Could this facebook game thing be a fad?<p>I remember back in high school when web games like Earth 2025 (games.swirve.com/earth/) were quite the rage and everybody was playing them. This lasted for a year or so until the novelty wore off. Some still play but the casual players are gone and the audience is a tiny fraction of what it once was.<p>I've noticed that my FB friends that play FB games tend to stop playing after a couple months. The games are mindless, cookie-cutter and repetitive for the most part.<p><EDIT>I don't think WoW is a good comparison as there is clearly a huge depth between it and Zynga games. The experience is entirely different.<p>"Easy come, easy go" could apply to this market. I mean these games come out of no where to millions of players. These are not hardcore gamers that develop strong loyalty and build communities, but "casual" players that probably started playing because their friends are.<p>"Casual" gamers are notoriously fickle. Look at the Nintendo Wii, which is the most popular console but has the least average amount of titles bought per owner (which is where the real money is.)<p>In 2-3 years I would not be surprised that after all this over-exposure these x-ville games will be significantly less popular. These "games" have more in common with Tamagotchi and Beanie Babies than Wow or Call of Duty... </edit>
They have a great idea on making money of users. Instead of charging a larger amount to let them play the game, they charge a numerous smaller amounts for different objects in the game. First, people are more willing to part with, let's say, 25 cents for that one cool fish than with 25 dollars for a game. Second, once you get them pulled into the experience, they will be even more willing to spend money. Surprisingly, I don't see that kind of pricing used much in other areas.
Good at least to see someone making games for people other than the hardcore crowd.<p>IMO, this shows that in gaming there isn't a straight line of worst-to-best but instead there's lots of different types of games that appeal not only to different types of people but different moods a person is currently in.
I had an email saying a Zynga user with my email address had withdrawn money from a Mastercard (which wasn't mine - nor do I own a Mastercard). Emailed Zynga to tell them about this odd semi-fraudulent activity, and they couldn't give a toss. Total idiots.<p>I didn't lose any money, but it was unnerving.
Ironic.<p>While a lot of us are thinking about cool new tech, lisp, twitter, and all the other kinds of stuff we love talking about on HN, these guys are writing simple flash aquarium apps and raking in millions.<p>Perhaps running your own startup about a lot more than simple monetary success. I know I want to make people's lives better in addition to controlling my own destiny.<p>But still, sure looks like a sweet spot to be in. I bet the field is probably way overcrowded by now, though.
This sort of thing is worse than gambling. I'd say there's a strong case for regulating things like this. It's just preying on the addicted/weak/stupid surely.<p>It's almost a bait and switch:<p>1. Get user addicted to game
2. After some time, tell user they can progress quicker through the game if they pay money (Blackmail).