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ZNGA: WILL OUTPERFORM MARKET, 5,061.5% PERCENT, & 3,515.6% PERCENT SHARE INCREASES BY HEDGE FUNDS
AS OF SEP 29, 2017, THE CONSENSUS FORECAST AMONGST 16 POLLED INVESTMENT ANALYSTS COVERING ZYNGA INC ADVISES THAT THE COMPANY WILL OUTPERFORM THE MARKET.
BLACKROCK INC. INCREASED ITS HOLDINGS IN ZYNGA BY 5,061.5% IN THE 1ST QUARTER.
BLACKROCK INC. NOW OWNS 35,936,741 SHARES OF THE COMPANY’S STOCK VALUED AT $102,420,000 AFTER BUYING AN ADDITIONAL 35,240,491 SHARES DURING THE PERIOD.
BALYASNY ASSET MANAGEMENT LLC LIFTED ITS HOLDINGS IN SHARES OF ZYNGA INC. (NASDAQ:ZNGA) BY 3,515.6% IN THE 2ND QUARTER
THE PREVIOUS CONSENSUS FORECAST ADVISED INVESTORS TO HOLD THEIR POSITION IN ZYNGA INC.
ZYNGA INC. (ZNGA) SHARES BOUGHT BY BALYASNY ASSET MANAGEMENT LLC
POSTED BY JAMES CONLEY ON OCT 5TH, 2017 // NO COMMENTS
BALYASNY ASSET MANAGEMENT LLC LIFTED ITS HOLDINGS IN SHARES OF ZYNGA INC. (NASDAQ:ZNGA) BY 3,515.6% IN THE 2ND QUARTER, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 3,404,736 shares of the company’s stock after buying an additional 3,310,568 shares during the quarter. Balyasny Asset Management LLC owned approximately 0.39% of Zynga worth $12,393,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.
Source:
https://baseballnewssource.com/markets/zynga-inc-znga-shares-bought-by-balyasny-asset-management-llc/1687882.html
FINANCIAL TIMES
International EditionUK Edition
EQUITIES
ZYNGA INC
ZNGA:NSQ
Actions
CONSENSUS RECOMMENDATION
AS OF SEP 29, 2017, THE CONSENSUS FORECAST AMONGST 16 POLLED INVESTMENT ANALYSTS COVERING ZYNGA INC ADVISES THAT THE COMPANY WILL OUTPERFORM THE MARKET. This has been the consensus forecast since the sentiment of investment analysts improved on Feb 28, 2017. THE PREVIOUS CONSENSUS FORECAST ADVISED INVESTORS TO HOLD THEIR POSITION IN ZYNGA INC.
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Recommendations 1yr ago Latest
Buy 4 4
Outperform
1 3
Hold 8 7
Underperform
4 2
Sell 0 0
Share price forecast
THE 13 ANALYSTS OFFERING 12 MONTH PRICE TARGETS FOR ZYNGA INC HAVE A MEDIAN TARGET OF 4.25, WITH A HIGH ESTIMATE OF 5.25 AND A LOW ESTIMATE OF 3.00. THE MEDIAN ESTIMATE REPRESENTS A 11.26% INCREASE FROM THE LAST PRICE OF 3.82.
Past 12 monthsNext 12 months4.06.0? High forecast: 5.25
High 37.4% 5.25
Med 11.3% 4.25
Low -21.5% 3.00
EARNINGS HISTORY & ESTIMATES
On Aug 02, 2017, Zynga Inc reported 2nd quarter 2017 earnings of 0.02 per share. THIS RESULT WAS IN LINE WITH THE CONSENSUS OF THE 14 ANALYSTS FOLLOWING THE COMPANY AND OUTPERFORMED LAST YEAR'S 2ND QUARTER RESULTS BY 0.02.
THE NEXT EARNINGS ANNOUNCEMENT IS EXPECTED ON OCT 31, 2017.
Forecasts2016Q32016Q42017Q12017Q22017Q32017Q400
Average growth rate +33.33%
Zynga Inc reported annual 2016 earnings of 0.03 per share on Feb 09, 2017.
Forecasts201320142015201620172018000
2017
Reported: --
Consensus: 0.1
High: 0.11
Low: 0.08
Analysts: 11
Average growth rate +37.50%
REVENUE HISTORY & ESTIMATES
ZYNGA INC. HAD 2ND QUARTER 2017 REVENUES OF 209.18M. THIS BETTERED THE 206.57M CONSENSUS OF THE 11 ANALYSTS COVERING THE COMPANY. THIS WAS 19.77% ABOVE THE PRIOR YEAR'S 2ND QUARTER RESULTS.
Forecasts2016Q32016Q42017Q12017Q22017Q32017Q4100m200m300m
Q3 2016
Reported: 196.72 m
Consensus: 187.31 m
High: 195.2 m
Low: 180 m
Analysts: 12
AVERAGE GROWTH RATE +4.71%
ZYNGA INC. HAD REVENUES FOR THE FULL YEAR 2016 OF 754.50M. THIS WAS 7.79% ABOVE THE PRIOR YEAR'S RESULTS.
Forecasts201320142015201620172018500m1b
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Source:
https://markets.ft.com/data/equities/tearsheet/forecasts?s=ZNGA:NSQ
STOCK TO TRACK: ZYNGA INC CL A CMN (ZNGA)
BY
JOE STERLING
-
OCTOBER 6, 2017
Zynga Inc Cl A Cmn (NASDAQ:ZNGA) shares traded on 0% above secure line and closed at $3.82. The stock exchanged hands 7.88 Million shares versus average trading capacity of 9.61 Million shares. It has a market cap of $3.26 Billion.
WALL STREET ANALYSTS ARE PREDICTING THAT ZYNGA INC CL A CMN (NASDAQ:ZNGA) WILL REPORT EARNINGS PER SHARE OF $0.02 IN THEIR QUARTERLY REPORT. FOR THE CURRENT QUARTER ZYNGA INC CL A CMN (NASDAQ:ZNGA) HAS HIGH EPS ESTIMATES OF $0.03 in contradiction of low EPS estimates of $0.02. However a year ago for the same quarter the company has reported $0.01 EPS. Average estimation for the current quarter has been provided by 11 analysts.
Investors as well as the sell-side will be paying close attention to how the actual numbers compare with the estimates. Earnings surprises can have a huge impact on a company’s stock price. Several studies suggest that positive earnings surprises not only lead to an immediate hike in a stock’s price, but also to a gradual increase over time. HENCE, IT’S NOT SURPRISING THAT SOME COMPANIES ARE KNOWN FOR ROUTINELY BEATING EARNING PROJECTIONS. A negative earnings surprise will usually result in a decline in share price.
A LARGE SURPRISE FACTOR IN EITHER DIRECTION TYPICALLY CAN LEAD TO A SIGNIFICANT SWING IN THE STOCK PRICE IN THE HOURS AND DAYS AFTER THE REPORT. Previously Zynga Inc Cl A Cmn (NASDAQ:ZNGA) reported $0.02 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, meeting the consensus estimate of $0.02 by $0 with surprise factor of 0%.
Zynga Inc Cl A Cmn (NASDAQ:ZNGA) has average revenue estimates of $207.53 Million, compared to low analyst estimates of $204.9 Million and high estimates of $210 Million for the current quarter. A total number of 12 analysts provided estimations over revenues. For the current year the company’s revenue estimates are $842.88 Million compared to low analyst estimates of $825 Million and high estimates of $854.45 Million according to the prediction of 13 analysts.
Taking a broader look at the analyst consensus, according to 13 analysts Zynga Inc Cl A Cmn (NASDAQ:ZNGA)’s price will reach at $4.2 during 52 weeks. Its minimum price target estimates has been figured out at $3 while the maximum price target forecast is established at $5.25.
On the other hand Zynga Inc Cl A Cmn (NASDAQ:ZNGA) has Relative Strength Index (RSI 14) of 54.12 along with Average True Range (ATR 14) of 0.1. Where the relative strength index (RSI) is a technical momentum indicator that compares the magnitude of recent gains to recent losses in an attempt to determine excess buying & selling conditions of an asset, it is one of the most popular technical indicators, computed on the basis of the speed and direction of a stock’s price movement. The RSI value will always move between 0 and 100; the value will be 0 if the stock falls on all 14 days, and 100, if the price moves up on all the days) as suggested by J Welles Wilder. In terms of market analysis and trading signals, RSI moving above the horizontal 30 reference level is viewed as a bullish indicator, while the RSI moving below the horizontal 70 reference level is seen to be a bearish indicator. The level of 50 represents neutral market momentum and corresponds with the center line in other oscillators such as MACD (Moving Average Convergence/Divergence). The average true range (ATR) is a measure of volatility introduced by Welles Wilder.
Consequently Zynga Inc Cl A Cmn (NASDAQ:ZNGA)’s weekly and monthly volatility is 2.43%, 2.96% respectively.
Source:
https://postregistrar.com/2017/10/06/stock-to-track-zynga-inc-cl-a-cmn-znga-3/
ETF MANAGERS GROUP LLC TAKES POSITION IN ZYNGA INC. (ZNGA)
POSTED BY DEVON DIXON ON OCT 6TH, 2017 // NO COMMENTS
ETF MANAGERS GROUP LLC BOUGHT A NEW STAKE IN ZYNGA INC. (NASDAQ:ZNGA) DURING THE 2ND QUARTER, ACCORDING TO ITS MOST RECENT FORM 13F FILING WITH THE SEC. THE FIRM BOUGHT 317,403 SHARES OF THE COMPANY’S STOCK, VALUED AT APPROXIMATELY $1,155,000.
Other hedge funds have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. BLACKROCK INC. INCREASED ITS HOLDINGS IN ZYNGA BY 5,061.5% IN THE 1ST QUARTER. BLACKROCK INC. NOW OWNS 35,936,741 SHARES OF THE COMPANY’S STOCK VALUED AT $102,420,000 AFTER BUYING AN ADDITIONAL 35,240,491 SHARES DURING THE PERIOD.
Legal & General Group Plc increased its holdings in Zynga by 454.0% in the 2nd quarter. Legal & General Group Plc now owns 1,414,781 shares of the company’s stock valued at $5,110,000 after buying an additional 1,159,405 shares during the period. Two Sigma Securities LLC increased its holdings in Zynga by 103.1% in the 1st quarter. Two Sigma Securities LLC now owns 101,074 shares of the company’s stock valued at $288,000 after buying an additional 51,299 shares during the period. Morgan Stanley increased its holdings in Zynga by 30.4% in the 1st quarter. Morgan Stanley now owns 27,433,552 shares of the company’s stock valued at $78,186,000 after buying an additional 6,397,949 shares during the period. Finally, Comerica Bank increased its holdings in Zynga by 914.3% in the 2nd quarter. Comerica Bank now owns 306,032 shares of the company’s stock valued at $1,148,000 after buying an additional 275,860 shares during the period. 68.19% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.
Several equities analysts have commented on the stock. Zacks Investment Research lowered shares of Zynga from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Thursday. Morgan Stanley reissued an “overweight” rating and issued a $3.70 target price on shares of Zynga in a report on Saturday, July 22nd. Robert W. Baird reissued a “hold” rating and issued a $4.00 target price on shares of Zynga in a report on Friday, September 15th. Benchmark Co. reissued a “buy” rating and issued a $4.35 target price (up from $3.65) on shares of Zynga in a report on Wednesday, August 9th. Finally, Wedbush reissued an “outperform” rating and issued a $4.65 target price (up from $4.25) on shares of Zynga in a report on Wednesday, August 9th. Six equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and nine have issued a buy rating to the company. Zynga currently has a consensus rating of “Buy” and a consensus price target of $4.06…
Source:
https://weekherald.com/2017/10/06/etf-managers-group-llc-takes-position-in-zynga-inc-znga.html
ZNGA: TAKEOVER CHATTER, ZYNGA IS THE SUBJECT
ZNGA: IN TAKEOVER CHATTER, IT’S LOW PRICE MAKES IT EVEN MORE ATTRACTIVE.
UPSIDE BEYOND THE WEDBUSH TARGET.
WEDBUSH HAS SET ITS PRICE TARGET AT $4.65
DRIVE MARGIN EXPANSION, WHICH IS VERY POSITIVE
IN THE COMPANY’S RELATIVELY SHORT HISTORY, IT HAS DEVELOPED A BROAD PORTFOLIO OF GAMES
THE COMPANY ALSO POPS UP IN TAKEOVER CHATTER, AND THE LOW PRICE MAKES IT EVEN MORE ATTRACTIVE.
FOUR ADDITIONAL COMPANIES ON THE LIST MAKE GOOD SENSE FOR GROWTH STOCK INVESTORS … ALL ARE RATED OUTPERFORM AT WEDBUSH
WEDBUSH MAKES BIG CHANGES TO BEST IDEAS LIST FOR OCTOBER
BY LEE JACKSON OCTOBER 3, 2017 9:45 AM EDT
WITH THE THIRD-QUARTER EARNINGS REPORTS READY TO START ROLLING OUT FAST AND FURIOUS, MANY OF THE TOP ANALYSTS WE FOLLOW ON WALL STREET ARE MAKING SOME CHANGES TO THE LISTS OF THEIR HIGH-CONVICTION STOCK PICKS FOR CLIENTS.
With the market continuing to trade near all-time highs, it makes sense to examine the lists and make some changes as the rest of the year could have additional volatility as the political and world landscape looks to remain unsettled.
In a new research note, the analysts at Wedbush make a big move by swapping out a top biotech company and adding a financial short-sale idea. They noted this in the report:
We are removing Lexicon Pharmaceuticals Inc.(NASDAQ: LXRX) from Wedbush Best Idea List because recently, the main potential catalysts for 2017 have been announced and we do not see material announcements in the remainder of 2017, but look to 2018 for material U.S. regulatory catalysts. We are adding Capital One Financial (NYSE: COF) as an Underperform to the portfolio. We are not positioning the bank as an absolute “alpha-short”, but rather, our focus is its performance relative to its credit card peers and banks in the S&P 500 bank index.
FOUR ADDITIONAL COMPANIES ON THE LIST MAKE GOOD SENSE FOR GROWTH STOCK INVESTORS LOOKING FOR TOP FOURTH-QUARTER IDEAS. ALL ARE RATED OUTPERFORM AT WEDBUSH…
Activision Blizzard
This remains a top pick on Wall Street and Wedbush says to buy any dip now. Activision Blizzard Inc. (NASDAQ: ATVI…
Discover Financial Services
This top financial stock has very wide brand recognition. Discover Financial Services Inc. (NYSE: DFS)…
Royal Caribbean Cruises
This stock looks solid as many people continue to take expensive cruises. Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. (NYSE: RCL)…
ZYNGA
THIS VERY AGGRESSIVE TECH PLAY COULD HAVE UPSIDE BEYOND THE WEDBUSH TARGET. Zynga Inc. (NASDAQ: ZNGA) is a leading developer of mobile and social games. IN THE COMPANY’S RELATIVELY SHORT HISTORY, IT HAS DEVELOPED A BROAD PORTFOLIO OF GAMES THAT INCLUDES SEVERAL GAMES ON FACEBOOK AND SEVERAL TOP-GROSSING MOBILE APPS.
KEY FRANCHISES INCLUDE FARMVILLE, ZYNGA POKER, HIT IT RICH SLOTS AND WORDS WITH FRIENDS.
The company’s second-QUARTER RESULTS IN AUGUST WERE HIGHLIGHTED BY INCREASED DAILY ACTIVE USERS AND MONTHLY UNIQUE PAYERS ON STRONGER LIVE SERVICES ENGAGEMENT. WITH LIVE EVENTS GROWING revenues, cost cutting should drive margin expansion, which is very positive.
THE COMPANY ALSO POPS UP IN TAKEOVER CHATTER, AND THE LOW PRICE MAKES IT EVEN MORE ATTRACTIVE.
WEDBUSH HAS SET ITS PRICE TARGET AT $4.65. THE CONSENSUS TARGET IS $4.20, and shares closed most recently at $3.84.
These stocks from the Best Ideas List at Wedbush offer varying degrees of risk and upside. The fact that they are not crowded momentum plays makes them far more attractive for the rest of 2017 and into next year.
BY LEE JACKSON
Source:
247wallst.com/investing/2017/10/03/wedbush-makes-big-changes-to-best-ideas-list-for-october/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+247wallst_partners+%2824%2F7+Wall+St.+-+Syndication+Partners%29
ZNGA: $100,000,000,000 BILLION
THE GLOBAL DIGITAL GAMES MARKET ARE ESTIMATED TO REACH THE $100 BILLION MILESTONE BY THE END OF THIS YEAR.
THE GAMING INDUSTRY BENEFITS FROM INNOVATIVE REVENUE BOOSTING TECHNIQUES
FINANCIALBUZZ.COM NEWS COMMENTARY
________________________________________
NEWS PROVIDED BY
FINANCIALBUZZ.COM
09:00 ET
________________________________________
NEW YORK, OCTOBER 2, 2017 /PRNEWSWIRE/ --
ACCORDING TO A REPORT BY JUNIPER RESEARCH, REVENUES FROM THE GLOBAL DIGITAL GAMES MARKET ARE ESTIMATED TO REACH THE $100 BILLION MILESTONE BY THE END OF THIS YEAR. THE REPORT INDICATES THAT CONTRARY TO PREVIOUS ESTIMATES, THE PC MARKET HAS BEEN REIGNITED THANKS TO F2P (FREE TO PLAY) GAMES.
F2P allows gamers to access the game for free. REVENUES ARE THEN MADE BY PURCHASES WITHIN THE GAME, WHICH IS KNOWN AS THE FREEMIUM MODEL; POPULARIZED BY MOBILE GAMES, in order to grow the number of players and accelerate spending. COMBINED WITH THE CONTINUED GROWTH OF MOBILE, THE INDUSTRY IS PROJECTED TO REACH REVENUES OF $132 BILLION by 2021. Versus Systems, Inc. (OTC: VRSSF), Zynga Inc. (NASDAQ: ZNGA), Glu Mobile (NASDAQ: GLUU), Sony Corporation (NYSE: SNE), Microsoft Corp. (NASDAQ: MSFT)
THE OUTLOOK FOR THE GAMING INDUSTRY IS POSITIVE ACCORDING TO JUNIPER. DEVELOPERS ARE INTEGRATING IN-GAME ADVERTISING, WHICH IS MOST EFFECTIVE WHEN USERS ARE REWARDED.
For example, watching a short video to provide players with additional in-game credits, and other rewards. "JUNIPER BELIEVES THERE IS FURTHER OPPORTUNITY FOR F2P on PC; particularly in Western markets; as well as console, with digital platforms such as Xbox Live playing host to F2P titles which are then monetized via in-game purchases and add-ons" explained research author Lauren Foye in a press release…
Source:
www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/the-gaming-industry-benefits-from-innovative-revenue-boosting-techniques-649048443.html
OK, you knew.
VCSY: ( PLOINKS, INC. )STOPS CLOUDS & SERVERS WHO COLLECT & USE YOUR INFORMATION
TODAY IS THE DAY YOU TAKE BACK CONTROL
STOP ALLOWING CENTRAL CLOUDS AND SERVERS COLLECT AND USE YOUR INFORMATION WITHOUT YOUR PERMISSION.
PLOINKS
16
PLOINKS, INC. COMMUNICATION
OFFERS IN-APP PURCHASES
TODAY IS THE DAY YOU TAKE BACK CONTROL
TAKE BACK CONTROL WHEN YOU DOWNLOAD YOUR OWN PERSONAL WEB SERVER
DIRECTLY TO YOUR MOBILE DEVICE USING THE PLOINKS® APP.
TAKE BACK CONTROL OF YOUR PERSONAL COMMUNICATIONS.
TAKE BACK CONTROL OF YOUR PRIVACY.
TAKE BACK CONTROL OF YOUR CREATIONS.
TAKE YOUR DATA BACK FROM UNSECURE, POROUS AND HACKABLE CENTRAL SERVERS AND CLOUDS.
STOP ALLOWING CENTRAL CLOUDS AND SERVERS COLLECT AND USE YOUR INFORMATION WITHOUT YOUR PERMISSION.
BYPASS CENTRAL SERVERS AND COMMUNICATE DIRECTLY WITH WHO YOU WANT TO COMMUNICATE WITH.
TAKE BACK THE ABILITY TO CHANGE YOUR MIND AND DELETE SHARED DATA.
STORE YOUR DATA DIRECTLY ON YOUR OWN PERSONAL SERVER AND SHARE IT ONLY WITH THE EYES YOU WANT TO SEE IT. AND, WHEN YOU WANT TO STOP SHARING, TAKE BACK CONTROL.
KEEP YOUR DATA IN A PROTECTED ENVIRONMENT UNTIL YOU CHOOSE TO NOT PROTECT IT.
PLOINKS® MARRIES THE GOOD OLD DAYS OF THE OWNERSHIP AND SECURITY OF SNAIL MAIL WITH THE SPEED OF THE INTERNET.
PLOINKS® STORES YOUR DATA DIRECTLY ON YOUR MOBILE DEVICE TO BE SEEN BY ONLY THE EYES YOU SHARE IT WITH--OTHER PLOINKS® USERS-- AND WHEN YOU’RE READY TO STOP SHARING, IT’S GONE!
DOWNLOAD IT! OPEN IT! TAKE BACK CONTROL!
5.0 STAR REVIEWS
Source:
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.ploinks.ploinks
VCSY: SEPTEMBER 2017,(PLOINKS SECURE PERSONAL)NEW SPOKESPERSON
STEVE IS AN IDEAL SPOKESPERSON AND WILL BE AN INSTRUMENTAL ASSET IN ASSISTING US PROMOTE PLOINKS SPC™. HE ALSO ADDS A GREAT DIMENSION AND CAPABILITIES TO OUR TEAM AS WE WORK TO ENGAGE PARTNERS AND INCREASE AWARENESS OF THE VAST CAPABILITIES PRESENTED BY THE ENTIRE SUITE OF VERTICAL AND PLOINKS® PRODUCTS.”
“PLOINKS FOR BUSINESS™”, A PRIVATE COMMUNICATION PRODUCT FOR BUSINESSES WHO WISH TO COMMUNICATE WITH THEIR OUTSIDE CONSTITUENTS, INCLUDING FANS, CUSTOMERS, CLIENTS AND OTHER THIRD PARTIES
VERTICAL COMPUTER SYSTEMS, INC. AND PLOINKS, INC. ENGAGE STEPHEN ROSSETTI AS AN ADVISOR AND SPOKESPERSON FOR PLOINKS®
RICHARDSON, TEXAS, SEPTEMBER 5, 2017--VERTICAL COMPUTER SYSTEMS, INC. (“VERTICAL”) (OTCBB: VCSY) AND ITS SUBSIDIARY PLOINKS, INC. ANNOUNCED TODAY THAT STEPHEN ROSSETTI HAS BEEN ENGAGED AS A SPOKESPERSON FOR THE PLOINKS SECURE PERSONAL CAPSULE™ (“PLOINKS SPC™”).
MR. ROSSETTI WILL ALSO SERVE AS A MEMBER OF PLOINKS, INC.’S AND VERTICAL’S ADVISORY BOARD.
Stephen Rossetti comes to Vertical with broad expertise in advising companies and organizations involved with healthcare, finance, technology and national security. HE IS A FORMER PROFESSIONAL STAFFER WITH THE HOUSE ARMED SERVICES COMMITTEE AND SERVED IN THE CLINTON ADMINISTRATION AS A DEFENSE INFRASTRUCTURE AND PERSONNEL EXPERT.
Richard Wade, President and CEO of Vertical and Ploinks, Inc. stated that “given his extensive background in government relations, STEVE IS AN IDEAL SPOKESPERSON AND WILL BE AN INSTRUMENTAL ASSET IN ASSISTING US PROMOTE PLOINKS SPC™. HE ALSO ADDS A GREAT DIMENSION AND CAPABILITIES TO OUR TEAM AS WE WORK TO ENGAGE PARTNERS AND INCREASE AWARENESS OF THE VAST CAPABILITIES PRESENTED BY THE ENTIRE SUITE OF VERTICAL AND PLOINKS® PRODUCTS.”
Stephen Rossetti added, “Vertical comes at the right place with the right solution at the right time. Its applications in a wide range of verticals are virtually limitless especially as professionals and companies seek enhanced privacy and security for the Internet of things, secure interpersonal communications, and other areas where complete privacy and data ownership is at a premium. Ploinks SPC™ solves the problems of individuals which have been concerned about their data migrating to the cloud and then being subjected to unbridled copying, hacking, and unauthorized theft and profiteering from their content, data and creations,”
Forward looking statements disclosure: This release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, which represent the Company's expectations or beliefs concerning future events. When used in this release, the words "expects," "plans," "anticipates," “indicates,” “believes,” “forecast,” “guidance,” “outlook,” "may," "will," "should," “seeks,” “targets” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Similarly, statements that describe the Company's objectives, plans or goals are forward-looking statements. All forward-looking statements in this release are based upon information available to the Company on the date of this release. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise. With the exception of historical information contained herein, the matters discussed in this press release involve risk and uncertainties. Actual results could differ materially from those expressed in any forward-looking statement.
ABOUT VERTICAL COMPUTER SYSTEMS, INC.
Vertical Computer Systems, Inc. (OTCQB:VCSY) is a provider of administrative software, Internet core technologies, and derivative software application products through its distribution network. VCSY's main administrative software product is emPath™, which is developed and distributed by NOW Solutions, Inc., the Company's subsidiary. emPath™ is a payroll and human resources software application, which consists of a fully secure web based HRMS suite as well as a Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) solution. Ploinks, Inc., another subsidiary of VCSY, is a private communications channel company which has developed Ploinks®. VCSY's primary Internet core technologies include SiteFlash™ and the Emily™ XML Scripting Language, which can be used to build web services. To keep up with the latest VCSY news and to learn more about our 16-year history of innovation, please visit www.VCSY.com and our Twitter feed at https://twitter.com/VCSYInc (or by searching for “@VCSYInc” on Twitter).
ABOUT PLOINKS, INC.
PLOINKS, INC., IS A SOFTWARE COMPANY THAT DEVELOPS PERSONAL PRIVATE COMMUNICATIONS PRODUCTS. “Ploinks®” is a personal private communications channel, which, together with the Puddle™, a complementary product that provides a backup solution for personal data of Ploinks® users, form the Ploinks Secure Personal Capsule™. The company is also developing “PLOINKS FOR BUSINESS™”, A PRIVATE COMMUNICATION PRODUCT FOR BUSINESSES WHO WISH TO COMMUNICATE WITH THEIR OUTSIDE CONSTITUENTS, INCLUDING FANS, CUSTOMERS, CLIENTS AND OTHER THIRD PARTIES (like distributors). Ploinks, Inc. is a subsidiary of Vertical Computer Systems, Inc. (OTCQB: VCSY).
TO KEEP UP WITH THE LATEST PLOINKS NEWS, PLEASE VISIT WWW.PLOINKS.COM AND OUR TWITTER FEED AT HTTPS://TWITTER.COM/PLOINKSINC (OR BY SEARCHING FOR “@PLOINKSINC” ON TWITTER).
Source:
http://vcsy.com/announcements/090517.html
GSPI: NOTED AT 30.91, OVER 25 SUGGEST STRONG TREND
WHAT’S BEHIND GREEN STAR PRODUCTS INC MOVEMENT
SEPTEMBER 28, 2017 JCTY STAFF WRITER
INVESTORS ARE PAYING CLOSE ATTENTION TO SHARES OF GREEN STAR PRODUCTS INC (GSPI).
MANY TECHNICAL ANALYSTS BELIEVE THAT AN ADX VALUE OVER 25 WOULD SUGGEST A STRONG TREND.
AT THE TIME OF WRITING, THE 14-DAY ADX FOR GREEN STAR PRODUCTS INC (GSPI) IS NOTED AT 30.91.
What’s Behind Green Star Products Inc (GSPI)’s Movement
SEPTEMBER 28, 2017 JCTY STAFF WRITER
Needle moving action has been spotted in Green Star Products Inc (GSPI) as shares are moving today on volatility -99.99% or -25.554 from the open. The OTC listed company saw a recent bid of 0.0014 and 90000 shares have traded hands in the session.
One of the biggest mistakes that can plague the individual investor is not setting up an overall investment plan. Investors may want to start out be setting up an outline of overall goals. Having goals can eventually make the day to day investing decisions at little bit easier over time. Once a plan is in place, investors can then spend more time focusing on the proper stocks to add to the portfolio. Dedicating time for extensive stock research may not be easy, but it may put the investor in a better position. Some investors will go to greater lengths, such as making sure that they have a good reason behind every buy or sell decision. This process may seem unnecessary to some, but it may help the investor stay focused when the market gets choppy and tough decisions need to be made.
Digging deeping into the Green Star Products Inc (GSPI) ‘s technical indicators, we note that the Williams Percent Range or 14 day Williams %R currently sits at -100.00. The Williams %R oscillates in a range from 0 to -100. A reading between 0 and -20 would point to an overbought situation. A reading from -80 to -100 would signal an oversold situation. The Williams %R was developed by Larry Williams. This is a momentum indicator that is the inverse of the Fast Stochastic Oscillator.
INVESTORS ARE PAYING CLOSE ATTENTION TO SHARES OF GREEN STAR PRODUCTS INC (GSPI). A popular tool among technical stock analysts is the moving average. Moving averages are considered to be lagging indicators that simply take the average price of a stock over a specific period of time. Moving averages can be very useful for identifying peaks and troughs. They may also be used to help the trader figure out proper support and resistance levels for the stock. Currently, the 200-day MA is sitting at 0.51, and the 50-day is 2.05.
Green Star Products Inc (GSPI) currently has a 14-day Commodity Channel Index (CCI) of -46.67. Active investors may choose to use this technical indicator as a stock evaluation tool. Used as a coincident indicator, the CCI reading above +100 would reflect strong price action which may signal an uptrend. On the flip side, a reading below -100 may signal a downtrend reflecting weak price action. Using the CCI as a leading indicator, technical analysts may use a +100 reading as an overbought signal and a -100 reading as an oversold indicator, suggesting a trend reversal.
The RSI, or Relative Strength Index, is a widely used technical momentum indicator that compares price movement over time. The RSI was created by J. Welles Wilder who was striving to measure whether or not a stock was overbought or oversold. The RSI may be useful for spotting abnormal price activity and volatility. The RSI oscillates on a scale from 0 to 100. The normal reading of a stock will fall in the range of 30 to 70. A reading over 70 would indicate that the stock is overbought, and possibly overvalued. A reading under 30 may indicate that the stock is oversold, and possibly undervalued. After a recent check, the 14-day RSI for Green Star Products Inc is currently at 46.30, the 7-day stands at 42.36, and the 3-day is sitting at 30.77.
Another technical indicator that may be a powerful resource for determining trend strength is the Average Directional Index or ADX. The ADX was introduced by J. Welles Wilder in the late 1970’s and it has stood the test of time. The ADX is typically used in conjunction with the Plus Directional Indicator (+DI) and Minus Directional Indicator (-DI) to help spot trend direction as well as trend strength.
AT THE TIME OF WRITING, THE 14-DAY ADX FOR GREEN STAR PRODUCTS INC (GSPI) IS NOTED AT 30.91. MANY TECHNICAL ANALYSTS BELIEVE THAT AN ADX VALUE OVER 25 WOULD SUGGEST A STRONG TREND.
A reading under 20 would indicate no trend, and a reading from 20-25 would suggest that there is no clear trend signal.
Looking at the current landscape of the equity market, investors may be doing some bargain hunting for stocks to add to the portfolio. Many sharp investors will welcome temporary market dips which may provide plenty of buying opportunities. Being prepared for these types of opportunities can help the investor make quick decisions in the midst of a downturn. As we move closer to the close of the year, investors will be closely watching the next round of company earnings reports. Even if the individual investor chooses to trade conservatively during earnings, they can still do the necessary research and have stocks lined up to purchase when the time is right.
Source:
https://jctynews.com/whats-behind-green-star-products-inc-gspis-movement/243959/
ZNGA: RATES BUY OR STRONG BUY, WILL REACH $4.24
ZNGA: ANALYSTS RATE ZYNGA INC. BUY OR STRONG BUY, WILL REACH $4.24
ANALYSTS ON A CONSENSUS BASIS ARE EXPECTING THAT THE STOCK WILL REACH $4.24 WITHIN THE YEAR.
6 ANALYSTS RATE ZYNGA INC. A BUY OR STRONG BUY, WHICH IS 50% OF ALL THE ANALYST RATINGS.
WHAT IS THE ANALYST SENTIMENT ON ZYNGA INC. (NASDAQ:ZNGA)?
SEPTEMBER 28, 2017 DARC NEWS CONTRIBUTOR
Zynga Inc. (NASDAQ:ZNGA) currently has an AVERAGE BROKER RATING of 2.04. The ABR rank within the industry stands at 55. This number is based on the 12 sell-side firms polled by Zacks.
Each brokerage research report carries with it some form of recommendation. The brokerage firms may use different lingo for their rating systems (like saying Outperform instead of Buy), but they can all be properly sorted into our 5 level classification system that is now the industry standard. Each of the 5 classifications has a value associated with it to help compute the ABR.
AS THE NAME IMPLIES THE ABR WILL SHOW YOU THE AVERAGE OF BROKERAGE RECOMMENDATIONS ON A GIVEN STOCK. THE BENEFIT IS THAT YOU QUICKLY GET A SNAPSHOT OF WHERE WALL STREET STANDS ON A STOCK WITHOUT HAVING TO READ A MOUNTAIN OF RESEARCH REPORTS.
