Clicking on the Tonga Tower again after receiving this Goal will open the familiar window when constructing buildings. As per usual, you must ask your friends to send you items, which this time include seven of each these: Drink Umbrellas, Open Coconuts, Ukuleles, Table Mats and Welcome Treats.

The upgraded Businesses that will count toward this Goal are the Song Bird Pet Shop, the Ku Drive-in and the Tonga Room. We suggest you go with the Song Bird Pet Shop, as it's the cheapest option at 150,000 coins and will be ready for collection more often than the others as it holds just 320 Goods. Upgrading a Business is a completely different ball game these days, so check out this post for an idea of how to upgrade Businesses in the new system.

Crop Mastery is as simple as harvesting a given crop a certain amount of times, and you must harvest either the Pineapple or Sugar Cane crop to fulfill this Goal. We recommend going with the Sugar Cane, as it only costs 47 coins per plot, which amounts to 14,100 coins total for Level 3 Mastery. Your reward for this Goal is simple: a finished Tonga Tower, which will function like a normal Hotel once completed.

[Source and Image Credit: Zynga]

Have you started on your Tonga Tower yet? What tips might you have for completing it even more quickly? Sound off in the comments. 5 Comments

Ubisoft CEO: Smurfs & Co. gained 4.2 million players with no marketing

And now, The Smurfs & Co. is sitting pretty with over 9 million monthly players since its launch just over a month ago. During an interview with GamesIndustry.biz, Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot revealed, "Smurfs went from zero to 4.2 million without marketing in two weeks."

While these might not be The Sims Social numbers, it speaks volumes to the power social games with strong brands behind them have on Facebook. This is especially considering Ubisoft conducted zero advertising (the main method of growth for Facebook games these days) for The Smurfs & Co. in that time period. That's the power of The Smurfs for ya, I guess.

Guillemont continued," So it's amazing how fast, when the content is adapted, those products can grow. So it really shows that people are very interested by new content in games. So we will continue to develop and make sure the quality of the game experience is adapted to what people are looking for."

In other words, the best way to for a Facebook game to grow is the keep it current, according to Guillemont. (So, that's why Zynga updates its games incessantly!) The Ubisoft boss went on to reveal to GamesIndustry.biz just why it's in on the rapidly growing free-to-play and social games movement: "In the long term there's no reason why the casual would not overcome the hardcore business because there are more people that are interested in buying casual."

So, if you ask Guillemont, casual (and free-to-play) are the way to go, which already accounted for 40 percent of the company's revenue in 2010. And Ubisoft is certainly not alone--EA has already spent over $1 billion on Facebook and mobile games, which is looking to already be paying off. Other traditional companies are slowly dipping their feet, while a legion of originally hardcore game designers have Facebook Credits twinkling in their eyes.

Does this mean no more Assassin's Creed or Ghost Recon for the hardcore crowd? Of course not, but I'm willing to bet that it does mean far more blue creatures in white hats in a not-so-little place called Facebook.

Do you agree that casual games could overtake hardcore games in the future? What do you think of The Smurfs & Co. so far, what brands do you hope Ubisoft brings to Facebook next? Sound off in the comments. Add Comment

Noah's Ark hits Port Facebook, social games go crazy for Christians

When Sean Ryan said that Christians were an untapped audience for Facebook games, developers listened. And thus, we have the third biblical Facebook game to hit in the past two months: Noah's Ark.

VentureBeat reports that Making Fun--News Corp's social gaming arm--and Detonator Games have officially released the game to Facebook. However, the FarmVille-meets-Genesis social game looks have hit the platform earlier in August, according to its fan page.

Noah's Ark is the second game launched by Making Fun since it was acquired by Rupert Murdoch's News Corp last year, and looks to cater to a woefully untapped audience that happens to be one of Facebook's largest. The game tasks players with creating--you guessed it--a farm of sorts to attract new animals to Noah's build site. Then, players must build their own Ark to prepare for the imminent worldwide flood.

Of course, players are governed by Energy and can buy boosts and other items with Facebook Credits. Noah's Ark will also test your knowledge of the story through trivia questions provided by Zondervan, a Christian publisher and News Corp subsidiary. (Finally, that Catholic education comes in handy!) And regardless of whether the game takes off--it sits now at over 260,000 monthly players and is growing steadily--Making Fun is committed to releasing games regularly.

