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Report: EA acquires social games dev Playfish
Industry sources claim EA has completed a deal to acquire social games developer Playfish, report Inside Social Games and Silicon Alley Insider. Unconfirmed estimates put EA's buyout bill at $250 million, while ISG believes Playfish could earn as much as $75 million in revenue this year alone. That's alotta money for those janky, little games on Facebook, right?For years, EA has been dabbling in social gaming -- a slightly less dirty designation than "casual gaming" -- starting with the launch and consolidation of the EA Casual Entertainment division in 2007, and then with the creation of EA Blueprint expressly for social ventures in 2008. The company has done plenty of outside spending, too, like throwing some dollars at Napster creator Shawn Fanning for his Rupture service. Just this week, EA launched Pogo Puppies for Facebook -- which actually competes with Playfish's Pet Society (pictured above) -- and scooped up social games publishing technology company J2PLay, as reported by Games.com.It's difficult to predict how EA Casual's major investments in social gaming might affect the EA Games label -- makers of the kinda games we care about -- but let's just hope there's a mighty thick wall between the two divisions. Okay, so maybe we've got some social anxiety, but we just can't stand the thought of our extravagant, big-budget, dim-the-lights, and shut-out-the-world games go the way of the dodo.[Via Industry Gamers]Source – Is EA Going to Buy Zynga or Playfish in Social Gaming Bid? [Inside Social Games]Source – Rumor: EA Acquires Playfish For $250 Million [Silicon Alley Insider]
EA's Charm Girls Club series to charm us all this fall
EA just announced a brand new IP today -- with four new games for Wii and DS! Not sure how you guys are going to feel about it, though. It's called Charm Girls Club. It "celebrates everything that's fun about being a girl," said Sarah Handley, Senior Director of Marketing for EA Play. In this case, "everything that's fun about being a girl" includes pajama parties (Charm Girls Club Pajama Party for Wii), proms, and clothes (My Perfect Prom, and My Fashion Show, all for DS). You'd think, given the stereotypical nature of the other games, that My Fashion Mall would be about shopping -- but it's actually about mall management. Every girl's dream!Charm Girls Club will be in stores, benefiting from awkward GameStop promotion this fall.%Gallery-64644%
EA reveals Henry Hatsworth in the Puzzling Adventure for DS
Neat hat on a clever noggin news now, with EA announcing Henry Hatsworth in the Puzzling Adventure (working title), a platformer/puzzler for the Nintendo DS. Developed by an EA Tiburon team under the publisher's Casual Entertainment label, Hatsworth hopes to fuse the "action of an adventure game with the challenge of a puzzle game," with players switching between "action-platform" screens and "the increasingly challenging puzzle world." EA promises over 30 levels and five "exotic" worlds for the geriatric genius to explore, complete with power ups, enemies and "outrageous world-ending bosses." The game's executive producer, Scott Walker, describes it as "an incredibly unique game" that you "won't want to put down" once it ships in 2009 -- which either means it's very good, or it has some sort of explosive detonator strapped to the back of the cartridge. %Gallery-29502%
SimCity Creator brings urban erection to Wii, DS
click to enlarge Since it's abundantly clear that we need to grow up, allow us to tell you about our dream of becoming city planners -- nay, creators! -- as soon as we reach adulthood. According to the latest issue of Japan's Famitsu magazine (as translated by the men of IGN), SimCity Creator will prove to be the ideal training tool. First announced in February of this year, the Wii game allows puerile planners such as ourselves to draw rivers or tracks (inevitably shaped like genitalia) with the Wiimote in the construction of our virtual cities. You'll be able to change the style of your buildings, with options including European, Chinese and Indian designs. Apparently, you can also opt for buildings made of crystal or candy. You'll be wanting to show those off to your friends via the game's city-sharing Wi-Fi Connection feature, shortly before you inflict a hilarious cataclysm upon your potentially edible metropolis. That's always been our favorite part of city planning.The game is currently expected to hit Japan in September. We'll let you know as soon as EA unveils its plans for other regions. Update: SimCity Creator will be available on the Wii and Nintendo DS on September 22, 2008 in North America and on September 19, 2008 in Europe and Asia-Pacific regions. %Gallery-23965%%Gallery-23966%Source -- Official EA press releaseSource -- Famitsu information
EA announces 'Zubo,' DS rhythm game aimed at kids
And since we're wearing Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles pajamas at this very moment, we figure it might as well be aimed at us too. Gleefully skipping into the crosshairs with us are boys and girls aged 7-11, whom EA's Casual Entertainment Label hopes to please with the release of Zubo, a DS-exclusive "music-based rhythm-action game featuring a unique set of characters." Slated to ship worldwide this Fall, Zubo has players zealously aiding the inhabitants of Zubalon -- those would be the eponymous Zubos -- and consequently foiling the insidious Zombos (zombie hobos?). There's a zoological element to the game, as you'll be able to recruit, feed and strengthen various Zubos before tossing them into muzak-and-rhythm battles. We also expect to encounter an evil Zamboni at some point, but we'll have to wait and zee.