Broker recommendations are made by brokerage firms (for example, JP Morgan) and are NOT AN OUTRIGHT RECOMMENDATION TO BUY OR SELL A SHARE, BUT INSTEAD GIVE AN INDICATION OF HOW THE BROKER THINKS THE COMPANY WILL PERFORM RELATIVE TO ITS SECTOR. Their recommendations are issued over a particular period of time. The recommendations provided in the Research Centre are shown on a 75 day rolling basis. EACH BROKERAGE FIRM HAS ITS OWN WAY OF RATING that may make it difficult to compare broker recommendations between the brokerage houses.
FOR EXAMPLE, AT ONE BROKERAGE “BUY” MAY BE THE STRONGEST RECOMMENDATION, WHILE AT ANOTHER “BUY” COULD BE SECOND TO A “STRONG BUY” RATING. THE SECOND-HIGHEST RATINGS ALSO HAVE A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT OTHER NAMES: “ACCUMULATE”, “OUTPERFORM”, “MODERATE BUY” OR “OVERWEIGHT”.
ANALYSTS ON A CONSENSUS BASIS ARE EXPECTING THAT THE STOCK WILL REACH $4.24 WITHIN THE YEAR.
With equity investing, there will constantly be worries and fears. The volatility in the market that accompanies these fears may trick investors into thinking the next bear market is on the doorstep. During a market-wide sell off, many stocks may experience the pain. Over time, many may gain back the ground they lost and return to previous levels. The biggest names may be the ones to recoup the losses the quickest. However, many investors might get stuck waiting for a rebound that just isn’t going to happen. Having the flexibility to adapt to market conditions may help repair a damaged portfolio. Sometimes a readjustment may be needed in order to regain some confidence. AS THE NEXT ROUND OF EARNINGS REPORTS START TO COME IN, INVESTORS WILL BE KEEPING A CLOSE WATCH TO SEE WHICH COMPANIES PRODUCE THE LARGEST SURPRISES, both positive and negative.
Most recently Zynga Inc. (NASDAQ:ZNGA) posted quarterly earnings of $0.02 which compared to the sell-side estimates of 0.02. The stock’s 12-month trailing earnings per share stands at $-0.07. Shares have moved $-0.27 over the past month and more recently, $-4.6 over the past week heading into the earnings announcement. There are 8 analyst projections that were taken into consideration from respected brokerage firms.
RESEARCH ANALYSTS ARE PREDICTING THAT ZYNGA INC. (NASDAQ:ZNGA) WILL REPORT EARNINGS OF $0.02 PER SHARE WHEN THE FIRM ISSUES THEIR NEXT QUARTERLY REPORT. This is the consensus earnings per share number according to data from Zack’s Research.
Zynga Inc. (NASDAQ:ZNGA) closed the last session at $3.73 and sees an average of 10050580 shares trade hands in each session. The 52-week low of the stock stands at $2.5 while the current level stands at 87.23% of the 52-week High-Low range. Looking further out we can see that the stock has moved 3.9% over the past 12 weeks and 45.14% YEAR TO DATE.
6 ANALYSTS RATE ZYNGA INC. A BUY OR STRONG BUY, WHICH IS 50% OF ALL THE ANALYST RATINGS.
Source:
https://darcnews.com/what-is-the-analyst-sentiment-on-zynga-inc-nasdaqznga/307354/
ZNGA: ...IN WHAT IS A FIRST-OF-ITS KIND
BENGALURU: San Francisco-based social gaming company ZYNGA IS DOUBLING DOWN
ZYNGA WAS DEVELOPING A MOBILE GAME FOCUSED AT THE INDIA MARKET, IN WHAT IS A FIRST-OF-ITS KIND INITIATIVE FOR THE GLOBAL GAMING INDUSTRY.
ZYNGA IS PLANNING TO GROW THIS EVEN MORE OVER THE NEXT YEAR, HIRING ACROSS THE BOARD FOR GAME DESIGN, PRODUCT MANAGEMENT, ART, AND ENGINEERING. THE STUDIO HAS ALREADY GROWN BY 20% IN 2017.
NEWS
ZYNGA PLOTS MAJOR GROWTH IN INDIA AND EXPANSION OF ITS BENGALURU STUDIO
Company
ZYNGA INDIA
SEPTEMBER 27TH, 2017 - 04:20PM
BY RIC COWLEY, NEWS EDITOR
ZYNGA HAS OUTLINED PLANS TO DOUBLE DOWN ON INDIA BY SCALING UP ITS OPERATIONS IN THE REGION AND MORE GAMES FOCUSED SPECIFICALLY ON THE MARKET.
Speaking to the India Times, Zynga India country head Deepthi Menon stated that the BENGALURU STUDIO CURRENTLY HAS 350 MEMBERS OF STAFF. IT IS THE BIGGEST ZYNGA STUDIO OUTSIDE OF ITS HQ.
ZYNGA IS PLANNING TO GROW THIS EVEN MORE OVER THE NEXT YEAR, HIRING ACROSS THE BOARD FOR GAME DESIGN, PRODUCT MANAGEMENT, ART, AND ENGINEERING. THE STUDIO HAS ALREADY GROWN BY 20% IN 2017.
Big responsibility
"The game development studio, which is Zynga's second largest studio outside its headquarters, also MANAGES THE ENTIRE GAME DEVELOPMENT FOR SEVERAL GAMES ACROSS THREE OF THE FOUR BIG GENRES THAT ZYNGA OPERATES," NOTED MENON.
"THIS INCLUDES ACTION STRATEGY GAMES, MATCH-THREE CASUAL PUZZLE GENRE AND THE COMPANY'S FLAGSHIP GENRE FARMVILLE THAT COMPRISES OF TWO WEB GAMES AND TWO MOBILE GAMES."
The developer is also creating games specifically for India, starting with match-3 puzzler Rangoli Rekha: Color Match. According to Menon, "we are experimenting with WHAT WE FIND IN THIS PARTICULAR GAME TO TAKE STEPS FOR OUR ENTIRE PORTFOLIO OF GAMES."
Source:
www.pocketgamer.biz/asia/news/66699/zynga-plots-major-growth-in-india/
ZYNGA NOW HAS A GAME FOR INDIA TAPPING DATA USAGE
BY VIKAS SN UPDATED: SEP 26, 2017, 07.55 PM IST
BENGALURU: San Francisco-based social gaming company ZYNGA IS DOUBLING DOWN on building mobile games out of its India development studio in Bengaluru, as it looks to TAP INTO GROWING SMARTPHONE PENETRATION AND INCREASING data consumption in the country.
ZYNGA INDIA COUNTRY HEAD DEEPTHI MENON TOLD ET the studio has developed its FIRST MOBILE GAME THAT IS “MADE IN INDIA FOR INDIA”. Called Rangoli Rekha, THE GAME IS TARGETED AT THE RISING NUMBER OF WOMEN MOBILE GAMERS IN THE COUNTRY. ..
“We have currently put out the game in the app store for testing, wherein we are testing various metrics and how users are responding to the game. We want to iterate on the game for few more months before the public launch," Menon said. "We are experimenting with what we find in this particular game to take steps for our entire portfolio of games.” ET had reported in November that ZYNGA WAS DEVELOPING A MOBILE GAME FOCUSED AT THE INDIA MARKET, IN WHAT IS A FIRST-OF-ITS KIND INITIATIVE FOR THE GLOBAL GAMING INDUSTRY.
..
"The game development studio, which is Zynga's second largest studio outside its headquarters, also manages the entire game development for several games across three of the four big genres that Zynga operates.This includes action strategy games, match-three casual puzzle genre and the company’s flagship genre Farmville that comprises of two Web games and two mobile games."
To complement this growth, Zynga is looking to expand the studio in the next year. "We have 350 people in the Bengaluru studio. The studio grew by 20% in this year and we have some massive growth plans in the upcoming year. We are looking for talent in game design, product management, art and engineering," Menon said.
Source:
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/tech/software/zynga-now-has-a-game-for-india-tapping-data-usage/articleshow/60834362.cms
ZNGA: GLOBAL MOBILE, GROWING NUMBERS, STRONG MARKET OPPORTUNITY, WOMEN EMERGE
Table 15:
SMARTPHONE PENETRATION RATES COMBINED WITH GROWING NUMBER OF MOBILE INTERNET SUBSCRIPTIONS REVEALS STRONG ADDRESSABLE MARKET OPPORTUNITY FOR ONLINE SOCIAL GAMING: GLOBAL MOBILE
Table 6:
As a Platform Providing a Social Outlet, Casual Games Take Over the Mobile Gaming Space: % Breakdown of Popular Mobile Games Frequently Played by Gamers in the United States (includes corresponding Graph/Chart)
Social Gaming Psychographics: "WOMEN EMERGE AS THE LARGEST GAMING AUDIENCE, FORCING GAME DEVELOPERS TO TAKE STOCK OF THE NEW EMERGING REALITY"
21 Sep 2017
GET READY FOR A NEW EVENT TYPE… and SNOW!
www.dawnoftitans.com/2017/09/21/get-ready-new-event-type-snow/
PRESS RELEASE
GLOBAL SOCIAL GAMING INDUSTRY
PUBLISHED: SEPT 21, 2017 3:11 P.M. ET
LONDON, Sept. 21, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- THIS REPORT ANALYZES THE WORLDWIDE MARKETS FOR SOCIAL GAMING in US$ Million.
Annual estimates and forecasts are provided for the period 2016 through 2024. Also, a five-year historic analysis is provided for these markets. Market data and analytics are derived from primary and secondary research. Company profiles are primarily based on public domain information including company URLs.
The report profiles 92 companies including many key and niche players such as:
- Aeria Games GmbH
- Activision Blizzard, Inc.
- Behaviour Interactive, Inc
- DeNA Co., Ltd
- Electronic Arts, Inc.
- Etermax
Download the full report: https://www.reportbuyer.com/product/5112937
SOCIAL GAMING MCP-7661 A GLOBAL STRATEGIC BUSINESS REPORT CONTENTS
I. INTRODUCTION, METHODOLOGY & PRODUCT DEFINITIONS
Study Reliability and Reporting Limitations
Disclaimers
Data Interpretation & Reporting Level
Quantitative Techniques & Analytics
Product Definitions and Scope of Study
II. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
1. INDUSTRY OVERVIEW
Social Gaming: The Next Stage of Video Game Evolution
Charting the Evolution of Video Games Over the Decades
Gaming Becomes Better When Played Together
The Rise of Social Networking Provides the Foundation for the Development of Social Gaming
Table 1: With Socialization Being a Major Motivation for Playing Online Games, Expanding Social Networks Drives Opportunities for Social Gaming: Global Penetration of Social Media Networks (in %) by Geographic Region for the Year 2017 (includes corresponding Graph/Chart)
Table 2: Social Presence Will Continue to Play a Central Role in the Adoption of Social Gaming: Global Number of Social Media Users (In Billion) for the Years 2015, 2018 and 2022 (includes corresponding Graph/Chart)
Table 3: Top Social Networks Worldwide by Number of Active Users (In Million) for the Year 2017 (includes corresponding Graph/Chart)
Facebook: The Leading Social Gaming Platform
Table 4: Penetration of Social Games on Facebook (2017): Percentage Share Breakdown in Select Countries (includes corresponding Graph/Chart)
Table 5: Popular Games on Facebook by Genre & Ranked by Monthly and Weekly Active Users as of the Year 2017 (includes corresponding Graph/Chart)
Casual Games & Social Games Intersect to Create a Mega Gaming Explosion in the Video Games Industry
Casual Revolution Underway in the Video Games Industry Primes Social Gaming Market for Growth
Social Networks, Casual Games & Mobile Devices: A Perfect Medley for Successful Social Gaming
Table 6: As a Platform Providing a Social Outlet, Casual Games Take Over the Mobile Gaming Space: % Breakdown of Popular Mobile Games Frequently Played by Gamers in the United States (includes corresponding Graph/Chart)
Social Gaming Psychographics: "WOMEN EMERGE AS THE LARGEST GAMING AUDIENCE, FORCING GAME DEVELOPERS TO TAKE STOCK OF THE NEW EMERGING REALITY"
Table 7: Digital Natives Lead the Way in Social Media Usage and Social Gaming Engagement: % Composition of Social Gamers Worldwide by Age Group (includes corresponding Graph/Chart)
Table 8: Untapped Opportunity for New Gamer Acquisition Among the New Millennial Population: Global New Millennial Population (People in the 18 to 34 Age Group in Billion) for the Years 2017 and 2030 (includes corresponding Graph/Chart)
Table 9: Women Emerge as the New Driving Force in the Social Gaming Market: Percentage Breakdown of Social Gamers by Gender for the year 2017 (includes corresponding Graph/Chart)
Adroit Integration of Viral Loops Drives the Value and Success of Social Games
MULTIPLAYER SOCIAL GAMES GROW IN POPULARITY
SOCIAL GAMING EMERGES AS THE NEXT FRONTIER FOR DIGITAL ADVERTISING
Table 10: Interest in Social Games as a Marketing Tool Escalates Supported by a Wide Ranging Audience Base & Higher Propensity for Lead Generation: Percentage (%) of Facebook Users Engaging With Advertisements on Facebook Pages and Social Games for the Year 2017 (includes corresponding Graph/Chart)
SOCIAL GAMBLING GAMES EMERGE INTO A LUCRATIVE GAME GENRE IN THE SOCIAL GAMING MARKET
TAPPING INTO THE SPIRIT OF COMPETITIVENESS AND RISK TAKING, SOCIAL GAMBLING ACQUIRES A WIDE AUDIENCE BASE
Traditional Gambling Operators Eye Social Gambling Games as a Tool to Broaden the Horizon of Real Money Gambling
Social Gambling Games Remain Fairly Unregulated
Conclusions
High-Speed Internet Penetration & Bandwidth Expansion Provide the Foundation for Growth of Online Social Gaming
Table 11: Smartphones, High Speed Internet & Next Gen Bandwidth Technologies Emerge as POWERFUL COMBINATIONS SHAPING THE FUTURE OF ONLINE SOCIAL GAMING: GLOBAL SALES OF SMARTPHONES, INTERNET PENETRATION AND BANDWIDTH CAPACITY INCREASES FOR THE YEARS 2016 & 2020 (includes corresponding Graph/Chart)
GROWING INVESTMENTS IN 4G/LTE & 5G TO STRENGTHEN THE ROBUSTNESS OF ONLINE SOCIAL GAMING
TABLE 12: ROBUST CURRENT GROWTH IN 4G & EXPECTED GROWTH IN 5G BRIGHTENS THE LONG-TERM OUTLOOK FOR ONLINE SOCIAL GAMING: MOBILE 4G & 5G SUBSCRIPTIONS/SUBSCRIBERS (IN MILLION) FOR THE YEARS 2017, 2018, 2020 AND 2022 (includes corresponding Graph/Chart)
GROWING USE OF SMARTPHONES FOR ENTERTAINMENT DRIVE THE POPULARITY OF SOCIAL MOBILE GAMING
SMARTPHONE PENETRATION TO SUPPORT GROWTH IN THE MARKET
Table 13: Smartphone Gaming Audience Measurement: Average Time Spent by Smartphone Users on Mobile Games (In Minutes Per Day) by Category of Gamers (includes corresponding Graph/Chart)
Table 14: Gaming Apps as the Largest Revenue Generator in the Mobile App Market Reinforces Gaming as a Favorite Smartphone Leisure Activity: %Breakdown of Gaming App Revenues in the Mobile App Market for the Years 2017 & 2020 (includes corresponding Graph/Chart)
Table 15: SMARTPHONE PENETRATION RATES COMBINED WITH GROWING NUMBER OF MOBILE INTERNET SUBSCRIPTIONS REVEALS STRONG ADDRESSABLE MARKET OPPORTUNITY FOR ONLINE SOCIAL GAMING: GLOBAL MOBILE Internet Subscriptions (In Million) & Smart Phone Penetration Rate (%) in Developed and Developing Countries for the Year 2017 (includes corresponding Graph/Chart)
Wearable Social Platforms Make a Disruptive Entry into the Social Mobile Gaming Space
Table 16: Wearables Promise to Become a Part of the Social Strategy of Game Developers Given the Growing Penetration of Smart Connected Wearable Devices: Global Shipments of Smart Connected Wearable Devices (Million Units) for the Year 2017, 2019 & 2022 (includes corresponding Graph/Chart)
Will Social Gaming be impacted by the Ban & Restrictions Imposed on Social Media Services?
Regulatory Overview
Competition: A Review
Heavy Consolidation Activity in the Social Gaming Market
List of Social Gaming Companies Acquired During 2014-2016
Latency Issues Create Challenge to Online Social Gaming
Market Outlook
2. CONCEPTUAL OVERVIEW
Introduction
Evolution of Social Gaming
Classification based on Game Type
Casino
Virtual Villages
Word Games
Casual Social Games
Just For Laughs
Sports RPGs
Social RPGs
Ownership Games
Leading Social Casino Games
ZYNGA SLOTS
Lucky Slots
3D Slots
DiLiGo Games
Slotomania
Key Elements of Social Gaming Business Model
Monetization Strategies
In-Game Advertising
Lead-generation offers
Selling Virtual Goods/Micro-Transactions
Viral Marketing Concept
Iterative Game Development
Simplicity of Design
3. RECENT INDUSTRY ACTIVITY
Netmarble to Take Over Vancouver Gaming Studio of Kabam
MTG Acquires Stake in InnoGames
Delta Acquires Gauss Networks
Zhongji Holding Acquires Jagex
Penn National Gaming Takes Over Rocket Games
Caesars Sells Playtika to Shanghai Giant Network Technology
gamigo Takes Over highdigit
Playtech Acquires Funtactix
Youzu Interactive to Acquire Bigpoint
Keywords Studios Takes Over Ankama Asia
Delaware North Takes Over Ruby Seven Studios
Activision Blizzar Takes Over King Digital Entertainment
Pocket Games Acquires Viximo
FastForward Acquires Minority Stake in Moon Active
Yggdrasil Gaming Forms Partnership with VoodooDreams.com
Improbable Partners with Google
Sterling Partners with VLeague
WTP Partners with Ourgame International
PokerStars Introduces New Social Casino Game
Playtech Introduces Virtual Tennis Game
Aeria Games Inks Partnership with Neowiz Games
Finnplay Inks Agreement with Las Vegas Casino
Imperus Acquires Akamon
ZYNGA Acquires Rising Tide
Stride Gaming Takes Over InfiApps
Gaming Realms Takes Over Slingo from RealNetworks
AGS Acquires RocketPlay
GNS Takes Over Idle Gaming
Tencent Acquires Miniclip
Imperus Takes Over Diwip
NYX Gaming Group Inks Agreement with 888 Holdings
BitRush Inks Joint Venture Agreement with Airwin
Blue Crystal Labs Launches New Skill-based Slot Machine Game
Amaya Forays into Regulated Online Gaming Market in the US
Blizzard Extends Online Gaming Partnership with NetEase
Ruby Seven Studios Forms Strategic Partnership with Delaware North Companies
Playphone Inks Distribution Agreement with Cyanogen
Scientific Games Signs Agreement with Fantasy Springs Resort Casino
Viber Unveils New Social Games
4. FOCUS ON SELECT GLOBAL PLAYERS
Aeria Games GmbH (Germany)
Activision Blizzard, Inc. (USA)
Blizzard Entertainment, Inc. (USA)
King Digital Entertainment plc (UK)
Behaviour Interactive, Inc. (Canada)
DeNA Co., Ltd. (Japan)
Electronic Arts, Inc. (USA)
PopCap Games, Inc. (USA)
Etermax (Argentina)
GREE, Inc. (Japan)
Miniclip SA (Switzerland)
Peak Games (Turkey)
Playtech plc (Isle of Man, UK)
Pretty Simple (France)
Social Point (Spain)
Supercell (Finland)
SYBO Games (Denmark)
Wooga GmbH (Germany)
ZYNGA, Inc. (USA)
5. GLOBAL MARKET PERSPECTIVE
Table 17: World Recent Past, Current & Future Analysis for Social Gaming by Geographic Region - US, Canada, Japan, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Latin America and Rest of World Markets Independently Analyzed with Annual Revenue Figures in US$ Million for Years 2016 through 2024 (includes corresponding Graph/Chart)
Table 18: World Historic Review for Social Gaming by Geographic Region - US, Canada, Japan, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Latin America and Rest of World Markets Independently Analyzed with Annual Revenue Figures in US$ Million for Years 2011 through 2015 (includes corresponding Graph/Chart)
Table 19: World 14-Year Perspective for Social Gaming by Geographic Region - Percentage Breakdown of Revenues for US, Canada, Japan, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Latin America and Rest of World Markets for Years 2011, 2017 & 2024 (includes corresponding Graph/Chart)
III. MARKET
1. THE UNITED STATES
A.Market Analysis
Market Overview
Strategic Corporate Developments
Select Key Players
B.Market Analytics
Table 20: US Recent Past, Current & Future Analysis for Social Gaming by Segment - Advertising, Virtual Goods, and Lead Generation/Subscription Markets Independently Analyzed with Annual Revenue Figures in US$ Million for Years 2016 through 2024 (includes corresponding Graph/Chart)
Table 21: US Historic Review for Social Gaming by Segment - Advertising, Virtual Goods, and Lead Generation/Subscription Markets Independently Analyzed with Annual Revenue Figures in US$ Million for Years 2011 through 2015 (includes corresponding Graph/Chart)
Table 22: US 14-Year Perspective for Social Gaming by Segment - Percentage Breakdown of Revenues for Advertising, Virtual Goods, and Lead Generation/ Subscription Markets for Years 2011, 2017 & 2024 (includes corresponding Graph/Chart)
2. CANADA
A.Market Analysis
Current & Future Analysis
Behaviour Interactive, Inc. - A Key Canadian Market Player
B.Market Analytics
Table 23: CANADIAN RECENT PAST, CURRENT & FUTURE ANALYSIS FOR SOCIAL GAMING MARKET Analyzed with Annual Revenue Figures in US$ Million for Years 2016 through 2024 (includes corresponding Graph/Chart)
Table 24: Canadian Historic Review for Social Gaming Market Analyzed with Annual Revenue Figures in US$ Million for Years 2011 through 2015 (includes corresponding Graph/Chart)
3. JAPAN
A.Market Analysis
Market Overview
Select Key Players
B.Market Analytics
Table 25: JAPANESE RECENT PAST, CURRENT & FUTURE ANALYSIS FOR SOCIAL GAMING Market Analyzed with Annual Revenue Figures in US$ Million for Years 2016 through 2024 (includes corresponding Graph/Chart)
Table 26: Japanese Historic Review for Social Gaming Market Analyzed with Annual Revenue Figures in US$ Million for Years 2011 through 2015 (includes corresponding Graph/Chart)
4. EUROPE
A.Market Analysis
Current & Future Analysis
B.Market Analytics
Table 27: European Recent Past, Current & Future Analysis for Social Gaming by Geographic Region - France, Germany, Italy, UK, Spain, Russia and Rest of Europe Markets Independently Analyzed with Annual Revenue Figures in US$ Million for Years 2016 through 2024 (includes corresponding Graph/Chart)
Table 28: European Historic Review for Social Gaming by Geographic Region - France, Germany, Italy, UK, Spain, Russia and Rest of Europe Markets Independently Analyzed with Annual Revenue Figures in US$ Million for Years 2011 through 2015 (includes corresponding Graph/Chart)
Table 29: European 14-Year Perspective for Social Gaming by Geographic Region - Percentage Breakdown of Revenues for France, Germany, Italy, UK, Spain, Russia and Rest of Europe Markets for Years 2011, 2017 & 2024 (includes corresponding Graph/Chart)
4a. FRANCE
A.Market Analysis
Current & Future Analysis
Pretty Simple: A Key French Market Player
B.Market Analytics
Table 30: French Recent Past, Current & Future Analysis for Social Gaming Market Analyzed with Annual Revenue Figures in US$ Million for Years 2016 through 2024 (includes corresponding Graph/Chart)
Table 31: French Historic Review for Social Gaming Market Analyzed with Annual Revenue Figures in US$ Million for Years 2011 through 2015 (includes corresponding Graph/Chart)
4b. GERMANY
A.Market Analysis
Current & Future Analysis
Strategic Corporate Developments
Select Key Players
B.Market Analytics
Table 32: German Recent Past, Current & Future Analysis for Social Gaming Market Analyzed with Annual Revenue Figures in US$ Million for Years 2016 through 2024 (includes corresponding Graph/Chart)
Table 33: German Historic Review for Social Gaming Market Analyzed with Annual Revenue Figures in US$ Million for Years 2011 through 2015 (includes corresponding Graph/Chart)
4c. ITALY
A.Market Analysis
Current & Future Analysis
B.Market Analytics
Table 34: Italian Recent Past, Current & Future Analysis for Social Gaming Market Analyzed with Annual Revenue Figures in US$ Million for Years 2016 through 2024 (includes corresponding Graph/Chart)
Table 35: Italian Historic Review for Social Gaming Market Analyzed with Annual Revenue Figures in US$ Million for Years 2011 through 2015 (includes corresponding Graph/Chart)
4d. THE UNITED KINGDOM
A.Market Analysis
Current & Future Analysis
Advances in Social Gaming and Associated Challenges
Strategic Corporate Developments
Select Key Players
B.Market Analytics
Table 36: UK Recent Past, Current & Future Analysis for Social Gaming Market Analyzed with Annual Revenue Figures in US$ Million for Years 2016 through 2024 (includes corresponding Graph/Chart)
Table 37: UK Historic Review for Social Gaming Market Analyzed with Annual Revenue Figures in US$ Million for Years 2011 through 2015 (includes corresponding Graph/Chart)
4e. SPAIN
A.Market Analysis
Current & Future Analysis
Strategic Corporate Development
Social Point: A Key Spanish Market Player
B.Market Analytics
Table 38: Spanish Recent Past, Current & Future Analysis for Social Gaming Market Analyzed with Annual Revenue Figures in US$ Million for Years 2016 through 2024 (includes corresponding Graph/Chart)
Table 39: Spanish Historic Review for Social Gaming Market Analyzed with Annual Revenue Figures in US$ Million for Years 2011 through 2015 (includes corresponding Graph/Chart)
4f. RUSSIA
A.Market Analysis
Current & Future Analysis
B.Market Analytics
Table 40: Russian Recent Past, Current & Future Analysis for Social Gaming Market Analyzed with Annual Revenue Figures in US$ Million for Years 2016 through 2024 (includes corresponding Graph/Chart)
Table 41: Russian Historic Review for Social Gaming Market Analyzed with Annual Revenue Figures in US$ Million for Years 2011 through 2015 (includes corresponding Graph/Chart)
4g. REST OF EUROPE
A.Market Analysis
Current & Future Analysis
Strategic Corporate Developments
Select Key Players
B.Market Analytics
Table 42: Rest of Europe Recent Past, Current & Future Analysis for Social Gaming Market Analyzed with Annual Revenue Figures in US$ Million for Years 2016 through 2024 (includes corresponding Graph/Chart)
Table 43: Rest of Europe Historic Review for Social Gaming Market Analyzed with Annual Revenue Figures in US$ Million for Years 2011 through 2015 (includes corresponding Graph/Chart)
5. ASIA-PACIFIC
A.Market Analysis
Current & Future Analysis
Market Overview
Newer Technologies Spur Growth in Online Social Casino Gaming Market
B.Market Analytics
Table 44: Asia-Pacific Recent Past, Current & Future Analysis for Social Gaming by Geographic Region - Australia, China, India, South Korea and Rest of Asia-Pacific Markets Independently Analyzed with Annual Revenue Figures in US$ Million for Years 2016 through 2024 (includes corresponding Graph/Chart)
Table 45: Asia-Pacific Historic Review for Social Gaming by Geographic Region - Australia, China, India, South Korea and Rest of Asia-Pacific Markets Independently Analyzed with Annual Revenue Figures in US$ Million for Years 2011 through 2015 (includes corresponding Graph/Chart)
Table 46: Asia-Pacific 14-Year Perspective for Social Gaming by Geographic Region - Percentage Breakdown of Revenues for Australia, China, India, South Korea and Rest of Asia-Pacific Markets for Years 2011, 2017 & 2024 (includes corresponding Graph/Chart)
5a. AUSTRALIA
A.Market Analysis
Current & Future Analysis
B.Market Analytics
Table 47: Australia Recent Past, Current & Future Analysis for Social Gaming Market Analyzed with Annual Revenue Figures in US$ Million for Years 2016 through 2024 (includes corresponding Graph/Chart)
Table 48: Australia Historic Review for Social Gaming Market Analyzed with Annual Revenue Figures in US$ Million for Years 2011 through 2015 (includes corresponding Graph/Chart)
5b. CHINA
A.Market Analysis
Current & Future Analysis
Market Scenario
Leading Online Games in China
Crossfire from Tencent, SmileGate
Dungeon Fighter Online from Nexon
League of Legends from Tencent, Riot Games
Strategic Corporate Developments
B.Market Analytics
Table 49: Chinese Recent Past, Current & Future Analysis for Social Gaming Market Analyzed with Annual Revenue Figures in US$ Million for Years 2016 through 2024 (includes corresponding Graph/Chart)
Table 50: Chinese Historic Review for Social Gaming Market Analyzed with Annual Revenue Figures in US$ Million for Years 2011 through 2015 (includes corresponding Graph/Chart)
5c. INDIA
A.Market Analysis
Current & Future Analysis
Social Gaming Market - An Overview
Demographic Trends
Challenges
Key Trends in the Indian Online Gaming Market
Growing Smartphone Adoption Benefits Social Gaming Market
Strategic Corporate Development
B.Market Analytics
Table 51: Indian Recent Past, Current & Future Analysis for Social Gaming Market Analyzed with Annual Revenue Figures in US$ Million for Years 2016 through 2024 (includes corresponding Graph/Chart)
Table 52: Indian Historic Review for Social Gaming Market Analyzed with Annual Revenue Figures in US$ Million for Years 2011 through 2015 (includes corresponding Graph/Chart)
5d. SOUTH KOREA
A.Market Analysis
Current & Future Analysis
B.Market Analytics
Table 53: South Korea Recent Past, Current & Future Analysis for Social Gaming Market Analyzed with Annual Revenue Figures in US$ Million for Years 2016 through 2024 (includes corresponding Graph/Chart)
Table 54: South Korea Historic Review for Social Gaming Market Analyzed with Annual Revenue Figures in US$ Million for Years 2011 through 2015 (includes corresponding Graph/Chart)
5e. REST OF ASIA-PACIFIC
A.Market Analysis
Current & Future Analysis
Strategic Corporate Development
B.Market Analytics
Table 55: Rest of Asia-Pacific Recent Past, Current & Future Analysis for Social Gaming Market Analyzed with Annual Revenue Figures in US$ Million for Years 2016 through 2024 (includes corresponding Graph/Chart)
Table 56: Rest of Asia-Pacific Historic Review for Social Gaming Market Analyzed with Annual Revenue Figures in US$ Million for Years 2011 through 2015 (includes corresponding Graph/Chart)
6. LATIN AMERICA
A.Market Analysis
Current & Future Analysis
B.Market Analytics
Table 57: Latin America Recent Past, Current & Future Analysis for Social Gaming by Geographic Region - Brazil, Mexico and Rest of Latin America Markets Independently Analyzed with Annual Revenue Figures in US$ Million for Years 2016 through 2024 (includes corresponding Graph/Chart)
Table 58: Latin America Historic Review for Social Gaming by Geographic Region - Brazil, Mexico and Rest of Latin America Markets Independently Analyzed with Annual Revenue Figures in US$ Million for Years 2011 through 2015 (includes corresponding Graph/Chart)
Table 59: Latin America 14-Year Perspective for Social Gaming by Geographic Region - Percentage Breakdown of Revenues for Brazil, Mexico and Rest of Latin America Markets for Years 2011, 2017 & 2024 (includes corresponding Graph/Chart)
6a. BRAZIL
A.Market Analysis
Current & Future Analysis
B.Market Analytics
Table 60: Brazilian Recent Past, Current & Future Analysis for Social Gaming Market Analyzed with Annual Revenue Figures in US$ Million for Years 2016 through 2024 (includes corresponding Graph/Chart)
Table 61: Brazilian Historic Review for Social Gaming Market Analyzed with Annual Revenue Figures in US$ Million for Years 2011 through 2015 (includes corresponding Graph/Chart)
6b. MEXICAN
A.Market Analysis
Current & Future Analysis
B.Market Analytics
Table 62: Mexican Recent Past, Current & Future Analysis for Social Gaming Market Analyzed with Annual Revenue Figures in US$ Million for Years 2016 through 2024 (includes corresponding Graph/Chart)
Table 63: Mexican Historic Review for Social Gaming Market Analyzed with Annual Revenue Figures in US$ Million for Years 2011 through 2015 (includes corresponding Graph/Chart)
6c. REST OF LATIN AMERICA
A.Market Analysis
Current & Future Analysis
Key Players
B.Market Analytics
Table 64: Rest of Latin America Recent Past, Current & Future Analysis for Social Gaming Market Analyzed with Annual Revenue Figures in US$ Million for Years 2016 through 2024 (includes corresponding Graph/Chart)
Table 65: Rest of Latin America Historic Review for Social Gaming Market Analyzed with Annual Revenue Figures in US$ Million for Years 2011 through 2015 (includes corresponding Graph/Chart)
7. REST OF WORLD
A.Market Analysis
Current & Future Analysis
Strategic Corporate Developments
B.Market Analytics
Table 66: Rest of World Recent Past, Current & Future Analysis for Social Gaming Market Analyzed with Annual Revenue Figures in US$ Million for Years 2016 through 2024 (includes corresponding Graph/Chart)
Table 67: Rest of World Historic Review for Social Gaming Market Analyzed with Annual Revenue Figures in US$ Million for Years 2011 through 2015 (includes corresponding Graph/Chart)
IV. COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE
Total Companies Profiled: 92 (including Divisions/Subsidiaries - 99) The United States (40) Canada (5) Japan (6) Europe (32) - France (4) - Germany (6) - The United Kingdom (4) - Spain (1) - Rest of Europe (17) Asia-Pacific (Excluding Japan) (15) Latin America (1)
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From MarketWatch
Mercedes-Benz Unveils F1-Inspired Hypercar
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Source:
http://www.marketwatch.com/story/global-social-gaming-industry-2017-09-21
ZNGA: 54 NEW INSTITUTIONAL INVESTORS, 52,317,445 SHARES PURCHASED
Zynga launches partnership with Ferrari
See VIDEO LINK
INSTITUTIONAL INVESTORS CURRENTLY HOLD AROUND $2.29 BILLION OR 79.7% IN ZNGA STOCK.