Noah's Ark gameplay
"It's part of our plan to bring new and different games to the market that no one else is doing," Making Fun CEO John Welch told VentureBeat. "Our aim is to put out really high-quality titles in partnership with a variety of developers." Welch also said that the publisher will continue to release games through outside developers like Detonator Games, and that includes iPhone games, one of which will be a sports game.

Noah's Ark plays much like the FarmVilles and FrontierVilles of yore, but with a far smoother presentation and an interesting end goal: The Ark. As players gather new animals and materials, they will contribute to building the Ark throughout 10 stages. And there is an unbelievable amount of animals to collect across seven wildlife habitats. As players reach out beyond the limits of their small farmland, which is all visible on screen--but grayed out--they will learn how to attract new animals.

The game is a bit too biblically-charged for my tastes, and it doesn't do quite enough to differentiate itself from the "FarmVille meets the Bible" comparisons. Regardless, kudos to Making Fun and Detonator Games for exploring a relatively new subject matter in Facebook games. And considering 42 percent of Facebook users are Christian, the audience is certainly there.

Click here to play Noah's Ark on Facebook Now >

Have you tried this biblical Facebook game yet? What do you think of the influx of religious social games as of late? Sound off in the comments. Add Comment.

Habbo Hotel maker names ex-Playdom exec CEO in social games push

You might have heard of the mega popular social network slash social game Habbo Hotel (pictured), but Finnish developer Sulake wants to turn "might" into "absolutely." The company just announced that it has hired former Playdom VP of global distribution Paul LaFontaine as CEO, Reuters reports. Sulake made the hire in an ambitious attempt to help the company break into the world of social gaming, and who would know the space better than a guy who was there from the beginning?

LaFontaine, who was largely responsible for publishing Playdom's--now owned by entertainment behemoth Disney--games will replace Timo Soininen as CEO of Sulake. "We have been turning that direction for two years and are now accelerating it with this new CEO," Sulake chairman Mika Salmi told Reuters.

Habbo Hotel, for the uninformed, is a social network-meets-social game in which about 10 million monthly visitors interact in a world designed to hearken back to the good old days of 8-bit gaming. Players create their own rooms in collective hotels normally restricted to countries of origin or native language, and play mini games, decorate and share gifts with other hotel denizens. Of course, like any social game, players can buy premium items using real money.

Judging from the fact that prospective players can already connect to Habbo Hotel through Facebook Connect, and that Sulake has made their interest in traditional social games clear, Sulake making games for Facebook is certainly a possibility. Alright, with the crazy money everyone seems to be raking in on Facebook, this is most likely exactly where the company is headed. And LaFontaine will lead the charge--watch out, Zynga and EA, Habbo is looking hinder your hottest games.

Have you ever played Habbo Hotel before--what do you think of it? Do you think Sulake and Habbo Hotel will make waves in the Facebook gaming world with LaFontaine? Sound off in the comments. Add Comment.

Amazon gets serious about social games, calls out for developers

The Facebook gaming arena is about to welcome a new gladiator: Amazon. The household name of online retailers (and e-readers) is officially pulling out all the stops for its inevitable entrance into the space, openly and internally calling out for a team of designers and developers.

Since taking on veteran tabletop RPG (roleplaying game) designer Jonathan Tweet for a mysterious project, Reuters reports that signs have appeared in the kitchen of Amazon's Seattle campus that unveil a "Social Games Group." A poster in the kitchen area of the office reads, "The Group is growing fast! We're actively looking," according to Reuters.

It seems that Amazon is primarily looking for software engineers and Flash developers, most likely referring to Adobe Flash, the software through which almost all Facebook games are created. Amazon has reportedly been eying up social gaming since May of this year, calling out for senior level game designers.

Since Amazon hired Tweet for a mysterious project, that's all we knew about the upcoming social games effort from the company. Unfortunately, we still know very little, which leaves us with wild speculation (how lovely). While Amazon is looking strictly for software engineers and Flash developers, we have a feeling this project will be much larger than just pumping out a few games.

