Social Gaming Industry Snapshot: Q3 2012
SOCIAL NETWORKING: Social Gaming Industry Snapshot: Q3 2012
The expansion into social gaming as with mobile continued at a rapid pace as many companies see the potential and inter-crossing platform opportunities between the different sectors.
According to the Global Online Gaming Report 2012 almost 20 percent of the total time spent playing games online was through social networks last year.
Socialnomics reports a staggering 81 million players indulging in social gaming daily and the number continues to rise.
Positive trends in social gaming include a rise in the popularity of Freemium games and an increased interest in social games being utilised as an advertising channel.
According to Superdata, the social online casino sector is expected to generate $1.6 Billion in revenues this year, rising to $2.4 Billion over the next three years.
Social Gaming Industry Snapshot:
Microsoft acquired Yammer for $1.2 billion in cash enabling it to offer a service like Facebook’s to corporate customers.
Zynga : launched “Zynga with Friends” – a unified gaming platform allowing Facebook and mobile iOS and Android accessibility and multi-player potential.
– added NFC peer-to-peer mode (Bump technology) to its Zynga Poker Android application.
– acquired social game developer A Bit Lucky without disclosing the consideration paid. The developer is the creator of Facebook games "Lucky Train" and "Lucky Space"
– ComTrade launched the first Facebook 90 Ball Bingo solution at Bingo Britain on behalf of Palatial Leisure Limited.
– Betfred partnered with social gaming publisher We R Interactive. The bookmaker features in "I AM PLAYR", a popular social football game.
– French-based software developer Mandala inked an agreement with Hong Kong social gaming firm 6waves to publish its new social slots title La Riviera on Facebook
– Social gaming software developer Playsino created its own free-to-play casino games for mobile and social platforms beginning with a new game titled Solitaire and Prizes.
The Company also acquired Popover Games, including the cross-platform Popover Poker, a number of other social casino games and most of Popover's employees as well as Foghorn Games, a joint-developer of Popover's social casino game Bingo Around the World, both for undisclosed considerations.
– Fresh Deck Poker from US developer Idle Games launched on Facebook. The product is reported to be suitable for both online and mobile channels.
– Gamesys entered into a real money bingo and slots partnership in the UK with Facebook
– Las Vegas From Home.com Entertainment’s social gaming casino Real Vegas Casino will enter the Russian market through social network VK.com
– Live Dealer provider Smart Gaming launched what it claims as the industry’s first live Roulette game for Facebook.
– International Game Technologies’ social casino arm DoubleDown Casino entered into a number of strategic deals on a revenue-share basis that will see it hosted on the following websites: Jacobs Entertainment, Hard Rock Hotel and Casino Las Vegas, Nevada-based Bonanza Casino and Casino Del Sol Resort. The DoubleDown Casino app will be embedded into the casinos’ website.
– Wedge Buster is a new social sports platform that claims to offer over 100 asynchronous sports game titles
– bwin.party Entertainment established its dedicated social games unit “Win” and will utilize social gaming company Nordeus to develop a social sports betting application.
– Sports betting games developer RocketPlay (formerly known as Gamingo) is launching a new title on Facebook branded Sports Casino. RocketPlay accompanied the launch with an announcement that it is partnering with social gaming giant Zynga.
– California-based social gaming developer Digital Chocolate launched SLOTS! on Facebook.
– UK and Irish targeted social betting site BuddyBet launched with a sports offering using direct head-to-head challenges.
– Newly developed social gaming publisher PLAOR will launch its first Facebook game on October 8, 2012 titled “Hollywood Poker”.
OTHER CHANNELS:
– Canadian company TransGaming Inc., which specialises in the multiplatform deployment of games, announced the development of an exclusive World Poker Tour game for Smart TV that is expected to launch in the fall with a number of operators around the world. The WPT video game will be available on GameTree TV, TransGaming's on-demand Smart TV gaming platform, and will demonstrate the potential for interactivity and social engagement in the connected living room.
– Intralot’s HomeSmartPlay Betting Application for Samsung Smart TV devices will give home users instant access to INTRALOT's betting options through interacting with their TV device and controls. The application is embedded in the TV pre-purchase and is operated by using the remote control.