THE STOCK GRABBED 54 NEW INSTITUTIONAL INVESTMENTS TOTALING 52,317,445 SHARES
ZYNGA INC. (ZNGA) ADDED TO 54 NEW PORTFOLIOS
SEPTEMBER 19, 2017
ZYNGA INC. (NASDAQ:ZNGA) PRODUCED A 59.58% RALLY SINCE recording the worst price of $2.4. Thanks to the latest 0.26% increase, it now trades at $3.83. Throughout the trading on Sep. 18, 2017, the share price floated between $3.78 and $3.88. This COMPANY SHARES ARE 9.66% OFF ITS TARGET PRICE OF $4.2 AND THE CURRENT MARKET CAPITALIZATION STANDS AT $3.27B. THE RECENT CHANGE HAS GIVEN ITS PRICE A 4.48% LEAD over SMA 50 and -4.73% deficit over its 52-week high. The stock witnessed 7.28% gains, 4.08% gains and 36.79% gains for the 1-month, 3-month and 6-month period, respectively. To measure price-variation, we found ZNGA’s volatility during a week at 3.86% and during a month it has been found around 2.85%.
ZYNGA INC. (ZNGA) TOP HOLDERS
INSTITUTIONAL INVESTORS CURRENTLY HOLD AROUND $2.29 BILLION OR 79.7% IN ZNGA STOCK. LOOK AT ITS TOP THREE INSTITUTIONAL OWNERS.
VANGUARD GROUP INC OWNS $232.26 MILLION IN ZYNGA INC., WHICH REPRESENTS ROUGHLY 7.1% OF THE COMPANY’S MARKET CAP AND APPROXIMATELY 10.16% OF THE INSTITUTIONAL OWNERSHIP.
SIMILAR STATISTICS ARE TRUE FOR THE SECOND LARGEST OWNER, DIMENSIONAL FUND ADVISORS LP, WHICH OWNS 52,395,197 SHARES OF THE STOCK ARE VALUED AT $200.15 MILLION.
THE THIRD LARGEST HOLDER IS EMINENCE CAPITAL, LP, WHICH CURRENTLY HOLDS $184.65 MILLION WORTH OF THIS STOCK AND THAT OWNERSHIP REPRESENTS NEARLY 5.65% OF ITS MARKET CAPITALIZATION.
Zynga Inc. 13F Filings
At the end of June reporting period, 129 INSTITUTIONAL HOLDERS INCREASED THEIR POSITION IN ZYNGA INC. (NASDAQ:ZNGA) BY SOME 127,212,264 SHARES, 85 decreased positions by 111,452,881 and 35 HELD POSITIONS BY 360,065,508. That PUTS TOTAL INSTITUTIONAL HOLDINGS AT 598,730,653 SHARES, ACCORDING TO SEC FILINGS. The stock grabbed 54 NEW INSTITUTIONAL INVESTMENTS TOTALING 52,317,445 shares while 24 institutional investors sold out their entire positions totaling 14,607,616 shares…
Source:
https://postanalyst.com/2017/09/19/zynga-inc-znga-added-to-54-new-portfolios/
ZNGA: STOCK PRICE OF 28.31, RAISING EYEBROWS AMONG INVESTORS
IF WE CONSIDER A MEDIAN PRICE TO EARNINGS RATIO ON THE STOCK, THAT CORRESPONDS WITH A STOCK PRICE OF 28.31
SEEING NOTABLE BLOCK TRADE IN ZYNGA; 2M SHARES AT $3.85
HAL LINDON , BENZINGA STAFF WRITER
SEPTEMBER 18, 2017 10:06AM
Source:
https://www.benzinga.com/news/17/09/10068699/seeing-notable-block-trade-in-zynga-2m-shares-at-3-85
ZYNGA SHARES AT SESSION HIGHS, UP 1%; SECOND NOTABLE BLOCK TRADE WITHIN 10 MINS. CROSSES: 2.2M SHARES AT $3.85/SHARE
PAUL QUINTARO , BENZINGA STAFF WRITER
SEPTEMBER 18, 2017 10:16AM
Source:
https://www.benzinga.com/news/17/09/10068755/zynga-shares-at-session-highs-up-1-second-notable-block-trade-within-10-mins-cro
9,125,785 SHARES ($33,218,000.00), A NEW POSITION PURCHASED by AMERICAN CENTURY COMPANIES INC.
ZNGA 9 13 2017
EARNINGS
ZYNGA INC. (ZNGA) RAISING EYEBROWS AMONG INVESTORS
Sarah Mendoza
ZYNGA INC. (NASDAQ:ZNGA)’S INTERESTING SERIES OF DEVELOPMENTS ARE UNDERWAY AROUND THE US STOCK MARKET THESE DAYS. NOW TRADING WITH A MARKET VALUE OF 3.29B, THE COMPANY HAS A MIX OF CATALYSTS AND OBSTACLES THAT SPRING FROM THE NATURE OF ITS OPERATIONS.
In light of the many issues surrounding this company, we thought it was a good time to take a close look at the numbers in order to form a realistic perspective on the fundamental picture for this stock.
Zynga Inc. (NASDAQ:ZNGA) Fundamentals That Matter
It’s generally a good idea to start with the most fundamental piece of the picture: the balance sheet. The balance sheet health of any company plays a key role in its ability to meet its obligations and maintain the faith of its investment base. For ZNGA, the company currently has 750.16 million of cash on the books. The trend over time is important to note. In this case, the company’s debt has been growing. The company also has 1.86 billion in total assets, balanced by 280.49 million in total liabilities, which should give you a sense of the viability of the company under any number of imagined business contexts.
Zynga Inc. (ZNGA) saw 35.97 million in free cash flow last quarter, representing a quarterly net change in cash of 18.54 million. PERHAPS MOST IMPORTANTLY WHERE CASH MOVEMENTS ARE CONCERNED, THE COMPANY SAW ABOUT 37.83 MILLION IN NET OPERATING CASH FLOW.
ZYNGA INC. (NASDAQ:ZNGA) REVENUE GROWTH POTENTIAL
As far as key trends that demonstrate something of the future investment potential of this stock, we need to take a closer look at the top line, first and foremost. Last quarter, the company saw 209.23 million in total revenues. That represents a quarterly year/year change in revenues of 0.15 in sequential terms, the ZNGA saw sales decline by 0.08.
BUT WHAT ABOUT THE BOTTOM LINE? AFTER ALL, THAT’S WHAT REALLY MATTERS IN THE END. ZYNGA INC. (ZNGA) IS INTRIGUING WHEN BROKEN DOWN TO ITS CORE DATA. THE COST OF SELLING GOODS LAST QUARTER WAS 64.17 MILLION, YIELDING A GROSS BASIC INCOME OF 145.06 MILLION. For shareholders, given the total diluted outstanding shares of 887.99 million, this means overall earnings per share of 0.01. Note, this compares with a consensus analyst forecast of 0.01 in earnings per share for its next fiscal quarterly report.
Is ZYNGA INC. (NASDAQ:ZNGA) VALUATION ATTRACTIVE
Looking ahead at valuations, according to the consensus, the next fiscal year is forecast to bring about 0.04 in total earnings per share. IF WE CONSIDER A MEDIAN PRICE TO EARNINGS RATIO ON THE STOCK, THAT CORRESPONDS WITH A STOCK PRICE OF 28.31. HOWEVER, ONE SHOULD ALWAYS REMEMBER: THE TRENDS ARE MORE IMPORTANT THAN THE FORECASTS. THIS CONTINUES TO BE AN INTERESTING STORY, AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO UPDATING IT AGAIN SOON ON ZYNGA INC..
Source:
https://www.stocknewsgazette.com/2017/09/13/zynga-inc-znga-raising-eyebrows-among-investors-2/
ZNGA: and FERRARI LAUNCHES EXCLUSIVE PARTNERSHIP, IN GAME WINNERS, TRIP TO ITALY
GOOD FOR BOTH ENGAGEMENT AND MONETIZATION.
ZYNGA IS PARTNERING WITH FERRARI IN A MARKETING DEAL
CSR2 PLAYERS WHO PURCHASE EITHER THE FERRARI 488 GTB OR THE FERRARI CALIFORNIA T WILL BE AUTOMATICALLY ENTERED INTO THE FERRARI EXPERIENCE SWEEPSTAKES.
THREE WINNERS, ALONG WITH THEIR GUESTS, WILL BE TREATED TO A ROUND TRIP EXCURSION TO ITALY INCLUDING A
VISIT TO FERRARI FACTORY IN MARANELLO, AS WELL AS OTHER PRIZES.
AS THE EXCLUSIVE MOBILE PARTNER FOR FERRARI’S 70TH ANNIVERSARY, WE ARE HONORED TO SHARE IN CELEBRATING THE ENDURING LEGACY OF THIS GLOBAL ICON...
OUR TEAM HAS WORKED CLOSELY WITH FERRARI TO ENSURE THAT EVERY DETAIL, FROM THE PAINT COLORS TO THE STITCHING, REFLECTS THE COMMITMENT TO DESIGN, LUXURY AND PERFORMANCE THAT THE BRAND HAS CULTIVATED THROUGHOUT 70 YEARS.”
VENTUREBEAT.COM
ZYNGA LAUNCHES PARTNERSHIP WITH FERRARI IN CSR2 MOBILE GAME
DEAN TAKAHASHI@DEANTAK SEPTEMBER 14, 2017 6:00 AM
ABOVE: ZYNGA HAS ADDED NEW FERRARI MODELS TO CSR2 in honor of the car maker's 70th anniversary.
Image Credit: Zynga
ZYNGA IS PARTNERING WITH FERRARI IN A MARKETING DEAL to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the car company through a new line-up of vehicles in Zynga’s CSR Racing 2 mobile game.
STARTING TODAY, PLAYERS CAN GET BEHIND THE VIRTUAL WHEEL OF A SPECIAL 70TH ANNIVERSARY FERRARI 488 GTB, ONE OF THE SIX TAILOR-MADE FERRARIS COMING TO CSR2, where players already own more than 12 million Ferarris and have driven them more than 75,000 miles in 56 million faces. . This is the kind of ongoing event is the sort that could draw lapsed players back into game, which is GOOD FOR BOTH ENGAGEMENT AND MONETIZATION.
“OVER THE COURSE OF 70 YEARS, FERRARI HAS SET THE LUXURY STANDARD OF EXCELLENCE IN THE AUTOMOTIVE INDUSTRY, PRODUCING SOME OF THE WORLD’S MOST DESIRABLE VEHICLES,” SAID BERNARD KIM, PRESIDENT OF PUBLISHING AT ZYNGA, IN A STATEMENT.
“AS THE EXCLUSIVE MOBILE PARTNER FOR FERRARI’S 70TH ANNIVERSARY, WE ARE HONORED TO SHARE IN CELEBRATING THE ENDURING LEGACY OF THIS GLOBAL ICON by giving our players access to a collection of some of the most popular and distinctive Ferraris of recent production.”
Above: CSR2 features realistic models of cars like this Ferarri.
Image Credit: Zynga
THE IN-GAME EVENT STARTS TODAY AND RUNS THROUGH FEBRUARY 2018. DURING THAT TIME, CSR2 WILL BE ROLLING OUT SPECIAL ANNIVERSARY FERRARI MODELS INCLUDING THE FERRARI CALIFORNIA T, INSPIRED BY THE STRIKING SILVER 250 TESTA ROSSA SPIDER SCAGLIETTI FROM 1957, AND THE 488 GTB, MODELED AFTER THE F2003-GA FORMULA 1 CAR DRIVEN BY LEGEND MICHAEL SCHUMACHER.
The cars featuring 70th anniversary configurations and options will be available in the game’s dealership, in addition to the 10 Ferraris currently in CSR2. Throughout the 70th anniversary celebration, CSR2 players will have the chance to participate in a set of unique challenges with exclusive Ferraris to earn coins, keys, and tokens to further advance in the game.
Above: You can drag race with Ferrari models in CSR2. And now you can buy special Ferrari models as well.
Image Credit: Zynga
“SINCE LAUNCHING LAST YEAR, CSR2 HAS CONTINUED TO LEAD THE MOBILE RACING CATEGORY BY CREATING THE MOST AUTHENTIC AND VISUALLY STUNNING DRAG-RACING RACING EXPERIENCE AVAILABLE TODAY,” SAID JULIAN WIDDOWS, GENERAL MANAGER OF CSR2, IN A STATEMENT. “We’re proud to partner with Ferrari to bring our players six vehicles to the CSR2 garage in honor of Ferrari’s 70th anniversary celebration. OUR TEAM HAS WORKED CLOSELY WITH FERRARI TO ENSURE THAT EVERY DETAIL, FROM THE PAINT COLORS TO THE STITCHING, REFLECTS THE COMMITMENT TO DESIGN, LUXURY AND PERFORMANCE THAT THE BRAND HAS CULTIVATED THROUGHOUT 70 YEARS.”
In addition to the in-game rewards, from September 14 to September 29, CSR2 PLAYERS WHO PURCHASE EITHER THE FERRARI 488 GTB OR THE FERRARI CALIFORNIA T WILL BE AUTOMATICALLY ENTERED INTO THE FERRARI EXPERIENCE SWEEPSTAKES. THREE WINNERS, ALONG WITH THEIR GUESTS, WILL BE TREATED TO A ROUND TRIP EXCURSION TO ITALY INCLUDING A VISIT TO FERRARI FACTORY IN MARANELLO, AS WELL AS OTHER PRIZES.
CSR2 debuted in June 2017.
Source:
https://venturebeat.com/2017/09/14/zynga-launches-partnership-with-ferrari-in-csr2-mobile-game/
ZNGA: $4.02 HIGH TODAY, PATENTS & IN LOCKSTEP w/ APPLE'S NEW AR VR CAPABLE PHONES
ZNGA: $4.02 HIGH TODAY
Source:
http://www.nasdaq.com/symbol/znga
ZNGA'S TREASURE TROVE OF PATENTS INCLUDE AR VR , IN LOCKSTEP WITH APPLE'S NEW 8, 8+ and X, AR VR CAPABLE PHONES
with prices ranging from $699 to $999
Source:
www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/2017/09/13/iphone-x-uk-release-date-price-latest-apple-news-features/
VIRTUAL WORLD, REAL WORLD LOCATION may be (e.g., Starbucks
(PRIOR ENTRIES OF NOTABLE MENTION)
(as·sign·ee
??si'ne/
nounLaw
noun: assignee; plural noun: assignees
1. a person to whom a right is legally transferred.
PATENT NUMBER: 9649566
UPDATING VIRTUAL WORLDS BASED ON INTERACTIONS BETWEEN REAL-WORLD ITEMS
LOCATIONS
AS USED HEREIN, A LOCATION IS A SPECIFIC PHYSICAL PLACE IN THE REAL WORLD. FOR EXAMPLE, LOCATION 115 COULD BE A STORE, RESTAURANT, MALL, BUSINESS OFFICE, BUILDING, PARK, STREET VENUE, LIBRARY, OR THE LIKE. LOCATION 115 CAN HAVE VARIOUS SYSTEMS ASSOCIATED WITH IT, INCLUDING VERIFICATION SYSTEM 118 AND LOCATION NETWORKING SYSTEM 120A.
UPDATING VIRTUAL WORLDS BASED ON INTERACTIONS BETWEEN REAL-WORLD ITEMS
PATENT NUMBER: 9649566
Abstract: A method of updating virtual worlds based on interactions between real-world items is disclosed. An interaction between a first real-world item and a second real-world item is detected. The first real-world item is a real-world item that is associated with a first player of a computer-implemented game and the second real-world item is a real-world item that is associated with a second player of the computer-implemented game. A virtual world of the computer-implemented game is updated based on the detection of the interaction.
Type: Grant
FILED: NOVEMBER 1, 2013
DATE OF PATENT: MAY 16, 2017
ASSIGNEE: ZYNGA INC.
Inventors: Amitt Mahajan, Matthew Adam Ocko
(as•sign•ee
??si'ne/
nounLaw
noun: assignee; plural noun: assignees
1.
a person to whom a right is legally transferred.
UPDATING VIRTUAL WORLDS BASED ON INTERACTIONS BETWEEN REAL-WORLD ITEMS
Nov 1, 2013 - Zynga
A METHOD OF UPDATING VIRTUAL WORLDS BASED ON INTERACTIONS BETWEEN REAL-WORLD ITEMS IS DISCLOSED. AN INTERACTION BETWEEN A FIRST REAL-WORLD ITEM AND A SECOND REAL-WORLD ITEM IS DETECTED. THE FIRST REAL-WORLD ITEM IS A REAL-WORLD ITEM THAT IS ASSOCIATED WITH A FIRST PLAYER OF A COMPUTER-IMPLEMENTED GAME AND THE SECOND REAL-WORLD ITEM IS A REAL-WORLD ITEM THAT IS ASSOCIATED WITH A SECOND PLAYER OF THE COMPUTER-IMPLEMENTED GAME. A VIRTUAL WORLD OF THE COMPUTER-IMPLEMENTED GAME IS UPDATED BASED ON THE DETECTION OF THE INTERACTION...
DESCRIPTION
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/244,814, filed on Sep. 26, 2011, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/174,735, filed Jun. 30, 2011, and issued on Oct. 15, 2013 as U.S. Pat. No. 8,556,719, the benefit of priority of each of which is claimed hereby, and each of which are incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present disclosure generally relates to games and applications and in particular to computer-implemented or processor-implemented online games, such as online role-playing games (RPGs), playable by one or more people from one or more locations...
Many operators of physical (i.e., “real-world”) locations allow users to conduct a variety of actions on their property, such as visiting the location, performing certain tasks or actions at the location, purchasing goods and services at the location, and the like. Goods can include items that are physical and tangible, items that are delivered electronically to the user over the Internet, and items that are delivered through conventional distribution channels (e.g., a common carrier).
As used herein, a user is a player of an online computer game. Additionally, as used herein, an item can include a good or service offered by a location operator. Similarly, as used herein, a purchase (or order) can include buying, renting, or licensing an item from a location operator.
...
. For example, a location may be a chain coffee shop (e.g., Starbucks) that has many physical places (e.g., Moscow, Johannesburg, San Francisco, etc.) Thus, a user may perform a location-based action at a logical Starbucks location by performing the location-based action at any one of the physical places where “real-world” Starbucks shops exist. Verification system 118 can generate, store, and transmit action verification data, which is data comprising information on one or more users and one or more location-based actions associated with the users....
Locations
As used herein, a location is a specific physical place in the real world. For example, location 115 could be a store, restaurant, mall, business office, building, park, street venue, library, or the like. Location 115 can have various systems associated with it, including verification system 118 and location networking system 120a....
In some embodiments, the incentive reward can be determined statically, such that the incentive reward offered is the same for all users. For example, user 101 might be offered an incentive reward of $20,000 in virtual poker chips for purchasing a lawnmower at location 115, and this same incentive reward would be offered to all other users....
Source:
patents.justia.com/patent/9649566
LINKING VIRTUAL ITEMS TO REAL-WORLD ITEMS
Patent number: 8556719
ABSTRACT: A METHOD OF LINKING VIRTUAL ITEMS TO REAL-WORLD ITEMS IS DISCLOSED. A REAL-WORLD ITEM IS ASSOCIATED WITH A VIRTUAL ITEM OF A VIRTUAL WORLD OF A COMPUTER-IMPLEMENTED GAME. A LOCATION-BASED ACTION INVOLVING THE REAL-WORLD ITEM IS REFLECTED IN THE VIRTUAL WORLD OF THE COMPUTER IMPLEMENTED GAME.
Filed: June 30, 2011
Date of Patent: October 15, 2013
Assignee: Zynga Inc.
Inventors: Amitt Mahajan, Matthew Adam Ocko
ZNGA: TO,CALCULATE,VALUE,ZYNGA‘S,GROWING,TREASURE,TROVE$,INTELLECTUAL,PROPERTIE$
Zynga Inc patents:
Recent patent applications related to Zynga Inc. Zynga Inc is listed as an Agent/Assignee. Note: Zynga Inc may have other listings under different names/spellings. We're not affiliated with Zynga Inc, we're just tracking patents.
(copyright properties not include.)
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6 20150325087 11/12/15 Side betting in blackjack game
7 20150317823 11/05/15 Rendering based on multiple projections
8 20150297987 10/22/15 Methods for using touch-screens to simulate balancing and manipulation of curved object during gameplay
9 20150298007 10/22/15 Systems and methods of automatic game creation
10 20150298008 10/22/15 Systems and methods of incentivizing game play
11 20150302682 10/22/15 Methods to determine luck profile of a user
12 20150290539 10/15/15 Approximated diffuse lighting for a moving object
13 20150283464 10/08/15 Notifying users of actions in cross-platform environments
14 20150288784 10/08/15 Sending and receiving configurable buckets of communications
15 20150283463 10/08/15 Systems and methods of dynamically selecting contacts and promoting products
16 20150273323 10/01/15 Systems and methods to provide kinetic disasters
17 20150273338 10/01/15 Methods and systems for backward compatability using a unified stock keeping identifier
18 20150258433 09/17/15 Low-friction synchronous interaction in multiplayer online game
19 20150251096 09/10/15 Apparatus, method and computer readable storage medium for collecting doobers in an electronic game
20 20150246287 09/03/15 Changing a virtual world based on real-world locations of players
21 20150231501 08/20/15 Systems and methods of managing game objects using multiple inputs
22 20150227296 08/13/15 System and method to communicate information to a user
23 20150229928 08/13/15 Image compression with alpha channel data
24 20150217197 08/06/15 Three dimensional operations in an isometric projection
25 20150221179 08/06/15 Identification of side pot participants in poker game
26 20150209667 07/30/15 Application failure management in computer- implemented online games
27 20150199078 07/16/15 Game pause state optimization for embedded applications
28 20150193333 07/09/15 Methods and systems for generating test information from a source code
29 20150186949 07/02/15 Systems and methods for providing targeted advertisements
30 20150174484 06/25/15 Gaming system for updating a presentation of a virtual game environment
31 20150174491 06/25/15 Updating virtual trading card characteristics
32 20150177931 06/25/15 Sequential selection of multiple objects
33 20150179022 06/25/15 Bad beat insurance
34 20150157948 06/11/15 Active social network
35 20150161763 06/11/15 2d animation from a 3d mesh
36 20150154789 06/04/15 Generation of intermediate images for texture compression
37 20150148127 05/28/15 Systems and methods for matching players of a game
38 20150141153 05/21/15 Push messaging architecture for online games
39 20150135161 05/14/15 Injecting features into an application
40 20150112782 04/23/15 Methods and systems for unified vault and rewards within real money applications
41 20150112783 04/23/15 Methods and systems for cross-platform promotion with real money applications
42 20150099566 04/09/15 Systems and methods to control movement based on a race event
43 20150099588 04/09/15 Systems and methods of distributing game network features
44 20150094127 04/02/15 Swipe-direction gesture control for video games using glass input devices
45 20150094150 04/02/15 Operation of a browser-incompatible application within a browser
46 20150080128 03/19/15 Content management system
47 20150080131 03/19/15 Systems and methods to present location-based leaderboards
48 20150072780 03/12/15 Embedding of games into third party websites
49 20150065241 03/05/15 Gaming facilitating item grouping and group actions
50 20150065243 03/05/15 Zoom contextuals
51 20150045104 02/12/15 Challenging players in online game to compete in modular game
52 20150045105 02/12/15 Slots game with improving bonus-winning odds
53 20150046247 02/12/15 Methods and systems for computer application incentivization based on reduced advertisement
54 20150038219 02/05/15 Nested online games for real money gambling
55 20150031447 01/29/15 Methods for processing online gaming using electronic devices
56 20150018079 01/15/15 Socially-mediated flash sales
57 20150018081 01/15/15 System and facilitating casino team play
58 20150011320 01/08/15 Apparatuses, methods and systems for a live online game tester
59 20150005070 01/01/15 Accessing a virtual media object within viewable location on gameboard
60 20140378232 12/25/14 Social network data analysis to generate incentives for online gaming
61 20140370974 12/18/14 Leveraging optional game features to remove in-game assets from a virtual economy
62 20140364236 12/11/14 System and trapping enemy units in a game
63 20140357345 12/04/14 Interacting with sponsored content to earn rewards
64 20140358260 12/04/14 Dynamically variable advertising incentive rewards in online games
65 20140323214 10/30/14 Systems and methods present a game variant
66 20140323225 10/30/14 Systems and methods for segment-based customization for notifications for users
67 20140323226 10/30/14 Systems and methods to send game invitations
68 20140315639 10/23/14 Providing social network content in games
69 20140295925 10/02/14 Level-balancing an online progression game
70 20140274341 09/18/14 Real money gambling payouts that depend on online social activity
71 20140274375 09/18/14 Systems and methods of following game-related content based on keywords
72 20140274376 09/18/14 Systems and methods of providing parental controls for game content
73 20140274408 09/18/14 Methods and systems for provisioning a game container within a cloud computing system
74 20140274409 09/18/14 Guild-dependent variation of player capabilities in a computer-implemented game
75 20140274410 09/18/14 Smart ping system
76 20140278844 09/18/14 Systems and methods relating to offline gameplay
77 20140253568 09/11/14 Methods and a distributed object renderer
78 20140256434 09/11/14 Asset transfers between interactive social games
79 20140247982 09/04/14 Generation of intermediate images for texture compression
80 20140248948 09/04/14 Sequential selection of multiple objects
81 20140243072 08/28/14 Providing offers for sales of combinations of virtual items at discounted prices
82 20140243101 08/28/14 Game supply delivery systems and methods
83 20140244761 08/28/14 Cross social network data aggregation
84 20140235312 08/21/14 Slots-fueled adventure
85 20140221092 08/07/14 Method and system for rendering virtual in-game environments
86 20140221101 08/07/14 Consolidating businesses in a gamespace for an online game
87 20140213358 07/31/14 Gaming platform providing a multi-move game operation
88 20140213372 07/31/14 Systems and methods for providing game gestures
89 20140194207 07/10/14 Game system providing custom game stories
90 20140187328 07/03/14 Asynchronous interactive game play
91 20140187333 07/03/14 Finding friends for multiuser online games
92 20140189676 07/03/14 Dynamic update of applications as code is checked-in
93 20140177838 06/26/14 Method and the secure storage of audio signals
94 20140179438 06/26/14 Apparatus and method with physical location check-in that triggers a status change in a virtual game
95 20140155141 06/05/14 Systems and methods to determine a game payment
96 20140155160 06/05/14 Gaming system providing a destructible game object mechanic
97 20140157246 06/05/14 Building cross-platform asynchronous games
98 20140148233 05/29/14 Methods and managing network linked gambling video games
99 20140126814 05/08/14 Image compression with alpha channel data
100 20140128153 05/08/14 Apparatuses, methods and systems for a trackable virtual currencies platform
101 20140121007 05/01/14 Playing a social game with automatic players
102 20140121027 05/01/14 Integration of multiple games
103 20140106858 04/17/14 Winning in a game an asset for another game
104 20140100020 04/10/14 Methods, apparatus, and systems for rewarding players of an online game
105 20140087886 03/27/14 Automated apparent responses
106 20140066176 03/06/14 Methods and systems for generating tailored game challenges
107 20140057725 02/27/14 Updating virtual worlds based on interactions between real-world items
108 20140051511 02/20/14 Gaming system for updating a presentation of a virtual game environment
109 20140051521 02/20/14 Secure, parallel, and independent script execution
110 20140045592 02/13/14 Delivery of projections for rendering
111 20140038726 02/06/14 Integration of multiple games
112 20140040987 02/06/14 Network application security utilizing network-provided identities
113 20140031132 01/30/14 Contextual in-game messaging system
114 20140024449 01/23/14 Graphic user interface for cooking game
115 20140024450 01/23/14 System and methods to display icons based on messaging activity
116 20140024460 01/23/14 Regular visitor to friend board in viral game
117 20140024461 01/23/14 Replacing players on a collaborative game task in an online game
118 20140024462 01/23/14 Rewarding participating players on a collaborative game task in an online game
119 20140019528 01/16/14 Validation of device activity via logic sharing
120 20140004953 01/02/14 Social network data analysis to generate suggestion metrics for online gaming
121 20140004954 01/02/14 Social network data analysis to provide news for online gaming
122 20140004955 01/02/14 Custom reward for viral help in game
123 20140004959 01/02/14 Sharing photos of a game board within an online game
124 20140006505 01/02/14 Social network data analysis to generate incentives for online gaming
125 20130344965 12/26/13 Apparatuses, methods and systems for an online game manager
126 20130344966 12/26/13 Method and system for providing video game content
127 20130339473 12/19/13 Real time analytics via stream processing
128 20130324224 12/05/13 Methods and managing network linked gambling video games
129 20130324225 12/05/13 Low-friction synchronous interaction in multiplayer online game
130 20130324233 12/05/13 Viral progressive jackpot
131 20130324240 12/05/13 Systems and methods of icon optimization in game user interface
132 20130324259 12/05/13 Rules-based engine for cross-promotion platform
133 20130324260 12/05/13 Cross-promotion api
134 20130324261 12/05/13 Real-time data services api
135 20130296039 11/07/13 Gaming platform utilizing a fraud detection platform
136 20130288757 10/31/13 Dynamic quests in game
137 20130260867 10/03/13 Transitioning between game and non-game features
138 20130252727 09/26/13 Apparatuses, methods and systems for providing access to a game area of an online game using a multi-level in-game currency platform
139 20130244792 09/19/13 Game environment utilizing a lock free memory system
140 20130231179 09/05/13 Leveraging social graphs with game play auto-neighboring
141 20130231181 09/05/13 Feed surfacing
142 20130231182 09/05/13 Systems and methods of reciprocation of game asset gifting
143 20130232199 09/05/13 Sharing an application configuration among social networks
144 20130225287 08/29/13 Synchronous and asynchronous game modes
145 20130217489 08/22/13 System and method to represent a resource object in a virtual environment
146 20130212396 08/15/13 Methods and systems for state synchronization over a non-reliable network using signature processing
147 20130190087 07/25/13 Three dimensional operations in an isometric projection
148 20130178281 07/11/13 Low-friction synchronous interaction in multiplayer online game
149 20130172083 07/04/13 Apparatus, method and computer readable storage medium for collecting doobers in an electronic game
150 20130165217 06/27/13 System and using a game to interact with television programs
151 20130165234 06/27/13 Method and system for matchmaking connections within a gaming social network
152 20130152043 06/13/13 Methods and systems for generating test information from a source code
153 20130144596 06/06/13 Localization framework for dynamic text
154 20130130762 05/23/13 Specialty within online game
155 20130123018 05/16/13 Integration of multiple games
156 20130116046 05/09/13 Method and system for rendering virtual in-game environments
157 20130088491 04/11/13 2d animation from a 3d mesh
158 20130091577 04/11/13 Methods and systems for automated network scanning in dynamic virtualized environments
159 20130079143 03/28/13 Expanding the gaming social network with unrelated players
160 20130059634 03/07/13 Apparatus, method and computer readable storage medium for guiding game play via a show me button
161 20130059662 03/07/13 Semi-synchronous multi-participant application updates
162 20130059663 03/07/13 Sharing items between multiple game participants
163 20130059664 03/07/13 Semi-synchronous multi-participant application updates
164 20130035158 02/07/13 Low-friction response in a social game
165 20130036064 02/07/13 Detached economy in online game
166 20130029760 01/31/13 Combining games based on levels of interactivity of the games
167 20130029766 01/31/13 Contextual in-game messaging system
168 20130005438 01/03/13 Socially-mediated flash sales
169 20130005466 01/03/13 Updating virtual worlds based on interactions between real-world items
170 20130005473 01/03/13 Clan wars
171 20120329560 12/27/12 Game supply delivery systems and methods
172 20120289339 11/15/12 System and placing players of a multiplayer game in a virtual world
173 20120264520 10/18/12 System and providing branded virtual objects in a virtual environment
174 20120226738 09/06/12 Simultaneous download of application file portions
175 20120077596 03/29/12 Apparatuses, methods and systems for a live online game tester
176 20120078394 03/29/12 Apparatuses, methods and systems for a virtual security camera
177 20120078395 03/29/12 Apparatuses, methods and systems for a virtual security camera
178 20120077580 03/29/12 Dynamic asset and obstacle generation in online games
179 20120071236 03/22/12 Apparatuses, methods and systems for a live online game tester
180 20120040743 02/16/12 Game-based incentives for location-based actions
181 20120030123 02/02/12 Customer service request evaluator
182 20120015715 01/19/12 Virtual playing chips in a multiuser online game network
183 20120015733 01/19/12 Game mechanics for gifting
184 20120015734 01/19/12 Interacting toys
185 20120015714 01/19/12 Apparatuses, methods and systems for a multi-level in-game currency platform
186 20120016796 01/19/12 Apparatuses, methods and systems for a trackable virtual currencies platform
Source:
stks.freshpatents.com/Zynga-Inc-nm1.php
Frank Gibeau, Zynga Inc. - CEO and Director 33
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
...AS A COMPANY, ZYNGA IS VERY MUCH FOCUSED ON HOW THOSE DEVELOP. WE BELIEVE THAT, THAT CAN BE A VERY EXCITING PART OF THE MOBILE GAMING ECOSYSTEM...
