1）Fortumo最新数据显示，微软Windows Phone平台在俄罗斯、波兰、乌克兰、南非和阿根庭这5国市场份额已经超过iOS，仅次于Android。值得注意的是，这5个市场（总人口为3.18亿）的主要支付渠道并非信用卡，因此绑定运营商计费系统SDK的手机平台更有市场。

这5个地区的每月每付费用户平均收益（ARPPU）并不高，但波兰市场的ARPPU值也达到了5.1欧元，俄罗斯为3.4欧元，阿根庭为3欧元，乌克兰仅为0.9欧元，南非则是0.7欧元。

credit-cards-russia-poland-safrica（from fortumo)

arpu-russia-poland-safrica-ukraine-argentina(from fortumo)

2）据insidemobileapps报道，Zynga日前低调宣布将于本月底关闭Faccebook游戏《Zynga Slingo》（游戏邦注：该游戏Slingo名称及品牌已在7月底被RealNetworks以1560万美元收购）。

该游戏月活跃用户超过350万，游戏中的玩家将获赠可用于Zynga其他三款游戏（《Zynga Poker》、《FarmVille 2》或者《Bubble Safari》的一次性补偿包。玩家之前在该游戏中购买的付费内容将在8月27日消失。

zynga-slingo(from insidesocialgames)

RealNetworks于8月1日推出了GameHouse Casino Plus服务，首次面向Facebook推出大规模的真钱赌金比赛，该游戏中的玩家只需玩游戏和抽奖，就有机会赢得每月10万美元的赌金。

RealNetworks表示已投入开发面向Facebook、iPhone、iPad和Android的新版Slingo游戏。

3）据All ThingsD报道，Zynga最近正进行一轮管理层人事调整，首席运营官David Ko、首席技术官Cadir Lee和首席人事官Colleen McCreary将于下周离职，其首席执行官Don Mattrcik称本次人事变事正是公司重整业务的步骤之一。

zynga-exodus(from insidesocialgames)

他称公司正致力于让高层领导更贴近重要的产品开发过程，并要求这些团队领导密切关注项目，为资源团队提供更多人才。

这自Zynga自Mattrick担任新任CEO以来的首次重大人事变动，他曾在7月底的一次投资者会议上表示将推出90天的改革计划，称Zynga仍是一家年轻的公司，他们有能力打破坏习惯，重返开发游戏的根本。

4）据gamezebo报道，独立开发团队NimbleBit日前正致力于测试《Pocket Planes》几乎被夭折的前身——《Pocket Trains》玩法测试，但并示透露游戏具体上线时间等详情。

Pocket Trains(from gamezebo)

5）据insidemobileapps报道，黑莓日前宣布成立一个将为公司探索“战略备选方案”的特殊委员会，以便增加公司价值及部署BlackBerry 10的速度。这些备选方案还包括组建新合作伙伴关系及合资企业，采取并购方式甚至是出售公司。

blackberry-10-product(from insidemobileapps)

这一举措的目的在于评估黑莓继续运营的最佳长期方案，并为“客户和股东带来长期价值。”

在此之前几数，有报道称黑莓解雇了公司在美国的销售副总裁Richard Piasentin，该公司甚至还计划针对第一季度净亏损8400万美元的情况，裁减大批中层管理人员。（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）Five big countries where Windows Phone is outselling iPhone

by Jon Jordan

While Microsoft and Nokia have beaten off BlackBerry for third place in the global OS battle, they remain in a very distant third place to Android and iOS.

Still, as billing outfit Fortumo reveals, there are some territories where the OS is gaining traction – even bursting into second place.

Indeed, the combined populations of five of those countries – Russia, Poland, Ukraine, South Africa and Argentina – is a not-very-tiny 318 million.

Alternative payments

Of course, the Windows Phone audience therein is only a fraction of that total, and as Fortumo points out, these territories aren’t dominated by credit cards payments.

After all, Fortumo’s business is about getting developers to integrate its carrier-billing SDK; something that’s clearly vital if you want to make any money in Russia, Poland, Ukraine, South Africa and Argentina.

As for how much money there is to be made, monthly ARPU isn’t huge, although €5.10 in Poland is nothing to be sniffed at.（source：pocketgamer）

2）Zynga announces closure of Zynga Slingo on Facebook

Brandy Shaul

Zynga has quietly announced the closure of Zynga Slingo on Facebook, scheduled for later this month. While Zynga Slingo has over 3.5 million monthly active users, this move comes as no surprise, as RealNetworks purchased the Slingo name and brand at the end of July for $15.6 million, according to TechCrunch.

Zynga Slingo players are being offered a one-time compensation package in another Zynga game of their choice: Zynga Poker, FarmVille 2 or Bubble Safari. Players must already have existing accounts in the game of their choosing before the package can be applied. The contents of those packages have yet to be revealed.

Premium purchases (and real money invested) in the slots-meets-bingo game will also disappear when the game closes on August 27, so users are encouraged to use them / it now, while the game is still available.

RealNetworks purchased Slingo as part of its continued push into social casino gaming. The company launched GameHouse Casino Plus on August 1, bringing large-scale, real money sweepstakes to Facebook for the first time. Players of that game have a chance to win $100,000 each and every month, simply by playing the game and earning tickets, and then turning those tickets into contest entries.

