Google is in talks with makers of popular online games in an effort to develop a social-networking service to compete with Facebook, according to a report. The Wall Street Journal reports that Google has been in discussions with top developers to offer their games on a new service it is building, according to people familiar […]
Google is in talks with makers of popular online games in an effort to develop a social-networking service to compete with Facebook, according to a report. The Wall Street Journal reports that Google has been in discussions with top developers to offer their games on a new service it is building, according to people familiar with the matter.
Those developers include Playdom, Electronic Arts’ Playfish and Zynga Game Network, a company in which Google recently invested. It is unclear when Google may launch the new gaming offering. The plans aren’t finalised, but people briefed on the matter told the WSJ that the games would be part of a broader social-networking initiative that is under development by the search giant.
28/07/2010
For social-game developers, a successful Google offering would mean they wouldn’t be so heavily dependent on Facebook, where the vast majority of users access the games.
On Tuesday, Walt Disney Co. acquired Playdom for $563.2 million plus up to $200 million more if performance targets are reached. And retailer GameStop Corp. agreed to buy online game distributor Kongregate Inc. for an undisclosed amount.
Read the full report here: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703292704575393531040685308.html