Frank Gibeau, Zynga Inc. - CEO and Director 38
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
YES, ON THE AR FRONT, IT'S STILL VERY EARLY DAYS FOR THAT TECHNOLOGY AND THERE'S SOME ANNOUNCEMENTS POTENTIALLY COMING FROM HARDWARE MANUFACTURERS THAT COULD BE PRETTY EXCITING. WE ARE ABSOLUTELY WATCHING THOSE DEVELOPMENTS AND THINKING OF WAYS TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY CAN INTEGRATE IN OUR GAMES...
Source:
https://finance.yahoo.com/news/edited-transcript-znga-earnings-conference-060721219.html
ZNGA: APPLE UNVEILS AR, VR, HAS WORKED WITH GAMES DEVELOPERS
APPLE HAS WORKED WITH GAMES DEVELOPERS TO CREATE MULTI-PLAYER AUGMENTED REALITY GAMES FOR THE NEW IPHONE
THE IPHONE X HAS BEEN USED TO SHOWCASE SOME OF THE AUGMENTED REALITY EXPERIENCES THAT APPLE DEBUTED WITH ITS ARKIT SOFTWARE, RELEASED AT THIS YEAR'S WWDC.
AUGMENTED REALITY ALLOWS IPHONE USERS TO SUPERIMPOSE VIRTUAL IMAGES, GAMES AND VIDEOS ONTO REAL WORLD OBJECTS AND IS A FIELD WHERE APPLE HAS TRULY TAKEN THE INITIATIVE FROM RIVALS SUCH AS GOOGLE.
THE X CAN ALSO USE TRACKING CAPABILITIES TO IMPOSE MASKS USING AR FOR APPS SUCH AS SNAPCHAT.
FRANK GIBEAU, ZYNGA INC. - CEO AND DIRECTOR
(Q2 CONFERENCE CALL 2017)
ANNOUNCEMENTS POTENTIALLY COMING FROM HARDWARE MANUFACTURERS THAT COULD BE PRETTY EXCITING. WE ARE ABSOLUTELY WATCHING THOSE DEVELOPMENTS AND THINKING OF WAYS TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY CAN INTEGRATE IN OUR GAMES
AR IN ADVERTISING AND IN OTHER TYPES OF APPLICATIONS CREATES MONETIZATION OPPORTUNITIES
IN TERMS OF AR, VR, BUSINESS MODEL INNOVATION, GEOGRAPHIC EXPANSION. So WE'RE VERY BULLISH ON HOW THAT PLATFORM IS GOING TO CONTINUE TO EVOLVE.
OBVIOUSLY, AR IN ADVERTISING AND IN OTHER TYPES OF APPLICATIONS CREATES MONETIZATION OPPORTUNITIES
LIVE
APPLE UNVEILS IPHONE 8 AND $1,000 IPHONE X WITH ALL-SCREEN DISPLAY AND WIRELESS CHARGING: LIVE UPDATES
THE IPHONE 8 AND IPHONE 8 PLUS
• CARA MCGOOGAN
12 SEPTEMBER 2017 • 7:56PM
…Here's a first look at the new iPhone 8
First official look at the new iPhone 8
00:28
7:11PM
iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus best features
Cook in front of an image of the new iPhone 8 Plus Credit: Bloomberg
Here are some key features of the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus
All-glass design, compared with aluminium iPhone 7
12MP rear-facing camera on iPhone 8 and two 12MP dual-lens camera on iPhone 8 Plus
NEW AUGMENTED REALITY TECHNOLOGY THAT SUPERIMPOSES INFORMATION ONTO WHAT IS SEEN THROUGH THE CAMERA, INCLUDING PLAYER INFORMATION AT SPORTS GAMES AND WHAT'S IN THE SKY
APPLE HAS WORKED WITH GAMES DEVELOPERS TO CREATE MULTI-PLAYER AUGMENTED REALITY GAMES FOR THE NEW IPHONE
4.7-inch and 5.5-inch screens
Comes in silver, space grey and a new shade of gold
7:05PM
iPhone 8 comes with 12MP camera
Tim Cook announces iPhone 8 Credit: Bloomberg …
Source:
www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/2017/09/12/apple-iphone-8-iphone-x-launch-event-live-updates/
Apple iPhone X
Tim Cook with the IPHONE X ONSTAGE CREDIT: AP
MATTHEW FIELD
12 SEPTEMBER 2017 • 7:35PM
What does the iPhone X look like?
The iPhone X has a 5.8-inch screen squeezed into a body smaller than the current iPhone 7 Plus. Apple said it had been their goal to create "an iPhone that is all display".
Apple has dropped the iPhone's famous home button, which has been present on every device since the first iPhone released in 2007. It has also removed the front facing fingerprint scanner, which has been adopted by plenty of other leading brands.
Instead the iPhone X has a nearly bezel free design with the screen covering almost the entire front of the phone. To make room for the front facing selfie camera and facial recognition, the screen has a slight "notch" that indents the top of the screen. It has a dual-lens rear facing camera.
The iPhone X Credit: Apple
iPhone X best features
No home button (or Touch ID)
More of a controversial than a best feature, Apple has dropped the home button, which has been present since the original iPhone and was used to control many aspects of the iPhone, including unlocking it with the embedded fingerprint scanner.
Instead, the iPhone X uses gesture controls and several functions of the home button, such as activating Siri, will be relocated to the lock switch. Users can control the phone through swiping up from the bottom or just by tapping the screen.
Face ID
Apple's TrueDepth camera system will allow users to unlock their phone with simply a look at their phone. It will replace Touch ID to identify users using facial identification and an infrared camera.
Face ID will only unlock if a users eyes are open. Apple said the Face ID would have "one in a million" chance that someone else could unlock the iPhone. Face ID will also work with Apple Pay, and other apps that work with Touch ID will work with Face ID.
Wireless charging
The iPhone X is the first iPhone to come with wireless charging, which is already available on the Apple Watch and rival Samsung Galaxy S8.
Apple will also release a wireless charging pad, called the AirPower, that will be able to charge multiple devices at once. It will be released next year
Apple's AirPower charge pad Credit: Apple
Edge-to-edge, super retina display
Apple's chief designer Sir Jony Ive long made it his goal to create an iPhone that looked like a single sheet of glass. The iPhone X has realised this design, with a 5.8-inch edge-to-edge display that covers the entire front of the phone, save for a tiny "notch" at the top.
It will have a 2438x1125 resolution display with 458 pixels per inch and an OLED display.
Augmented reality
THE IPHONE X HAS BEEN USED TO SHOWCASE SOME OF THE AUGMENTED REALITY EXPERIENCES THAT APPLE DEBUTED WITH ITS ARKIT SOFTWARE, RELEASED AT THIS YEAR'S WWDC. AUGMENTED REALITY ALLOWS IPHONE USERS TO SUPERIMPOSE VIRTUAL IMAGES, GAMES AND VIDEOS ONTO REAL WORLD OBJECTS AND IS A FIELD WHERE APPLE HAS TRULY TAKEN THE INITIATIVE FROM RIVALS SUCH AS GOOGLE.
THE X CAN ALSO USE TRACKING CAPABILITIES TO IMPOSE MASKS USING AR FOR APPS SUCH AS SNAPCHAT.
Animoji
Animoji are a new form of moving emoji that can be customised using facial recognition software. Users can scan their face and the animoji will match their expression in a short animation.
The feature will only be available on the premium iPhone X, as it requires the 3D camera. Apple has created a limited selection of animoji from its hundreds of emoji, including the monkey, unicorn, robot, dog, pig, cat,...
Source:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/2017/09/12/apple-iphone-x-uk-release-date-price-latest-news-features/
Edited Transcript of ZNGA earnings conference call or presentation 2-Aug-17 9:30pm GMT
Thomson Reuters StreetEvents•August 12, 2017
Q2 2017 Zynga Inc Earnings Call
San Francisco Aug 12, 2017 (Thomson StreetEvents) -- Edited Transcript of Zynga Inc earnings conference call or presentation Wednesday, August 2, 2017 at 9:30:00pm GMT
TEXT version of Transcript
================================================================================
Corporate Participants
================================================================================
* Frank Gibeau
Zynga Inc. - CEO and Director
* James Gerard Griffin
Zynga Inc. - CFO
* Rebecca Lau
================================================================================
Conference Call Participants
================================================================================
* Benjamin Ari Schachter
Macquarie Research - Head of TMET Research
* Brandon A Ross
BTIG, LLC, Research Division - Associate Analyst
* Brian Thomas Nowak
Morgan Stanley, Research Division - Research Analyst
* Douglas Till Anmuth
JP Morgan Chase & Co, Research Division - MD
* Eric James Sheridan
UBS Investment Bank, Research Division - MD and Equity Research Internet Analyst
* Justin Post
BofA Merrill Lynch, Research Division - MD
* Michael Joseph Hickey
The Benchmark Company, LLC, Research Division - Research Analyst
* Michael Joseph Olson
Piper Jaffray Companies, Research Division - MD and Senior Research Analyst
* San Q. Phan
Mizuho Securities USA LLC, Research Division - Director of Americas Equity Research
* Stephen D. Ju
Crédit Suisse AG, Research Division - Director
* Timothy Larkin O'Shea
Jefferies LLC, Research Division - Equity Analyst
================================================================================
Presentation…
San Q. Phan, Mizuho Securities USA LLC, Research Division - Director of Americas Equity Research [32]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Okay, great. And then, can you tell us a bit more about how you view the road map for an in-chat gaming, how would that looks like over the next 2 years, and how much support of platform owners are giving you, if any?
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[color=green]FRANK GIBEAU, ZYNGA INC. - CEO AND DIRECTOR [33][/color]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Yes, I think -- look, I think the most social part of the phone is on chat. And the folks that make those applications are adding more and more capabilities to those applications that are allowing us to entertain folks. You were in a very early days of that process.
And so THE ROAD MAP FROM FACEBOOK, FROM APPLE, FROM GOOGLE, THEY'VE, IN THEIR EARNINGS CALLS, STARTED TO TALK a little bit about that, and I'll leave that to them to communicate. BUT AS A COMPANY, ZYNGA IS VERY MUCH FOCUSED ON HOW THOSE DEVELOP. WE BELIEVE THAT, THAT CAN BE A VERY EXCITING PART OF THE MOBILE GAMING ECOSYSTEM.
Mobile is the largest gaming platform in the world and still got a lot of innovation available to it. Not only just on chat but IN TERMS OF AR, VR, BUSINESS MODEL INNOVATION, GEOGRAPHIC EXPANSION. So WE'RE VERY BULLISH ON HOW THAT PLATFORM IS GOING TO CONTINUE TO EVOLVE. Chat being an area, in particular, that we like because it ties so much to our vision as a social-gaming company where being able to play with your friends and family in a way that is highly retentive and keeps you engaged, that's where we want to be, and we have some brands we believe that will work there very effectively.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
San Q. Phan, Mizuho Securities USA LLC, Research Division - Director of Americas Equity Research [34]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
With Words With Friends, specifically, do you see any differences in playing style with folks playing within chat versus in app?
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Frank Gibeau, Zynga Inc. - CEO and Director [35]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I do. I think there are some differences in how people interact in chat versus the time that they spend inside the application, and we're experimenting with session lanes, play modes, quicker ways to play, ways to play it with more people. But all of those are experiments right now. And as we learn more about the player behavior on chat, we'll optimize and make the right quality decisions for the games, but we have multiple brands we think that can work there.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Operator [36]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
And our next question comes from Ben Schachter of Macquarie.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Benjamin Ari Schachter, Macquarie Research - Head of TMET Research [37]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
YOU MENTIONED IT ON THE LAST ANSWER, YOU MENTIONED AR. I'M JUST WONDERING WITH THE UPCOMING LAUNCH OF THE IPHONE AND APPLE'S BULLISH COMMENTARY ON AR, ANY THOUGHTS ON HOW ZYNGA IS THINKING ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITIES THERE? Are there any monetization changes that you could see happening there? And then separately, if other large competitors bring new types of mobile advertising units that are built specifically for mobile games, how do you think that might impact your business over time?
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[color=green]Frank Gibeau, Zynga Inc. - CEO and Director [38]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
YES, ON THE AR FRONT, IT'S STILL VERY EARLY DAYS FOR THAT TECHNOLOGY AND THERE'S SOME ANNOUNCEMENTS POTENTIALLY COMING FROM HARDWARE MANUFACTURERS THAT COULD BE PRETTY EXCITING. WE ARE ABSOLUTELY WATCHING THOSE DEVELOPMENTS AND THINKING OF WAYS TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY CAN INTEGRATE IN OUR GAMES.[/color] The trick is to make sure that they're not gimmicks, that they actually have creative integrity and they lead to engagement. And so I think we need to really understand how that's going to work before you can understand how the monetization might happen. OBVIOUSLY, AR IN ADVERTISING AND IN OTHER TYPES OF APPLICATIONS CREATES MONETIZATION OPPORTUNITIES that would being NEW AND INTERESTING TO GAMING. And so we're excited about that. In terms of new ad units coming into mobile advertising, we're constantly looking for ways to innovate and if a new ad unit does come into the ecosystem, it's something we would absolutely grab onto. Watch to earn was something that we were early adopters of and innovated on. And as that ecosystem evolves and new types of advertising appear, if it works, it can help us grow, we'll be all over it.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Operator [39]…
Source:
https://finance.yahoo.com/news/edited-transcript-znga-earnings-conference-060721219.html
ZNGA: WORTH MORE, REBIRTH / REAWAKENING, GAMES LOOK ATTRACTIVE, SAYS GOLDMAN SACHS
BULLISH AS THEY SUGGEST ZNGA IS WORTH $0.5 MORE, GIVING A TARGET PRICE OF $4.18 A SHARE.
SHARES OF VIDEO GAME MAKERS GOT A BOOST FRIDAY, AFTER GOLDMAN SACHS SAID THE SECTOR WAS ENTERING THE "
DAYS OF GAMING'S DIGITAL AGE."
ANALYSTS AT GOLDMAN SACHS BEGAN COVERAGE OF THE VIDEO GAME SECTOR WITH AN ATTRACTIVE VIEW, SAYING PUBLISHERS ARE "IN THE MIDST OF A RENAISSANCE."
DIGITAL REVENUE WILL ALSO RISE FROM 59 PERCENT OF TOTAL REVENUE IN 2016 TO 80 PERCENT
Renaissance | Define Renaissance at Dictionary.com
www.dictionary.com/browse/renaissance
RENAISSANCE DEFINITION. The cultural rebirth that occurred in Europe from roughly the fourteenth through the middle of the seventeenth centuries, based on the rediscovery of the literature of Greece and Rome. ... RENAISSANCE MEANS “REBIRTH” OR “REAWAKENING.”
OTHER INITIATIONS
Activision Blizzard, Inc. ATVI 2.11%: Neutral rating, $65 price target.
ZYNGA INC ZNGA 1.09%: NEUTRAL, $3.90.
Europe-listed Ubisoft Entertainment SA (EPA: UBI) with a Neutral rating and 63 euro price target.
INITIATIONS DEFINITION:
THE ACTION OF BEGINNING SOMETHING.
ADMIT, INDUCT, INSTALL, INCORPORATE, ENLIST, ENROLL, RECRUIT, SIGN UP, SWEAR IN; ORDAIN, INVEST
Source:
https://www.google.com/search?q=initiations+definition&oq=initations+def&gs_l=psy-ab.1.0.0i22i10i30k1l2.2496.3271.0.5872.4.4.0.0.0.0.398.779.3-2.2.0....0...1.1.64.psy-ab..2.2.777...0i10k1.jiL1E9xq9_I
Video game makers are in 'midst of a RENAISSANCE,' GOLDMAN SAYS
PUBLISHED: SEPT 8, 2017 9:52 A.M. ET
BY
TOMIKILGORE
Reporter and editor
SHARES OF VIDEO GAME MAKERS GOT A BOOST FRIDAY, AFTER GOLDMAN SACHS SAID THE SECTOR WAS ENTERING THE "
DAYS OF GAMING'S DIGITAL AGE."
ANALYST CHRISTOPHER MERWIN STARTED COVERAGE OF THE SECTOR WITH AN ATTRACTIVE RATING: "THE VIDEO GAME PUBLISHERS ARE IN THE MIDST OF A RENAISSANCE, as they TRANSITION TO MORE PREDICTABLE, HIGHER-MARGIN, CASH-GENERATIVE GROWTH STORIES," MERWIN WROTE IN A NOTE TO CLIENTS.
"The digital shift could add up to 5 [percentage] points of margin in the next 3 years." Electronics Arts Inc. EA, +1.56% was Merwin's favorite of the sector, as he initiated the stock with a buy rating and price target of $136, and added it to Goldman's Americas conviction list. He also started Take-Two Interactive Software Inc. TTWO, +0.32% at buy with a $118 stock price target, Activision Blizzard Inc. ATVI, +1.10% at neutral with a $65 price target[AND ZYNGA INC. ZNGA, +0.41% at neutral with a $3.90 price target. Shares of Electronic Arts slipped 0.1% in morning trade, while Take-Two edged up 0.1%, Activision eased 0.8% and ZYNGA GAINED 1.1%. FOR CONTEXT, THE S&P 500 SPX, +0.83% ticked down 0.1%.
Source:
www.marketwatch.com/story/video-game-makers-are-in-midst-of-a-renaissance-goldman-says-2017-09-08
GAME NAMES LOOKING ATTRACTIVE; Goldman Likes EA And Take-Two Interactive
Jayson Derrick , Benzinga Staff Writer
September 08, 2017 3:35pm Comments
Related ATVI
Oppenheimer Presents New Menu Of Top Picks
Lightning Round: Jim Cramer Weighs In On Pure Storage, Boeing And More
Related EA
Benzinga's Top Upgrades, Downgrades For September 8, 2017
Electronic Arts Lower Despite Q1 Beat
Who Joins Apple On This List Of New Buys By Top Mutual Funds? (Investor's Business Daily)
ANALYSTS AT GOLDMAN SACHS BEGAN COVERAGE OF THE VIDEO GAME SECTOR WITH AN ATTRACTIVE VIEW, saying publishers are "in the midst of a renaissance."
VIDEO GAME PUBLISHERS ARE IN THE PROCESS OF SHIFTING THEMSELVES TO BECOME A MORE PREDICTABLE, HIGHER MARGIN AND CASH-GENERATIVE STORY, GOLDMAN SACHS' CHRISTOPHER MERWIN COMMENTED IN HIS INITIATION NOTE. IN FACT, THIS TRANSITION STORY IS STILL IN THE MIDDLE STAGES AND WILL BE SUPPORTED OVER TIME THROUGH GREATER PLAYER ENGAGEMENT, a shift to digital monetization and platform diversification.
ON AVERAGE, VIDEO GAME PUBLISHERS COULD see their levels of full game DOWNLOADS TO RISE FROM 22 PERCENT IN 2016 TO 42 PERCENT IN 2019, the analyst continued. On average, DIGITAL REVENUE WILL ALSO RISE FROM 59 PERCENT OF TOTAL REVENUE IN 2016 TO 80 PERCENT IN 2019.
Related Link:2 Out Of 3 Households Are Home To A 'Gamer,' But It May Not Be The Family Member You Expect
Electronic Arts
Merwin initiated coverage of Electronic Arts Inc. EA 1.95% with a Buy rating and $136 price target. The stock was also added the stock to Goldman Sachs' "Americas Conviction List."
EA's stock has lagged some of its peers as of late yet but the company is close to a positive revision cycle starting in fiscal 2018 and continuing through at least fiscal 2019 at which point its earnings growth will reaccelerate to 22 percent or higher.
EA boasts a stronger product slate compared to its peers and should soon see the benefit of in-game monetization for its first-person shooter and action games which could add at least $1.50 in earnings per share in the coming years, the analyst noted.
Take-Two Interactive
Merwin initiated coverage of Take Two Interactive Software Inc TTWO 1.58% with a Buy rating and $118 price target.
Take-Two is about to enter a "sweet spot" of game releases, which is expected to result in positive earnings revisions, the analyst noted. Of particular note, the company is investing in new content for its popular "Grand Theft Auto" franchise and simultaneously monetizing "Red Dead."
The company is also sitting on $1.3 billion in cash, which represents 11 percent of its market cap and can be allocated toward accretive acquisitions or buying back its own stock.
OTHER INITIATIONS
• Activision Blizzard, Inc. ATVI 2.11%: Neutral rating, $65 price target.
• ZYNGA INC ZNGA 1.09%: NEUTRAL, $3.90.
• Europe-listed Ubisoft Entertainment SA (EPA: UBI) with a Neutral rating and 63 euro price target.
Source:
https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/analyst-color/17/09/10034412/game-names-looking-attractive-goldman-likes-ea-and-take
Changes in Signals Identified: Dominion Energy, Inc. (D), Zynga Inc. (ZNGA)
September 11, 2017
…Zynga Inc. (NASDAQ:ZNGA) has accumulated 0.6% over the course of one week. It seems that Zynga Inc. (NASDAQ:ZNGA) might see muted action given an ABR of 2.6 or Hold rating. Analysts, on average, seem BULLISH AS THEY SUGGEST ZNGA IS WORTH $0.5 MORE, GIVING A TARGET PRICE OF $4.18 A SHARE. D share have rallied by 3.46% in percentage terms since the start of the year – and added 1.8% in the last month. Volume in the last session has increased compared with D’s average trading volume. WE THINK THE INCREASED VOLUME IS REPRESENTATIVE OF BUYERS as it has displayed in many other cases.
Source:
https://www.allstocknews.com/2017/09/11/changes-in-signals-identified-dominion-energy-inc-d-zynga-inc-znga/
ZNGA: STOCK IS SETTING UP TO MAKE POWERFUL MOVE,( INVESTOPEDIA EXPLAINS CHART PATTERN)
THE SHARP PRICE MOVEMENT THAT OFTEN FOLLOWS A BREAKOUT OF THIS FORMATION CAN BE CAPTURED BY TRADERS WHO ARE ABLE TO IDENTIFY THE PATTERN EARLY ENOUGH.
SHARE
DEFINITION OF 'SYMMETRICAL TRIANGLE'
A CHART PATTERN USED IN TECHNICAL ANALYSIS THAT IS EASILY RECOGNIZED BY THE DISTINCT SHAPE CREATED BY TWO CONVERGING TRENDLINES. The pattern is identified by drawing two trendlines that connect a series of sequentially lower peaks and a series of sequentially higher troughs.
BOTH TRENDLINES ACT AS BARRIERS THAT PREVENT THE PRICE FROM HEADING HIGHER OR LOWER, BUT ONCE THE PRICE BREACHES ONE OF THESE LEVELS, A SHARP MOVEMENT OFTEN FOLLOWS.
BREAKING DOWN 'SYMMETRICAL TRIANGLE'
A symmetrical triangle is generally regarded as a period of consolidation before the price moves beyond one of the identified trendlines. A break below the lower trendline is used by technical traders to signal a move lower, while A BREAK ABOVE THE UPPER TRENDLINE SIGNALS THE BEGINNING OF A MOVE UPWARD.
AS YOU CAN SEE FROM THE CHART ABOVE, TECHNICAL TRADERS USE A SHARP INCREASE IN VOLUME OR ANY OTHER AVAILABLE TECHNICAL INDICATOR TO CONFIRM A BREAKOUT BEYOND ONE OF THE TRENDLINES.
THE SHARP PRICE MOVEMENT THAT OFTEN FOLLOWS A BREAKOUT OF THIS FORMATION CAN BE CAPTURED BY TRADERS WHO ARE ABLE TO IDENTIFY THE PATTERN EARLY ENOUGH.
Source:
www.investopedia.com/terms/s/symmetricaltriangle.asp
SYMMETRICAL TRIANGLE PATTERN in PREVIOUS POST BELOW explained above by INVESTOPEDIA
Previous Post: (ZNGA: HAS FORMED A SYMMETRICAL TRIANGLE, A POWERFUL BREAKOUT MOVE IS IMMINENT)
IN THREE MONTHS, THIS RANGE CONTRACTED SIGNIFICANTLY
ZNGA STOCK: MY FAVORITE TECHNICAL PRICE PATTERN IS IN DEVELOPMENT
ZYNGA STOCK HAS BEGUN TRADING WITHIN A TIGHT RANGE THAT WAS BOUND BY $0.30 AND THAT RANGE HAS DONE NOTHING BUT CONTRACT. IN THREE MONTHS, THIS RANGE CONTRACTED SIGNIFICANTLY AND CHANGED DIRECTIONS SEVEN TIMES.
MOMENTUM IS BUILDING AND A BREAKOUT IS IMMINENT.
ZYNGA STOCK IS SETTING UP TO MAKE A POWERFUL MOVE
Credits: istock.com/scyther5
ZNGA STOCK: MY FAVORITE TECHNICAL PRICE PATTERN IS IN DEVELOPMENT
I AM FOCUSING ON ZYNGA INC (NASDAQ:ZNGA) STOCK AND THE REASON IS RELATIVELY SIMILAR TO THE REASONS WHY I FOCUSED ON A VAST NUMBER OF INVESTMENTS BEFORE IT. The Zynga stock chart is very compelling, and the price pattern that is currently being painted on the ZNGA STOCK CHART IS SUGGESTING THAT A VERY POWERFUL MOVE IS IN THE MAKING.
IF YOU HAVE NOT READ ANY OF MY PREVIOUS PUBLICATIONS, THEN YOU PROBABLY HAVE NOT REALIZED YET THAT MY OPINIONS ON AN INVESTMENT ARE GENERATED USING TECHNICAL ANALYSIS rather than a more conventional approach, like fundamental analysis.
I HAVE ATTAINED DESIGNATIONS IN BOTH THESE METHODS OF ANALYSIS, AND I PREFER USING TECHNICAL ANALYSIS BECAUSE THIS METHOD OF ANALYSIS IS BASED ON INDICATIONS THAT ARE PRODUCED USING PRICE AND VOLUME DATA POINTS.
THESE FACTORS CREATE TIMELY SIGNALS AND THIS METHOD OF ANALYSIS IS THEREFORE EXTREMELY EFFECTIVE WHEN APPLIED CORRECTLY TO AN INVESTMENT STRATEGY.
A substantial move is on the horizon, and the following Zynga stock chart illustrates the price pattern that is suggesting that A VERY POWERFUL MOVE IS IN THE MAKING.
Chart courtesy of StockCharts.com
THE PATTERN THAT IS HIGHLIGHTED ON THE ZNGA STOCK CHART IS A SYMMETRICAL TRIANGLE. THIS PATTERN IS IDENTIFIED BY THE PRICE ACTION, WHICH CONTAINS A SERIES OF LOWER PEAKS AND HIGHER TROUGHS. This price action can easily be defined using two converging trend lines. THESE TREND LINES OUTLINE KEY LEVELS OF PRICE SUPPORT AND PRICE RESISTANCE.
AS THE PATTERN DEVELOPS, THE RANGE BETWEEN SUPPORT AND RESISTANCE BEGINS TO CONTRACT AND THIS CAUSES MOMENTUM TO BUILD WITH THE PATTERN.
THINK OF IT AS A BATTLE THAT IS BEING WAGED BETWEEN BULLS AND BEARS. When a victor is crowned, the built-up momentum is finally released. Depending on whether the stock breaks above resistance or below support will determine the victor.
The size and scope of the pattern is directly related to the reaction that is expected to occur once the pattern is resolved. THIS IS THE REASON WHY SYMMETRICAL TRIANGLES ARE INFLUENTIAL AND POWERFUL PRICE PATTERNS.
ZYNGA STOCK HAS BEGUN TRADING WITHIN A TIGHT RANGE THAT WAS BOUND BY $0.30 AND THAT RANGE HAS DONE NOTHING BUT CONTRACT.
IN THREE MONTHS, THIS RANGE CONTRACTED SIGNIFICANTLY AND CHANGED DIRECTIONS SEVEN TIMES.
MOMENTUM IS BUILDING AND A BREAKOUT IS IMMINENT.
The longer-term perspective can be used to help shed some light on the situation, which can provide some insight into which direction the symmetrical triangle will resolve itself.
THE FOLLOWING ZYNGA STOCK CHART ILLUSTRATES THE PRICE ACTION THAT PRECEDED THE SYMMETRICAL TRIANGLE.
Chart courtesy of StockCharts.com
THIS ZNGA STOCK CHART ILLUSTRATES THAT THE SYMMETRICAL TRIANGLE IS ALSO KNOWN AS A CONSOLIDATION WAVE. A CONSOLIDATION WAVE IS JUST ONE OF TWO WAVES THAT CREATE CONSTRUCTIVE PRICE ACTION.
THE INITIAL WAVE IS AN IMPULSE WAVE, WHICH IS HIGHLIGHTED IN GREEN. THIS WAVE SERVES TO DEFINE THE POINT IN A TREND WHERE THE STOCK PRICE STAGES A BULLISH ADVANCE.
The wave that follows is a consolidation wave, which is highlighted in purple. This wave serves to define the point in a trend when the stock refrains from staging an advance because it is unwinding any overbought conditions that were created during the impulse wave that preceded it. This wave functions to set up the next impulse wave.
These waves in an alternating wave structure create the necessary ingredients to produce and sustain a trend.
A resolution to the symmetrical triangle, which is also a consolidation wave, will determine which direction the next impulse will take. THE RULE OF THUMB IS THAT, ON AVERAGE, THE IMPULSE WAVE THAT FOLLOWS BREAKS OUT IN THE SAME DIRECTION AS THE IMPULSE WAVE THAT PRECEDED IT.
THE WAVE STRUCTURE IS BULLISH, AND THEREFORE, IT FAVORS A BULLISH RESOLUTION OF THE SYMMETRICAL TRIANGLE. As a result, the substantial move I am anticipating is likely going to occur in a bullish upward direction, but only time and price will tell.
ANALYST TAKE:
THERE IS A COMPELLING PRICE PATTERN THAT IS BEING PAINTED ON THE ZYNGA STOCK CHART, WHICH IS SUGGESTING THAT A VERY POWERFUL MOVE IS ON THE HORIZON. Which direction ZNGA stock breaks out of this pattern will determine which direction the shares are going to go. THE PRICE ACTION THAT PRECEDED IT WAS BULLISH IN NATURE AND THEREFORE, IT SUPPORTS A RESOLUTION THAT INVOLVES HIGHER STOCK PRICES.
Source:
www.profitconfidential.com/stock/zynga-stock/zynga-stock-setting-make-move/
ZNGA: HAS FORMED A SYMMETRICAL TRIANGLE, A POWERFUL BREAKOUT MOVE IS IMMINENT
IN THREE MONTHS, THIS RANGE CONTRACTED SIGNIFICANTLY
ZNGA STOCK: MY FAVORITE TECHNICAL PRICE PATTERN IS IN DEVELOPMENT
ZYNGA STOCK HAS BEGUN TRADING WITHIN A TIGHT RANGE THAT WAS BOUND BY $0.30 AND THAT RANGE HAS DONE NOTHING BUT CONTRACT. IN THREE MONTHS, THIS RANGE CONTRACTED SIGNIFICANTLY AND CHANGED DIRECTIONS SEVEN TIMES.
MOMENTUM IS BUILDING AND A BREAKOUT IS IMMINENT.
ZYNGA STOCK IS SETTING UP TO MAKE A POWERFUL MOVE
Credits: istock.com/scyther5
ZNGA STOCK: MY FAVORITE TECHNICAL PRICE PATTERN IS IN DEVELOPMENT
I AM FOCUSING ON ZYNGA INC (NASDAQ:ZNGA) STOCK AND THE REASON IS RELATIVELY SIMILAR TO THE REASONS WHY I FOCUSED ON A VAST NUMBER OF INVESTMENTS BEFORE IT. The Zynga stock chart is very compelling, and the price pattern that is currently being painted on the ZNGA STOCK CHART IS SUGGESTING THAT A VERY POWERFUL MOVE IS IN THE MAKING.
IF YOU HAVE NOT READ ANY OF MY PREVIOUS PUBLICATIONS, THEN YOU PROBABLY HAVE NOT REALIZED YET THAT MY OPINIONS ON AN INVESTMENT ARE GENERATED USING TECHNICAL ANALYSIS rather than a more conventional approach, like fundamental analysis.
I HAVE ATTAINED DESIGNATIONS IN BOTH THESE METHODS OF ANALYSIS, AND I PREFER USING TECHNICAL ANALYSIS BECAUSE THIS METHOD OF ANALYSIS IS BASED ON INDICATIONS THAT ARE PRODUCED USING PRICE AND VOLUME DATA POINTS.
THESE FACTORS CREATE TIMELY SIGNALS AND THIS METHOD OF ANALYSIS IS THEREFORE EXTREMELY EFFECTIVE WHEN APPLIED CORRECTLY TO AN INVESTMENT STRATEGY.
A substantial move is on the horizon, and the following Zynga stock chart illustrates the price pattern that is suggesting that A VERY POWERFUL MOVE IS IN THE MAKING.
Chart courtesy of StockCharts.com
THE PATTERN THAT IS HIGHLIGHTED ON THE ZNGA STOCK CHART IS A SYMMETRICAL TRIANGLE. THIS PATTERN IS IDENTIFIED BY THE PRICE ACTION, WHICH CONTAINS A SERIES OF LOWER PEAKS AND HIGHER TROUGHS. This price action can easily be defined using two converging trend lines. THESE TREND LINES OUTLINE KEY LEVELS OF PRICE SUPPORT AND PRICE RESISTANCE.
AS THE PATTERN DEVELOPS, THE RANGE BETWEEN SUPPORT AND RESISTANCE BEGINS TO CONTRACT AND THIS CAUSES MOMENTUM TO BUILD WITH THE PATTERN.
THINK OF IT AS A BATTLE THAT IS BEING WAGED BETWEEN BULLS AND BEARS. When a victor is crowned, the built-up momentum is finally released. Depending on whether the stock breaks above resistance or below support will determine the victor.
