Battlefield Heroes increases store prices

Those looking to play the free online shooter Battlefield Heroes without paying any money will probably be disappointed. EA announced a few days ago that they are increasing all of the Valor Point (VP, the currency that is earned rather than bought) prices for goods as well as reducing the amount of time users get them. Instead of a week, users can only buy new items with VP for up to three days.

In contrast, the BatleFund (BF, the microstransaction money) prices for goods have dropped, including prices for the special skinned weapons. Note that the weapons you buy with BF can be bought permanently, and are often stronger than comparable VP weapons. Naturally, the community is in an uproar and there is even a petition with a thousand signatures. It's to be seen whether or not this will positively or negatively affect the game itself, as some people are bound to stop playing in protest.

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?

EA wants to get into hardcore gaming ... on Facebook [Update]

Update: Inside Social Games has confirmed that EA has purchased KlickNation. The outlet reports that the studio will be integrated into BioWare's social game development arm, most likely referring to BioWare San Francisco. Check out the full report here.

No, you probably won't see Battlefield 3 on Facebook anytime soon. But EA could make another social gaming buy by the end of the week, according to Inside Social Games's nameless sources. The Playfish and PopCap owner is reportedly looking to pick up Age of Champions creator KlickNation in a bid to enter the emerging hardcore social games scene on Facebook.

The 70 person-strong studio would add to the publisher's stable of social game developers that could bring its traditional game franchises to life on social networks, like EA2D (now BioWare San Francisco) has done with Dragon Age Legends. It's been said that there are nearly 80 million gamers enjoying more "core" game experiences on Facebook, so it's understandable why EA would be bullish on this audience.

However, as it does with your run-of-the-mill social games, EA faces stiff competition in the strategy games space on Facebook. Developers like Kixeye, Kabam and even Digital Chocolate have staked their claim when it comes to hardcore games on the platform. EA will likely test the waters with its upcoming Risk: Factions on Facebook, but that games appears more cartoon-like than most strategy games on the network.

The second place publisher has struck gold with The Sims Social, though it's in decline. Regardless, EA will be better off sticking with its more recognizable franchises if it's to use the KlickNation team to make new games. That said, maybe Battlefield will make it to Facebook after all--and there's always Command & Conquer.

Is it a good idea for EA to buy a developer like KlickNation? Could EA make a dent in the strategy games space on Facebook with properties like Command & Conquer?

Get (the real) Tetris on your Android phone for the cool price of 'free'

Alright proud Android users, time to replace that "Tetris" game on your phones with the real deal. EA has made the ubiquitous Russian puzzle game available on Android for free, zilch, nada, zero. Capiche? (That's your queue to hit up the Android Market.) The game includes new-and-improved visuals, a fan favorite marathon mode and it's the real deal ... for free.

Seriously, do we really need a better selling point? Fine, in addition to full touch controls, players can track their stats and high scores in the free version of Tetris for Android, too. Since the ultimate puzzle game debuted in the '80s, Tetris has been made available on 50 platforms, and is available in nearly every country in the world.

That's sure some progress for a game that hasn't changed much in almost 30 years--and doesn't need to, mind you. (Though, cross-play compatibility with Tetris Battle on Facebook would be most welcome.)

"Tetris is one of the most distinctive, well-known and popular video game franchises in the world and it gives EA the opportunity to grow its already-expanding customer base on the Android platform," said EA Interactive VP of Sales and Marketing Bernard Kim in a statement. "Tetris has a strong legacy in the mobile gaming world and we're excited to bring a free version of Tetris to yet another great platform."

Tetris Android Free
Tetris follows Scrabble as being the second game EA has made available on the Android platform. Perhaps we're witnessing a growing EA trend. Now, if only that trend would find its way over to my iPhone.

Click here to download Tetris on Android for Free Now >

Have you picked up Tetris on your Android phone for free today from EA? What do you say, has Tetris stood the 27-year-long test of time? Sound off in the comments. Add Comment

The Sims Social maker EA wants you ... to make it lots of ad money

And unfortunately, it doesn't sound like you'll have much of a choice. EA, co-creator of Playfish's The Sims Social on Facebook (and arch nemesis to Zynga at this point), has announced EA Legend.

This is the company's new platform to provide marketers and advertisers with "campaign and audience insights across mobile, social, online and console games reaching over 300 million people worldwide," a release reads.

In other words, you're more valuable to EA than you might already know. The publisher wants to use the information you provide them inadvertently through gameplay to rope in ad and marketing deals not just through its Facebook games but all of its games. More specifically, EA said it can provide advertisers with (prepare for buzzword overload):

    Key cross-platform campaign performance indicators such as impressions, clicks, unduplicated reach, demographic profiles, social media buzz, and ROI metrics.

    Segmented audience insights based on demographic, psychographic, and social data.

    Ability to drill down into the factors that impact campaign effectiveness including audience engagement, audience segmentation and type of creative all measured over time.

EA Legend
What's that again--psychographic data? This may all sound like something out of "1984," but it's nothing new. If you think other game creators don't do this type of stuff, then here's your wake-up call. We won't know exactly what information about us EA will provide to advertisers through Legend until it makes advertisers see green at this year's Advertising Week event in New York City on Oct. 4. And if EA keeps using words like psychographic, we may never know.

[Via All Facebook]

What do you think about this new EA Legend program? Do you think it's something worth worrying about, or is this just business as usual? Sound off in the comments. 1 Comment

The Sims Social beats FarmVille, attracts second most daily players

Boy, people sure do love to play god. According to Appdata, The Sims Social has surpassed Zynga's iconic FarmVille with the second most daily players of any Facebook game. Since its launch just a month ago today, EA and Playfish's ambitious social rendition of The Sims has amassed over 9.3 million daily players--that's over 1 million more than FarmVille's 8.1 million.

The Sims Social still has a way to go to the number one spot, which is, of course, held by Zynga's most popular game CityVille at just under 14 million daily players. Regardless, it's unprecedented for a game to grow this quickly in daily players, at least for a game that wasn't built by Zynga. Not to mention this is despite the hiccups the game faced along the way including days worth of downtime.

So, that's the power of The Sims, huh? Well, not so fast. While The Sims Social has certainly showed its might when it comes to gripping players (and keeping them there ... so far), the game is still in fourth place in terms of monthly players at just over 34.3 million. This number could grow in time naturally as daily players spread the word and through advertising, but it's nevertheless telling of the limits a Facebook game faces when it doesn't have a massive existing player base, like Zynga's games.

In other words, EA and Playfish have quite a lot of work ahead of them, if they want The Sims Social to be on top in all regards. But judging from the game's performance thus far despite its early setbacks--and in the face of the most popular Facebook games to date--perhaps Simlish could become the dominant language in Facebook gaming.

Have you been one of the over 9 million locked into The Sims Social? What do you think of the game so far? Share with us in the comments.Add Comment