1）据Fusible报道，社交游戏公司Zynga最近注册了一个网站域名“Zyngambler.com”，并已开始着手设计网站。截止本文撰稿，该网站已经挂上Zynga Poker图标以及一些非活跃的状态追踪模块（游戏邦注：但Fusible目前尚未验证这一消息是否属实）。

zyngambler(from games)

Fusible称这个网站域名所有者仍然不详，但从其名称中很容易看出端倪。

2）据AllThingsD报道，Zynga首席创意官Mike Verdu日前宣布离职，但仍将与Zynga保持密切的合作关系，因为Zynga将成为Verdu所成立新工作室的投资者及发行商。

Mike Verdu(from allthingsd.com)

Verdu在Zynga任职期间曾参与开发的游戏包括《Empires & Allies》、《FrontierVille》和《CastleVille》。在2009年加入Zynga之前，Verdu曾任EA洛杉矶工作室副总裁及总经理。

在本月初，该公司前首席运营官John Schappert也已离职，而《CityVille》总经理Alan Patmore也在上周跳槽到Kixeye。

3）据games.com报道，火狐浏览器产商Mozilla日前宣布推出基于HTML5的全3D第一人称射击游戏《BananaBread》。

BananaBread(from games)

这款网页游戏基本上由Mozilla自主开发，其目的是验证最新版本的浏览器可支持的游戏类型。虽然此举未必表明Mozilla有意进军游戏市场，但却可以显示该公司的游戏开发技术已达到行业水准。

4）据Games Industry International报道，前Zipper Interactive（游戏邦注：索尼在4月份关闭该工作室，其代表作包括硬核多人射击游戏《SOCOM》系列）成员最近组建新团队，主攻休闲/手机游戏市场。

Nobodinos(from gamesindustry.biz)

这个名为Nobodinos（谐音为“nobody knows”）由首席技术美术师David Kern和工作室美术总监Russ Phillips创办，打算通过Kickstarter平台为首款游戏《Bottom Feeders》集资22.5万美元，该游戏瞄准的是Facebook和移动平台，计划在2013年1月上线。

bottom feeders(from joystiq.com)

5）据gamasutra报道，MMO游戏《The Secret World》虽然测试时期的注册用户超过50万，但仅有2万用户两个月后购买了游戏的正式版本，其开发商Funcom承认这一现象低于预期情况。

The Secret World(from games)

Funcom最近宣布将转向开发制作周期较短、前期投入较少的小型游戏项目，并推出基于乐高Minifigures玩具的免费增值游戏（预计开发周期为18个月）。

该公司希望开发更具可玩性，以玩家为主导的游戏，例如《英雄联盟》、《World of Tanks》和《minecraft》等类型的游戏，并希望采用跨平台策略和灵活的运营模式。Funcom在这一转型过程中进行了一轮裁员（涉及奥斯陆、蒙特利尔、达拉谟和北京团队），有半数员工受到影响。其首席执行官兼总裁Trond Arne已在7月份离职。

Funcom仍将持续开发《The Secret World》，推出相关用户获取营销活动，并着力解决玩家及评论媒体所不满的游戏问题（该公司认为在Metacritic网站仅获得72分这一情况严重影响了游戏销量）。（本文为游戏邦/gamerboom.com编译，拒绝任何不保留版权的转载，如需转载请联系：游戏邦）

1）This is Zynga’s gamblers only website, Zyngambler.com [Report]

by Joe Osborne

UPDATE: We’ve been informed that, because Fusible cannot verify whether Zynga has actually registered this domain or that this is the work of a cyber squatter making it appear as if brand protection company MarkMonitor is behind it, the website has pulled its report. We’ve reached out to Zynga for comment.

Finally, here’s your living proof that Zynga is not messing around with its gambling initiative. Fusible reports that the social game developer has registered the ever so clever domain, “Zyngambling.com”, and has already started work on designing the website. As of this writing, the new website has a header with the Zynga Poker logo and some generic, inactive stat-tracking modules.

According to Fusible, the owner of the domain is hidden, but the current face of “Zyngambler.com” makes it quite clear as to who is behind the domain. Plus, Fusible has found an inactive Twitter handle for what’s likely to become a Zyngambler brand. We can’t say for sure what Zynga is up to with Zyngambler.

However, logic would dictate that it has at least something to do with merging the concept behind Zynga.com and its ambitions to be a leader in online gambling. Come to think of it, we’re cautiously refreshed to know that the company’s gambling and game divisions will be kept separate in the UK. Let’s hope it stays that way even after the U.S. follows suit.（source:games）

2）Zynga loses yet another top executive

By Tom Curtis

Social game giant Zynga lost another major executive today, as chief creative officer Mike Verdu has stepped down to start his own game company.