The size and scope of the pattern is directly related to the reaction that is expected to occur once the pattern is resolved. THIS IS THE REASON WHY SYMMETRICAL TRIANGLES ARE INFLUENTIAL AND POWERFUL PRICE PATTERNS.
ZYNGA STOCK HAS BEGUN TRADING WITHIN A TIGHT RANGE THAT WAS BOUND BY $0.30 AND THAT RANGE HAS DONE NOTHING BUT CONTRACT.
IN THREE MONTHS, THIS RANGE CONTRACTED SIGNIFICANTLY AND CHANGED DIRECTIONS SEVEN TIMES.
MOMENTUM IS BUILDING AND A BREAKOUT IS IMMINENT.
The longer-term perspective can be used to help shed some light on the situation, which can provide some insight into which direction the symmetrical triangle will resolve itself.
THE FOLLOWING ZYNGA STOCK CHART ILLUSTRATES THE PRICE ACTION THAT PRECEDED THE SYMMETRICAL TRIANGLE.
Chart courtesy of StockCharts.com
THIS ZNGA STOCK CHART ILLUSTRATES THAT THE SYMMETRICAL TRIANGLE IS ALSO KNOWN AS A CONSOLIDATION WAVE. A CONSOLIDATION WAVE IS JUST ONE OF TWO WAVES THAT CREATE CONSTRUCTIVE PRICE ACTION.
THE INITIAL WAVE IS AN IMPULSE WAVE, WHICH IS HIGHLIGHTED IN GREEN. THIS WAVE SERVES TO DEFINE THE POINT IN A TREND WHERE THE STOCK PRICE STAGES A BULLISH ADVANCE.
The wave that follows is a consolidation wave, which is highlighted in purple. This wave serves to define the point in a trend when the stock refrains from staging an advance because it is unwinding any overbought conditions that were created during the impulse wave that preceded it. This wave functions to set up the next impulse wave.
These waves in an alternating wave structure create the necessary ingredients to produce and sustain a trend.
A resolution to the symmetrical triangle, which is also a consolidation wave, will determine which direction the next impulse will take. THE RULE OF THUMB IS THAT, ON AVERAGE, THE IMPULSE WAVE THAT FOLLOWS BREAKS OUT IN THE SAME DIRECTION AS THE IMPULSE WAVE THAT PRECEDED IT.
THE WAVE STRUCTURE IS BULLISH, AND THEREFORE, IT FAVORS A BULLISH RESOLUTION OF THE SYMMETRICAL TRIANGLE. As a result, the substantial move I am anticipating is likely going to occur in a bullish upward direction, but only time and price will tell.
ANALYST TAKE:
THERE IS A COMPELLING PRICE PATTERN THAT IS BEING PAINTED ON THE ZYNGA STOCK CHART, WHICH IS SUGGESTING THAT A VERY POWERFUL MOVE IS ON THE HORIZON. Which direction ZNGA stock breaks out of this pattern will determine which direction the shares are going to go. THE PRICE ACTION THAT PRECEDED IT WAS BULLISH IN NATURE AND THEREFORE, IT SUPPORTS A RESOLUTION THAT INVOLVES HIGHER STOCK PRICES.
Source:
www.profitconfidential.com/stock/zynga-stock/zynga-stock-setting-make-move/
GSPI: HOLDING ABOVE
THE 3-DAY IS SPOTTED AT 42.94 FOR GREEN STAR PRODUCTS INC (GSPI).
THE ADX IS TYPICALLY PLOTTED ALONG WITH TWO OTHER DIRECTIONAL MOVEMENT INDICATOR LINES, THE PLUS DIRECTIONAL INDICATOR (+DI) AND MINUS DIRECTIONAL INDICATOR (-DI). SOME ANALYSTS BELIEVE THAT THE ADX IS ONE OF THE BEST TREND STRENGTH INDICATORS AVAILABLE.
GREEN STAR PRODUCTS INC (GSPI) HOLDING ABOVE PSAR AFTER RECENT CLOSE
SEPTEMBER 7, 2017 AIKEN CONTRIBUTOR
SHARES OF GREEN STAR PRODUCTS INC (GSPI) ARE ON WATCH as they closed the most recent session above the Parabolic SAR line. The current level of the shares currently stands at 0.0017 at the time of writing.
SAR stands for stop and reverse and it is a trend following indicator, designed to identify the turning point in price action. The parabolic SAR is shown on the charts as a series of small ‘dots’ that are placed either above or below the price. When the price is trending to the upside, the dots are below the price action and when the price is trending to the downside, the dots are above the price action.
WHEN THE SHARE PRICE CLOSES ABOVE THE UPPER PARABOLIC SAR, A TRADER COULD INTERPRET A BUY SIGNAL. The Parabolic SAR will move from being above price to below price and the trader would cover any existing short positions and reverse direction and buy long.
When the price closes below the lower Parabolic SAR, a trader could interpret a sell signal. The Parabolic SAR will move from being below price to above price and the trader would sell any existing long positions and reverse direction and go short.
After a recent look, Green Star Products Inc (GSPI) has a 50-day Moving Average of 0.00, the 200-day Moving Average is 0.00, and the 7-day is noted at 0.00. A popular tool among technical stock analysts is the moving average. Moving averages are considered to be lagging indicators that simply take the average price of a stock over a specific period of time. Moving averages can be very useful for identifying peaks and troughs. They may also be used to help the trader figure out proper support and resistance levels for the stock.
Traders may be relying in part on technical stock analysis. Green Star Products Inc (GSPI) currently has a 14-day Commodity Channel Index (CCI) of 25.25. Despite the name, CCI can be used on other investment tools such as stocks. The CCI was designed to typically stay within the reading of -100 to +100. Traders may use the indicator to determine stock trends or to identify overbought/oversold conditions. A CCI reading above +100 would imply that the stock is overbought and possibly ready for a correction. On the other hand, a reading of -100 would imply that the stock is oversold and possibly set for a rally.
AT THE TIME OF WRITING, THE 14-DAY ADX FOR GREEN STAR PRODUCTS INC (GSPI) IS 24.60. MANY TECHNICAL CHART ANALYSTS BELIEVE THAT AN ADX VALUE OVER 25 WOULD SUGGEST A STRONG TREND. A reading under 20 would indicate no trend, and a reading from 20-25 would suggest that there is no clear trend signal. THE ADX IS TYPICALLY PLOTTED ALONG WITH TWO OTHER DIRECTIONAL MOVEMENT INDICATOR LINES, THE PLUS DIRECTIONAL INDICATOR (+DI) AND MINUS DIRECTIONAL INDICATOR (-DI). SOME ANALYSTS BELIEVE THAT THE ADX IS ONE OF THE BEST TREND STRENGTH INDICATORS AVAILABLE.
The Relative Strength Index (RSI) is one of multiple popular technical indicators created by J. Welles Wilder. Wilder introduced RSI in his book “New Concepts in Technical Trading Systems” which was published in 1978. RSI measures the magnitude and velocity of directional price movements. The data is represented graphically by fluctuating between a value of 0 and 100. The indicator is computed by using the average losses and gains of a stock over a certain time period. RSI can be used to help spot overbought or oversold conditions. An RSI reading over 70 would be considered overbought, and a reading under 30 would indicate oversold conditions. A level of 50 would indicate neutral market momentum. The 14-day RSI is currently sitting at 51.44, the 7-day is at 50.51, and THE 3-DAY IS SPOTTED AT 42.94 FOR GREEN STAR PRODUCTS INC (GSPI).
Source:
https://aikenadvocate.com/green-star-products-inc-gspi-holding-above-psar-after-recent-close/402546/
GREEN STAR PRODUCTS INC (GSPI) REACHES ACTIVE MOVER LIST
SEP 7, 2017 FINANCIAL NEWS STAFF
NEEDLE MOVING ACTION HAS BEEN SPOTTED IN GREEN STAR PRODUCTS INC (GSPI) AS SHARES ARE MOVING TODAY ….
Source:
finnewsreview.com/green-star-products-inc-gspi-reaches-active-mover-list/
GSPI: G. S. PESTICIDES INDUSTRY / INDIAMART
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G. S. PESTICIDES INDUSTRY
GREEN STAR PRODUCTS, INC. (GSPI) creates economically competitive, environmentally friendly, sustainable algae based fuel, food and materials from existing technology today. Scalability of commercial algae production from proven advanced proprietary research by Green Star into nutrients and processes is now exponential.
Agal oil, a highly concentrated, 100% vegetarian source of DHA omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids is already widely used in milk, baby formula and other nutritional supplements. Plus, rapid commercially scalable production ramping of renewable biodiesel from algal oil at costs below conventional diesel is now a reality at GSPI.
Algae based biodiesel can immediately replace conventional diesel for automotive, trucking, rail, marine shipping and power generation uses with no change in existing equipment and with less emissions, better lubrication and higher energy efficiency per gallon. Also, durable materials may be made of hydrocarbons from algal oil instead of fossil fuels, including plastics and carbon composites, as can hydrocarbon based chemicals and pharmaceuticals, as well. High quality protein meal for human and animal consumption is also produced from the Green Star algae refining process.
The GSPI hybrid algae production system (HAPS) works best with brackish or salt water, not fresh water and can use relatively small areas of waste land, thereby providing no competition for other forms of agriculture. And, because algae, like other plants, naturally absorb the over abundant greenhouse gas carbon dioxide in exchange for release of beneficial oxygen to grow, Green Star Products, Inc. technology is at least carbon neutral.
Thus, materials manufactured from algal oil actually become a repository for carbon sequestration. These include more cost effective earthquake resistant construction materials and high tech consumer goods. Additionally, an algae based biodiesel plug-in hybrid electric vehicle is a solution for many environmental and transportation problems.
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ZNGA: RANGOLI REKHA, TOP HOLDERS, & (AR) TECHNOLOGY
THE STOCK GRABBED 54 NEW INSTITUTIONAL INVESTMENTS TOTALING 52,317,445 SHARES
BENEFIT FROM NEW FORMATS LIKE AR COULD BE A SOURCE OF SIGNIFICANT MOMENTUM
"AS A TEAM, WE’RE BEING DELIBERATE ABOUT OUR NEW STARTS AND GOING AFTER THE CATEGORIES
WHERE WE BELIEVE WE CAN WIN,"
5 THINGS ZYNGA MANAGEMENT WANTS YOU TO KNOW
ZYNGA'S SECOND-QUARTER EARNINGS CALL PROVIDED SOME VALUABLE INSIGHT INTO THE COMPANY'S TURNAROUND EFFORT.
KEITH NOONAN
(TMFNOONS)
AUG 5, 2017 AT 8:06AM
ZYGNA'S (NASDAQ:ZNGA) RECENTLY REPORTED SECOND-QUARTER EARNINGS SUGGEST THAT ITS TURNAROUND EFFORT IS FINDING SUCCESS, WITH THE COMPANY DELIVERING ITS FIRST PROFITABLE QUARTER SINCE Q4 2012…
ZYNGA SEES POTENTIAL IN AUGMENTED REALITY
Augmented reality (AR) has already broken into the mainstream with hit products including Nintendo's Pokemon Go and video filters on platforms owned by Facebook and Snap, and IT LOOKS LIKE ZYNGA MIGHT HAVE SOME BIG OPPORTUNITIES WITH THE EMERGING TECHNOLOGY. GIBEAU STATED THAT THERE COULD SOON BE SOME EXCITING ANNOUNCEMENTS FROM HARDWARE COMPANIES IN THE SPACE AND MADE CLEAR THAT ZYNGA IS EXPLORING OPPORTUNITIES IN AR:
We are absolutely watching those developments and thinking of ways to make sure that they can integrate in our games. The trick is to make sure that they're not gimmicks, that they actually have creative integrity and they lead to engagement. And so I think we need to really understand how that's going to work before you can understand how the monetization might happen. Obviously, AR IN ADVERTISING AND IN OTHER TYPES OF APPLICATIONS CREATES MONETIZATION OPPORTUNITIES THAT WOULD BE NEW AND INTERESTING TO GAMING.
WITH THE CHALLENGING COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE FOR IN-GAME MOBILE ADVERTISING ALREADY WEIGHING ON ZYNGA'S AD BUSINESS, FINDING WAYS TO BENEFIT FROM NEW FORMATS LIKE AR COULD BE A SOURCE OF SIGNIFICANT MOMENTUM, and IT'S ENCOURAGING TO HEAR THAT THE COMPANY IS WORKING ON A STRATEGIES FOR A TECHNOLOGY THAT LOOKS TO HAVE SERIOUS BREAKOUT POTENTIAL.
Source
https://www.fool.com/investing/2017/08/05/things-zynga-management-wants-you-to-know.aspx
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ZYNGA MAKES PUSH FOR INDIA WITH LOCALISED MATCH-3 GAME RANGOLI REKHA: COLOR MATCH
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ZYNGA APPEARS TO BE MAKING A MOVE INTO THE INDIA MARKET WITH A SPECIFICALLY INDIA-FOCUSED MATCH-3 GAME CALLED RANGOLI REKHA: COLOR MATCH.
THE GAME WAS ORIGINALLY SOFT-LAUNCHED ON ANDROID ON AUGUST 3RD. ZYNGA'S SUPPORT PAGE FOR THE GAME STATES THAT IT IS BETA TESTING AND CURRENTLY ONLY AVAILABLE TO DOWNLOAD IN INDIA.
RANGOLI REKHA: COLOR MATCH HAS PLAYERS MATCHING THREE OR MORE COLOURED SYMBOLS TO MAKE RANGOLI, WITH THE ULTIMATE OBJECTIVE OF DEFEATING THE MAHARAJA. IT ALSO CONTAINS REFERENCES TO DIWALI, CHAKRAS, AND OTHER CULTURALLY-SPECIFIC ITEMS.
Focusing in
"Our Zynga India team is beta testing a new Match-3 mobile game – Rangoli Rekha – for players in India. The game is in the early stages of development and we look forward to hearing from local players during this initial testing period,” Zynga said in a statement.
Development for the game is being handled by Zynga's own Bangalore studio. The Bangalore team is also handling most of Zynga's web operations and some of its legacy games.
MAKING A PUSH FOR INDIA IS AN INTERESTING MOVE FOR ZYNGA, WHICH IN RECENT MONTHS HAS TURNED ITS FOCUS TO LIVE OPERATIONS AND ENSURING ITS GAMES WILL BE SUCCESSES. IT ALREADY CANNED A MAFIA WARS MOBILE REBOOT DUE TO CONCERNS THAT IT WASN'T PERFORMING WELL ENOUGH.
"AS A TEAM, WE’RE BEING DELIBERATE ABOUT OUR NEW STARTS AND GOING AFTER THE CATEGORIES WHERE WE BELIEVE WE CAN WIN," said the company in a statement on the game's cancellation.
Source:
www.pocketgamer.biz/asia/news/66380/zynga-makes-push-for-india-with-rangoli-rekha-color-match/
VANGUARD GROUP INC IS THE BIGGEST HOLDER OF ZYNGA INC. (ZNGA)
SEPTEMBER 5, 2017
Zynga Inc. (ZNGA) Top Holders
Institutional investors currently hold around $2.24 billion or 79.7% in ZNGA stock. Look at its top three institutional owners. VANGUARD GROUP INC OWNS $227.4 MILLION IN ZYNGA INC., which represents roughly 7.04% of the company’s market cap and approximately 10.16% of the institutional ownership. Similar statistics are true for the second largest owner, DIMENSIONAL FUND ADVISORS LP, WHICH OWNS 52,395,197 SHARES OF THE STOCK are valued at $195.96 million. The third largest holder IS EMINENCE CAPITAL, LP, WHICH CURRENTLY HOLDS $180.78 MILLION worth of this stock and that ownership represents nearly 5.6% of its market capitalization.
Zynga Inc. 13F Filings
At the end of 6/30/2017 reporting period, 129 institutional holders increased their position in Zynga Inc. (NASDAQ:ZNGA) by some 127,212,264 shares, 85 decreased positions by 111,452,881 and 35 held positions by 360,065,508. That puts total institutional holdings at 598,730,653 shares, according to SEC filings. THE STOCK GRABBED 54 NEW INSTITUTIONAL INVESTMENTS TOTALING 52,317,445 SHARES while 24 institutional investors sold out their entire positions totaling 14,607,616 shares.
Source:
https://www.postanalyst.com/2017/09/05/vanguard-group-inc-is-the-biggest-holder-of-zynga-inc-znga/
ZNGA: AN IMPRE$$IVE TURNAROUND STORY, STOCK RIDING HIGH
THE GLOBAL GAMES MARKET WILL REACH $108.9 BILLION IN 2017
90% OF ZYNGA’S AUDIENCE NOW COMES FROM MOBILE AS COMPARED TO 82% A YEAR AGO.
ZYNGA STOCK IS A STRONG GROWTH STORY THAT SHOULD NOT BE MISSED.
ZYNGA AS A COMPANY IS SHOWING ALL SIGNS OF A SOLID TURNAROUND
THE INVESTORS WHO JUMP ONTO THIS BANDWAGON EARLY ARE MOST LIKELY TO REAP HANDSOME RETURNS
ZYNGA IS WELL-PREPARED FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY, NOW MORE THAN EVER.
PROFITCONFIDENTIAL.COM
PUBLISHED: AUGUST 30, 2017
ZYNGA STOCK: THE PENNY STOCK RIDING HIGH ON MOBILE GAMING
BY MUKTA SAMTANI
Credits: iStock.com/scanrail
STRONG TURNAROUND BODES WELL FOR ZNGA STOCK
TODAY’S STOCK REPRESENTS A GREAT WAY TO GAIN ABOVE-AVERAGE RETURNS BY RIDING THE MOBILE GAMING trend. As the use of mobiles for gaming continues to grow, the entertainment industry players shall be one of the biggest gainers of this rising trend. THE INVESTORS WHO JUMP ONTO THIS BANDWAGON EARLY ARE MOST LIKELY TO REAP HANDSOME RETURNS in the coming years.
THERE ARE A FEW GAMING STOCKS THAT ARE NOT ONLY DOING WELL WITH THEIR PORTFOLIO, BUT ARE ALSO REALIZING THE FRUITS OF THEIR TURNAROUND EFFORTS.
THE CASE IN POINT BEING ZYNGA INC (NASDAQ:ZNGA), which is a leading provider of social game services. The company offers live social games on mobile platforms like Apple’s “iOS” and Google’s “Android” as well as on social networking sites such as “Facebook.”
ZYNGA IS AN INNOVATOR OF SOCIAL GAMES AND HAS BEEN SUCCESSFUL IN MAKING “PLAY” A CORE ACTIVITY ON MOBILE DEVICES AND SOCIAL NETWORKING SITES. With a leading portfolio of social games like “Zynga Poker” and “FarmVille” franchises, Zynga has been able to leverage its technology to increase player engagement, launch new games, and build the Zynga brand.
This SUCCESSFUL EXECUTION OF ITS GROWTH STRATEGY HAS BEEN POSITIVE FOR ZYNGA STOCK.
ZYNGA AS A COMPANY IS SHOWING ALL SIGNS OF A SOLID TURNAROUND as it makes the transition to the mobile platform. One of the key highlights of the recent quarter has been the increasing mobile momentum. THE MOBILE AUDIENCE OF THE COMPANY POSTED A GROWTH OF 28% YEAR-OVER-YEAR, TO 19 MILLION AVERAGE DAILY ACTIVE USERS. This is the highest ever year-over-year growth in MORE THAN TWO YEARS. 90% OF ZYNGA’S AUDIENCE NOW COMES FROM MOBILE AS COMPARED TO 82% A YEAR AGO. In the second quarter, the company posted $209.2 million in revenue, up 15% year-over-year. This growth has been driven by record growth of 30% in mobile revenue and 33% in mobile bookings.
As per a recent research report by Newzoo, the global games market will reach $108.9 billion in 2017 as more than two billion gamers around the globe continue to expand the market. Out of this, mobile is the most lucrative segment, with tablet and smartphone gaming expected to grow about 19% year-over-year to about $46.0 billion, which amounts to 42% of the market. The report further says that by 2020, mobile gaming will represent a little more than half of the total games market. (SOURCE: “THE GLOBAL GAMES MARKET WILL REACH $108.9 BILLION IN 2017 WITH MOBILE TAKING 42%,” NEWZOO, APRIL 20, 2017.)
AND ZYNGA IS WELL-PREPARED FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY, NOW MORE THAN EVER. Because apart from the successful franchises, IT HAS BEEN ABLE TO ACHIEVE OPERATIONAL EFFICIENCY AS WELL. THIS HAS LED TO INCREASED OPTIMISM ABOUT THE BUSINESS AND HAS PUSHED ZYNGA STOCK HIGHER. There has been a significant improvement in the year-over-year profitability, revenue, bookings, and cash flow, as is evident from its recent quarterly results.
Although ZNGA stock has been volatile, this penny STOCK HAS GAINED ABOUT 41% IN THE YEAR TO DATE, and as the company continues to sharpen its operating model, ZYNGA STOCK SHALL POST FURTHER GAINS.
Chart courtesy of StockCharts.com
IN THE SECOND HALF OF THE YEAR, THE PRIORITY OF THE SOCIAL GAMES COMPANY CONTINUES TO BE GROWING ITS LIVE SERVICES. ZYNGA HAS A STRONG MOBILE PORTFOLIO, WHICH IS LIKELY TO CONTINUE STRONGER IN THE COMING DAYS. The mobile gaming company has chalked out ITS GROWTH STRATEGY OF INTRODUCING NEW MOBILE TITLES AND HAS MULTIPLE NEW GAMES IN DEVELOPMENT.
ANALYST TAKE: ZYNGA IS AN IMPRESSIVE TURNAROUND STORY AND ZNGA STOCK HAS A LOT OF UPSIDE POTENTIAL. FOR INVESTORS WHO WANT TO GAIN FROM THE RISING MOBILE TREND IN THE ENTERTAINMENT SPACE, ZYNGA STOCK IS A STRONG GROWTH STORY THAT SHOULD NOT BE MISSED.
Source:
www.profitconfidential.com/stock/zynga-stock/zynga-stock-penny-stock-riding-high-mobile-gaming/
ZNGA: SHAREHOLDERS NOW BEING REWARDED, THIS IS JUST THE START
"...THE SHAREHOLDERS ARE NOW BEING REWARDED FOR THEIR PATIENCE."
WALL STREET IS ONLY GETTING MORE BULLISH ON THE STOCK
ZYNGA INC. HAS A CONSENSUS OUTPERFORM RATING FROM 16 WALL STREET ANALYSTS
ZYNGA INC. (NASDAQ:ZNGA) IS GAINING TRACTION WITH INVESTORS
ZYNGA INC. (NASDAQ:ZNGA) WAS UPGRADED BY BIDASKCLUB…TO A “BUY” RATING IN A NOTE ISSUED TO INVESTORS ON WEDNESDAY.
ZYNGA (ZNGA) FORMS $3.67 DOUBLE TOP; General Dynamics (GD)’s Sentiment Is 1.12
August 25, 2017 - By Vivian Currie
ZYNGA INC (ZNGA) FORMED DOUBLE TOP with $3.93 target or 7.00% above today’s $3.67 share price. Zynga Inc (ZNGA) has $3.18B valuation. The stock increased 1.38% or $0.05 during the last trading session, reaching $3.67. About shares traded. Zynga Inc (NASDAQ:ZNGA) has risen 35.83% since August 25, 2016 and is uptrending. It has outperformed by 19.13% the S&P500…
Source:
https://kgazette.com/zynga-znga-forms-3-67-double-top-general-dynamics-gds-sentiment-is-1-12/
ZYNGA INC. (ZNGA) STOCK RATING UPGRADED BY BIDASKCLUB
POSTED BY TOI WILLIAMS ON AUG 25TH, 2017
ZYNGA INC. (NASDAQ:ZNGA) WAS UPGRADED BY BIDASKCLUB FROM A “HOLD” RATING TO A “BUY” RATING IN A NOTE ISSUED TO INVESTORS ON WEDNESDAY.
Source:
https://www.truebluetribune.com/2017/08/25/zynga-inc-znga-stock-rating-upgraded-by-bidaskclub.html
Analyst Commentary On Zynga Inc. (ZNGA), Spark Networks, Inc. (LOV)
August 25, 2017
ZYNGA INC. (NASDAQ:ZNGA) IS GAINING TRACTION WITH INVESTORS, as evidenced by its 5.19 million shares volume. The daily trading volume average remained 12.1 million shares over the course of 3 months. The stock had opened the regular trading at $3.6 and managed a 1.38% price change to reach $3.67 through the close.
Zynga Inc. (ZNGA) Analyst Opinion
ZYNGA INC. HAS A CONSENSUS OUTPERFORM RATING FROM 16 WALL STREET ANALYSTS, and the number of shares currently sold short amount to at least 2.05% of shares outstanding. The stock sank -1.34% last month and is up 42.8 this year. WALL STREET IS ONLY GETTING MORE BULLISH ON THE STOCK…
Source:
postanalyst.com/2017/08/25/analyst-commentary-on-zynga-inc-znga-spark-networks-inc-lov/
ZYNGA INC. HAS A CONSENSUS OUTPERFORM RATING FROM 16 WALL STREET ANALYSTS
ZYNGA: THIS IS JUST THE START
AUG.24.17 | ABOUT: ZYNGA (ZNGA)
ORTHODOX INVESTOR
LONG/SHORT EQUITY, DEEP VALUE, VALUE, GROWTH
(1,554 FOLLOWERS)
SUMMARY
KEY METRICS ARE SHOWING IMPROVEMENT.
BETTER MANAGEMENT OF COSTS AND A FOCUSED RESEARCH TEAM WILL SAVE COSTS.
EARLY TERMINATION OF SOME TITLES WILL SAVE DEVELOPMENT COSTS.
EV/EBITA MULTIPLE WILL COME IN LINE WITH THE INDUSTRY AVERAGE AS THE PROFITABILITY RISES.
Zynga’s (NYSE:ZNGA) turnaround has finally started to gain momentum. My call on the stock is unchanged and I still believe it is a solid hold for the long-term investors. New investors looking to buy should also consider it as it is A GOOD TURNAROUND PLAY, WHICH CAN YIELD HANDSOME RETURNS.
For any turnaround story to be successful, management is the most important variable in the equation. A clear, well-defined strategy is fundamental to success. ZYNGA’S MANAGEMENT HAS DONE THIS AND THE SHAREHOLDERS ARE NOW BEING REWARDED FOR THEIR PATIENCE. As I highlighted in my first article about the company, mobile revenue was one of the key issues for the company. Its games were hugely popular but the monetization was extremely low.
The company was making a transition from a web-based gaming platform to mobile. The management identified this issue and WE HAVE SEEN A MASSIVE RISE IN MOBILE REVENUE AS A PERCENTAGE OF TOTAL SALES. In the most recent earnings announcement, MOBILE REVENUE WAS 86% OF TOTAL SALES. Both mobile revenue and mobile bookings were up by 30% and 33%, respectively. MOBILE BOOKINGS NOW ACCOUNT FOR MORE THAN 87% OF THE TOTAL BOOKINGS. THIS IS A SUBSTANTIAL MOVE, WHICH HAS RESULTED IN BETTER THAN EXPECTED PROFITABILITY.
Source: Press Release
Year-over-year growth is impressive in bookings and revenue. I will not explain the earnings announcement further as it can be read here. Instead, I will focus on profitability metrics and how it has affected the valuation of the stock.
Zynga’s gross margin has crossed 69%. This is the highest level in the last five quarters. Likewise, the company has reported operating income for the first time in the same period. Zynga’s previous valuations were artificial as the business was not profitable and the valuation was largely fueled by speculation and hope. However, as the company has started to generate profit, we can value the stock on its fundamentals (assuming the trend in profitability continues).
Zynga generated $13 million in EBITA (I am using EBITA instead of EBITDA as gaming companies have negligible depreciation expense unlike industrial units) for the second quarter. I believe we are at the start of the turnaround where we will see profitability grow in the future. Assuming Zynga produces similar EBITA numbers in the next two quarters, we will have full year EBITA of $39 million. The highest figure in the last three years.
This level of EBITA will give us an EV/EBITA multiple of around 61x. An extremely high number. However, typically, EV/EBITA multiples are on the higher side in this industry (around 28x). Zynga’s stock price has moved up sharply in the last few months. As a result, the enterprise value has jumped. ZYNGA DOES NOT HAVE ANY LONG-TERM DEBT ON ITS BOOKS, so the whole value comes from equity.
Also, the cash position is extremely strong (around $740 million). All these factors have contributed towards the high EV/EBITA multiple. Zynga had around $1 in cash when the stock was trading near $2. Its per share cash is still at around 86 cents. As the profitability improves, I expect this multiple to come in line with the industry average.
IF ZYNGA IS ABLE TO GENERATE $100 MILLION IN ANNUAL EBITA, THEN THE STOCK PRICE WILL MAKE A SUBSTANTIAL JUMP. Let’s assume that the company reaches $100 million in EBITA in 2018 and the multiple comes in line with the industry average of 28x. We will have enterprise value of $2.8 billion and an equity value of around $3.54 billion. At these levels, per share price will need to reach $4.10.
I have not changed the number of shares outstanding and cash balances (normally, cash balances will increase as EBITA increases and equity value will be higher). However, if the multiple does not come down and the market continues to value it at the current multiple, then the equity value will be close to $6.9 billion and per share price will need to reach $8.
Management’s strategy to be the best in a category will save it a lot of money. By following this strategy, they will be able to identify if a game is going to be a “forever franchise” for them. If the game does not meet the required criteria, then it can be cancelled and development costs can be reduced. When I first talked about CSR2, some of the readers did not believe that it can be a worthy contributor towards Zynga’s revenues. However, in just a few months, this game has achieved the label of “forever franchise” by the company executives and is likely to be a key contributor towards revenues and cash flows.
Source:10-Q
One of the most important metrics for Zynga was MUP (Monthly Unique Payers). This metric was low and I highlighted that Zynga management needs to work on lifting this metric. We have now seen a considerable improvement in this number as year-over-year growth of 33% is impressive. As the company continues to improve this number, PROFITABILITY WILL RISE FURTHER.
ZYNGA’S TURNAROUND IS GATHERING PACE NOW AND I BELIEVE THE STOCK HAS A LOT OF ROOM TO GROW. LONG-TERM SHAREHOLDERS SHOULD HOLD ONTO THEIR POSITIONS AND ENJOY THE RIDE. Structural changes have resulted in a more focused research and development team. STRONG BALANCE SHEET, FALLING OPERATING EXPENSES AND RISING REVENUES SHOULD ENHANCE MARGINS AND CASH FLOWS. ALL THESE DEVELOPMENTS MAKE ZYNGA AN EVEN MORE ATTRACTIVE INVESTMENT.
Please follow this link to read my previous articles about the stock.
Disclosure: I/we have no positions in any stocks mentioned, and no plans to initiate any positions within the next 72 hours.
I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it (other than from Seeking Alpha). I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article.
Source:
https://seekingalpha.com/article/4101625-zynga-just-start
ZNGA: AGAIN IN A BULLISH MANNER
ZYNGA INC. ZNGA: THIS SOCIAL GAME DEVELOPER CARRIES A ZACKS RANK #2. THE ZACKS INDUSTRY RANK OF THE STOCK IS IN THE TOP 20%.
INDICATOR SIGNAL
CLOSING PRICE ABOVE/BELOW 50 DAY MOVING AVERAGE BULLISH
CLOSING PRICE ABOVE/BELOW 200 DAY MOVING AVERAGE BULLISH
50 DAY MOVING AVERAGE ABOVE/BELOW 200 DAY MOVING AVERAGE BULLISH
IF THEY ARE UNDERVALUED, IT CAN BE A FURTHER ADVANTAGE AND MAY INDICATE SUSTAINED MOMENTUM.
ANALYST’S BULLISH ON THESE TWO STOCK FOLLOWING MEETING WITH INDUSTRY: Zynga Inc. (ZNGA), Baker Hughes, a GE company (BHGE)
BY
NICK CUMMINGS
-
AUGUST 23, 2017
Zynga Inc. (NASDAQ:ZNGA) market capitalization at present is $3.12B at the rate of $3.65 a share. The firm’s price-to-sales ratio was noted 4.01 in contrast with an overall industry average of 8.68. Most of the active traders and investors are keen to find ways to compare the value of stocks. The price-to-sales ratio offers a simple approach in this case. They just need to take the company’s market capitalization and divide it by the company’s total sales over the past 12 months. The lesser the ratio, the more attractive the investment…
https://www.stocknewsjournal.com/2017/08/23/analysts-bullish-on-these-two-stock-following-meeting-with-industry-zynga-inc-znga-baker-hughes-a-ge-company-bhge/
5 STOCKS SIZZLING WITH STRONG EARNINGS BEAT PROSPECTS
ZACKS EQUITY RESEARCH
ZACKS
AUGUST 23, 2017
Investors are always hunting for estimate-beating stocks before an earnings release. It is because investors always try to place themselves ahead of time and look to play stocks that are rich in quality and have high chances of beating earnings estimates…
ZYNGA INC. ZNGA: THIS SOCIAL GAME DEVELOPER CARRIES A ZACKS RANK #2. THE ZACKS INDUSTRY RANK OF THE STOCK IS IN THE TOP 20%.
https://finance.yahoo.com/news/5-stocks-sizzling-strong-earnings-095809880.html
ZYNGA, INC. BREACHED ITS 50 DAY MOVING AVERAGE IN A BULLISH MANNER : ZNGA-US : AUGUST 23, 2017
August 23, 2017 by CapitalCube
Get full CapitalCube analysis
*Disclaimer : This is as of previous day’s closing price.
Technical Indicators
Below is a quick look at 5 technical indicators for Zynga, Inc.. More studies are available on the Technical Chart.
