1）社交游戏开发商Zynga日前宣布暂停MySpace平台的3款游戏，其中分别为《黑手党战争》、《Fashion Wars》和《YoVille》（游戏邦注：前一款转移至网站MafiaWars.com，后两款游戏转移至Facebook游戏平台）。Zynga之所以作此决定是因为MySpace人气下滑，大量裁员，以致销售额骤减。但目前，Zynga依旧为MySpace用户提供其他游戏。据悉，MafiaWars.com将同Facebook版的《黑手党战争》绑定。

MafiaWars

2）Capcom在手机和社交游戏领域马不停蹄，公司借鉴众所周知的《生化危机》推出新款社交游戏《Resident Evil: Outbreak》（游戏邦注：游戏将于6月份入住日本著名社交网站Gree）。据悉，游戏将搭载日本智能手机设备，游戏中玩家得共同协助谋生存。最特别的是，幸存者得通过共用武器、弹药和治疗物品完成游戏任务。《生化危机》在美国大受欢迎，相信《Resident Evil: Outbreak》定也能够取得不俗表现。

3）据悉，THQ（游戏邦注：热门游戏《Saints Row》和《Red Faction》开发商）顺应《FarmVille》等Facebook游戏的发展潮流，调整掌机游戏价位。公司首席执行官Brian Farrell日前表示，THQ目前正在开发一款名为《MX vs. ATV Alive》的竞赛游戏，售价40美元。THQ为何打破制作60美元电子游戏的传统？这是因为诸如Zynga之类的游戏公司凭借提供免费游戏及小额付费内容就赚得盆满钵满。受此激发，Farrell尝试推出《MX vs. ATV Alive》。Farrell希望通过改变掌机游戏的定价方式，同社交游戏、MMO游戏甚至是PC第一人称射击游戏的微交易一决高下。

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4）Facebook热门《Farmville》山寨游戏《Pot Farm》（游戏邦注：游戏出自Downtown East Side Games公司之手）日前本月获得加拿大电子游戏大奖提名。游戏本周的月活跃用户（MAU）近100万，相比12月份的150万有所下滑，而当时Legalization Nation预估游戏每月能够售出15万美元的“肥料”和其他游戏商品。据悉，DES Games 将为提出申请的超级粉丝提供4月20日聚会装备。

potfarm

5）社交游戏开发商SunGame Corp.并购内达华公司Freevi Corporation（游戏邦住：前者成立于2006年，2010年在OTC:BB市场上市，代码为SGMZ.OB；后者是多媒体平台，其核心产品为Freevi Flightdeck）此举为两家公司实施的战略调整。Freevi将充分利用SunGame的技术资源，进军虚拟游戏市场，同时促进当前的产品开发。SunGame 若2011年大范围针对Freevi.com平台发行游戏，将因此获得较高曝光度。

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6）上周EA（游戏邦住：其原创作品包括《Portal 2》、《American McGee’s Alice: Madness Returns》、《Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning》和《Shadows of the Damned》）英国营销总监Stuart Lang在伦敦媒体聚会上概述了公司未来发展策略。Lang表示，EA将秉承4大原则：越来越好的品牌；更多的数字内容和消费用户；更多的免费业务；更多的新IP。据悉，由于遵循第一条原则，EA保持了产品和服务的高质量。公司2010年的市场份额由8%增至16%。（本文为游戏邦/gamerboom.com编译，转载请注明来源：游戏邦）

EA

1）Zynga Shutting Down Games on MySpace

Social games provider Zynga has terminated several games on MySpace, including “Mafia Wars,” which the company is redirecting to its own site.

“Mafia Wars,” “Fashion Wars,” and “YoVille” no longer appear on the site. In the case of “Mafia Wars,” Zynga is redirecting players to the Zynga-hosted MafiaWars.com.

The disappearance of “Mafia Wars” was reported earlier by TechCrunch.

The shift, however, seems to be apparently occurring in real time. Zynga has trimmed “Mafia Wars” from its list of games associated with the MySpace platform; both “Fashion Wars” and “YoVille” appear in the list of games on the page, but links redirect to the main Facebook Games page instead of directly to the app itself. Ironically, the featured game on that page is “Mob Wars”.

