Tag: mobile games news

Financial woes for Zynga mount as shift toward mobile games continues

| April 28, 2013

zynga mobile gamesZynga’s future in mobile games may be turbulent

Zynga is in the midst of transitioning from social games to mobile games, but this shift has proven somewhat turbulent for the once popular developer. The company has targeted the mobile space as the ideal environment, wherein it can once again establish dominance in the gaming field. This comes after its fall from grace with Facebook and the subsequent crash of its status in the social gaming field. Mobile games do hold strong potential for the developer, but mounting financial problems could derail Zynga’s plans for the future.

Zynga posts decline in revenue

Zynga’s revenues for the first quarter of this year have declined by 18% year-over-year. During the first quarter, the company pulled in $264 million in revenue, but managed to report net income gains due to the continued performance of FarmVille 2, one of Zynga’s most played social games. Nonetheless, declining revenue presents a problem for Zynga, especially as some analysts suggests that the company will continue to report declines in revenue through the remainder of the year. Falling revenues could have an impact on Zynga’s ability to enter into the realm of mobile games.

Developer not likely to see gains through 2013

According to Zynga CEO Mark Pincus, 2013 is a transition year for the company. Pincus does not predict that Zynga will post promising results throughout 2013 until the company can establish a strong presence on the mobile gaming front. Currently, the developer does not anticipate any significant problems entering into mobile games, but development is rarely an inexpensive venture and producing games that do not end up a hit with consumers could lead the company into troubled financial waters.

Consumers wary of mobile games produced by Zynga

Zynga has the long term in mind when it comes to mobile games. The company is currently developing several titles for various mobile platforms, hoping to find the same success with mobile consumers that it had seen through social networks. Consumers remain wary of Zynga, however, as the developer has often been accused of blatantly copying other, more popular games in order to appeal to the interests of gamers.

Mobile games may be gaining more ground with Facebook

| April 26, 2013

Mobile Games FacebookFacebook may be looking toward mobile games

Facebook has hired the development team behind the Spaceport framework. Spaceport exists as a platform to help mobile games developers publish their products across multiple platforms. The platform has been used to expand the reach of the mobile games space, allowing developers to access platforms that they would not have had access to in the past. Spaceport can, for instance, be used to take a web-based game and bring it to Android mobile devices, effectively converting it into a mobile title.

Facebook has a strong history in the gaming field

It is no secret that Facebook has a strong interest in gaming. In the past, the company has leveraged its status as a social network to expose millions of consumers to the games it had supported. These games brought in significant revenue for Facebook and the social network had once been considered an ideal platform that developers could use to connect with a massive audience. Facebook has been losing traction with developers over the pas few years, however, as more developers begin to favor the Android and iOS platforms due to the rampant popularity of mobile games.

Spaceport team may help Facebook break into mobile gaming

In hiring the Spaceport team, Facebook may be making a move into the mobile space. The social games that are supported on the site are still very popular among Facebook’s users, but the company has been showing significant interest in the prospects that could be gained in the mobile gaming field. Mobile games have come to represent one of the most lucrative sectors of the game industry, which is enough to entice several companies to look toward getting involved in gaming.

Mobile is becoming the primary focus of the social network

Facebook has been reforming its online presence recently. The social network has improved its mobile platform to align better with the interests of its users and Facebook has launched new versions of its SDK to Android and iOS developers. The social network, as a whole, is becoming more mobile-centric as well, with many of the features being added to the social network catering to the mobile space specifically.