Agora Media Group Innovation Blog

Is Google changing its strategy in order to get a better and firm grasp on the Social Web and the increasing power of Facebook?

This week was announced that Google has waved goodbye its all-in-one collaboration tool Google Wave.

On Wednesday and Thursday, multiple sources have reported that Google has acquired Slide, a social application developer for $182 million.
In July, the news was announced that Google has invested in Zynga to form the cornerstone for Google Games.

Are these all indications that Google is leaving the arena of platforms and is focussing on the content, which is being deployed on the Web?

The rumors about a social network experiment called “Google Me” are not in lign with the aforementioned developments, but a rumor is a rumor.
Facebook and others, like Twitter and Myspace have such a large userbase, it would be very difficult for Google to compete.
Like Google Wave, other social experiments have not been succesful.

By investing in social gaming, it will get a better grasp on one of the activities employed by users online, making advantage of the large and established userbases of Facebook, Myspace and others.

Not only for Google but also for other companies trying to get a share in social networking, it is becoming hard. People have established networks, time and attention are fragmented.
The advantages need to be really compelling in order to persuade users to be active on yet another network or leave a present one. If an extra network is added to the users’ portfolio, less attention and time is available per network, which is a disadvantage for both user and the social networks.

Secondly, Google kills two birds with one stone, Google Games and social gaming distributed via Facebook and others.

This development fits to overall approach of Google, the Web as a platform where all sorts of activities are deployed.
Think of entertainment/video via YouTube.
Think of communication via Gmail.
Think of information via its core, Search.
Gaming fits this list of activities very well.

What’s your opinion on the developments concerning Google and (social) gaming?

PRNewsWire reports that MTV Networks acquired Social Express, a social gaming development company, marking the company’s first entry into the social gaming space.

The company will create severeal games based on Nickelodeon and MTV shows and characters.

Chairman and CEO of MTV Networks, Judy McGrath, says:

“Social gaming is one of the biggest drivers of the explosive growth in social media – it’s fun, it’s engaging, and it’s shareable,” said Judy McGrath, Chairman and CEO of MTV Networks.  ”Social Express brings us strong experience and know-how in this burgeoning space, which we’ll supercharge with the IP and scale of Nickelodeon and other MTV Networks brands to create great new social gaming experiences for our fans and cool tools for independent developers as well.”

On a conceptual level, it will be interesting to learn if MTV Networks will head towards transmedia entertainment concepts, incorporating television programs, websites and social games to create a full-fledged integral storytelling.
Each medium will serve another purpose and like McGrath already states, Social gaming is fun and engaging, two ingredients which could add a new experience and layer to existing or new concepts.

Transmedia concepts do exists and there are great examples, for instance the Happiness Factory by Coca Cola.
The Happiness Factory is a virtual world of characters living inside a vending machine. The series lives across multiple channels, including commercials, interactive video games, and a musical soundtrack that features a variety of artists. The series provides Coca-Cola with additional revenue streams, and customers with a fun brand experience.

MTV Networks could do similar concepts based on Nickelodeon and MTV shows and characters, taking it a step further, taking the engagement of the viewers of MTV a step further.

What do you think of the potential MTV Networks has with Social Gaming?
Is the Entertainment industry perfect for transmedia concepts?

In a previous article, (Social) Gaming – significant numbers & the next level, Karl Long commented on it, referring to a presentation of Amy Jo Kim, about applying game mechanics to social sites.

The five game mechanics she refers to, are:
1. Collecting
2. Points
3. Feedback
4. Exchanges
5. Customization
Applying those to the context of social sites is easy to understand, it motivates. Motivation increases usage and usage increases loyalty, traffic, income and so on.

View below the aforementioned presentation:
read more

Today, February 3rd, game developer Paladin Studios has launched EnerCities. It is an online game in which players are challenged to build a sustainable city. It will run online (www.enercities.eu) and on Facebook, and is available in six European languages. The game is part of an educational platform dealing with energy issues, backed by European Commission funding of €1 million. read more

In an informative five minutes on Discovery Channel, numbers were presented on the Gaming industry.

Gaming is increasingly becoming a lucrative and competitive market with a huge global target audience.
The fastest growing entertainment industry, is indeed Gaming.

Figures compared to other industries (global turnover on the first day):
Game: Grand Theft Auto 4: $210 million
Game: More than 400.000 copies are reserved for the new Mario Bros game.
Book: Harry Potter (which part was not mentioned): $140 million
Movie: (forgot which one): $40 million

In terms of usage, FarmVille -which is the biggest Social Game on Facebook of 2009- has a whopping 27,5 million daily active users and a 72,9 million monthly users!

Gaming becomes more and more intertwined within our global culture, gaming often is a social event where people gather to play a game which they all fancy.
The Wii took this to the next level, by appealing to the conventional-non-gamers and attract them to game together with an innovative console, taking away perceived risks of this new target group.

As mentioned before, the Gaming industry is the fastest growing, and technology enablers will only push the growth further. Cross-media Social Gaming is the next step, take FarmVille, Mafia Wars or any other kind of Social Game and take it to the television.
The Wii already does this with Mario Kart, enabling players all over the world to game with each other through Internet connection.
By enabling Social Gaming as well through the television, the experience itself can be magnified by adding more features which relate better to the television device than the computer, therefore enhancing and creating new cross-media experiences.

The (social) Gaming industry will grow, diffuse amongst core-gamers and non-core-gamers, within daily lives and within our socially morphing framework.

What do you see as important developments and trends for the Social Gaming industry?