INDICATOR SIGNAL
CLOSING PRICE ABOVE/BELOW 50 DAY MOVING AVERAGE BULLISH
CLOSING PRICE ABOVE/BELOW 200 DAY MOVING AVERAGE BULLISH
50 DAY MOVING AVERAGE ABOVE/BELOW 200 DAY MOVING AVERAGE BULLISH
RSI Reading Level (<30 or >70) Fair Value
MACD Compared to 9D EMA Signal Line Bearish
SHARE PRICE PERFORMANCE RELATIVE TO PEERS
Considering peers, relative underperformance over the last year and the last month suggest a lagging position.
ZNGA-US‘S SHARE PRICE PERFORMANCE OF 37.74% for the last 12 months is below its peer median. The 30-day trend in its share price performance of -3.44% is also below the peer median implying that the company’s stock performance is lagging its peers.
EARNINGS MOMENTUM
Zynga, Inc. has an earnings score of 63.82 and has a relative valuation of NEUTRAL.
Stocks with High Earnings Momentum are a preferred option for momentum plays. IF THEY ARE UNDERVALUED, IT CAN BE A FURTHER ADVANTAGE AND MAY INDICATE SUSTAINED MOMENTUM.
Quadrant label definitions. Hover to know more
Overvalued, High Earnings Momentum, Undervalued, High Earnings Momentum, UnderValued, Low Earnings Momentum, Overvalued, Low Earnings Momentum
Screen for companies using Earnings Momentum Score
Source:
www.capitalcube.com/blog/index.php/zynga-inc-breached-its-50-day-moving-average-in-a-bullish-manner-znga-us-august-23-2017/?yptr=yahoo
ZNGA: w/ UNITY & its 25 BILLION + AD REQUESTS PER MONTH SERVED
ZNGA: with UNITY & its over 25 BILLION AD REQUESTS PER MONTH SERVED
UNITY’S WORLD CLASS ADVERTISING PLATFORM, WHICH SERVES MORE THAN 25 BILLION AD REQUESTS PER MONTH
DRIVING THE ECOSYSTEM OF REWARDED ADVERTISING, A FORMAT 81% OF ALL MOBILE GAME PLAYERS PREFER,” SAID JULIE SHUMAKER, VICE PRESIDENT, BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT OF ADVERTISING, UNITY TECHNOLOGIES.
WE ARE CONFIDENT UNITY IS THE PLATFORM OF PERFORMANCE IN MOBILE ADVERTISING.”
AUGUST 9, 2017
UNITY TAPPED BY ZYNGA FOR EXCLUSIVE MOBILE GAME REWARDED ADVERTISING PARTNER
UNITY TECHNOLOGIES, TOUTED AS THE LARGEST GLOBAL DEVELOPMENT PLATFORM FOR CREATING 2D, 3D, VR AND AR GAMES, announced Tuesday that it will exclusively power Zynga Inc.’s mobile game rewarded advertising. We’re told that the partnership gives ZYNGA ACCESS TO UNITY’S WORLD CLASS ADVERTISING PLATFORM, which...
BY EMMA MARTIN
AUGUST 9, 2017
Unity Technologies, touted as the LARGEST GLOBAL DEVELOPMENT PLATFORM FOR CREATING 2D, 3D, VR AND AR GAMES, announced Tuesday that it will exclusively power Zynga Inc.’s mobile game rewarded advertising.
We’re told that the partnership gives Zynga access to Unity’s world class advertising platform, which SERVES MORE THAN 25 BILLION AD REQUESTS PER MONTH TO MORE THAN 1 BILLION UNIQUE USERS AROUND THE WORLD.
ALL ZYNGA MOBILE GAMES RUNNING REWARDED ADVERTISING WILL BE INCLUDED IN THE PARTNERSHIP, DEMONSTRATING THE VALUE OF MOVING THE MOBILE IN-APP AD MARKETPLACE FROM A MEDIATION OF MULTIPLE SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT KITS (SDK’S) TO A UNIFIED AUCTION OF ALL DEMAND SOURCES TO DRIVE OPTIMAL REVENUE.
The deal accelerates Unity’s strategy of using auction over waterfall mediation, a provided statement reads.
“The partnership with Zynga provides Unity advertisers with access to the most engaged players in mobile games, within some of the highest production quality IP in the space.
We are thrilled to represent Zynga exclusively and partner with them in DRIVING THE ECOSYSTEM OF REWARDED ADVERTISING, A FORMAT 81% OF ALL MOBILE GAME PLAYERS PREFER,” SAID JULIE SHUMAKER, VICE PRESIDENT, BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT OF ADVERTISING, UNITY TECHNOLOGIES.
“TAKING THIS PLAYER-CENTRIC APPROACH TRANSLATES TO ADVERTISER VALUE, giving brands a full screen, opt-in engagement with THE HIGHEST VIEW COMPLETION RATES IN MOBILE. When you add in our first party analytics platform, WE ARE CONFIDENT UNITY IS THE PLATFORM OF PERFORMANCE IN MOBILE ADVERTISING.”
Source:
https://mobilemarketingwatch.com/unity-tapped-zynga-exclusive-mobile-game-rewarded-advertising-partner-72780/
ZNGA: Q2 BEATING STREET, WITH $209.2 MILLION, $3.95 SHARE-HIGH
Q2 BEATING STREET, WITH $209.2 MILLION, $3.95 SHARE-HIGH, AFTER HOURS
The maker of "FarmVille" and other online games POSTED REVENUE OF $209.2 MILLION IN THE PERIOD, BEATING STREET FORECASTS.
ZYNGA MEETS 2Q PROFIT FORECASTS
ASSOCIATED PRESS
2 AUGUST 2017
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) _ ZYNGA INC. (ZNGA) ON WEDNESDAY REPORTED SECOND-QUARTER NET INCOME OF $5.1 MILLION, after reporting a loss in the same period a year earlier.
ON A PER-SHARE BASIS, THE SAN FRANCISCO-BASED COMPANY SAID IT HAD NET INCOME OF 1 CENT. EARNINGS, ADJUSTED FOR STOCK OPTION EXPENSE, WERE 2 CENTS PER SHARE.
THE RESULTS MATCHED WALL STREET EXPECTATIONS.
The average estimate of seven analysts surveyed by Zacks Investment Research was also for earnings of 2 cents per share.
The maker of "FarmVille" and other online games POSTED REVENUE OF $209.2 MILLION IN THE PERIOD, BEATING STREET FORECASTS.
Four ANALYSTS SURVEYED BY ZACKS EXPECTED $206.4 MILLION.
FOR THE CURRENT QUARTER ENDING IN OCTOBER, ZYNGA SAID IT EXPECTS REVENUE IN THE RANGE OF $205 MILLION. ANALYSTS SURVEYED BY ZACKS HAD EXPECTED REVENUE OF $209.9 MILLION.
IN THE FINAL MINUTES OF TRADING ON WEDNESDAY, THE COMPANY'S SHARES HIT $3.58. A year ago, they were trading at $2.85.
_____
This story was generated by Automated Insights (automatedinsights.com/ap) using data from Zacks Investment Research. Access a Zacks stock report on ZNGA at https://www.zacks.com/ap/ZNGA
Source:
https://uk.news.yahoo.com/zynga-meets-2q-profit-forecasts-223011161.html
Source:
http://www.nasdaq.com/symbol/znga/after-hours
ZNGA: PROFITABLE AGAIN
OPERATING CASH FLOW WAS ITS BEST IN FIVE YEARS, AT $37.8M.
ZYNGA SWUNG TO A PROFIT ON DOUBLE-DIGIT REVENUE GAINS AND ADDED MOBILE USERS AND REVENUES AT A HEALTHY RATE.
BIG NEWS IS THAT THE COMPANY REPORTED A PROFIT FOR THE FIRST TIME IN WELL OVER A YEAR
After a lengthy losing streak, Zynga is profitable again
AUGUST 2, 2017 | BY ALEX WAWRO
Struggling social/mobile game company Zynga posted earnings for its most recent quarter today, and the BIG NEWS IS THAT THE COMPANY REPORTED A PROFIT FOR THE FIRST TIME IN WELL OVER A YEAR.
THE FACT THAT ZYNGA REPORTS EARNING $5.1 MILLION (GAAP) IN PROFITS (ON $209 MILLION IN REVENUES) DURING THE THREE MONTHS ENDING JUNE 30TH IS NOTABLE because the company has been reporting significant losses for quite some time, even as revenues from games like Zynga Poker and CSR Racing have risen and fallen.
ZYNGA CHAMPIONS MOBILE GAMES AS THE CHIEF DRIVER OF ITS RETURN TO (GAAP) PROFITABILITY, noting in a letter to investors that Q2 revenue from mobile games was up 33 percent year-over-year, now accounting for 86 percent of the company's total revenue.
"WE BELIEVE THERE’S MORE OPPORTUNITY TO UNLOCK VALUE WITH OUR MOBILE FRANCHISES AND ARE INVESTING IN BOLD BEAT ROADMAPS FOR 2017 AND 2018," reads an excerpt of the letter. "In addition to live services, new title development will continue to play an important role at Zynga. Looking forward to 2018 and beyond, we’re actively developing new games in categories such as Action Strategy, Casual and Invest Express."
("Invest Express", of course, is a term used at Zynga for games like FarmVille: Tropic Escape.)
Source:
gamasutra.com/view/news/302962/After_a_lengthy_losing_streak_Zynga_is_profitable_again.php
Source:
http://www.nasdaq.com/press-release/zynga-announces-second-quarter-2017-financial-results-20170802-01562
ZYNGA +4.2% AS MOBILE GAINS DRIVE SWING TO Q2 PROFIT
AUG. 2, 2017 4:50 PM ET|ABOUT: ZYNGA (ZNGA)|BY: JASON AYCOCK, SA NEWS EDITOR
ZYNGA (NASDAQ:ZNGA) HAS MOVED UP 4.2% AFTER HOURS, QUOTING PENNIES OFF ITS 52-WEEK HIGH, FOLLOWING Q2 EARNINGS WHERE IT SWUNG TO A PROFIT ON DOUBLE-DIGIT REVENUE GAINS AND ADDED MOBILE USERS AND REVENUES AT A HEALTHY RATE.
REVENUE ROSE 15% AND BOOKINGS WERE UP 20% OVERALL. MOBILE REVENUE NOW MAKES UP 86% OF THE TOTAL, VS. 76% A YEAR AGO. Mobile bookings make up 87% of the total (vs. 78% last year).
IN PLAYER METRICS, AVERAGE DAILY ACTIVE USERS ROSE 17% TO 21M (19M MOBILE DAUS, UP 28%; 2M Web DAUs, down 32%). AVERAGE MONTHLY ACTIVE USERS ROSE 32% TO 80M (71M MOBILE, UP 45%; 9M Web, down 23%).
AVERAGE DAILY BOOKINGS PER AVERAGE DAU INCHED UP 2% TO $0.109. AVERAGE MONTHLY UNIQUE PAYERS ROSE 33% TO 1.2M, AND PAYER CONVERSION ROSE 28% TO 2.3%.
OPERATING CASH FLOW WAS ITS BEST IN FIVE YEARS, AT $37.8M.
For Q3, it's guiding to revenue of $210M (above an expected $207M), bookings of $205M, net income of $7M and EBITDA of $30M (above consensus for $20M).
Source:
https://seekingalpha.com/news/3284772-zynga-plus-4_2-percent-mobile-gains-drive-swing-q2-profit
ZNGA: COMEBACK, & BENEFITS OF THE BOLD BEAT!
ZYNGA HAS A STRONG TRACK RECORD OF TRUMPING ANALYST ESTIMATES, HAVING MET/BEATEN THE WALL STREET EPS ESTIMATE IN EACH OF THE LAST 4 QUARTERS.
HERE'S FRANK GIBEAU ON THE IMPLEMENTATION AND BENEFITS OF THE BOLD BEAT...
BLACKROCK INC. RAISED ITS STAKE IN ZYNGA INC. (NASDAQ:ZNGA) BY 5,061.5% DURING THE FIRST QUARTER, ACCORDING TO ITS MOST RECENT DISCLOSURE WITH THE SEC.
HERE'S THE BLUEPRINT FOR ZYNGA'S COMEBACK
ZYNGA HAS A PLAN TO FINALLY ACHIEVE CONSISTENT PROFITS.
KEITH NOONAN
(KEITHNOONAN)
AUG 1, 2017 AT 7:31PM
Zynga (NASDAQ:ZNGA) was once the leader in social video games thanks to popular titles like FarmVille and Mafia Wars, but the company fell on hard times when games shifted away from Facebook's platform and to mobile devices. BROWSER GAMES ARE A THING OF THE PAST, AND MORE THAN 80% OF ZYNGA'S SALES NOW COME FROM MOBILE, but this achievement exists in the context of a 41.5% revenue decline over the last five years and an uncertain future for the company.
Zynga has seen several leadership changes over the last two years, along with corresponding shifts in visions for how to best get the business back on track, but it now seems to be MAKING SOME PROGRESS UNDER CEO FRANK GIBEAU -- A FORMER LEADER OF ELECTRONIC ARTS' MOBILE DIVISION. Here's a look at Zynga's comeback strategy with quotes from the company's most recent earnings call as per a transcript provided by(NASDAQ:ZNGA).
Image source: Getty Images.
GETTING MORE OUT OF LIVE SERVICES
The mobile games market is intensely competitive due to the vast range of content available and the high cost of customer acquisitions, so Zynga is prioritizing getting the most out of its existing products -- or what the company calls "live services." The games maker views focusing on content and feature updates (what it calls "bold beats") for core titles as a low-risk, high-reward strategy that will allow it to quickly build to sustainable profitability. HERE'S FRANK GIBEAU ON THE IMPLEMENTATION AND BENEFITS OF THE BOLD BEAT STRATEGY:
AND SO FOR EVERY ONE OF THE FOREVER FRANCHISES THAT WE HAVE AT THE COMPANY IN OUR KEY CATEGORIES, WE BUILD BOLD BEAT ROAD MAPS that we go in and architect over four to eight quarters how this is going to unfold. And we look at each of the different customer segments of existing players, reactivation players as well as new players, and then we put together an integrated campaign to drive it. This is a -- it's a new process to Zynga that we've really been crafting over the last year. It takes advantage of a lot of the great things that Zynga built over the years and data science and product management, but it adds a few new things, especially as it relates to mobile.
ZYNGA POKER EXEMPLIFIES THE POTENTIAL BENEFITS OF THIS APPROACH, HAVING MANAGED TO GROW MOBILE REVENUES 63% YEAR OVER YEAR IN THE COMPANY'S LAST QUARTER, at least partially thanks to new game modes. The company's CSR RACING 2 (which launched in June 2016) provides another example of success for its bold beat strategy, reentering THE TOP-15 GROSSING-IOS-GAMES CHART IN APRIL THANKS TO A CONTENT UPDATE THAT TIED IN WITH COMCAST'S THE FATE OF THE FURIOUS FILM.
By focusing on its live services, the company expects that it will finally be able to increase margins substantially and achieve consistent profitability. Last quarter saw Zynga generate $16.7 million in EBITDA and $29.7 million if earnings on its deferred revenues are taken into account. That brings the company's EBITDA margin to 14.3 % -- not bad, but the company sees maximizing the value of its core franchises allowing it to rapidly ramp margins -- hitting 20% in fiscal 2018 and, eventually, climbing north of 30%.
ACQUISITIONS PLAYING BIG ROLE
FOR A RELATIVELY YOUNG COMPANY, ZYNGA HAS WRACKED UP A LENGTHY ACQUISITIONS HISTORY, and the level of success achieved from previous and future deals will likely have a big impact on performance. THE COMPANY RECENTLY LAUNCHED CROSSWORDS WITH FRIENDS, WHICH IS THE FIRST GAME TO COME FROM ITS ACQUISITION OF PUZZLESOCIAL, and the extent to which it can sustain and grow the CSR Racing and Dawn of Titans franchises (from development studio NaturalMotion which Zynga acquired for $527 million in 2014) will have a significant impact on future earnings.
Zynga also recently purchased Harpan and its four solitaire games for $42.5 million and expects the addition to have a significant impact on performance in the remainder of the fiscal year. Check out Gibeau's comments on the Harpan deal for an idea of what Zynga is looking for in acquisitions:
The strategic intent behind the Harpan acquisition was we look at every genre that we're in and we seek to try and build a leadership position. If it's Word With Friends in the words category or, in this particular case, our position of poker in the cards category, card-based games, we looked at Harpan as an opportunity to expand our position there. And we understood from our player data that poker players as well as Word With Friends players had a high affinity to solitaire games.
Zynga has roughly $720 million in assets on the books and no debt, so it has room to make additional acquisitions and build its position in categories that offer growth avenues and synergies with its existing product line. THE COMPANY'S FOCUS ON GAMES THAT HAVE ALREADY BROKEN INTO THE MOBILE MARKET and ample cash position suggest that acquisitions will continue to be a central part of its growth strategy.
LIVE SERVICES ARE THE FOCUS, BUT NEW GAMES ARE COMING
In the near term, Zynga is prioritizing the evolution of its existing live services, but it's not completely eschewing new game development. Gibeau's comments in the quote below make it clear that new games are in the works even if they're not the company's chief focus:
We are launching new titles. Obviously, Crosswords With Friends is a really nice launch for us. We've launched Boggle this year. And these are about extending and expanding our position in the Words category. We have active development for new titles in our other categories, but we're being very careful about how we manage those development dollars and those processes. Because it's so hard to break into the charts, we try and keep the team small. WE TRY AND PROVE THE FUN AS EARLY AS POSSIBLE. AND WE USE A LOT OF TESTING TO REALLY PROVE OUT THE THESIS BEFORE WE REALLY START TO SCALE THE PRODUCTION TEAM. So I think we'll take a more slow and methodical approach to how we are developing and really focus on our energies on the live operations.
Based on the company's comments, it seems likely that new games from Zynga will revolve around proven concepts and that these projects will be relatively small scale in terms of development resources. CREATING DIGITAL VERSIONS OF BOARD GAMES, CARD GAMES, AND WORD GAMES SEEMS TO BE THE COMPANY'S STRATEGY FOR INTERNAL GAME DEVELOPMENT -- EFFORTS THAT ARE RELATIVELY INEXPENSIVE TO PRODUCE BUT HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO BUILD SIZABLE USER BASES AND APPEAL TO PLAYERS of existing games like Zynga Poker and Words With Friends.
Source:
https://www.fool.com/investing/2017/08/01/3-things-zynga-wants-you-to-know-about-its-comebac.aspx
Top 3 Earnings Today: Tesla Inc, Fitbit Inc And Zynga Inc.
Posted by Virendra Singh Chauhan on August 02, 2017, 07:29 AM EST
Related Tickers: TSLA , FIT , ZNGA …
Is Zynga Truly On A Turnaround Path?
SHARES OF ZYNGA HAVE BEEN IN A SOLID UPTREND OVER THE LAST THREE MONTHS. The Frank D. Gibeau led video game developer is expected to report an EPS of 2 cents, on a revenue of $206.8 million. The Wall Street estimates imply a 2 cent EPS increase and an 18.4% top line growth over Q2 2016. IF THE COMPANY DOES MEET THE WALL STREET ESTIMATES, THE 18% TOP LINE GROWTH WILL BE THE FASTEST TOP LINE GROWTH PRINT THE COMPANY HAS REPORTED FOR OVER 8 QUARTERS.
ZYNGA HAS A STRONG TRACK RECORD OF TRUMPING ANALYST ESTIMATES, HAVING MET/BEATEN THE WALL STREET EPS ESTIMATE IN EACH OF THE LAST 4 QUARTERS.
The case for an earnings beat is also supported by the ZYNGA Q2 EARNINGS WHISPER OF 3 CENTS A SHARE, WHICH IMPLIES A 1 CENT BEAT. As pointed out by MotleyFool's Keith Noonan, the company's 'live services' is playing a central role in Zynga's comeback and any commentary on this front could well decide the post earnings movement of Zynga stock. ZYNGA IS CLEARLY ON A TURNAROUND, with REVENUES ACCELERATING SEQUENTIALLY FOR THE LAST 3 QUARTERS, WHILE THE YEAR-ON-YEAR GROWTH RATE HAS BEEN ACCELERATING. Q2 2017 will likely see a continuation of this trend.
Source:
https://amigobulls.com/articles/2017-08-02-top-3-earnings-today-tesla-inc-fitbit-inc-and-zynga-inc
ZYNGA INC. (NASDAQ:ZNGA) STAKE INCREASED BY BLACKROCK INC.
AUGUST 1ST, 2017 - 0 COMMENTS - FILED UNDER - BY RENEE JACKSON
BLACKROCK INC. RAISED ITS STAKE IN ZYNGA INC. (NASDAQ:ZNGA) BY 5,061.5% DURING THE FIRST QUARTER, ACCORDING TO ITS MOST RECENT DISCLOSURE WITH THE SEC.
THE INSTITUTIONAL INVESTOR OWNED 35,936,741 SHARES OF THE COMPANY’S STOCK AFTER BUYING AN ADDITIONAL 35,240,491 SHARES DURING THE PERIOD. BlackRock Inc. owned 4.10% of Zynga worth $102,420,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.
Source:
https://theolympiareport.com/2017/08/01/zynga-inc-nasdaqznga-stake-increased-by-blackrock-inc.html
ZNGA: CFO GRIFFIN SAID, …SAME MISTAKE (EA) USED TO MAKE
BY NAOMI GRAY | JUL 24, 2017 1:51 PM EDT
POKER’S MOBILE METRICS SOARED IN 1Q17
TRANSFORMING THE OPERATING MODEL INVOLVES FIXING THE BUSINESS AND RIGHTSIZING THE COMPANY FOR SUSTAINABILITY.
ZYNGA IS WORKING TO TURN AROUND ITS FORTUNES SO THAT IT CAN CREATE MORE VALUE FOR SHAREHOLDERS.
ACCORDING TO GRIFFIN, WHAT WAS AILING ZYNGA WAS THE COMPANY’S EXCESSIVE FOCUS ON CREATING NEW GAMES WHILE DOING LITTLE TO IMPROVE ENGAGEMENT WITH EXISTING PLAYERS. THIS WAS THE SAME MISTAKE THAT ELECTRONIC ARTS USED TO MAKE.
1. UNDERSTANDING ZYNGA’S STRATEGY SHIFT
ZYNGA WON’T FORSAKE PORTFOLIO DEVELOPMENT
2. A LOOK AT ZYNGA’S 3 PILLARS
3. THE DRIVERS BEHIND ZYNGA POKER’S SUCCESS
4. WHY ZYNGA IS PRIORITIZING ITS RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT BUDGET
5. WHY ZYNGA RELIES ON INNOVATION
NEW WAYS TO ENTERTAIN PEOPLE
6.A CLOSER LOOK AT ZYNGA’S VALUATION
SHAREHOLDER RETURNS AND STOCK TRENDS
LEAGUE STRUCTURE IN THE POKER FRANCHISE
OUTSMARTING THE COMPETITION
CREATING NEW GAMES ISN’T ENOUGH
SMARTPHONE COMPETITION IS BENEFICIAL FOR GAME PUBLISHERS
STRONGER RELATIONSHIP REDUCES CHURN
Will Zynga's New Strategy Work in Its Favor?
PART:
1 2 3 4 5 6
Will Zynga's New Strategy Work in Its Favor? PART 1 OF 6
UNDERSTANDING ZYNGA’S STRATEGY SHIFT
BY NAOMI GRAY | JUL 24, 2017 1:51 PM EDT
CREATING NEW GAMES ISN’T ENOUGH
ZYNGA (ZNGA) BROUGHT IN EXECUTIVES WHO PREVIOUSLY WORKED FOR ITS RIVAL, ELECTRONIC ARTS (EA), to try to turn around its fortunes. THESE EXECUTIVES INCLUDE CEO FRANK GIBEAU AND CFO JAMES GERARD GRIFFIN.
SPEAKING EARLY THIS MONTH AT A TECHNOLOGY, MEDIA, AND TELECOM INDUSTRY CONFERENCE ORGANIZED BY COWEN, GRIFFIN DISCUSSED HOW THEY’RE CHANGING ZYNGA’S BUSINESS APPROACH AND WHY THE SHIFT IS IMPORTANT.
ACCORDING TO GRIFFIN, WHAT WAS AILING ZYNGA WAS THE COMPANY’S EXCESSIVE FOCUS ON CREATING NEW GAMES WHILE DOING LITTLE TO IMPROVE ENGAGEMENT WITH EXISTING PLAYERS.
THIS WAS THE SAME MISTAKE THAT ELECTRONIC ARTS USED TO MAKE.
STRONGER RELATIONSHIP REDUCES CHURN
GRIFFIN argued THAT IF THE RELATIONSHIP WITH PLAYERS IS WEAK, THERE’S HEIGHTENED RISK OF PLAYER CHURN, which leads to a cycle where a company spends money to acquire players, loses them again, and then spends more money to bring them back.
IN CONTRAST, IF THE RELATIONSHIP IS STRONG, GRIFFIN SAID, CHURN IS MINIMIZED, WHICH IMPROVES MONETIZATION.
So ZYNGA’S MANAGEMENT IS KEEN TO FOSTER DEEPER ENGAGEMENT WITH EXISTING PLAYERS. ZYNGA CONCLUDED 1Q17 WITH 72.0 MILLION MONTHLY ACTIVE USERS. THE ABOVE CHART SHOWS THE TREND-LINE FOR ZYNGA’S MONTHLY USER BASE.
ZYNGA WON’T FORSAKE PORTFOLIO DEVELOPMENT
Griffin said that building stronger relationships with players doesn’t mean Zynga will forsake its portfolio. He noted that, FOR ZYNGA TO FLOURISH IN LIVE SERVICES—A POTENTIALLY LUCRATIVE SEGMENT FOR THE COMPANY—IT WILL CONTINUE TO INVEST IN NEW GAMES.
ZYNGA IS VYING FOR THE ATTENTION OF PLAYERS AGAINST THE LIKES OF ELECTRONIC ARTS, ACTIVISION BLIZZARD (ATVI), GLU MOBILE (GLUU), AND TAKE TWO INTERACTIVE (TTWO).
PART 2
WILL ZYNGA'S NEW STRATEGY WORK IN ITS FAVOR? PART 2 OF 6
A LOOK AT ZYNGA’S 3 PILLARS
BY NAOMI GRAY | JUL 24, 2017 1:51 PM EDT
OUTSMARTING THE COMPETITION
TO TURN AROUND ITS PROSPECTS, ZYNGA (ZNGA) IS OPERATING WITH THREE STRATEGIC PILLARS.
ONE OF THE PILLARS IS TRANSFORMING THE COMPANY’S OPERATING MODEL. SPEAKING EARLY THIS MONTH AT AN INDUSTRY CONFERENCE ORGANIZED BY COWEN, ZYNGA’S CFO, JAMES GERARD GRIFFIN, explained that TRANSFORMING THE OPERATING MODEL INVOLVES FIXING THE BUSINESS AND RIGHTSIZING THE COMPANY FOR SUSTAINABILITY.
As competition in the games publishing industry continues to heat up, business sustainability is never far from the company’s thoughts. Zynga is trying to outsmart competitors such as Electronic Arts (EA), Activision Blizzard (ATVI), Glu Mobile (GLUU), and Take Two Interactive (TTWO) in the digital games business.
DOUBLING DOWN ON LIVE SERVICES
Zynga’s other pillar concerns doubling down on live services and the mobile platform. The company views live services as a lucrative market that’s also core to its operations and revenue growth potential. Zynga’s 1Q17 revenue came to $194.3 million, up from $186.7 million a year earlier and above the consensus estimate of $191.5 million, as the chart above shows.
THE THIRD PILLAR IS ABOUT DRIVING GROWTH AND INNOVATION IN NEW AND EXISTING PRODUCTS.
MAKING THE MOST OUT OF PLAYERS
WHEN GRIFFIN AND FRANK GIBEAU, ZYNGA’S CEO, JOINED THE COMPANY LAST YEAR, THEY REALIZED THAT IT WAS FOCUSING MORE ON DEVELOPING NEW HIT GAMES AND NOT DOING AS MUCH TO BOLSTER ENGAGEMENT WITH EXISTING PLAYERS. THIS MISTAKE MEANT THAT ZYNGA WASN’T GETTING MAXIMUM VALUE FROM ITS USERS.
The three pillars Zynga has outlined are meant to ensure that the company doesn’t lose focus on developing new games while, at the same, working on maximizing value from its existing portfolio.
PART 3
WILL ZYNGA'S NEW STRATEGY WORK IN ITS FAVOR? PART 3 OF 6
THE DRIVERS BEHIND ZYNGA POKER’S SUCCESS
BY NAOMI GRAY | JUL 24, 2017 1:51 PM EDT
LEAGUE STRUCTURE IN THE POKER FRANCHISE
ZYNGA POKER, ONE OF ZYNGA’S (ZNGA) LIVE SERVICES, WAS A STAR PERFORMER IN 1Q17. THE RECORD PERFORMANCE OF THE POKER FRANCHISE LAST QUARTER was attributed to changes Zynga’s new management team has been implementing to maximize income from its existing portfolio.
SPEAKING AT A COWEN INDUSTRY CONFERENCE EARLY THIS MONTH, ZYNGA’S CFO, JAMES GERARD GRIFFIN, SHARED ILLUMINATING DETAILS ABOUT THE ADJUSTMENTS THAT CONTRIBUTED TO THE RECORD SUCCESS OF THE POKER FRANCHISE.
GRIFFIN’S EXPLANATION REVEALED that improving player engagement lied at the center of Poker’s record numbers in 1Q17. HE CITED SCALING EVENTS AND BRINGING A LEAGUE STRUCTURE INTO THE GAME AS DRIVERS OF THESE GAINS.
POKER’S MOBILE METRICS SOARED IN 1Q17
ZYNGA REPORTED THAT POKER’S MOBILE REVENUE JUMPED 63.0% YEAR-OVER-YEAR AND 23.0% SEQUENTIALLY. THE GAME’S MOBILE BOOKINGS ROSE 76.0%, AND ITS DAILY MOBILE AUDIENCE ROSE 78.0%. AS A RESULT, 1Q17 MARKED POKER’S BEST QUARTERLY MOBILE PERFORMANCE IN HISTORY.
The featuring of the game in Apple’s (AAPL) App Store for the first time also contributed to the gains. Zynga also launched the Poker franchise on Snap’s (SNAP) Snapchat social platform.
Zynga reported online game revenue of $153.0 million in 1Q17, with Poker contributing 23.0%, as the chart above shows.
A boost to the top line amid feeble ad sales
Though Poker contributes only a small portion of Zynga’s overall revenue, the game is vital for the company. For example, it’s making up for weak advertising sales.
BY BOLSTERING PLAYER ENGAGEMENT, ZYNGA HOPES TO IMPROVE CUSTOMER RETENTION AND BOOST ITS COMPETITION against rivals such as Electronic Arts (EA) and Glu Mobile (GLUU).
Part 4
Will Zynga's New Strategy Work in Its Favor? PART 4 OF 6
WHY ZYNGA IS PRIORITIZING ITS RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT BUDGET
BY NAOMI GRAY | JUL 24, 2017 1:51 PM EDT
Boosting the value of existing products
Zynga (ZNGA) funneled $69.2 million into R&D (research and development) in 1Q17. It turns out the company is tweaking how it spends its R&D budget.
ACCORDING TO ZYNGA’S CFO, JAMES GERARD GRIFFIN, AT A COWEN INDUSTRY CONFERENCE EARLY THIS MONTH, the company is trying to prioritize its R&D resources. The idea is to search for new revenue sources while squeezing the maximum value possible from the existing product line. GRIFFIN REVEALED THAT ZYNGA’S R&D DEPARTMENT IS ALLOCATING RESOURCES, WHICH INCLUDE TALENT, TO BOOST THE VALUE OF EXISTING PRODUCTS AS THE SEARCH FOR NEW ASSETS CONTINUES.
PAID FEATURES FOR WORDS WITH FRIENDS
In boosting the value of existing products, Griffin said Zynga is testing a series of new features for its multiplayer game Words With Friends. According to Griffin, for a long time, Words With Friends hasn’t had meaningful feature improvements, and Zynga is working on new features for the game that would enhance player engagement and sales.
GRIFFIN HINTED THAT THE FEATURES COMING TO WORDS WITH FRIENDS MAY BE THE PREMIUM TYPE THAT ATTRACT CHARGES. WORDS WITH FRIENDS IS LARGELY FREE, AND ZYNGA MONETIZES THE GAME THROUGH ADVERTISING.
BESIDES WORDS WITH FRIENDS, ZYNGA IS ALSO KEEN TO MAXIMIZE THE VALUE IT GENERATES FROM CSR.
R&D ALLOCATION
THOUGH ZYNGA IS TALKING ABOUT PRIORITIZING R&D RESOURCES, A LOOK AT THE PAST FEW QUARTERS SHOWS ZYNGA’S R&D ALLOCATION HAS BEEN ON A DECLINE, AS THE ABOVE CHART SHOWS. IT REMAINS TO BE SEEN HOW THE COMPANY’S R&D ALLOCATION CHANGES AS IT EXECUTES ON THE THREE PILLARS OF ITS TURNAROUND PLAN.
TACKLING COMPETITION
ZYNGA IS WORKING TO TURN AROUND ITS FORTUNES SO THAT IT CAN CREATE MORE VALUE FOR SHAREHOLDERS. The company has to navigate competition from rivals like Electronic Arts (EA), Activision Blizzard (ATVI), Glu Mobile (GLUU), and Take Two Interactive (TTWO) as it pursues a turnaround.
PART 5
Will Zynga's New Strategy Work in Its Favor? PART 5 OF 6
WHY ZYNGA RELIES ON INNOVATION
BY NAOMI GRAY | JUL 24, 2017 1:51 PM EDT
NEW WAYS TO ENTERTAIN PEOPLE
ZYNGA’S (ZNGA) MOBILE SUCCESS IS, TO AN EXTENT, CONNECTED TO SMARTPHONE INNOVATION. SPEAKING AT A COWEN INDUSTRY CONFERENCE EARLY THIS MONTH, ZYNGA’S CFO JAMES GERARD GRIFFIN TALKED ABOUT THE BENEFIT THAT GAME PUBLISHERS ENJOY FROM MOBILE TECHNOLOGY UPGRADES.