It’s virtually impossible not to think of the decision to cancel the games on MySpace as a consequence of the social network’s catastrophically declining popularity, massive layoffs, and the resulting sale process. However, for now, at least, Zynga is still providing its other games to MySpace for users to play.

Zynga representatives could not be reached for comment.

Users who visit the Mafia Wars page on MySpace are greeted with the following note:

“Thank you for playing Mafia Wars on Myspace!

“Zynga is discontinuing Mafia Wars on Myspace beginning April 18th, 2011, however, we encourage you to continue playing Mafia Wars at MafiaWars.com, which includes: New Destinations to conquer like Brazil, Italy, and Vegas; Improved and additional properties to build; More ways to fight rivals, including robbing properties.”

The MafiaWars.com site appears to be tied to Zynga’s Facebook version of the MafiaWars.com game.（Source：Pcmag）

2）Resident Evil: Outbreak Survive infects Japanese social network GREE

Capcom has wasted no time getting its hands in mobile and social gaming, and now the developer brings the all-too-familiar grunts and groans of Resident Evil to social games. VG Chartz reports that Capcom will launch Resident Evil: Outbreak survive on GREE, one of Japan’s most popular social gaming networks, this coming June. According to VG Chartz, the game will release on Japanese smartphones and task players with collaborating together to, you know, survive.

More specifically, survivors must share weapons, ammo and healing items as they complete missions together. Considering Resident Evil’s immense popularity in the states as well, we’re hopeful Capcom will smarten up and unleash this plague on the US. Only the best of plagues, of course: games.（Source：Games.com）

3）FarmVille inspires price drop in console games; is this a new standard?

THQ, creator of the famous Saints Row and Red Faction franchises, has adapted to Facebook games like FarmVille. Escapist Magazine reports that THQ CEO Brian Farrell said that THQ is offering the racing game MX vs. ATV Alive for $40, and then supporting it with an aggressive DLC schedule. Why break the mold of $60 video games? Just look at the insane dough companies like Zynga are raking in with games that are free to play, but offer premium content for bits of cash. Inspired by this, Farrell is conducting an experiment with the newest MX vs. ATV game, according to Escapist.

“With MX vs. ATV Alive, we are experimenting with delivering a customizable experience for the player in a brand new pricing model,” Farrell said to Forbes. “It’s an innovative concept based on what we’ve seen in the free-to-play markets. We’re delivering a premium game experience at an SRP of $39.99 in order to drive the installed base of users, and then digitally delivering over 100 pieces of downloadable content and an in-game store for micro-transactions, allowing the gamer to customize their experience and pay for the modes that they want to play.”

Farrell’s hope appears to be to change the way console games are priced to better compete with the microtransaction models of social games, MMOs and even PC-based first-person shooters. Players won’t even have to buy content through the PlayStation Network or Xbox Live Marketplace. Though, we’re certain that as soon as this trend catches fire, that policy will change faster than you can say, “30 percent cut.”（Source：Games.com）

4）Facebook’s “Pot Farm” Nominated for Video Game Award

Facebook’s hot Farmville clone for weed, Pot Farm, is up for a Canadian Video Game Award this month. Developed by Downtown East Side Games in Gastown, Vancouver B.C., the year-old simulation allows players to grow different kinds of dope in the national forest, combining a bit of “chilled out camping with a bit of gardening on the side.” It has almost one million monthly users this week, down from 1.5 million in December, when Legalization Nation estimated DES Games might be making around $150,000 per month off sales of “fertilizer” and other in-game items for the free casual title. Fans can vote up “Pot Farm” for a Canadian Video Game Award for the next 28 days.

And in related news, DES games is giving out 4/20 rally kits to super fans who apply. DES wants to protest the apparent rejection of Pot Farm for mobile devices.

“We compete everyday with the big game companies and powers that be that as you all know do NOT like our subject matter. That is the whole reason we made the game, and coming up is the day that the world is going to hear all of our voices,” DES states.

“Its our RIGHT to grow digital pot! Support Pot Farm on 4/20 by making a sign, playing Pot Farm or changing your Facebook status for the day. We may have been rejected from putting YOUR game mobile but we will not by SILENCED. This year Pot Farm is going to have a 4/20 feature in the game, and while we are all coding away to make it happen we want our FANS to be the face of Pot Farm for the big rallies.”

