"The network will allow people to play against each other across platforms, even if a site is in the FB and the other on an iPhone, for example"
Zynga announced that it will create a social gaming network "to offer a more unified experience" if the players are on Facebook, iOS or Android devices.
Called "Zynga with Friends", the network will allow people to play against each other on several different platforms, even if a site is in the FB and the other on an iPhone, for example.
They will also have access to the same set of social characteristics. This includes group chat and the ability to meet new friends - or "zFriends" as Zynga calls them - and challenge them to play.
Developers can also use external resources with a new, simplified set of APIs (application programming interfaces, in English), said the chief engineer of Zynga, Kostadis Roussos, during the event Zynga's Unleashed in San Francisco.
The company also announced a new crop of games, including two additions to its franchise "village" that are coming soon: "The Ville", where players can build a house and organize social activities, and "ChefVille", in which Users configure and run their own restaurant. They also released the "Matching With Friends," which is available for IOS devices, and "Zynga Slots Elite," a casino game that is coming soon.
The company also is launching multiplayer games, starting with the game Bubble Safari. It will extend the appeal to other multiplayer games, including those who stayed outside developers on the platform.
Zynga With Friends Network builds on the initial success of the gaming experience offered Zynga.com since March, the company said. The resources available on site for players will now be expanded to those who play on Facebook and Android mobile applications and iOS. Developers will be able to access resources through the company's new API.
The social Zynga.com customized streams for the game, offering new "zFriends", for example, based on the activities of similar games rather than shared connections. The company says that 70% of visitors access the social flow that the site offers and documenting the interactions of a user. The data flow will soon be available as part of Zynga With Friends for players on any device or platform, according to Manuel Bronstein, general manager of Zynga.
A company executive, Rob Dyer, head of publishing platform, referred to a "separation of church and state" to assure developers that their ideas will not be cooked. He also said the company is adopting an approach "very thoughtful" for the platform, initially looking for games that do not compete with their own offerings.
Roussos emphasized how difficult it is technically free multiplayer games. At the busiest time of day, the company's games have many active players as the city of Paris has residents, generating a million activities per second. The latency between the server and the client also presents a technical hurdle. The company generates 8 terabytes of data per day, said Reed Shaffner, product manager of Zynga.
Does the company disclose the value of their analysis to developers using its platform. Google Analytics data and analysis to show developers what features users like best, so they can continue releasing new experiences within the game, the company said.
The platform will be launched with the new developer partners - 50 Cubes, Majesco and Portalarium - and also to existing ones, including Sava Transmedia, Mob Science and Row Sham Bow.
Asked about more details on when the platform was going to air, Bronstein said, "You'll see more as a progression rather than as' this was the day that the platform was available."