While no specific details for new Slingo games have been released, the company did confirm it was working on new versions of Slingo for Facebook, iPhone, iPad and Android.

“Slingo has been a successful, compelling product on every major games platform over the past 15 years,” said Rich Roberts, CEO of Slingo, via a company release. “By joining forces with RealNetworks, we look forward to taking Slingo to the next level. We’re thrilled to be joining RealNetworks’ GameHouse division.”（source：insidesocialgames）

3）Zynga departures continue under new chief exec Don Mattrick

Jeffrey Grubb

Zynga has a new chief executive officer. Don Mattrick, formerly of Microsoft, took over the role in July, and now he’s starting to throw his weight around.

The social-gaming publisher is reorganizing its management structure, according to All Things D. Chief operating officer David Ko, chief technology officer Cadir Lee, and chief people officer Colleen McCreary will all leave the company next week.

“I have been working with our leaders to review different parts of our business in order to develop a set of operating principles to help reset the company,” Mattrick wrote in a letter to employs that Zynga posted to its blog. “We are now calibrating against the market opportunity and developing detailed plans to achieve topline growth and improve profitability in the future.”

Mattrick says that these departures are all a part of that growth process.

“We are taking layers out of the executive rank to get senior leaders closer to important product initiatives,” he wrote. “With that in mind, I have asked the leaders to sharpen their focus and properly densify talent to resource teams.”

This is the fist major move from Zynga since Mattrick took over the CEO role from Zynga founder Mark Pincus. Mattrick previously oversaw the Xbox at Microsoft and left that position as

Microsoft is gearing up for the launch of its next-gen Xbox One. In late July, during a conference call with investors, Mattrick laid out a 90-day plan to begin turning the Farmville publisher around.

“[I want to get] under the hood to evaluate every aspect of our business. [I will conduct] top-to-bottom business reviews and work with our leaders to calibrate against the market opportunity and to go after it with a real sense of urgency,” said Mattrick. “Zynga’s still a young company, and we have the capability to break some bad habits and get back to some good fundamentals. And while my approach in the first few weeks is to listen and learn, when it becomes clear what change is necessary, I’ll move quickly and decisively to do what’s in the best long-term interests of our players, employees, and our shareholders.”

What’s best for Zynga’s players, employees, and shareholders? Apparently getting rid of some more top-level executives.

Prior to Don Mattrick’s arrival at Zynga, the social-game maker was in the middle of a talent exodus. Executives that left the company up through June include vice president of partner
publishing Rob Dyer, chief designer Brian Reynolds, chief creative officer Mike Verdu, chief security officer Nils Puhlmann, chief technical officer of infrastructure Allan Leinwand, OMGPOP
chief revenue officer Wilson Griegel, Words With Friends co-creators David and Paul Bettner, and OMGPOP chief executive Dan Porter.（source：venturebeat）

4）A Good Idea is a Good Idea: Pocket Trains is a Real Thing Now

By Jim Squires

Do you remember that time you learned Pocket Planes was originally supposed to be Pocket Trains, and found yourself screaming to the internet “I WANT THAT TO BE A THING!!!”? Good news – the internet listened.

The team at NimbleBit are hard at work on Pocket Trains, offering more of the Pocket Planes gameplay you know and love – but now on rails!

At least, we think that’s what it offers. The game has just entered its beta phase, and NimbleBit are remaining fairly tight-lipped about specifics. That said, TouchArcade has plenty of screenshots (like the image below) that seem to confirm our suspicions. Stay tuned to Gamezebo for more information as it surfaces.（source：gamezebo）

5）BlackBerry looking at ‘strategic alternatives’ to push BlackBerry 10, including selling the company

Brandy Shaul

BlackBerry has today announced the formation of a special committee that will “explore strategic alternatives” for the company to increase its value and speed in BlackBerry 10 deployment. These alternatives include, but aren’t limited to, new partnerships and joint ventures, possible mergers or a sale of the company.

This move, according to a company release, is focused on evaluating the best long-term approach for BlackBerry’s continued operation, and on “delivering long-term value for customers and shareholders.”

BlackBerry President and CEO Thorsten Heins added:

“We continue to see compelling long-term opportunities for BlackBerry 10, we have exceptional technology that customers are embracing, we have a strong balance sheet and we are pleased with the progress that has been made in our transition. As the Special Committee focuses on exploring alternatives, we will be continuing with our strategy of reducing cost, driving efficiency and accelerating the deployment of BES 10, as well as driving adoption of BlackBerry 10 smartphones, launching the multi-platform BBM social messaging service, and pursuing mobile computing opportunities by leveraging the secure and reliable BlackBerry Global Data Network.”

The formation of this special committee comes just weeks after BlackBerry reportedly fired Vice President of Sales in the U.S. Richard Piasentin. The Wall Street Journal recently reported that the company is also planning to cut a large number of jobs in middle management after disappointing first quarter earnings of $3.1 billion and a net loss of $84 million for the quarter.

Heins previously told stockholders that a sale of the company was not in the works, and this committee doesn’t promise any final actions will actually be taken.（source：insidemobileapps）