Facebook has also mandated an adults-only age limit to play Pot Farm and has a long-standing ban on advertisements that depict the weed leaf.（Source：Eastbayexpress）

5）SunGame Corporation Completes Merger With Freevi

Marriage of Virtual Games and Online Video Represents the Future of Social Networking

LOS ANGELES, CA–(Marketwire – April 18, 2011) -  Social game developer SunGame Corp. (OTCBB: SGMZ) has merged with Nevada-based Freevi Corporation, a strategic fit for both companies. Freevi will utilize SunGame’s technical resources both for its expansion into the exploding virtual game market as well as its current product development, and will be trading as a reporting company on the OTC:BB market. SunGame gains from the massive potential exposure Freevi will bring when it launches Freevi.com on a wide scale in 2011.

The company will maintain a joint board and executive team led by Guy Robert, former CEO of SunGame, Ranulf Goss, IT Director and Director of SunGame, and Raj Ponniah, Director of Freevi and Director of SunGame, with Neil Chandran as CEO of SunGame.

About SunGame Corporation

SunGame Corporation is a Social Gaming and Social Media provider, founded in 2006 and since February 2010 listed on the OTC:BB list under the symbol SGMZ.OB. SunGame has the mission to become a leading supplier in Social Gaming and related services to the Business-to-Business segment by providing its customers with additional revenues by adding Turnkey Social Gaming & Media solutions to their offerings. Its offering includes Customized Social Games, Virtual Worlds, Virtual eWallets, Cross Platform solutions and Social Network Branding.

About Freevi Corporation

Freevi is a rich-media platform revolving around its core product the “Freevi Flightdeck,”? a powerful graphical end user interface that allows users to consume video and audio content, network with other Freevi users, engage in e-commerce transactions, and access games and other applications. Freevi’s proprietary technological products include, but are not limited to, Flightdeck, Vidirectory, Adclips, Advertising Intelligence (AI), Freevi search and Vicommerce.

For more information on Freevi and its products please visit www.freevi.com and www.vidirectory.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

Certain statements contained herein constitute “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements are based on current expectations, estimates and projections about the Company’s industry, management’s beliefs and certain assumptions made by management. Readers are cautioned that any such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to certain risks, uncertainties and assumptions that are difficult to predict. Because such statements involve risks and uncertainties, the actual results and performance of the Company may differ materially from the results expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Given these uncertainties, readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements. Unless otherwise required by law, the Company also disclaims any obligation to update its view of any such risks or uncertainties or to announce publicly the result of any revisions to the forward-looking statements made here; however, readers should review carefully reports or documents the Company files periodically with the Securities and Exchange Commission.（Source：Markewire）

6）EA’s ‘Fewer and Bigger Brands’ Strategy Doubles FPS Marketshare For Company

Last week in a media gathering in London, Electronic Arts UK marketing director Stuart Lang outlined the company’s continuing strategy for the future.  Lang explained EA’s four key principles: fewer and bigger brands, more digital content and consumer outreach, a larger free-to-play business, and more new IPs.

“Our fewer and bigger brands strategy is already paying off, ensuring we deliver high quality products and services on a consistent basis,” he said.

EA market share for shooters jumped from 8 percent to 16 percent in 2010, and Bulletstorm and Crysis 2 have the company off to a great start, with Battlefield 3 following in the fourth quarter.  Lang called it “the strongest release in the sector this year.”

He also pointed to EA’s recent expansion of its racing brand with 2010’s Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit and 2011’s Shift 2 Unleashed.  With both titles publisher has “re-invigorated the racing category and put the Need for Speed franchise once again at the forefront of the genre, commercially and critically”.  Many reviewers highlighted the inclusion of the new Autolog feature as a big win for the franchise.

Finally Lang mentioned a number of original titles and independent content coming from EA in the future, citing games like Portal 2, American McGee’s Alice: Madness Returns, Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning and Shadows of the Damned.

“One question thrown up by the fewer/bigger strategy is are we neglecting new IP and new genres – and that is resolutely not the case, far from it,” he closed.

Can EA keep up the heat and take the crown back from Activision Blizzard? （Source：Businessinsider）