Amazon didn't become one of the largest Internet companies in the world without thinking big, so who's to say the company doesn't have equally lofty ambitions for its social gaming efforts? I mean, this is a company has enjoyed success and ubiquity that even the biggest name in social gaming aspires to. That said, it's entirely possible that Amazon looks to create a platform of its very own, complete with games developed in house. Call that an educated guess, or my wild dreams of slaying dragons attached to awesome deals on otherwise pricey cell phone cases and magazine subscriptions.

[Image Credit: Slacktory]

Are you excited to hear what Amazon is up to in social games? Do you think the company is working on its own platform to compete with Facebook and Google+, or just some good old games? Sound off in the comments. Add Comment.

Vostu snags MP Game Studio, access to brands like Coca-Cola with it

Perhaps Vostu's sticky legal dispute with Zynga isn't so bad, after all. The Brazilian social game creator announced that it has acquired Buenos Aires, Argentina-based MP Game Studio for an undisclosed amount. MP Games has created social games for major (like, huge) brands including Nickelodeon, Cartoon Network, Coca-Cola, Microsoft and National Geographic.

As part of the deal, MP Game Studio will become fully integrated into Vostu, with its employees to relocate to the new Vostu headquarters that just so happens to be located in Buenos Aires, too. And Vostu will hit the ground running with this buyout, expecting to release its first game from the deal over the next few weeks.

"Vostu is committed to creating entertaining social games for our growing user base of over 42 million registered users," Vostu COO Matias Recchia said in a release. "MP has been on the cutting edge of development of online games, working with the most well-known well respected companies and brands and we are excited to add them to our team of more than 550 dedicated, talented and passionate programmers, game designers and artists."

If you hadn't noticed, Vostu is pretty darn excited about not only the talent in MP, but the brands it works with. While it's certainly not our wildest guess, we're confident that Vostu will get into branded social games, thanks to this acquisition. Now, if Vostu has access to that particularly lucrative Coca-Cola license, can we finally get game with those adorable polar bears on Facebook?

Do you think this buyout will help Vostu compete even better in the global big leagues of social games? What brands do you hope Vostu takes advantage of as part of this purchase? Sound off in the comments. Add Comment.

MapleStory maker Nexon sets sail on Facebook with Wonder Cruise

Clicking cute creatures in MapleStory Adventures sure was fun, but Korean MMO (massively multiplayer online game) developer Nexon is ready to tread new water on Facebook. (Well, at least new water for Nexon.) The global studio based in South Korea has released Wonder Cruise, its second Facebook game tasking players with creating a world-class cruise ship.

While Gamasutra reports that the game will launch after testing with a small audience later this month, it appears that Wonder Cruise is live now for all. So, consider this the open beta for Wonder Cruise, or as we see it: The game is live. The game comes hot off of the heels of MapleStory Adventures, a Facebook rendition of the hugely successful free-to-play MMO that has already amassed over 2.8 million monthly players.

Wonder Cruise looks an awful lot like Perfect World Entertainment's recent Perfect Getaway, but plays a bit differently. Yes, you're still stuck on the same old cruise ship while your customers see the best of what the world has to offer. But this time around, the cruises, well, actually mean something. Each cruise is timed, and once you leave port after customizing and upgrading your ship with decorations and whatnot from the money that guests throw your way, you must help as many patrons have a good time before your ETA by clicking on them.

Wonder Cruise gameplay
Then, you'll be graded on how many guests you satisfied in the time limit, which matches up with a leaderboard spanning your friends. However, each time you help a guest, it consumes Energy that refills at a slow rate, like all Facebook games. This would be fine if you weren't graded on how many guests you help on a given timed cruise. Unfortunately, if you want those coveted S ranks for each trip, you'll have to either buy Energy or bug your friends.

Wonder Cruise is expected to "officially" launch on Sept. 12, Gamasutra reports. When the game releases from an open beta to most likely yet another open beta, Nexon will introduce more content (and hopefully a fix to this Energy system). As the game is testing, Nexon urges players to take a survey. Until then, keep clicking away on those guests ... at least for a minute or two.

Click here to play Wonder Cruise on Facebook Now >

Have you tried Wonder Cruise out yet on Facebook? What do you think of Nexon's approach to Facebook gaming thus far? Sound off in the comments. Add Comment.