118 posts and columns on virtual goods
Swrve Says It Can Help Developers Dodge Fake Purchases Made by App Pirates
Developers “need to know whether they’re attracting great-looking pirates or mediocre-looking real users.”News Byte
Study: Gamers Play More and Spend More on Tablets vs. Smartphones
Tablets are the “mobile platform of choice” for gamers, according to a new study from research firm Frank N. Magid Associates. The study, sponsored by Diner Dash publisher PlayFirst, estimates that 61 million people play games on tablets, compared to 54 million on smartphones. The popular free-to-play business model performs better on tablets, where 31 percent of gamers buy virtual goods, spending an average of $48 each in the past 12 months. By contrast, the study reported that only 19 percent of phone gamers drop real money on in-app purchases, spending an average of $32 each in the same time.Zynga’s Patent Portfolio Swells as It Doubles Down on Casino Gaming
Among the acquisitions this year, 33 patents from Walker Digital related to real-money gaming and gambling technologies.Free Mobile Games Earn Most of the $10 Billion Spent on Apps in 2012
But the more important thing for developers to know is what kind of games are the most successful at monetizing free-to-play.On the Facebook Menu at Zuckerberg’s Recent Dinner With Game Developers: Sushi and a Sliding Pay Scale
At a recent dinner, Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg brought together all the top bosses in social gaming to talk shop.King.com, the Second-Largest Social Games Maker, Jumps Into Advertising
First Zynga, and now King.com, are starting to believe that advertising could be a lucrative way to monetize social games.Zynga’s Next Gamble: An Ad Platform
What could a Zynga-built advertising platform look like?News Byte
Former Zynga Executive Jeff Karp Lands at GSN Digital
After stepping down as Zynga’s chief marketing officer 10 days ago, Jeff Karp is joining GSN as EVP of Mobile & Social Games. When he starts on Monday, Karp will be in charge of GSN Digital’s virtual currency business across its mobile, social and online gaming platforms. Karp was one of a handful of recent executives who left Zynga after a restructuring. Prior to Zynga, Karp was EVP of Electronic Arts’ Play label, where he oversaw The Sims, SimCity and Harry Potter.News Byte