zynga

Zynga puts PetVille and more out to pasture

Say goodbye to PetVille, FishFille, Mafia Wars 2, and a slew of other games from the folks at Zynga.

The video game studio has reluctantly pulled the plug on 11 of its gaming titles, as detailed by blog site TechCrunch.

The list of casualities encompass some of the company's most popular games, most of which were playable online through Facebook and a few that were available as iOS or Android apps.

PetVille - Shut down as of yesterday. Mafia Wars 2 - Shut down to new players as of yesterday. FishVille - Shut down December 5th. Vampire Wars - … Read more

Go all in with Zynga Poker

Can't get all your friends together for a poker night? This free download will give you all the fun of Texas Hold 'Em with that signature Zynga addictiveness and social integration. Zynga Poker features a gorgeous layout that's easy to use, but the frequent in-game pop-ups and notifications might turn some people off.

If you know the Zynga name from its click-happy Facebook games, you either love it or hate it. This app won't change your mind one way or another. It will either become your new addiction or you'll avoid it on principle alone. When … Read more

Zynga's Mark Pincus deemed year's 4th worst CEO

Given the annus horribilis which was Zynga's 2012, it's understandable if Zynga's Mark Pincus can't wait until 2013 rolls around. Meanwhile, the hits just keep on coming -- the latest indignity being an annual list of the business world's lousiest CEOs where Pincus was rated the fourth worst corporate leader. No. 1 was Brian Dunn, who resigned in April from Best Buy, followed by Chesapeake Energy's Aubrey McClendon, and Avon's former boss Andrea Jung, who left her post in April.

The list, which began three years ago, was put out by Sydney Finkelstein, … Read more

Here come Zynga's Bubble Safari spin-offs

When Zynga has a hot game, it knows exactly what to do: Make more versions of it.

The social-gaming company just announced the launch of Bubble Safari Ocean and Bubble Safari for mobile, two new arcade-style games based on Zynga's popular Facebook game Bubble Safari.

Bubble Safari Ocean is already live on Facebook, and Bubble Safari mobile is expected to be available in the Apple App Store later today.

"There's something oddly satisfying about popping bubbles," VP of Zynga games Tom Casey wrote in a blog post. "Maybe it's the sense of power and … Read more

Gambleville: Zynga brings more slots to social gaming

Zynga is preparing to launch a new slots game, bringing even more attention to the social-gaming company's efforts to become a legit gambling destination.

Zynga touted the game, titled Zynga Elite Slots, this week, following news of the company preparing to set itself up for a gambling license in Nevada. Modeled after the computerized slot machines glittering inside the dark casinos of the Las Vegas Strip, Zynga Elite Slots doesn't use real money -- yet.

But don't ask the game's Austin, Texas-based design directors, Josh Gause and Nathan Ratcliffe, when that will happen. All they want … Read more

The quick rise and fall of Zynga

Wall Street and the gaming industry watched as Zynga, the social-gaming giant just starting its life as a public company, fell from glory this year. Although it's still the top dog in social gaming -- it boasts 300 million active players for its games, and its products remain Facebook's top games -- Zynga has had a year full of mistakes and misfortunes. The company spent $200 million of the $1 billion it made from its IPO buying game maker OMGPOP for its popular Draw Something game, only to watch the game's user numbers drop dramatically almost as … Read more

Google, Facebook ask court to reject patents on abstract ideas

As patent spats continue to command much of the tech world's attention and corporate resources, a group of prominent companies is taking a stand against a practice it sees as hobbling innovation.

Google, Facebook, Zynga and five other tech giants filed an amicus brief with the U.S. State Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit on Friday, asking the court to reject the patents central to a lawsuit between two financial institutions. CLS Bank has sued Alice Corp. for allegedly infringing on four patents covering a computerized method of having a third-party hold funds in escrow on behalf … Read more

T-Mobile to sell iPhone in 2013

Thursday's CNET Update completes the set:

T-Mobile USA Chief Executive John Legere confirmed that the carrier will be selling the iPhone next year. Expect T-Mobile to target AT&T and offer competitive pricing with new Value Plans.

Also in today's tech news roundup:

- Apple CEO Tim Cook said some Mac production will move to the U.S. in 2013. He also hinted that Apple is working on a new television concept.

- Google+ is adding Communities. These groups can be public or private for people with similar interests to start hangouts and plan events.

- Facebook … Read more

Zynga looks to foray into online gambling in Nevada

We've heard of betting with virtual currency in Zynga Poker, but how about playing with some bona fide dollar bills?

Zynga made its first move to create real-money gambling games in the U.S. by filing its initial application with the Nevada Gaming Control Board yesterday, according to the Wall Street Journal. Now, the board has to decide whether Zynga will be allowed to hold a gaming license in the state.

The social-gaming giant has made no secret that it'd like to get into the world of real-money gambling. In fact, in October it announced a deal with … Read more