Are mobile social games in trouble as OnLive comes to HTC phones?

And you thought the retailers were scared? The server-based games service OnLive just sealed a $40 million funding deal with smartphone manufacturer HTC, VentureBeat reports. The OnLive subscription service streams graphically intense, HD video games through your wired or wireless broadband Internet connection to your computer or through its $99 mini console. What this does is essentially eliminate the need for a pricey gaming computer or even an Xbox 360 or PlayStation 3 in replace for a subscription fee, and now that power will be on your HTC smartphone.

HTC EVOAnd while no official statements have been made, this could be scaring the bejeezus out of social game creators like Zynga and Playdom who have just broken into the mobile scene. While their efforts have certainly been impressive, making effective use of Facebook Connect and the HTML5 format, they don't hold up very well to full-blown HD games. Sure, social games have their own unique qualities. But the runaway success of high-caliber mobile games like Infinity Blade for iPhone is a sign that there's a large audience for this type of game. Some of which who might have once been social gamers.

Not to mention HTC is on nearly every major cellular carrier in the nation from AT&T to Verizon and Sprint. Of course, Apple and other smartphone manufacturers like Motorola, Samsung and LG haven't made any public offers to OnLive yet. But what if HTC's deal with the company is non-exclusive? OnLive could potentially spread like wildfire. Movie fans already pay for mobile Netflix, so why wouldn't gamers pay for mobile OnLive too? Worse even, imagine if OnLive could implement Facebook Connect into its service, adding a social layer to all of its games.

Of course, this is all speculation. But OnLive on mobile phones--like this HTC EVO 4G rumored as the first to get OnLive, according to VentureBeat--poses a serious threat to the mobile social gaming movement. Could hardcore and social gamers coexist on mobile? Sure, but I'm willing to bet OnLive is after a good amount of the audience that just happens to dabble in both worlds.

[Image Credits: Amazon and Platform Nation]

Would you be interested in playing full-blown HD video games on your HTC phone? Which would you prefer more: mobile hardcore games or mobile social games?

CrowdStar's Social Girl: An iOS game that is neither Top Girl nor social

Confusing, we know. CrowdStar recently released Social Girl for iPhone and iPad on the App Store. And no, this isn't an update for the developer's existing iOS and Android social game, Top Girl. This is a brand new game challenges players to become to most popular girl in town by making virtual friends and creating the boy toy of their dreams.

How this is any different from previous "Girl" games by CrowdStar, we haven't in the slightest. Nevertheless, Social Girl is the developer's most successful mobile game to date, garnering over 1 million downloads in the past week. Such numbers helped the girly game become the sixth most grossing game on the App Store this week, displacing the almighty Angry Birds.

In Social Girl, players befriend different cliques of up to 25 virtual friends and unlock new and special outfits for unique dates with a boyfriend of their own creation. Still, we're not seeing the differences. At any rate, this take on CrowdStar's successful "Girl" franchise seems to focus far less on social (that's strange) play between friends and more on a self-engineered experience.
Social Girl in action

The game is another phase in CrowdStar's Project Trident, its mission to gain foothold on Facebook, mobile and global platforms. But at first glance, Social Girl doesn't seem to live up to its title: The only remotely social feature found within is Game Center achievements. Perhaps these will come in a future update, but Social Girl could have used a more fitting name.

Click here to download Social Girl for Free Now >

Have you tried out Social Girl yet? What do you think of the game compare to previous "Girl" games from CrowdStar?

Buzz! maker Relentless Software snags EA staffer for social games

Are hits like The Sims Social and (supposedly) SimCity for Facebook on the way not enough? Another EA employee has left the nest to take a crack at social games elsewhere. Relentless Software, best known for the Buzz! quiz game series for consoles, announced that it has hired former EA staffer James Wright as executive producer of its new social games division.

"We're serious about social and mobile games and that's why we have taken the logical step to separate these activities from the console business," Relentless Software executive director Andrew Eades said. "We've hired James Wright as Executive Producer who has a decade of experience in developing and publishing mobile games and has been involved in a number of top ten tittles including Draw Race 2. Our original IP will be steered from the Digital division and already includes Blue Toad Murder Files and Quiz Climber."

In short, Relentless Software wants to get into social games in a big way, and it wants Wright at the forefront of its initiative. The UK-based developer already has brief experience on Facebook with games like Quiz Climber. "The formalization of the Digital Division is a valuable starting point to take over from Relentless' self-publishing strategy," Wright said. "It will bring more fun, accessible and ground-breaking titles across several platforms for non-gamers."

It's that "non-gamers" bit that hangs us up. Perhaps Relentless Software has a different view of the 300 some million social gamers on Facebook and even more on mobile devices. Are the games currently available on social and mobile platforms not really games in the studio's eyes? At any rate, Relentless might want to get Buzz! on Facebook and mobile fast--it would kill it.

Do you think a studio like Relentless Software find more success on Facebook and mobile with a dedicated division? Would you like to see Buzz! on social and mobile game platforms?

Crime City maker assaults iOS first, Facebook later with Modern War

Now, isn't that odd? Crime City creator Funzio has decided to do the reverse of most social game companies: release a new on iPhone and iPad first, then come back to Facebook. Funzio has released its second original game, Modern War, to iOS devices. The game looks terribly similar to the iOS version of Crime City that released late this summer.

In other words, Modern War is essentially Crime City, but with dudes in military uniforms wielding M4 rifles rather than guys in torn jeans, brandishing knives. Players can take down terrorists (original!), bomb enemy vessels and structures and battle against other players in asynchronous, turn-based bouts. Of course, players can build alliances to defend themselves and bring to hurt more easily to other players.

According to TechCrunch, the game's graphics are designed to appeal to traditional gamers, and Modern War differentiates itself from Crime City with new combat options like jets and naval units. Players can share the game with friends on Facebook, but the focus here is mobile first, which is somewhat of a new concept for Facebook game makers.

It looks like we know just where Funzio's focus has shifted, just as the company takes on former EA exec Jamil Moledina. There's no word yet on whether the Facebook version will be connected to the iPhone and iPad varieties. But looking at how Mafia Wars 2 is doing on Facebook--a ... spiritual successor to Crime City--we can see why Funzio would hold back for a bit.


Click here to download Modern War on iPhone or iPad Now >

Are you a Crime City fan still? Do you think Modern War is different enough to pique your interest?