ACCORDING TO GRIFFIN, ANY TIME THERE’S A MOBILE TECHNOLOGY ENHANCEMENT, GAME PUBLISHERS GET THE ABILITY TO COME UP WITH DIFFERENT WAYS TO ENTERTAIN MOBILE USERS THROUGH GAMES. NEW WAYS TO ENTERTAIN MOBILE USERS CAN ALSO MEAN NEW REVENUE FOR PUBLISHERS.
SMARTPHONE COMPETITION IS BENEFICIAL FOR GAME PUBLISHERS
GRIFFIN’S COMMENT IMPLIES THAT ZYNGA AND PEERS LIKE ELECTRONIC ARTS (EA) AND ACTIVISION BLIZZARD (ATVI) ENJOY SMARTPHONE COMPETITION THAT’S FORCING THE LIKES OF APPLE (AAPL), SAMSUNG (SSNLF), AND GOOGLE, AN ALPHABET (GOOGL) COMPANY, TO UPGRADE THEIR DEVICES MORE FREQUENTLY.
EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES SUCH AS AR (AUGMENTED REALITY) AND VR (VIRTUAL REALITY) ARE PROMISING TO EXPAND REVENUE OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY. APPLE EXECUTIVES HAVE RECENTLY SPOKEN POSITIVELY ABOUT AR, LEADING TO SPECULATION THAT APPLE’S FUTURE IPHONES COULD COME WITH AR CAPABILITIES, POTENTIALLY UNLOCKING MORE CAPABILITIES FOR GAME PUBLISHERS.
ZYNGA’S MOBILE SUCCESS
MOBILE IS ONE OF ZYNGA’S BRIGHT SPOTS. THE COMPANY’S MOBILE REVENUE ROSE 19% YEAR-OVER-YEAR TO $161.6 MILLION IN 1Q17. MOBILE CONTRIBUTED 83% OF OVERALL REVENUE AND 85% OF OVERALL BOOKINGS IN THE QUARTER, AS THE ABOVE CHART SHOWS.
Griffin’s view is that Zynga’s mobile metrics have room to continue improving as long as mobile technology innovation continues.
When Cowen upgraded Zynga to “outperform” from “market-perform” last year, Zynga’s consistent mobile growth was one of the impressive factors.
PART 6
WILL ZYNGA'S NEW STRATEGY WORK IN ITS FAVOR? PART 6 OF 6
A CLOSER LOOK AT ZYNGA’S VALUATION
BY NAOMI GRAY | JUL 24, 2017 1:51 PM EDT
SHAREHOLDER RETURNS AND STOCK TRENDS
ZYNGA (ZNGA) GENERATED INVESTOR RETURNS OF 3.9% IN THE TRAILING-ONE-MONTH PERIOD AND 36.5% IN THE TRAILING-12-MONTH PERIOD. THE COMPANY’S STOCK PRICE ROSE 3.6% IN THE TRAILING-FIVE-DAY PERIOD.
In comparison, FireEye (FEYE), Microsoft (MSFT), Salesforce (CRM), and Oracle (ORCL) generated returns of -1.9%, 32.2%, 9.8%, and 23.7%, respectively, in the trailing-12-month period.
EXAMINING ZYNGA’S CASH FLOW METRICS
Zynga has $720 million in cash in hand. Its price-to-cash flow and price-to-free cash flow multiples come in at 55.5x and 66.8x, respectively. For the trailing 12 months, the company’s enterprise value-to-cash-flow was 43.2x and enterprise value-to-free cash flow was 52.0x.
WHERE DO ZYNGA’S EBITDA RATIOS STAND?
Zynga’s EBITDA (earnings before interest, tax, depreciation, and amortization) margin for last year was -5%, which yielded EBITDA of -$37.3 million—down 47% from the prior year. FOR THE CURRENT YEAR, WALL STREET IS EXPECTING EBITDA OF $117.6 MILLION.
EV (enterprise value)-to-adjusted EBITDA for 2017 is expected at 21.5x. Zynga stock is trading at a price-to-EBITDA multiple of -87.3x.
INSIDE ZYNGA’S PRICE AND VALUATION MULTIPLES
Zynga’s current book value per share of ~$1.78 for 2016 compares with expected book value per share of ~$1.79 for 2017. Zynga stock is trading at a price-to-book value of ~2.09x.
In comparison, FireEye, Microsoft, Salesforce, and Oracle’s current book values per share are ~$4.7, $9.4, ~$11.2, and ~$13.04, respectively.
Zynga’s price-to-sales of ~4.3x for 2016 also compares with an estimated price-to-sales of ~3.9x for 2017.
Earnings and sales
The EPS for last year of -$0.12 came on total sales of $749 million, down 2% annually. Sales for this year are expected to expand to ~$842.9 million–$920.9 million next year.
Source:
marketrealist.com/2017/07/understanding-zyngas-strategy-shift/
ZNGA: $65,000,000,000.00 BILLION, MOBILE REVENUE,
STUDY: MOBILE GAME REVENUES TO PUSH $65 BILLION
THE REPORT POINTS OUT THAT THE ASIA-PACIFIC IS BY FAR THE LARGEST REGION, WITH CHINA EXPECTED TO GENERATE $27.5 BILLION
SOME BUY SIDE ANALYSTS ARE ALSO PROVIDING THEIR ANALYSIS ON ZYNGA, INC., WHERE
4 ANALYSTS HAVE RATED THE STOCK AS STRONG BUY,
4 ANALYSTS HAVE GIVEN A BUY SIGNAL,
7 SAID IT’S A HOLD,
1 reported it as Underperform
AND 0 ANALYSTS RATED THE STOCK AS SELL.
BIZREPORT : MOBILE MARKETING :
JULY 21, 2017
STUDY: MOBILE GAME REVENUES TO PUSH $65 BILLION
ACCORDING TO A NEW MOBILE GAMING FORECAST FROM APPLIFT, BY 2020, MOBILE GAMING REVENUES WILL PUSH THE $65 BILLION MARK. That kind of number will likely PUSH MORE ADVERTISERS INTO THE SPACE. We asked AppLift's Stefan Benndorf about the report.
by Kristina Knight
Kristina: What most surprised you about this research?
STEFAN BENNDORF, MANAGING DIRECTOR OF APPLIFT: In 2014, we conducted similar research with Newzoo on the mobile gaming landscape, focused on mobile gaming insights about key global regions. By comparing research, we found that the APAC region remains the largest mobile gaming market worldwide. Based on stats from this year, WE HAVE SEEN REVENUE IN THE APAC REGION DOUBLE, WITH OVER $27.5BN IN GAINS. THE LATAM REGION IS SHOWCASING SIGNIFICANT POTENTIAL IN TERMS OF GROWTH AND IS A REGION TO WATCH, as well.
Kristina: In your opinion, what do these results mean for mobile gaming, as a whole?
Stefan: The global mobile market has been growing for many years and is finally starting to grow at an exciting pace. The results from our infographic study reaffirms that mobile remains a lucrative segment, with revenues from smartphones expected to reach $64.9BN by 2020, representing more than half of the total games market.
Kristina: How can developers use this data to improve their offerings?
Stefan: Developers can use these insights to better understand revenue levels, acquisition cost, and growth opportunities across the globe, all targeted for user acquisition.
Kristina: What trends are you watching now in mobile gaming?
Stefan: AR AND VR IS TRENDING! AR AND VR GAMING IS A HOT TOPIC BEING COVERED AT ALL OF THE MOBILE GAMING EVENTS AND WE KNOW IT WILL GAIN EVEN MORE STEAM. We expect it will approach new unconventional market segments, such as health, and change the traditional gaming experience. The speed at which AR/VR will penetrate the mass market will depend on how much money the big guys from Oculus, Google, Sony, Apple or Microsoft will put towards increasing the user experience, primarily solving the motion sickness and the invasiveness of the hardware.
WE'RE ALSO SEEING THAT THE INCREASED AMOUNT OF TIME PEOPLE SPEND ON THEIR SMARTPHONES AND TABLETS IS CREATING AN EXPLOSIVE GROWTH IN MOBILE GAMING, DRIVEN BY THE ACCESSIBILITY OF SMARTPHONES ESPECIALLY IN APAC AND EMERGING COUNTRIES.
Kristina: What do you expect to see in the space through THE FIRST HALF OF 2018?
Stefan: APAC AND LATAM ARE ON THE RISE THIS YEAR AND WE ONLY EXPECT TO SEE THIS GROW MORE over the next few years. LATAM is also a market to watch, WITH BRAZIL SET TO BE THE FIFTH LARGEST AD MARKET IN 2019.
Source:
www.bizreport.com/2017/07/study-mobile-game-revenues-to-push-65-billion.html
MOBILE GAMES BOOMING AS GLOBAL GAMES MARKET HITS $108.9B IN 2017 - NEWZOO
RESEARCH FIRM ESTIMATES THAT SMARTPHONE AND TABLET GAME REVENUES WILL ACCOUNT FOR 42% OF WORLDWIDE SALES THIS YEAR
James Brightman
Editor, North America
Thursday 20th April 2017
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Newzoo
NEWZOO'S LATEST QUARTERLY UPDATE FOR ITS GLOBAL GAMES MARKET REPORT FORECASTS THAT THE GLOBAL GAMES BUSINESS WILL GROW TO $108.9 BILLION THIS YEAR, with mobile devices (SMARTPHONES AND TABLETS) GENERATING A LION'S SHARE OF THE REVENUE. NEWZOO CALLED MOBILE THE "MOST LUCRATIVE SEGMENT" WHILE NOTING THAT IT SHOULD GROW 19% YEAR-ON-YEAR TO $46.1 BILLION, WHICH WOULD REPRESENT 42% OF THE MARKET. By 2020, mobile gaming will represent just over half of the total games market, the firm said.
While mobile includes tablet gaming revenues, the sector is clearly dominated by smartphones. Of the $46 billion expected this year, Newzoo said $35.3 billion will come from smartphone gaming; at the same time, tablet unit sales "have plummeted," Newzoo commented. Even so, there are 280 million tablets being actively used worldwide, contributing more than $10 billion to worldwide gaming revenues.
ONE OF THE BIG REASONS FOR MOBILE'S CONTINUED GROWTH IS THE RISE OF CHINA'S GAMING MARKET.
Overall, APAC territories will generate $51.2 billion (47% of the global total) this year, Newzoo said, and China will be responsible for one quarter of all global game revenues, reaching $27.5 billion this year. That's notable because it outpaces the US games industry, which is expected to reach $25.1 billion. Mobile revenues in China, expected to be led mostly by Tencent and NetEase, should come in at $11.2 billion for 2016, Newzoo said, and that's expected to rise to $14.6 billion this year.
EVEN WITHOUT CHINA, JAPAN AND KOREA, THE REST OF ASIA IS EXPECTED TO BE THE FASTEST-GROWING REGION IN THE WORLD in the coming years, with total game revenues growing to $10.5 billion in 2020, up from $4.5 billion last year. That said, North America remains a massive market as the second largest region with estimated revenues of $27.0 billion in 2017 (up 4% year-on-year). That growth, although less impressive, will also be DRIVEN BY MOBILE, WHICH IS NOT YET SATURATED. "Growth is fueled by a combination of a higher share of spenders as well as average spend per paying gamer.
WE SEE THE SAME TREND IN EMEA WHICH WE EXPECT TO REACH $26.2 BILLION IN 2017. LATIN AMERICA WILL GROW TO $4.4. BILLION IN GAME REVENUES THIS YEAR," NEWZOO COMMENTED.
Looking at the console and PC gaming segments, Newzoo said that console gaming should generate a total of $33.5 billion in revenues worldwide, with almost two-thirds of that coming from digital. Last year, Microsoft and Sony alone generated more than $14 billion in combined console revenues from first-party games, third-party game fees, and subscription revenues. While console has been faring better than expected, Newzoo noted that PC is seeing increased engagement but a decrease in sales. "We now expect downloaded/boxed PC games to reach $24.5 billion in 2019, a significant adjustment downwards compared to the $29.0 billion global figure for PC games in our January update," the firm said.
Part of the PROBLEM FOR PC on the digital side has been the drop in browser and social games, and THE SHIFT FOR CASUAL USERS OVER TO MOBILE. "PC browser revenues have been decreasing since 2015 because of the transition of casual gaming to mobile devices. In 2016, Facebook's revenues from gaming were at their lowest since 2011 while Zynga's PC revenues dropped more than 30%," Newzoo said.
Source:
http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2017-04-20-mobile-games-booming-as-global-games-market-hits-usd108-9b-in-2017-newzoo
(Niko Partners? @nikochina
DAWN OF TITANS HEADS TO CHINA AS ZYNGA PARTNERS WITH NETEASE
https://twitter.com/nikochina/status/870348015281819649
https://venturebeat.com/2017/05/20/dawn-of-titans-heads-to-china-as-zynga-partners-with-netease/ … via @VentureBeat)
MOBILE GAMING SEGMENTS ARE THE MOST LUCRATIVE IN THE GLOBAL GAMING MARKET
FINANCIALBUZZ.COM NEWS COMMENTARY
________________________________________
NEWS PROVIDED BY
FINANCIALBUZZ.COM
JUL 20, 2017, 09:00 ET
________________________________________
NEW YORK, July 20, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --
A report by Newzoo on the Global Games Market, shows that 2.2 billion gamers across the globe are expected to generate $108.9 billion in game revenues in 2017. This represents an increase of $7.8 billion, or 7.8% from the year before. Digital game revenues will account for $94.4 billion or 87% of the global market. The report also indicates that Mobile is the most lucrative segment, with smartphone and tablet gaming growing rapidly or at 19% year on year to $46.1 billion and accounting for 42% of the market. In 2020, mobile gaming will represent just more than half of the total games market. Tapinator, Inc. (OTC: TAPM), Zynga Inc. (NASDAQ: ZNGA), Glu Mobile Inc. (NASDAQ: GLUU), Nintendo Co., Ltd. (OTC: NTDOY), Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. (NASDAQ: TTWO)
THE REPORT POINTS OUT THAT THE ASIA-PACIFIC IS BY FAR THE LARGEST REGION, WITH CHINA EXPECTED TO GENERATE $27.5 BILLION OR ONE-QUARTER OF ALL REVENUES IN 2017. Mobile games performed even better than expected in China, while the PC segments performed worse than anticipated. NORTH AMERICA IS THE SECOND-LARGEST REGION OR WITH ESTIMATED REVENUES OF $27.0 BILLION IN 2017 AND A YEAR-ON-YEAR INCREASE OF 4.0%. Most of this growth will come from smartphone gaming, a mature market, but certainly not saturated…
ZYNGA INC. (NASDAQ: ZNGA) IS A LEADING DEVELOPER OF THE WORLD'S MOST POPULAR SOCIAL GAMES THAT ARE PLAYED BY MILLIONS OF PEOPLE AROUND THE WORLD EACH DAY. RECENTLY, THE COMPANY ANNOUNCED A COLLABORATION TO DEVELOP A NEW TELEVISION GAME SHOW BASED ON WORDS WITH FRIENDS, THE WORLD'S MOST POPULAR MOBILE WORD GAME. THE SHOW WILL ALSO INCORPORATE ASPECTS FROM ZYNGA'S LARGER PORTFOLIO OF WITH FRIENDS WORD AND PUZZLE GAMES. SINCE LAUNCHING IN 2009, WORDS WITH FRIENDS HAS BEEN INSTALLED MORE THAN 200 MILLION TIMES AND IS ONE OF THE APP STORE'S TOP 10 FREE GAMES OF ALL TIME. AN ESTIMATED 55 MILLION WORDS WITH FRIENDS MATCHES ARE PLAYED AROUND THE WORLD AT ANY GIVEN MOMENT AND MORE THAN 75 MILLION WORDS ARE PLAYED EVERY DAY…
Sources:
http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/mobile-gaming-segments-are-the-most-lucrative-in-the-global-gaming-market-635603773.html
http://www.keyc.com/story/35929996/mobile-gaming-segments-are-the-most-lucrative-in-the-global-gaming-market
http://www.fox34.com/story/35929996/mobile-gaming-segments-are-the-most-lucrative-in-the-global-gaming-market
http://www.760kfmb.com/story/35929996/mobile-gaming-segments-are-the-most-lucrative-in-the-global-gaming-market
• Business
INVESTORS CATCHING STOCKS ZYNGA, INC. (ZNGA)
BY ED REED -
JUL 20, 2017
ZYNGA, INC. (ZNGA) WILL REPORT ITS NEXT EARNINGS ON AUG 02 AMC. The company reported the earnings of $0.02/Share in the last quarter where the estimated EPS by analysts was $0.01/share. The difference between the expected and actual EPS was $0.01/share, which represents an Earnings surprise of 100%.
MANY ANALYSTS ARE PROVIDING THEIR ESTIMATED EARNINGS ANALYSIS FOR ZYNGA, INC. AND FOR THE CURRENT QUARTER 15 ANALYSTS HAVE PROJECTED THAT THE STOCK COULD GIVE AN AVERAGE EARNINGS ESTIMATE OF $0.02/SHARE. THESE ANALYSTS HAVE ALSO PROJECTED A LOW ESTIMATE OF $0.01/SHARE AND A HIGH ESTIMATE OF $0.03/SHARE.
In case of Revenue Estimates, 12 analysts have provided their consensus Average Revenue Estimates for Zynga, Inc. as 206.82 Million. According to these analysts, the Low Revenue Estimate for Zynga, Inc. is 204.18 Million and the High Revenue Estimate is 211.91 Million. The company had Year Ago Sales of 174.65 Million.
SOME BUY SIDE ANALYSTS ARE ALSO PROVIDING THEIR ANALYSIS ON ZYNGA, INC., WHERE
4 ANALYSTS HAVE RATED THE STOCK AS STRONG BUY,
4 ANALYSTS HAVE GIVEN A BUY SIGNAL,
7 SAID IT’S A HOLD,
1 reported it as Underperform
AND 0 ANALYSTS RATED THE STOCK AS SELL.
(These Recommendations are for the Current Month Only reported by Yahoo Finance.)…
Source:
https://www.newsoracle.com/2017/07/20/investors-catching-stocks-zynga-inc-znga-3/
ZNGA: ABOUT MGM TELEVISION, SHARK TANK(ABC), SURVIVOR(CBS), THE VOICE(NBC)...
JULY 19, 2017
MGM TELEVISION AND ZYNGA TEAM UP TO DEVELOP NEW GAME SHOW BASED ON THE ICONIC, POP CULTURE HIT ‘WORDS WITH FRIENDS'
LOS ANGELES and SAN FRANCISCO,
July 19, 2017
(GLOBE NEWSWIRE)
-- MGM Television and Zynga (Nasdaq:ZNGA), a leading social game developer, today announced a collaboration to develop a new television game show based on Words With Friends, the world's most popular mobile word game. THE SHOW WILL ALSO INCORPORATE ASPECTS FROM ZYNGA'S LARGER PORTFOLIO OF WITH FRIENDS WORD AND PUZZLE GAMES...
ABOUT MGM TELEVISION
MGM TELEVISION IS A LEADING PRODUCER AND GLOBAL DISTRIBUTOR OF PREMIUM CONTENT FOR TELEVISION AND DIGITAL PLATFORMS, WITH DISTRIBUTION RIGHTS TO ORIGINAL PRODUCTIONS AND A ROBUST CATALOG OF TELEVISION EPISODES AND FEATURE FILM TITLES INCLUDING SUCH PREMIERE ENTERTAINMENT FRANCHISES AS
JAMES BOND,
ROCKY,
STARGATE
AND THE HOBBIT TRILOGY.
CURRENT SCRIPTED AND UNSCRIPTED MULTI-PLATFORM PROJECTS INCLUDE FARGO (FX);
VIKINGS (HISTORY);
THE HANDMAID'S TALE (HULU);
GET SHORTY (EPIX);
THE VOICE (NBC);
SURVIVOR (CBS);
SHARK TANK (ABC);
TEEN WOLF (MTV);
STEVE HARVEY'S FUNDERDOME (ABC);
BEAT SHAZAM (FOX);
SIGNED (VH1);
LUCHA UNDERGROUND (THE EL REY NETWORK).
THROUGH ITS FINANCE AND DISTRIBUTION ENTITY, ORION TV PRODUCTIONS,
THE SYNDICATED COURTROOM SERIES LAUREN LAKE'S PATERNITY COURT IS CURRENTLY AIRING ITS FOURTH SEASON
AND IS IN PRODUCTION ON THE NEW SYNDICATED DAYTIME COURTROOM SERIES COUPLES COURT WITH THE CUTLERS.
MGM'S TELEVISION PROGRAMMING REGULARLY AIRS IN MORE THAN 100 COUNTRIES WORLDWIDE. FOR MORE INFORMATION, VISIT www.mgm.com.
ABOUT ZYNGA INC.
Since its founding in 2007, Zynga's mission has been to connect the world through games. TO-DATE, MORE THAN 1 BILLION PEOPLE HAVE PLAYED ZYNGA'S GAMES across Web and mobile, including FarmVille, Zynga Poker, WORDS WITH FRIENDS, Hit it Rich! Slots and CSR Racing. Zynga's games are available on a number of global platforms including Apple iOS, Google Android, Facebook and Zynga.com. THE COMPANY IS HEADQUARTERED IN SAN FRANCISCO, CALIF.,
AND HAS ADDITIONAL OFFICES IN THE U.S.,
CANADA,
FINLAND,
U.K.,
IRELAND
AND INDIA.
Learn more about Zynga at blog.zynga.com or follow us on Twitter and Facebook.
Source:
http://investor.zynga.com/releasedetail.cfm?ReleaseID=1033676
ZNGA: MGM, PARTNER GAME SHOW,‘WORDS WITH FRIENDS’
“THE INTERACTIVE SOCIAL EXPERIENCE OF WORDS WITH FRIENDS MAKES IT THE PERFECT MOBILE GAME FOR US TO BRING TO PRIMETIME, FOLLOWING OUR SUCCESS WITH BEAT SHAZAM ON FOX,” SAID MGM PRESIDENT
THE SHOW WILL ALSO INCORPORATE ZYNGA’S WIDER PORTFOLIO INCLUDING ITS OTHER ‘WITH FRIENDS’ AND PUZZLE GAMES.
MGM, ZYNGA PARTNER FOR ‘WORDS WITH FRIENDS’ GAME SHOW
JOE OTTERSON
TV REPORTER @JOEOTTERSON
YouTube screenshot
July 19, 2017 | 09:00AM PT
MGM Television and Zynga are partnering to develop a new television game show based on “Words With Friends,” the companies announced Wednesday.
Since launching in 2009, “Words With Friends” has been installed more than 200 million times and is one of the App Store’s Top 10 free games of all time. An estimated 55 million Words With Friends matches are played around the world at any given moment and more than 75 million words are played every day.
“The interactive social experience of ‘Words With Friends’ makes it the perfect mobile game for us to bring to primetime, following our success with Beat Shazam on Fox,” said Barry Poznick, president of unscripted television for MGM. “Playing ‘Words’ is a daily ritual for some of the biggest names in Hollywood and we’ve created the perfect format to capture their competitiveness and creative wordplay.”
MGM Television, which is headed by Mark Burnett, currently has unscripted series on all four major TV networks, including “Survivor” for CBS, “The Voice” for NBC, “Shark Tank” on ABC, “Beat Shazam” on Fox, and “Steve Harvey’s Funderdome” on ABC.
“Over the past eight years, ‘Words With Friends’ has proven to be a place where millions of people connect with their friends and family from around the world every day,” said Bernard Kim, president of publishing for Zynga. “We’re proud to partner with MGM, an industry leader in creating innovative and engaging programming, to extend the iconic gameplay and rich social experience of Words With Friends, and our broader collection of With Friends games, to new mainstream entertainment mediums.”
Filed Under:
• MGM Television
• Words with Friends
• Zynga
Source:
variety.com/2017/tv/news/words-with-friends-game-show-mgm-zynga-1202498965/
‘WORDS WITH FRIENDS’ GAME SHOW IN WORKS FROM MGM TV & ZYNGA
BY PATRICK HIPES
JULY 19, 2017 9:00AM
• TV
• Breaking News
• Development
• Beat Shazam
• MGM Television
• Words With Friends
• Zynga
Zynga
WORLD WITH FRIENDS, THE HIT MOBILE WORD GAME THAT HAS BEEN INSTALLED MORE THAN 200 MILLION TIMES since it began distracting your buddies since 2009, is getting the TV game show treatment. MGM Television and Zynga have made a deal to collaborate on the project, which will incorporate elements of other Zynga word and puzzle games.
Related
'Beat Shazam' Gets Season 2 Renewal On Fox
MGM TV’s unscripted success includes the Mark Burnett-created The Voice on NBC, CBS’ Survivor, ABC’s Shark Tank and Steve Harvey’s Funderdome. Its most recent hit, Fox’s Beat Shazam — hosted by Jamie Foxx and also based on a mobile app — was just renewed for Season 2.
“THE INTERACTIVE SOCIAL EXPERIENCE OF WORDS WITH FRIENDS MAKES IT THE PERFECT MOBILE GAME FOR US TO BRING TO PRIMETIME, FOLLOWING OUR SUCCESS WITH BEAT SHAZAM ON FOX,” SAID MGM PRESIDENT of unscripted television Barry Poznick. “Playing Words is a daily ritual for some of the biggest names in Hollywood and we’ve created the perfect format to capture their competitiveness and creative wordplay.”
Zynga says an estimated 55 million Words With Friends matches are played globally at any given moment, with the app available on all platforms including Facebook. The game is most similar in rules to Scrabble, but the mobile game features chat and random opponent functions, and as many as 30 games can be played at once.
“OVER THE PAST EIGHT YEARS, WORDS WITH FRIENDS HAS PROVEN TO BE A PLACE WHERE MILLIONS OF PEOPLE CONNECT WITH THEIR FRIENDS AND FAMILY FROM AROUND THE WORLD EVERY DAY,” SAID BERNARD KIM, PRESIDENT OF PUBLISHING AT ZYNGA. “WE’RE PROUD TO PARTNER WITH MGM, AN INDUSTRY LEADER IN CREATING INNOVATIVE AND ENGAGING PROGRAMMING, TO EXTEND THE ICONIC GAMEPLAY AND RICH SOCIAL EXPERIENCE OF WORDS WITH FRIENDS, AND OUR BROADER COLLECTION OF WITH FRIENDS GAMES, TO NEW MAINSTREAM ENTERTAINMENT MEDIUMS.”
Source:
http://deadline.com/2017/07/words-with-friends-tv-game-show-mgm-television-zynga-1202131105/
NEWS
ZYNGA PARTNERS WITH MGM FOR NEW WORDS WITH FRIENDS TV GAME SHOW
DATE TYPE COMPANIES INVOLVED SIZE
JULY 19TH, 2017 PARTNERSHIP MGM INTERACTIVE
ZYNGA
• ZYNGA
JULY 19TH, 2017 - 05:17PM
BY CRAIG CHAPPLE, EDITOR
Mobile publisher Zynga has partnered with MGM Television to develop a new TV game show based on Words With Friends.
THE SHOW WILL ALSO INCORPORATE ZYNGA’S WIDER PORTFOLIO INCLUDING ITS OTHER ‘WITH FRIENDS’ AND PUZZLE GAMES.
Words With Friends has been hugely popular since its launch in 2009. It’s been downloaded more than 200 million times, and an estimated 55 million matches are said to be ongoing at any given moment.
No further details on what form the game show will take were provided.
Words with TV
"The interactive social experience of Words With Friends makes it the perfect mobile game for us to bring to primetime, following our success with Beat Shazam on Fox," said MGM President of Unscripted Television Barry Poznick.
"Playing Words is a daily ritual for some of the biggest names in Hollywood and we've created the perfect format to capture their competitiveness and creative wordplay."
MGM Television has produced a number of competition shows including Beat Shazam, The Voice, Survivor and Shark Tank. It has also worked on other TV shows such as Fargo, The Handmaid’s Tale and Vikings.
News of a partnership between MGM and Zynga comes shortly after CBS debuted a new show based on King’s hugely popular Candy Crush games. The debut episode of the game show brought in 4.1 million viewers.
Source:
http://www.pocketgamer.biz/news/66234/zynga-mgm-words-with-friends-tv-game-show/
JULY 19, 2017 9:00AM PT BY MICHAEL O'CONNELL
'WORDS WITH FRIENDS' BEING DEVELOPED FOR TV
Screengrab/Zynga
MGM TV and mobile game Zynga have partnered for a potential game show based on the social app.
Pretty soon, you could be playing Words With Friends with complete strangers.
MGM Television and mobile devise gaming kingpins Zynga have partnered to translate the popular spelling challenge to TV. Though there's no network attached just yet, the development is in follows similar launches in CBS' Candy Crush and Fox's app-friendly Beat Shazam (also from MGM TV).
"The interactive social experience of Words With Friends makes it the perfect mobile game for us to bring to primetime, following our success with Beat Shazam on Fox," said Barry Poznick, MGM's president of unscripted television. "Playing Words is a daily ritual for some of the biggest names in Hollywood and we've created the perfect format to capture their competitiveness and creative wordplay.”
Words With Friends, which has somehow evaded legal obstacles with Scrabble, is hugely popular. It ranks as one of the iTunes app store's all-time top 10 free game downloads with more the 200 million installations to date an an estimated 55 million matches being played globally at any given moment.
“Over the past eight years, Words With Friends has proven to be a place where millions of people connect with their friends and family from around the world every day,” said Zynga publishing president Bernard Kim. “We're proud to partner with MGM, an industry leader in creating innovative and engaging programming, to extend the iconic gameplay and rich social experience of Words With Friends, and our broader collection of With Friends games, to new mainstream entertainment mediums.”
MGM TV said in a Wednesday release that the show, should it go to series, would incorporate aspects of the Zynga suite of Words games but nothing else.
Beat Shazam was just renewed for a second season.
Source:
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/words-friends-being-developed-tv-1022423
‘WORDS WITH FRIENDS’-OBSESSED? ZYNGA MOBILE GAME TO BE ADAPTED AS TV SHOW BY MGM
REMEMBER, “XU” AND “XI” ARE BOTH VALID — JUST HIT THAT TRIPLE LETTER SCORE RIGHT
TONY MAGLIO | JULY 19, 2017 @ 9:00 AM
Remember when “Words With Friends” was called “Scrabble”? Remember when “Scrabble” was a TV game show? Of course you don’t.
Either way, MGM Television and social game developer Zynga are teaming up to turn “Words With Friends” into a TV game show. The series “will also incorporate aspects from Zynga’s larger portfolio of ‘With Friends’ word and puzzle games,” according to a Wednesday media release.
Since its 2009 launch, “Words With Friends” has been installed more than 200 million times and is one of the App Store’s Top 10 free games of all time, per Zynga and MGM. An estimated 55 million “Words With Friends” matches are played around the world at any given moment, and more than 75 million words are played every day.
Also Read: Ratings: 'Candy Crush' Dissolves 29 Percent of Its Debut Viewers
“The interactive social experience of ‘Words With Friends’ makes it the perfect mobile game for us to bring to primetime, following our success with ‘Beat Shazam’ on Fox,” said Barry Poznick, president of Unscripted Television, MGM. “Playing ‘Words’ is a daily ritual for some of the biggest names in Hollywood and we’ve created the perfect format to capture their competitiveness and creative wordplay.”
“Over the past eight years, ‘Words With Friends’ has proven to be a place where millions of people connect with their friends and family from around the world every day,” added Bernard Kim, president of Publishing, Zynga. “We’re proud to partner with MGM, an industry leader in creating innovative and engaging programming, to extend the iconic gameplay and rich social experience of ‘Words With Friends,’ and our broader collection of ‘With Friends’ games, to new mainstream entertainment mediums.”
The companies should hope that “Words With Friends” eventually performs like “Candy Crush” on CBS did in its first week’s Nielsen ratings, and not how the second episode fared.
Source:
http://www.thewrap.com/words-with-friends-tv-show-zynga-mgm/
GAMES
Zynga and MGM are planning a Words With Friends TV show
Dean Takahashi@deantak July 19, 2017 10:52 AM
Above: New Words With Friends
Image Credit: Zynga
Zynga has teamed up with MGM Television to develop a primetime TV show based on Zynga’s Words With Friends puzzle game.
There’s a trend to combine games with TV game shows, and it’s either a brilliant way to do cross marketing — or a doomed effort to save TV as millennials go online for their entertainment.
Zynga is experimenting with new platforms to broaden the reach of Words With Friends, much like Activision Blizzard’s King division is doing with its new Candy Crush TV show. And the Future Group has a new format for game shows that combines virtual world play on mobile devices with live actors playing on TV.
Words With Friends is turning eight years old this week, and it has a good shot at becoming a “forever game” that keeps bringing in revenue for Zynga. Since launching in 2009, Words With Friends has been downloaded more than 200 million times and it is one of Apple’s top 10 free games of all time. An estimated 55 million Words With Friends matches are under way at any given moment.
“The interactive social experience of Words With Friends makes it the perfect mobile game for us to bring to primetime, following our success with Beat Shazam on FOX,” said Barry Poznick, president of Unscripted Television at MGM, in a statement. “Playing WORDS is a daily ritual for some of the biggest names in Hollywood and we’ve created the perfect format to capture their competitiveness and creative wordplay.”
Zynga also partnered with Facebook to bring the first ever turn-based game to Messenger with Words With Friends for Instant Games. And Zynga is in the early testing phases of a new Words With Friends sequel.
Above: Words With Friends for Messenger.
