Consider your Xbox 360 assimilated. PopCap announced today that the company has launched Bejeweled Blitz LIVE on Xbox Live Arcade. The game costs 800 Microsoft Points, or $10 USD, and is essentially Bejeweled Blitz without the Facebook connectivity. However, the game does make liberal use of Xbox Live, allowing 16 players at once to compete in 60-second matches. You can also battle your friends one-on-one on the same console or over Xbox Live. The question is: Will your Xbox Live friends be as impressed by your Bejeweled score as your Facebook friends? Check out our preview of Bejeweled Blitz LIVE before rushing to the Xbox Game Marketplace and decide for yourself.
[Image Credit: PopCap]
Have you tried Bejeweled Blitz on Xbox 360 yet? What PopCap game would you like to see on consoles next?
Great Site to Earn Money Online
Friday, January 6, 2012
Mafia Wars: Zynga, Digital Chocolate finally settle trademark lawsuit
After Millionaire City creator Digital Chocolate filed suit against Zynga in Aug. 2010 for trademark infringement involving the Mafia Wars brand, the dispute has at last been settled, Gamasutra reports. However, the settlement amount nor the terms have been disclosed. Interestingly enough, the Mafia Wars name still appears to be under Zynga control as the game has yet to undergo any changes.
In the lawsuit filed last year, Digital Chocolate said it released a Mafia Wars mobile game way back in 2004 along with three sequels through 2009, according to Gamasutra. This was three years before Zynga came around and four before the company's Mafia Wars was released. The company says it sent a notice to Zynga in 2009 demanding that it stop using the Mafia Wars moniker.
"Through duplicity and bad faith, Zynga has effectively hijacked the Mafia Wars mark from Digital Chocolate and is aggressively marketing its games under the Mafia Wars mark to Digital Chocolate's substantial detriment," said the firm in documents filed with California's Northern District Court, according to Gamasutra.
Digital Chocolate hit Zynga with several charges including federal/common law trademark infringement, federal/state/common law unfair competition, false designation of origin, and cyber-squatting, Gamasutra reports. However, the company appears largely unscathed--at least it does on the outside. Keep in mind that this is far from the first time Zynga has been the target of a lawsuit.
This gives even better reason to ask this question: Is Zynga constantly the victim of legal attacks because it's simply something that comes with being a mulit-billion company or does it have more to do with its methods? If anything, this goes to show how intense the social games business has become in more ways than one.
[Source: The Recorder]
What do you think went on behind the scenes during this settlement? How does this news make you feel about Zynga's game-creation process?
In the lawsuit filed last year, Digital Chocolate said it released a Mafia Wars mobile game way back in 2004 along with three sequels through 2009, according to Gamasutra. This was three years before Zynga came around and four before the company's Mafia Wars was released. The company says it sent a notice to Zynga in 2009 demanding that it stop using the Mafia Wars moniker.
"Through duplicity and bad faith, Zynga has effectively hijacked the Mafia Wars mark from Digital Chocolate and is aggressively marketing its games under the Mafia Wars mark to Digital Chocolate's substantial detriment," said the firm in documents filed with California's Northern District Court, according to Gamasutra.
Digital Chocolate hit Zynga with several charges including federal/common law trademark infringement, federal/state/common law unfair competition, false designation of origin, and cyber-squatting, Gamasutra reports. However, the company appears largely unscathed--at least it does on the outside. Keep in mind that this is far from the first time Zynga has been the target of a lawsuit.
This gives even better reason to ask this question: Is Zynga constantly the victim of legal attacks because it's simply something that comes with being a mulit-billion company or does it have more to do with its methods? If anything, this goes to show how intense the social games business has become in more ways than one.
[Source: The Recorder]
What do you think went on behind the scenes during this settlement? How does this news make you feel about Zynga's game-creation process?
CityVille promises new neighbors will be 'friends with benefits'
CityVille on Facebook wants you to find new friends. Ya know... friends with benefits. Starting now, when you visit a friend for the first time, you'll get a few extras that include: 5 bonus energy, 10 bonus XP and 300 bonus coins. Not a bad incentive if you've been slacking on finding new neighbors. After all, with 95 million people playing Zynga's city-building game every month, there's plenty of new friends to go around.
cityville friends with benefits
Looking for a few new neighbors (i.e. friends with benefits) in CityVille?
cityville friends with benefits
Looking for a few new neighbors (i.e. friends with benefits) in CityVille?
Thursday, January 5, 2012
Game of the Day: Shutter Island
The Game of the Day is movie magic, hidden object good time! In Shutter Island you help uncover the dark secrets of Shutter Island, the eerie Hidden Object thriller based on the suspense-filled movie. U.S. Marshal Teddy Daniels and his new partner have come to Shutter Island, home of Ashecliffe Hospital for the Criminally Insane, to investigate the disappearance of a patient, despite having been kept in a locked cell under constant surveillance. But nothing at Ashecliffe Hospital is as it seems, and disappearing patients isn't the only secret the island hides.
Click --> play Shutter Island
Important side note: Just by playing The Game of the Day you will be entered into a monthly drawing to win a FlipCam HD. You don't need to do anything else, just play! The more you play, the more chances you have to win. For more information on the Game of Day check out the official Game of the Day hub.
Click --> play Shutter Island
Important side note: Just by playing The Game of the Day you will be entered into a monthly drawing to win a FlipCam HD. You don't need to do anything else, just play! The more you play, the more chances you have to win. For more information on the Game of Day check out the official Game of the Day hub.
FarmVille: Free Orchard, five new trees available as free gifts
Two small updates have launched in FarmVille this weekend, both concerning trees. First, when you login, you'll receive a pop-up like the one above, giving you a free Orchard frame. This pop-up introduces us to the second update - the fact that five trees have been added to the free gifts page.
