OMGPOP

Mobile Gaming Is Hot, but Pocket Gems Won’t Sell Out

Tricia Duryee in Commerce on May 17 at 9:26 am PT

Pocket Gems says it is not for sale, even though other mobile gaming companies like OMGPOP and Funzio are cashing out at big valuations.

EA Says Digital Will Offset New Console Investments for the First Time

Tricia Duryee in Commerce on May 8 at 2:45 pm PT

Despite having to sink $80 million into new console game development this year, EA’s CEO John Riccitiello is upbeat, saying that “we are absolutely a different company in a different spot.”

Funzio’s Big Exit to Gree Fueled by Only Three Hit Game Titles

Tricia Duryee in Commerce on May 4 at 4:42 pm PT

Funzio’s $210 million sale to Tokyo-based Gree this week makes it the second mobile game company with a relatively short operating history to be snapped up recently.

Japan’s Gree Buys Mobile Social Game Developer Funzio for $210 Million

Tricia Duryee in Commerce on May 1 at 5:09 pm PT

Gree, the Tokyo-based company that bought OpenFeint for $100 million last year and is trying to build a global mobile social network, has acquired Funzio for $210 million.

ConsolidationVille Coming to Social Games Market in 2012

Tricia Duryee in Commerce on April 23 at 4:25 pm PT

This year is expected to be a strong year for consolidation, as social games companies struggle to become profitable.

Zynga Accounted for 15 Percent of Facebook’s Revenues in Q1, Down From Last Year

Tricia Duryee in Commerce on April 23 at 3:31 pm PT

Zynga doesn’t report first-quarter earnings until Thursday, but Facebook let the cat out of the bag a little early today in an updated IPO filing.

OMG, Zynga Planning “a Few” More Hundred Million-Dollar Acquisitions

Tricia Duryee in Commerce on April 17 at 10:13 am PT

In an interview with Bloomberg, CEO Mark Pincus said he’s looking for both great teams and companies that have break-out hits, and he’s willing to pay for them.

Two Years and $33 Million Later, Start-Up Investor Lerer Ventures Starts Building Its Own Companies

Peter Kafka in Media on April 5 at 7:02 am PT

Like lots of other investors, Ken Lerer, Ben Lerer and Eric Hippeau are plowing money into start-ups. Unlike some of the other guys, they’re making some of them themselves.

Zynga’s Draw Something Slingshots Past Angry Birds in App Store

Tricia Duryee in Commerce on April 5 at 6:00 am PT

Maybe now critics will stop saying that Zynga overpaid for it.