Zynga (Mafia Wars, FarmVille, etc) has estimated annual revenues of $250 million?

[Queasy]

Was reading an article from the NY Times about Zynga getting $180 million in investment money from a Russian firm and came across this:

The companies did not disclose Zynga’s valuation as a result of the new capital, but the game company’s annual revenue has been reported to be around $250 million and growing quickly.


Two experts in Internet company finance said it would be reasonable for Zynga to command a valuation of two and a half to six times its annual revenue. That could put the value of the two-year-old Zynga at $1.5 billion; one industry insider believes the value could be as much as $3 billion.

Holy carp! That's alot of little microtransactions for some bug-ridden games.

 

[drum]

wow, I quit playing after level 235 or something

 

[AndroidVageta]

OMG...those games are horrible...played Street Racer for a bit, found it fun for like an hour then its all the same all over again...never changing. Plus all the game use the exact same platform...they all have the same goals, menus, etc...just different subjects...one racing the other mafia, its all the same.

250 million? I bet some young guy that made these is happier than a mother fucker right now.

 

[neutralizer]

I'm getting pretty tired of clicking so much for farmville. I might break my mouse or something trying to harvest, plow, and sow.

 

[Capt Caveman]

Amazing that people will spend money on a free game.

 

[Colt45]

I never understood what compels people to play those games.

 

[Jodell88]

I'm getting pretty tired of clicking so much for farmville. I might break my mouse or something trying to harvest, plow, and sow.

I feel your pain.

 

[pray4mojo]

I feel your pain.

I think I was getting carpel tunnel so I stopped playing

 

[QueBert]

I never understood what compels people to play those games.

There's an interesting link, the vast majority of people I see who play those kind of games are either users of Myspace or Facebook. It makes sense that people who use retarded social networking sites would play retarded games. I can't believe MS and FB make money either.

People are fucking stupid.

 

[OCGuy]

People are fucking stupid.

This is the answer to many of life's mysteries.

 

[JEDI]

Amazing that people will spend money on a free game.

i've never played.

how do they make $ on these free games?

 

[Capt Caveman]

i've never played.

how do they make $ on these free games?

You can spend money to buy reward points. You can then use those reward points to improve your character's stats or buy special items that help you in the game.

 

[Queasy]

i've never played.

how do they make $ on these free games?

advertising and microtransactions. For example, in Mafia Wars you can buy "reward points" with $ and use the "reward points" to buy rare items in the game.

21 reward points is $5 and it goes all the way up to 700 reward points for $90.

 

[ViviTheMage]

never played those games, they looked like CRAP...and they are all the exact same, just different methods..ie farm, mafia, family, etc...so stupid.

 

[Pepsei]

i've never played.

how do they make $ on these free games?

they sell 'god father' points that can 'enhance' your gaming experience and boost your character.

i've also 'sold' my various facebook accounts to people who wants level 500+ mw characters.

in hindsight, the game is horrible if you have to pay for it. it still implements 'carrot on a stick' type of element to get people hooked.

 

[Demon-Xanth]

My dad got a facebook account so he can play that farmerville thing...


...no,I don't have to worry about a friend request because for some odd reason, my dad's on a social networking site and I'm not.

 

[Capt Caveman]

they sell 'god father' points that can 'enhance' your gaming experience and boost your character.

i've also 'sold' my various facebook accounts to people who wants level 500+ mw characters.

Where did you sell your accounts thru? eBay?

 

[Fullmetal Chocobo]

I play and love Vampires (myspace version). It reminds me of the old text-only BBS games like LORD (Legend Of The Red Dragon).

 

[Ns1]

Quit mafia wars after a few days. Got Hella bored, more pointless than ikariam.

 

[sandorski]

I've never played those particular games, but have played some FB games(since quit) and still play a couple Browser Games(Astro Empires and Hobowars).

Hobowars is very similar to most FB type games, meaning: No matter what you do, you're Character pretty much continues to Improve with only minor consequences for failed actions. $Real can be spent for advantageous features, but you can use $Game to purchase those Features from others who spent $Real and re-sell them for $Game. That's what I do, can't quite bring myself to spend $Real on it.

Astro Empires is more like Civilization in Space, except you can't Lose or Gain a Base by successfully Attacking it. It is only Occupied, giving the Victor a Bonus and the Loser a Penalty for the duration of the Occupation. Unlike these other games, the AE Character(Empire) takes a Hit after a Defeat, sometimes that can be very severe. I am willing and do spend $Real on this game. It's only $35(CAD)/year approx, so it's not burdensome.

I am really surprised by these numbers though. Perhaps we should start an ATOT game? Could call it: Ban!

Or something.

 

[Pepsei]

Where did you sell your accounts thru? eBay?

First account I sold on ebay, it's a funny story, after the auction was over and the guy paid me. Ebay 'stopped' and deleted the auction. I completed the transaction anyway.

I sold the second account on PlayerAuctions.com.

 

[Pepsei]

I play and love Vampires (myspace version). It reminds me of the old text-only BBS games like LORD (Legend Of The Red Dragon).

Ah on WWIV, I remember writing two games for it back when I took structured programming in college (pascal back then). one was similar to LORD before it came out. But I took the idea from an even older BBS/Text Game system from Apple // days. The other game was similar to 'Dukedom' but based on religious cults.

 

[neutralizer]

I think I was getting carpel tunnel so I stopped playing

Macro.