These five trees are the Jackfruit Tree, Cashew Tree, Walnut Tree, and Breadfruit Tree. The Guava Tree is a FarmVille.com exclusive, meaning that you'll have to head over to FarmVille.com and send them to your Facebook friends from that portal, rather than from Facebook proper.
As for the Orchard itself, you've actually only been given a frame to an Orchard, which normally costs 1,000 coins to purchase in the store. You'll find it in your Gift Box. You will still have to finish its construction yourself by collection 10 each of Wooden Boards, Nails, and Bricks.
Remember though - the English Countryside is confirmed to launch this week. In fact, today is technically the start of another week in America, and tonight also happens to be a FarmVille update day. While there's no guarantee the expansion will launch tonight, the simple fact that it will launch this week brings up the concern of whether or not you'll want to waste 30 building ingredients to build the Orchard that you may not have time to replace before the English Countryside launches. If you choose to skip it, you can sell the frame for 50 coins.
Will you build your free Orchard in FarmVille, or will you save your building materials for the English Countryside?
These five trees are the Jackfruit Tree, Cashew Tree, Walnut Tree, and Breadfruit Tree. The Guava Tree is a FarmVille.com exclusive, meaning that you'll have to head over to FarmVille.com and send them to your Facebook friends from that portal, rather than from Facebook proper.
As for the Orchard itself, you've actually only been given a frame to an Orchard, which normally costs 1,000 coins to purchase in the store. You'll find it in your Gift Box. You will still have to finish its construction yourself by collection 10 each of Wooden Boards, Nails, and Bricks.
Remember though - the English Countryside is confirmed to launch this week. In fact, today is technically the start of another week in America, and tonight also happens to be a FarmVille update day. While there's no guarantee the expansion will launch tonight, the simple fact that it will launch this week brings up the concern of whether or not you'll want to waste 30 building ingredients to build the Orchard that you may not have time to replace before the English Countryside launches. If you choose to skip it, you can sell the frame for 50 coins.
Will you build your free Orchard in FarmVille, or will you save your building materials for the English Countryside?
FarmVille: Pink Dogwood Tree appearing from Mystery Seedlings
Some farmers are reporting that they have received a new type of tree from Mystery Seedlings in FarmVille. According to FV Nation, the new tree is the Pink Dogwood Tree, which is quite a lovely shade of pale pink - perfect for the upcoming Spring.
It appears to be random at this point which trees give off the Pink Dogwood Tree, but I wouldn't be surprised if the actual tree was released this evening to purchase in the FarmVille marketplace, or at least some time in the very near future.
We'll make sure to give you all of the details about how you can get a Pink Dogwood Tree on your farm, should you not wish to "luck into" receiving one from a free Mystery Seedling, so keep checking back.
[Image Credit: FV Nation]
Have you received a Pink Dogwood Tree from your Mystery Seedlings? Have you seen friends sharing any on their wall?
It appears to be random at this point which trees give off the Pink Dogwood Tree, but I wouldn't be surprised if the actual tree was released this evening to purchase in the FarmVille marketplace, or at least some time in the very near future.
We'll make sure to give you all of the details about how you can get a Pink Dogwood Tree on your farm, should you not wish to "luck into" receiving one from a free Mystery Seedling, so keep checking back.
[Image Credit: FV Nation]
Have you received a Pink Dogwood Tree from your Mystery Seedlings? Have you seen friends sharing any on their wall?
FarmVille Spring Countdown Day 11: Bouncing Horse
Back on March 10, Zynga launched the Spring Countdown in FarmVille. This countdown is still going on, and we're just two prizes from the finale. Make that one prize, as a matter of fact, as a new prize has been made available for Day 11 of the countdown.
This new prize is the Bouncing Horse. Not to be confused with the Bouncing Horse released back in the International Children's Day event in June of 2010, this is an entirely different item that simply has the same name. This new Bouncing Horse, unlike the old Brown item, seems to be modeled after a gray and white Pinto Horse.
As this is part of the Spring Countdown, even if you don't want to have a second Bouncing Horse on your land, you'll need to collect at least one of these items to earn your check mark for the day. You'll be able to earn a Bouncing Horse by clicking on the "Ask/Share" button and then posting a news item to your wall asking your friends for help. If they help you, they'll receive a free Bouncing Horse as well, so don't be surprised if you wind up with five or more before all is said and done. At least you can always sell the extras.
Remember, for collecting all 12 of these prizes, we'll apparently be given an Instagrow Potion, so it's definitely worth all of the trouble.
Have you been keeping up with the Spring Countdown thus far? Do you like the prizes we've received, or are you tired of asking your friends for help?
This new prize is the Bouncing Horse. Not to be confused with the Bouncing Horse released back in the International Children's Day event in June of 2010, this is an entirely different item that simply has the same name. This new Bouncing Horse, unlike the old Brown item, seems to be modeled after a gray and white Pinto Horse.
As this is part of the Spring Countdown, even if you don't want to have a second Bouncing Horse on your land, you'll need to collect at least one of these items to earn your check mark for the day. You'll be able to earn a Bouncing Horse by clicking on the "Ask/Share" button and then posting a news item to your wall asking your friends for help. If they help you, they'll receive a free Bouncing Horse as well, so don't be surprised if you wind up with five or more before all is said and done. At least you can always sell the extras.
Remember, for collecting all 12 of these prizes, we'll apparently be given an Instagrow Potion, so it's definitely worth all of the trouble.
Have you been keeping up with the Spring Countdown thus far? Do you like the prizes we've received, or are you tired of asking your friends for help?
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