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Why social games suck, and whether they'll get better
Any self-respecting videogamer knows most social networking games are flat-out terrible as games. They're dull, repetitive, and derivative. Writer Troy Goodfellow details why they're so terrible, but also why they might get better.
His article at Crispy Gamer proclaims social gaming "the industry's new wild west", which makes them seem more exciting than they really are. But Goodfellow does a great job pulling the curtain aside and revealing the inner workings. It's not just a little man back there. It's a million people, clicking away at Mafia Wars on Facebook. They're the reason the games are terrible.Everyone I spoke to emphasized that the social part of social gaming is the most important part of the equation. The games only exist to build or expand social capital.
As veteran developer and turncoat Steve Metetzky told him, "Success is determined by how you use the gameplay to make people want to involve their friends."
The article puts these sorts of games in context next to "real" games. For instance, the development process:...social gaming companies can spend only weeks on a game, launch multiple betas to test new features, and adapt the game on the fly. The immense player base of these games keeps the pace viable, because there are so many avenues for monetization.
Goodfellow also notes a possible sea change in the works. A company named Zynga, for example, recently hired Civilization and Rise of Nations developer Brian Reynolds. Mr. Reynolds has some encouraging words about the future of social game design and Zynga's VP of marketing has an encouraging comment about the importance (or lack thereof) of revenue.
Since I don't play social games -- I spend enough time playing real games, thankyouverymuch -- the real eye-opener for me was this observation from a designer at OMGPOP, a social gaming site that targets 18- to 22-year-olds:A lot of the micropayment purchases are birthday gifts or a bunch of guys trying to impress a girl.
Ah, callow online youth.
By MoonDevil at 1:31 PM ON 07/21/09
I have played these games... and as a console/computer gamer I can say... they do really suck, if you are comparing them in any way to 'real games'. They are good only if you have them on your iPhone or phone and are sitting and waiting say for your car to be repaired, picking someone up from the airport who is on a delay, or something of that nature. They truly are a 'social networking game'... and I cannot tell how many times I am asked to join someone's mafia, vampire coven, or army. I am always turning down these offers with the reply of, " I have enough to contend with, with my 20 classes of WoW characters, SOCOM, Call of Duty MW, and other such games to get involved with this." Never wanting to be rude... but hey, when you have, love, and play console and computer games.... with all of the splendor of these makes the social games fail for me.
By gamegeek at 1:49 PM ON 07/21/09
"real games"? Wow. Way to retreat into the basement, slam, and lock the door there Chick.
By AngryJonny at 2:19 PM ON 07/21/09
I've never accepted one of my Facebook friends' invitations to Mafia Wars, Farmville, Castle Age (or whatever it's called), or the vampire game, so I can't speak to the games' quality (or lack of), but what drives me crazy are the constant, stupid updates: "Beaver sent bananas to Wally Cleaver in Mafia Wars." I so don't care! Is there a way to block these annoying "updates" (which they really aren't) and only these types?
By Joshua at 2:51 PM ON 07/21/09
Your Queen is waiting, my Lord!
Free Forever!
By Warren at 4:32 PM ON 07/21/09
I enjoyed the Facebook games for a while.
However, they all eventually just become a new high tech version of a chain letter.
They don't tone that down some and eventually they'll just drive everyone away.
By Warren at 4:34 PM ON 07/21/09
I enjoyed the Facebook games for a while.
However, they all eventually just become a new high tech version of a chain letter.
They don't tone that down some and eventually they'll just drive everyone away. It's one thing to be 'social' and it's an entirely another to be an annoying tool.
By joesocwork at 9:24 PM ON 07/21/09
I remember a fad a couple years ago (and being that long ago I can't remember the name) of a city building game website enticing members to get others to join the site by stating that each new member would add to the lot, a la Sim City. I found the requests to join very annoying.
I also wonder if this explains the rash of advertisements I'm seeing on the Net to join RPG/MMO's featuring scantily clad women.
By dingus at 12:55 AM ON 07/22/09
Very good article. Thanks for featuring it.
By bookworm at 6:09 AM ON 07/22/09
I have no idea what "real games" are, but I'm sure it's something that "true gamers" play, right? :P
Another nomination for the most stupid expression of the 21th century. Will compete with "Downloadable Content" and "WoW-Gayness" for the big price.
By Claybob at 8:43 PM ON 07/22/09
Its amazing how much social networking and multi-level marketing/ponzi schemes have in common. Part of the human condition I suppose.
By malkav11 at 8:34 PM ON 07/23/09
They're honestly kind of mildly entertaining in a ProgressQuesty sort of way, but that entertainment value varies inversely with how badly they want you to sign up your friends. If they inextricably tie progress in the game to adding more people on Facebook (or shelling out for fake friends, I suppose) or Myspace or whatever, all they've done is guaranteed I'll stop playing much sooner. I'm on Facebook to keep in touch with real life friends, especially ones I'd lost track of after high school, and the distant members of my family (all of them). I have absolutely no desire to add anyone as a friend who's not one or the other.
By Steiner at 2:07 PM ON 07/25/09
I got sucked into playing them for a while and sampled quite a few. There are a few that have enough interesting gameplay or strategy to make them worthwhile and certainly some of the competitive wordplay games like Scrabulous are best when kept simple.
Angry Jonny: you can turn off all of those game updates separately (and should) by going into the preferences for each game. In fact, erasing each unwanted game entirely from the list and blocking it is the best option.
Steiner:
I got sucked into playing them for a while and sampled quite a few. There are a few that have enough interesting ga...More »