Tag: zynga mobile games

Zynga to focus on mobile games with new CEO

Zynga sets its sights on the growing mobile sector

Mobile and social game developer Zynga has announced that it has yet another new CEO. Frank Gibeau, former vice president of mobile games for Electronic Arts, has become the developer’s latest CEO. Mark Pincus, the founder and current CEO of Zynga, will remain as an executive chairman of the company after Gibeau takes the position. Appointing Gibeau as the new CEO highlight’s Zynga’s efforts to focus more heavily on the mobile space, which the company had moved away from in the past.

Mobile gaming continues to grow in power

Mobile gaming has become a very powerful force in the overall game industry. This fact has lead several companies, including prominent developers Nintendo and Konami, to focus more heavily on developing mobile games. Zynga has specialized in social games for some time, producing titles that can be played of Facebook. These games highlight interaction over social media networks, but this is not something that is foreign to mobile gaming. Consumers playing games on their mobile devices can easily interact with one another, making the mobile gaming space just as social as any other gaming sector.

Gibeau may lead Zynga to success

Zynga Mobile GamesZynga intends to provide consumers with an innovative experience when it comes to mobile gaming. Gibeau will lend his expertise in this regard, as he has more than 25 years of experience in the game industry. Gibeau has been involved in the mobile space for a significant amount of time and believes that interactive entertainment can be better, especially on mobile platforms. Zynga already has a strong consumer base to draw from, but the company has been heavily criticized for the decisions it had made in the past.

Mobile gaming may be a difficult market for Zynga

Zynga has managed to find success in the social gaming market with only a very small number of games. While the developer has produced many such games, only a few of them have managed to become universal successes. This may be mirrored in the mobile space, where consumers have proven themselves to be fickle when it comes to the type of mobile games they want to pay and, more importantly, pay for.

Zynga announces support of Bitcoin

Bitcoin could be used to pay for mobile games

Bitcoin is gaining ground as more companies take this form of digital currency more seriously. Mobile games developer Zynga is one of the companies that has recently announced its interest in Bitcoin. The company has announced that it will be conducting a payment test with Bitcoin as the major focus. The developer has teamed with BitPay, a Bitcoin service provider, and the two companies will be working to examine the possible uses of Bitcoin in mobile games.

Bitcoin popularity continues to rise

The current market value of Bitcoin stands at approximately $1,000. The value of the digital currency spiked after Zynga made its announcement. Bitcoin is notoriously volatile, however, as it is not regulated by any government or financial organization. As such, the value of Bitcoin can drop dramatically at any given time, or skyrocket depending on certain factors. A company like Zynga announcing its support for the digital currency, for example, can help the currency become more valuable.

In-game payments remain a focus of Zynga

Mobile Games - Zynga and BitcoinThe payment test will focus on Zynga’s mobile games, many of which are already quite popular with consumers. These games tend to include microtransactions, small payments that can be made to unlock additional content or new features in a mobile game. In-game purchases are quite common in mobile gaming, but relatively unpopular among consumers. Indeed, Zynga’s aggressive use of in-game purchases caused many people to abandon the company’s games, seeking out less expensive and more inclusive mobile games.

Volatility of Bitcoin may make it unpopular in gaming

Zynga is requesting that gamers provide feedback for its payment test. This feedback will be used to formulate a more cohesive payment strategy for the developer’s current and future games. Zynga has issued its support for Bitcoin because of the currency’s dramatic rise in popularity. The volatility of the currency may not win it any fans among consumers, however.