While he will no longer serve as part of Zynga’s top management, Verdu will still have distinct ties to his former employer, as Zynga plans to become an investor and publisher for his new, unnamed studio, reports AllThingsD.

While working at Zynga, Verdu helped guide the company’s creative process, and his influence shaped major titles like Empires & Allies, FrontierVille, and CastleVille. Prior to joining Zynga in 2009, he served as the VP and general manager of EA Los Angeles.

Verdu is just the latest in a string of major executives who have stepped down from Zynga. Earlier this month, the company said goodbye to former COO John Schappert, and just last week CityVille general manager Alan Patmore announced that he’s moving over to Kixeye.（source:gamasutra）

3）Mozilla makes its own FPS in HTML5 just to prove it can [Video]

by Joe Osborne

HTML5 has been a hot topic in the social, mobile and free-to-play game communities pretty much since it was first developed. A coding language said to incite the return of Jesus Christ through your browser make all sorts of cool games playable in web browsers, HTML5 has made baby steps toward its promises. But no more: Firefox creator Mozilla has something to show you.

This, ladies and gentlemen, is BananaBread. Seemingly innocuous in name only, this is a fully 3D first-person shooter playable in your web browser that’s quite the treat to look at.

Basically, this game was developed internally at Mozilla to prove exactly the kinds of games that are possible with its slew of game-focused updates to the newest version of Firefox, number 15.

No, it’s doubtful that this is Mozilla’s way of getting into the games industry. But this is undoubtedly its way of showing that Firefox is ready to meet the demands of the game industry as it slowly but surely moves toward HTML5 as the next big thing. Throw in some multiplayer and a few more social features, and we wouldn’t exactly mind if Mozilla decided to release this officially. It has an ironic enough title, right?（source:games）

4）Ex-SOCOM developers form a new studio for casual games

Mike Minotti

Adapt or die, I guess. Former employees of Zipper Interactive, a studio best known for the hardcore multiplayer shooter series SOCOM, have reunited to make casual mobile games.

Principal technical artist David Kern and studio art director Russ Phillips founded their new studio, called Nobodinos (pronounced “nobody knows”), shortly after Sony closed Zipper Interactive back in April, according to Games Industry International.

“Eventually, we may get back to the big console titles,” the two told Games Industry International. “But for now we are focused on creating some casual and mobile games.”

The studio is looking to crowdfunding site Kickstarter to help get its first game, Bottom Feeders, afloat. The title is a casual game designed for Facebook and mobile devices.

“Making the transition from shooting bad guys and plucking hostages from the pit of despair to tossing out a crabbing net to catch little critters from the sea may sound like a leap,” says the game’s Kickstarter page. “But this is exactly what Russ Phillips and David Kern of Nobodinos has done.”

The developer is looking for $225,000 to fund its game, with a target release date around January 2013.（source:venturebeat）

5）Funcom shifts to smaller online games after The Secret World setbacks

By Eric Caoili

Funcom is laying off employees and shifting its focus away from giant, expensive MMO projects, as it tries to recover from the recent disappointing launch for The Secret World.

Though over 500,000 users registered for the subscription title’s beta, only 200,000 consumers have purchased The Secret World since the game launched two months ago, which the Norwegian developer admits is below its expectations.

After working on The Secret World on and off for a decade, Funcom says it now wants to make smaller games that require shorter development times and less upfront investments, starting with its upcoming free-to-play title based on LEGO’s Minifigures toys (expected development time for the project is 18 months).

The company wants to create more focused gameplay- and player-driven games that are in line with today’s market, citing examples like League of Legends, World of Tanks, Minecraft. It also wants to emphasize multi-platform engagement and flexible business models.

Along with this change in direction, Funcom is undergoing large cost reduction initiatives, which has so far included layoffs at its Oslo, Montreal, Durham, and Beijing locations, with around half of the developer’s personnel affected. Its CEO and president Trond Arne also stepped down in July.

Funcom intends to continue development on The Secret World and launch several player acquisition initiatives. It’s also looking to address the game’s issues that annoyed players and reviewers — the company says the game’s 72 Metacritic score has impacted its sales significantly.

In its latest earnings report for the second quarter ending in June, Funcom’s sales fell considerably due to declining Age of Conan revenues, from $3.1 million to $2.6 million. The Secret World’s marketing and build-up costs also brought down its EBITDA (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization) to -$47.5 million from -$3.5 million. （source:gamasutra）