Image Credit: Zynga
“Over the past eight years, Words With Friends has proven to be a place where millions of people connect with their friends and family from around the world every day,” said Bernard Kim, president of publishing at Zynga, in a statement. “We’re proud to partner with MGM, an industry leader in creating innovative and engaging programming, to extend the iconic gameplay and rich social experience of Words With Friends, and our broader collection of With Friends games, to new mainstream entertainment mediums.”
MGM Television has a slate of competition shows, including Beat Shazam on Fox hosted by Jamie Foxx, Steve Harvey’s Funderdome for ABC, The Voice (NBC), Survivor (CBS) and Shark Tank (ABC).
Source:
https://venturebeat.com/2017/07/19/zynga-and-mgm-are-planning-a-words-with-friends-tv-show/
ZNGA: REKINDLED GROWTH
ZYNGA...IS BACK TO FREE CASH FLOW POSITIVE.
IN THE SPOTLIGHT LAST QUARTER WAS ZYNGA POKER. LAST YEAR, THE COMPANY ADDED CHALLENGES, LEAGUES, AND POKER WEEK. SINCE THEN, DAILY AVERAGE USERS ARE UP 78%.
CSR RACING 2,… HELPED BY A PARTNERSHIP WITH THE FATE OF THE FURIOUS MOVIE AROUND ITS RELEASE IN THEATERS.
MOBILE BOOKINGS WERE UP 27% YEAR-OVER-YEAR.
IT'S HARD TO IGNORE THE IMPACT THE NEW MANAGEMENT TEAM HAS HAD THUS FAR ON REBOUND...
HAS ZYNGA'S REKINDLED GROWTH JUST BEGUN?
THE MAKER OF SOCIAL GAMES LIKE WORDS WITH FRIENDS AND FARMVILLE IS DOING BETTER THAN IT WAS A YEAR AGO. HERE'S HOW AND WHAT THE COMPANY HAS PLANNED GOING FORWARD.
NICHOLAS ROSSOLILLO
(NROSSOLILLO)
JUL 18, 2017 AT 7:01AM
After years of struggle, ZYNGA (NASDAQ:ZNGA) STOCK IS MAKING A COMEBACK. The company has been posting recent improvements in its top and bottom line, but the question still remains: is this rebound played out or is the company worth betting on?
What happened in the last year
After initially soaring in price when it went public in 2011, Zynga stock quickly headed south and stayed there for years. SINCE MY LAST WRITE-UP ON THE COMPANY LAST YEAR WHERE I CALLED SHARES A VALUE, THINGS HAVE BEGUN TO TURN AROUND.
Data by YCharts.
Sometimes when picking stocks we're lucky more often than good, and my call was just that. The company was in dire straits with a stagnant business and bleeding cash. THE REBOUND HAD far less to do with Wall Street being wrong about the stock price and MORE TO DO WITH WHAT THE COMPANY HAS DONE UNDER THE GUIDANCE OF ITS NEW CEO.
IN MARCH 2016, THE COMPANY HIRED A FORMER EXECUTIVE OF ELECTRONIC ARTS' MOBILE DIVISION, FRANK GIBEAU. The goal was to speed up Zynga's production and success with mobile games, transitioning away from legacy desktop-based games that centered on social networks.
The company still wants to be a social gaming haven, but THE TRANSITION TO MOBILE PLATFORMS ON SMART PHONES AND TABLETS HAS BEEN AN IMPORTANT ONE AS IT NOW REPRESENTS THE BULK OF ZYNGA'S BUSINESS. MOBILE BOOKINGS -- WHICH ADDS REVENUE AND DEFERRED REVENUE FROM ONLINE PURCHASES -- WAS 86% OF THE TOTAL IN THE FIRST QUARTER, up from 76% the year prior.
THE COMPANY HIT 18 MILLION DAILY AVERAGE USERS OF ITS MOBILE GAMES DURING THE QUARTER, a 16% year-over-year increase, and MOBILE BOOKINGS WERE UP 27% YEAR-OVER-YEAR. Bookings are an important measure of success for Zynga as it indicates the direction revenue is heading.
One of Zynga's most popular games, Farmville. Image source: Zynga.
WHAT'S NEXT IN THE WORLD OF ZYNGA
Now that THE COMPANY HAS RE-STOKED GROWTH IN ITS MOBILE GAMES BUSINESS, it is trying to drive users and time spent on those games by PROMOTING LIVE EVENTS. THAT STAYS TRUE TO THE COMPANY'S SOCIAL GAMING MANTRA, AND IS HELPING BOOST THE FINANCIAL RESULTS THAT HAVE LIFTED SHARE PRICES AS OF LATE.
IN THE SPOTLIGHT LAST QUARTER WAS ZYNGA POKER. LAST YEAR, THE COMPANY ADDED CHALLENGES, LEAGUES, AND POKER WEEK. SINCE THEN, DAILY AVERAGE USERS ARE UP 78%. Another highlight was the drag racing game CSR RACING 2, which made it into the top 15 grossing games in U.S. app stores in the spring, HELPED BY A PARTNERSHIP WITH THE FATE OF THE FURIOUS MOVIE AROUND ITS RELEASE IN THEATERS.
Along with growing the base of users of its mobile games, Zynga is also trying to do more with less -- the "less" being business expenses. Gibeau has helped in that regard as well, with operating expenses reducing to 71% of total revenue compared with 84% in the prior year period. But with the bottom line still running at a loss of $9.5 million last quarter and projected at another $6 million next quarter, management has admitted there is still work to be done.
Real growth or false hope?
Mobile gaming apps have become a highly competitive business, with video game heavy hitters like Electronic Arts and Activision Blizzard competing. In spite of this, ZYNGA HAS MANAGED TO CREATE A LITTLE BREATHING ROOM FOR ITSELF AND IS BACK TO FREE CASH FLOW POSITIVE.
Data by YCharts.
That could help the company continue to invest in new future hits, and the company said it will increase its advertising spend later in the year. Zynga isn't out of the woods yet, but IT'S HARD TO IGNORE THE IMPACT THE NEW MANAGEMENT TEAM HAS HAD THUS FAR ON REBOUND EFFORTS.
Source:
https://www.fool.com/investing/2017/07/18/has-zyngas-rekindled-growth-just-begun.aspx
ZYNGA: IN A BULLISH MANNER
ZYNGA, INC. BREACHED ITS 50 DAY MOVING AVERAGE IN A BULLISH MANNER : ZNGA-US : JULY 17, 2017
JULY 17, 2017 BY CAPITALCUBE
GET FULL CAPITALCUBE ANALYSIS
*Disclaimer : This is as of previous day’s closing price.
Technical Indicators
BELOW IS A QUICK LOOK AT 5 TECHNICAL INDICATORS FOR ZYNGA, INC..
More studies are available on the Technical Chart.
Indicator Signal
Closing Price above/below 50 Day Moving Average Bullish
Closing Price above/below 200 Day Moving Average Bullish
50 Day Moving Average above/below 200 Day Moving Average Bullish
RSI Reading Level (<30 or >70) Fair Value
MACD Compared to 9D EMA Signal Line Bearish
View these and more technical studies for Zynga, Inc.
Share Price Performance Relative to Peers
From a peer analysis angle, relative underperformance over the last year has
IMPROVED MORE RECENTLY.
ZNGA-US‘s share price performance of 28.52% over the last 12 months is below its peer median. HOWEVER, ITS 30-DAY TREND OF 3.40% IS NOW AROUND THE PEER MEDIAN SUGGESTING THAT THE COMPANY’S RECENT PERFORMANCE HAS IMPROVED RELATIVE TO PEERS.
Quadrant label definitions. Hover to know more
Leading, Fading, Lagging, Rising
Screen for companies using relative share price performance
Earnings Momentum
Zynga, Inc. has an earnings score of 50.76 and has a relative valuation of NEUTRAL.
STOCKS WITH HIGH EARNINGS MOMENTUM ARE A PREFERRED OPTION FOR MOMENTUM PLAYS. IF THEY ARE UNDERVALUED, IT CAN BE A FURTHER ADVANTAGE and may indicate sustained momentum.
Quadrant label definitions. Hover to know more
Overvalued, High Earnings Momentum, Undervalued, High Earnings Momentum, UnderValued, Low Earnings Momentum, Overvalued, Low Earnings Momentum
Screen for companies using Earnings Momentum Score
Source:
www.capitalcube.com/blog/index.php/zynga-inc-breached-its-50-day-moving-average-in-a-bullish-manner-znga-us-july-17-2017/?yptr=yahoo
CNBC SAID, JARED, & IVANKA TRUMP AT CONFERENCE WITH ZNGA CO-FOUNDER
CNBC.COM
SEE: JARED KUSHNER AND IVANKA TRUMP READY TO MINGLE WITH MEDIA AND TECH ELITE AT SUN VALLEY
STEVE KOPACK | @STEVEKOPACK
10 HOURS AGO
CNBC.COM
MIKE NEWBERG | CNBC
Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner at the Allen & Company Sun Valley Conference on July 12, 2017.
JARED KUSHNER AND IVANKA TRUMP, TWO OF PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP'S CLOSEST ADVISORS, HAVE ARRIVED AT ALLEN & COMPANY'S ANNUAL TECHNOLOGY AND MEDIA SUMMIT IN SUN VALLEY, IDAHO.
THE PAIR'S ARRIVAL WAS ANTICIPATED BY THE MOGULS GATHERED AT THE RETREAT AFTER SOURCES TOLD CNBC ON TUESDAY THAT THEY WERE ON THE MAIN ATTENDEE LIST.
Kushner, who is leading the Trump administration's Office of American Innovation, is charged with overhauling the technology infrastructure in the U.S. government. IVANKA, THE PRESIDENT'S ELDEST DAUGHTER AND ONE OF HIS SENIOR ADVISORS, HAS MADE ISSUES CONCERNING WORKING MOTHERS ONE OF HER TOP CAUSES. SHE HAS DISCUSSED THAT PREVIOUSLY WITH TECH LEADERS AT WHITE HOUSE GATHERINGS.
Jared & Ivanka arrive in Sun Valley 10 Hours Ago | 00:14
CNBC REACHED OUT TO THE WHITE HOUSE FOR FURTHER DETAILS ABOUT WHAT THE PAIR PLANS TO DO AT THE CONFERENCE, BUT DID NOT IMMEDIATELY HEAR BACK.
KUSHNER AND IVANKA ARE PAYING THEIR OWN WAY WHILE AT THE IDAHO SUMMIT, a source also told CNBC. The list of industry titans gathered at the summit include the chief executives of CBS, Apple, IAC and Dell. The former CEO of eBay was also seen arriving, ALONG WITH THE CO-FOUNDER OF ONLINE GAMING COMPANY ZYNGA.
Asked earlier on CNBC if he would bring up any current issues with Ivanka and Kushner, IAC CEO Barry Diller said there were "utterly none." "Why would anybody bother" bringing up issues with the pair, he said, because the president "has no curiosity, doesn't listen, etcetera."
—CNBC's Julia Boorstin and Eamon Javers contributed to this report.
Steve KopackSocial Media Producer, CNBC Breaking News Desk
Source:
www.cnbc.com/2017/07/12/jared-kushner-and-ivanka-trump-mingle-with-media-and-tech-elite.html
ZNGA: (PATENT) UPDATING VIRTUAL WORLD, REAL WORLD LOCATION COULD BE A STORE, RESTAURANT, MALL..
PATENT NUMBER: 9649566
UPDATING VIRTUAL WORLDS BASED ON INTERACTIONS BETWEEN REAL-WORLD ITEMS
LOCATIONS
AS USED HEREIN, A LOCATION IS A SPECIFIC PHYSICAL PLACE IN THE REAL WORLD. FOR EXAMPLE, LOCATION 115 COULD BE A STORE, RESTAURANT, MALL, BUSINESS OFFICE, BUILDING, PARK, STREET VENUE, LIBRARY, OR THE LIKE. LOCATION 115 CAN HAVE VARIOUS SYSTEMS ASSOCIATED WITH IT, INCLUDING VERIFICATION SYSTEM 118 AND LOCATION NETWORKING SYSTEM 120A.
UPDATING VIRTUAL WORLDS BASED ON INTERACTIONS BETWEEN REAL-WORLD ITEMS
PATENT NUMBER: 9649566
Abstract: A method of updating virtual worlds based on interactions between real-world items is disclosed. An interaction between a first real-world item and a second real-world item is detected. The first real-world item is a real-world item that is associated with a first player of a computer-implemented game and the second real-world item is a real-world item that is associated with a second player of the computer-implemented game. A virtual world of the computer-implemented game is updated based on the detection of the interaction.
Type: Grant
FILED: NOVEMBER 1, 2013
DATE OF PATENT: MAY 16, 2017
ASSIGNEE: ZYNGA INC.
Inventors: Amitt Mahajan, Matthew Adam Ocko
(as•sign•ee
??si'ne/
nounLaw
noun: assignee; plural noun: assignees
1.
a person to whom a right is legally transferred.
UPDATING VIRTUAL WORLDS BASED ON INTERACTIONS BETWEEN REAL-WORLD ITEMS
Nov 1, 2013 - Zynga
A METHOD OF UPDATING VIRTUAL WORLDS BASED ON INTERACTIONS BETWEEN REAL-WORLD ITEMS IS DISCLOSED. AN INTERACTION BETWEEN A FIRST REAL-WORLD ITEM AND A SECOND REAL-WORLD ITEM IS DETECTED. THE FIRST REAL-WORLD ITEM IS A REAL-WORLD ITEM THAT IS ASSOCIATED WITH A FIRST PLAYER OF A COMPUTER-IMPLEMENTED GAME AND THE SECOND REAL-WORLD ITEM IS A REAL-WORLD ITEM THAT IS ASSOCIATED WITH A SECOND PLAYER OF THE COMPUTER-IMPLEMENTED GAME. A VIRTUAL WORLD OF THE COMPUTER-IMPLEMENTED GAME IS UPDATED BASED ON THE DETECTION OF THE INTERACTION...
DESCRIPTION
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/244,814, filed on Sep. 26, 2011, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/174,735, filed Jun. 30, 2011, and issued on Oct. 15, 2013 as U.S. Pat. No. 8,556,719, the benefit of priority of each of which is claimed hereby, and each of which are incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present disclosure generally relates to games and applications and in particular to computer-implemented or processor-implemented online games, such as online role-playing games (RPGs), playable by one or more people from one or more locations.
BACKGROUND
In many games, there is a virtual world or some other imagined playing space where a player of the game controls one or more player characters (herein “characters,” “player characters,” or “PCs”). Player characters can be considered in-game representations of the controlling player. As used here, the terms player, user, entity, and friend may refer to the in-game player character controlled by that player, user, entity, or friend, unless context suggests otherwise. A game display can display a representation of the player character. A game engine accepts inputs from the player, determines player character actions, decides outcomes of events, and presents the player with a game display illuminating what happened. In some games, there are multiple players, wherein each player controls one or more player characters.
In many computer games, there are various types of in-game assets (aka “rewards” or “loot”) that a player character can obtain within the game. For example, a player character may acquire game points, gold coins, experience points, character levels, character attributes, virtual cash, or other in-game items of value. In some games, the goal of the game may be to acquire in-game rewards. For example, a player may strive to achieve a high score by accumulating points that are granted for performing in-game tasks or overcoming in-game obstacles.
Many online computer games are operated on an online social network. Such a network allows both users and other parties to interact with the computer games directly, whether to play the games or to retrieve game- or user-related information.
Many operators of physical (i.e., “real-world”) locations allow users to conduct a variety of actions on their property, such as visiting the location, performing certain tasks or actions at the location, purchasing goods and services at the location, and the like. Goods can include items that are physical and tangible, items that are delivered electronically to the user over the Internet, and items that are delivered through conventional distribution channels (e.g., a common carrier).
As used herein, a user is a player of an online computer game. Additionally, as used herein, an item can include a good or service offered by a location operator. Similarly, as used herein, a purchase (or order) can include buying, renting, or licensing an item from a location operator.
Internet users may maintain one or more accounts with various service providers, including online gaming systems, online social networking systems, online merchant systems, physical location systems, and the like. Online systems can typically be accessed using browser clients (e.g., Firefox, Chrome, Internet Explorer). Locations may also include network addressable systems that can communicate over a wide area network environment, such as the Internet.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1A shows a block diagram illustrating an example of a system for implementing various disclosed embodiments.
FIG. 1B shows a block diagram illustrating an example of a social network within a social graph.
FIG. 2A shows a flowchart illustrating an example method for generating an incentive reward based on game state.
FIG. 2B shows a flowchart illustrating an example method for generating an incentive reward based on location attributes.
FIG. 2C shows a flowchart illustrating an example method for generating a location-based action based on game state.
FIG. 2D shows a flowchart illustrating an example method for generating a location-based action based on location attributes.
FIG. 2E shows a flowchart illustrating an example method for proposing a location-based action to a user.
FIG. 2F shows a flowchart illustrating an example method for transferring an incentive reward to a user for performing a location-based action.
FIG. 2G shows a flowchart illustrating an example method of providing a virtual item to a user for performing a location-based action.
FIG. 2H shows a flowchart illustrating an example method of providing an in-game asset to the user based on an association between a location-based action and an in-game action.
FIG. 2I shows a flowchart illustrating an example method of providing an in-game asset to a user based on a detection that the user performed a location-based action at a first location and a location-based action at a second location.
FIG. 2J shows a flowchart illustrating an example method of providing an in-game asset based on a level of positivity or negativity associated with a location-based action.
FIG. 2K shows a flowchart illustrating an example method of changing a property of a virtual item based on a performance of a location-based action by a user.
FIG. 2L shows a flowchart illustrating an example method of enabling a user to access a feature of a computer-implemented game based on an indication of a performance of a location-based action by the user.
FIG. 2M shows a flowchart illustrating an example method of associating a real-world item with a computer-implemented game.
FIG. 2N shows a flowchart illustrating an example method of associating a real-world item with a computer-implemented game.
FIG. 2O shows a flowchart illustrating an example method of associating location-based actions with votes on a matter.
FIG. 2P shows a flowchart illustrating an example method of designating a plurality of players of a computer-implemented game as a plurality of owners of a location with respect to the game.
FIG. 2Q shows a flowchart illustrating an example method of providing incentive rewards to a player based on the player's ability to influence his friends to perform a location-based action.
FIG. 2R shows a flowchart illustrating an example method of providing an incentive reward to a first group of players based on the first group of players having a level of influence over a location that is greater than a second group of players over the location.
FIG. 2S shows a flowchart illustrating an example method of providing an incentive reward based on a number of members of a group of players of a computer-implemented game performing a location-based action.
FIG. 2T shows a flowchart illustrating an example method of changing a property of a real-world item to reflect a changing of a property of a virtual item corresponding to the real-world item.
FIG. 2U shows a flowchart illustrating an example method of offering a targeted advertising opportunity for sale.
FIG. 3 shows a block diagram illustrating a schematic of a system and data flow.
FIG. 4 shows a block diagram illustrating an example network environment.
FIG. 5 shows a block diagram illustrating an example computer system architecture.
FIG. 6A illustrates an example user interface of a login screen of a Turf Wars game.
FIG. 6B illustrates an example user interface of a message service registration screen of the Turf Wars game.
FIG. 6C illustrates an example user interface of a home screen of the Turf Wars game.
FIG. 6D illustrates an example user interface of a map screen of the Turf Wars game.
FIG. 6E illustrates an example user interface of a location-selection screen of the Turf Wars game for viewing location data or performing location-based actions.
FIG. 6F illustrates an example user interface of a turf wars engagement screen of the Turf Wars game.
FIG. 6G illustrates an example user interface of a turf war status screen of the Turf Wars game.
FIG. 6H illustrates an example user interface of a congratulations screen of the Turf Wars game.
FIG. 6I illustrates an example user interface of a failure screen of the Turf Wars game.
FIG. 6J illustrates an example user interface of a mafia management screen of the Turf Wars Game.
FIG. 6K illustrates an example user interface of a mafia messaging screen of the Turf Wars game.
DESCRIPTION OF EXAMPLE EMBODIMENTS
In various embodiments, methods and systems of updating virtual worlds based on interactions between real-world items are disclosed. An interaction between a first real-world item and a second real-world item is detected. The first real-world item is a real-world item that is associated with a first player of a computer-implemented game and the second real-world item is a real-world item that is associated with a second player of the computer-implemented game. A virtual world of the computer-implemented game is updated based on the detection of the interaction.
FIG. 1A illustrates an example of a system for implementing various disclosed embodiments. In various embodiments, system 100 comprises user 101, location 115, verification system 118, location networking system 120a, game networking system 120b, client system 130, and network 160. The components of system 100 can be connected to each other in any suitable configuration, using any suitable type of connection. The components may be connected directly or over a network 160, which may be any suitable network (e.g., the Internet).
User 101 is a player of one or more online computer games. Game networking system 120b is a network-addressable computing system that hosts the one or more online games. Game networking system 120b can generate, store, and transmit game account data and game state data associated with one or more users. An online game can be accessed by client system 130 directly, via network 160, or via a third-party system (e.g., a social networking site). Client system 130 can be any suitable computing device, such as a personal computer, laptop, cellular phone, smart phone, computing tablet, and the like. Location 115 is a physical place that has one or more location attributes associated with it. User 101 can visit location 115 and perform one or more location-based actions there. Location 115 can contain one or more verification systems 118, which can verify if and when user 101 has performed a location-based action at location 115. Location 115 may also be a “logical” place that has one or more location attributes associated with it. For example, a location may be a chain coffee shop (e.g., Starbucks) that has many physical places (e.g., Moscow, Johannesburg, San Francisco, etc.) Thus, a user may perform a location-based action at a logical Starbucks location by performing the location-based action at any one of the physical places where “real-world” Starbucks shops exist. Verification system 118 can generate, store, and transmit action verification data, which is data comprising information on one or more users and one or more location-based actions associated with the users.
Location networking system 120a is a network-addressable computing system that can receive, store, and transmit location attribute data, action verification data, and other data associated with location 115 and verification system 118. Location networking system 120a can be accessed by the other components in system 100 either directly or via network 160. In some embodiments, user 101 can physically bring his client system 130 to location 115 (e.g., if client system 130 is a smart phone). Client system 130 may then be able to interact directly with location 115 or verification system 118.
Social networking system 120c is a network-addressable computing system that maintains social graphs. Social graphs are models of connections between entities (e.g., individuals, users, contacts, friends, players, player characters, non-player characters, businesses, groups, associations, concepts, etc.). These entities are considered “users” of the social graph; as such, the terms “entity” and “user” may be used interchangeably when referring to social graphs herein. A social graph can have a node for each entity and edges to represent relationships between entities. A node in a social graph can represent any entity. In particular embodiments, a unique client identifier can be assigned to each user in the social graph. This disclosure assumes that at least one entity of a social graph is a player or player character in an online multiplayer game, though this disclosure contemplates any suitable social graph users.
The minimum number of edges required to connect a player (or player character) to another user is considered the degree of separation between them. For example, where the player and the user are directly connected (one edge), they are deemed to be separated by one degree of separation. The user would be a so-called “first-degree friend” of the player. Where the player and the user are connected through one other user (two edges), they are deemed to be separated by two degrees of separation. This user would be a so-called “second-degree friend” of the player. Where the player and the user are connected through N edges (or N-1 other users), they are deemed to be separated by N degrees of separation. This user would be a so-called “Nth-degree friend.” As used herein, the term “friend” means only first-degree friends, unless context suggests otherwise.
Within the social graph, each player (or player character) has a social network. A player's social network includes all users in the social graph within Nmax degrees of the player, where Nmax is the maximum degree of separation allowed by the system managing the social graph (such as, for example, social networking system 120c or game networking system 120b). In one embodiment, Nmax equals 1, such that the player's social network includes only first-degree friends. In another embodiment, Nmax is unlimited and the player's social network is coextensive with the social graph.
In particular embodiments, the social graph is managed by game networking system 120b, which is managed by the game operator. In other embodiments, the social graph is part of a social networking system 120c managed by a third party (e.g., Facebook, Friendster, Myspace). In yet other embodiments, user 101 has a social network on both game networking system 120b and social networking system 120c, wherein user 101 can have a social network on the game networking system 120b that is a subset, superset, or independent of the player's social network on social networking system 120c. In such combined systems, game networking system 120b can maintain social graph information with edge type attributes that indicate whether a given friend is an “in-game friend,” an “out-of-game friend,” or both. The various embodiments disclosed herein are operable when the social graph is managed by social networking system 120c, game networking system 120b, or both.
FIG. 1B is a block diagram illustrating an example of a social network 1200 within a social graph. As shown, Player 1201 can be associated, connected or linked to various other users, or “friends,” within the out-of-game social network 1250. These associations, connections or links can track relationships between users within the out-of-game social network 1250 and are commonly referred to as online “friends” or “friendships” between users. Each friend or friendship in a particular user's social network within a social graph is commonly referred to as a “node.” For purposes of illustration and not by way of limitation, the details of out-of-game social network 1250 will be described in relation to Player 1201. As used herein, the terms “player” and “user” can be used interchangeably and can refer to any user or character in an online multiuser game system or social networking system. As used herein, the term “friend” can mean any node within a player's social network.
As shown in FIG. 1B, Player 1201 has direct connections with several friends. When Player 1201 has a direct connection with another individual, that connection is referred to as a first-degree friend. In out-of-game social network 1250, Player 1201 has two first-degree friends. That is, Player 1201 is directly connected to Friend 11 1211 and Friend 21 1221. In a social graph, it is possible for individuals to be connected to other individuals through their first-degree friends (i.e., friends of friends). As described above, each edge required to connect a player to another user is considered the degree of separation. For example, FIG. 1B shows that Player 1201 has three second-degree friends to whom he is connected via his connection to his first-degree friends. Second-degree Friend 12 1212 and Friend 22 1222 are connected to Player 1201 via his first-degree Friend 11 1211. The limit on the depth of friend connections, or the number of degrees of separation for associations, that Player 1201 is allowed is typically dictated by the restrictions and policies implemented by social network 1200.
In various embodiments, Player 1201 can have Nth-degree friends connected to him through a chain of intermediary degree friends, as indicated in FIG. 1B. For example, Nth-degree Friend 1N 1219 is connected to Player 1201 via second-degree Friend 32 1232 and one or more other higher-degree friends. Various embodiments may utilize the distinction between the various degrees of friendship relative to Player 1201.
In particular embodiments, a player (or player character) can have a social graph within an online multiplayer game that is maintained by the game engine and another social graph maintained by a separate social networking system. FIG. 1B depicts an example of in-game social network 1260 and out-of-game social network 1250. In this example, Player 1201 has out-of-game connections 1255 to a plurality of friends, forming out-of-game social network 1250. Here, Friend 11 1211 and Friend 21 1221 are first-degree friends with Player 1201 in his out-of-game social network 1250. Player 1201 also has in-game connections 1265 to a plurality of players, forming in-game social network 1260. Here, Friend 21 1221, Friend 31 1231, and Friend 41 1241 are first-degree friends with Player 1201 in his in-game social network 1260, and friend 42 1242 is a second-degree friend with Player 1201 in his in-game social network 1260. In some embodiments, it is possible for a friend to be in both the out-of-game social network 1250 and the in-game social network 1260. Here, Friend 21 1221 has both an out-of-game connection 1255 and an in-game connection 1265 with Player 1201, such that Friend 21 1221 is in both Player 1201's in-game social network 1260 and Player 1201's out-of-game social network 1250.
As with other social networks, Player 1201 can have second-degree and higher-degree friends in both his in-game and out-of-game social networks. In some embodiments, it is possible for Player 1201 to have a friend connected to him both in his in-game and out-of-game social networks, wherein the friend is at different degrees of separation in each network. For example, if Friend 22 1222 had a direct in-game connection with Player 1201, Friend 22 1222 would be a second-degree friend in Player 1201's out-of-game social network, but a first-degree friend in Player 1201's in-game social network. In particular embodiments, a game engine can access an in-game social network 1260, out-of-game social network 1250, or both.
In particular embodiments, the connections in a player's in-game social network can be formed both explicitly (e.g., users must “friend” each other) and implicitly (e.g., system observes user behaviors and “friends” users to each other). Unless otherwise indicated, reference to a friend connection between two or more players can be interpreted to cover both explicit and implicit connections, using one or more social graphs and other factors to infer friend connections. The friend connections can be unidirectional or bidirectional. It is also not a limitation of this description that two players who are deemed “friends” for the purposes of this disclosure are not friends in real life (i.e., in disintermediated interactions or the like), but that could be the case.
The game networking system 120b may determine information related to a social network of a user or an aggregation of the social networks of a user. Such information may include measurements pertaining to the social graphs, such as the size, width, or depth of the social graphs. For example, such information may include how many people are in the social graph, how fast the social graph is growing, or how many branches of a master social graph (e.g., a graph of all Facebook users) are covered in the social graph. Such information may also include a level of participation in a computer-implemented game of the people in the social graph, such as a level of success of the people at completing game-related quests or how much the people have helped others complete game-related quests. A measurement of the value of the social graph may depend on weighted measurements pertaining to information about the people in the social graph. Thus, the game networking system 120b may consider a first social graph to be more valuable than a second social graph based on the members of the first social graph having higher levels of participation in a computer-implemented game than members of the second social graph, even if the second social graph has more members. The game networking system 120b may incorporate measurements pertaining to the social graphs of a user into any of its decisions, such as the size of an incentive reward to offer to a player or a location-based action to propose to a player.
Game Systems
In an online game, a game engine manages the game state of the game. Game state comprises all in-game parameters, including player character state, non-player character (NPC) state, in-game assets and other virtual items, in-game obstacles, game parameters (e.g., internal game clocks, game environments), and other in-game elements or features. Each player controls one or more player characters (PCs). The game engine controls all other aspects of the game, including non-player characters (NPCs), in-game obstacles, and other game elements. The game engine also manages game state, including player character state, for currently active (online) and inactive (offline) players.
A player character can have a set of attributes associated with the player character. As used herein, player character state can refer to one or more in-game attributes of a player character, such as in-game location, assets, levels, condition, health, status, inventory, skill set, name, orientation, affiliation, specialty, and so on. The game engine may use player character state to determine the outcome of game events, sometimes also considering set or random variables. Generally, a player character's probability of having a more favorable outcome is greater when the player character has a better state. For example, a healthier player character is less likely to die in a particular encounter relative to a weaker player character or non-player character.
In various embodiments, an online game can provide a mechanism for player characters to acquire in-game assets, which are a type of virtual item or thing that provides some type of in-game benefit to a player character. In some embodiments, an in-game asset can provide an in-game benefit for the player character by improving the player character's state. The improved player character state could increase the player character's likelihood or ability to advance in the game, or otherwise improve game play. For example, in-game assets could be character levels, ability points, skill points, hit points, mana points, combat bonuses, and the like. In-game assets can also be virtual representations of real life things such as cash, chattel, precious valuables, personal property, real property, weapons, vehicles, titles, jobs, and the like. In-game assets can also include mythical and fantasy things, such as manna, magical items, potions, relics, artifacts, and the like.
An online game can be hosted by game networking system 120b, which can be accessed using any suitable connection with an appropriate client system 130. A player may have a game account on game networking system 120b, wherein the game account can contain a variety of information associated with the player (e.g., the player's personal information, financial information, purchase history, player character state, game state). In some embodiments, a player may play multiple games on game networking system 120b, which may maintain a single game account for the player with respect to all the games, or multiple individual game accounts for each game with respect to the player. In some embodiments, game networking system 120b can assign a unique identifier to each player of an online game hosted on game networking system 120b. Game networking system 120b can determine that user 101 is accessing the online game by reading the user 101's cookies, which may be appended to Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) requests transmitted by client system 130, and/or by the user 101 logging onto the online game.
Locations
As used herein, a location is a specific physical place in the real world. For example, location 115 could be a store, restaurant, mall, business office, building, park, street venue, library, or the like. Location 115 can have various systems associated with it, including verification system 118 and location networking system 120a. As used herein, the operator of location 115 is the person or entity that owns, possesses, operates, or otherwise controls location 115. Furthermore, as used herein, a user 101 of location 115 is a person who can enter, visit, use, purchase, or perform some other action at location 115. This can include past, present, and future users of location 115. In various embodiments, a player of an online game may also be a user 101 of location 115.
In various embodiments, location 115 can have one or more devices for communicating with game networking system 120b. Verification system 118 or location networking system 120a can communicate with game networking system 120b, either directly or via network 160. In some embodiments, verification system 118 and location networking system 120a are part of the same computing system.
Location Attributes
In various embodiments, location 115 can have one or more attributes associated with it. These location attributes include a variety of details about location 115. Location attributes can include, for example: details regarding goods and services available at the location 115, such as the type, price, quantity, quality, brand, size, description, and other details of the goods and services available at the location 115; the purchase history of goods and services at the location 115; corporate and intellectual property information of the location 115, such as any brands, trademarks, logos, and other such information associated with the location 115; the location-based action history of players of one or more online games at the location 115, such as the type of location-based actions, proposed location-based actions, performed location-based actions, and other information regarding location-based actions associated with the location 115; personal and demographic information of any users 101 of the location 115, such as name, sex, race, ethnicity, age, income, education, employment status, address, credit information, purchase history, and other personal or demographic information of the users 101 of the location 115; geographic information of the location, such as the position, elevation, size, orientation, global position system (GPS) coordinates, relation to other locations, local terrain, weather, and other geographic information of the location 115; and other descriptive information associated with the location.
In various embodiments, the location attributes of location 115 can be stored in a location account. The examples described herein assume that the location account is stored on location networking system 120a; however, this is not intended to be limiting. The location account can be stored on any suitable data store, including location networking system 120a, game networking system 120b, a third-party system, a distributed data store, or any combination of two or more of the above.
In some embodiments, the location attributes of location 115 can be determined by accessing a website or other network-addressable system that contains details about location 115. For example, a computing system can access a website associated with location 115, such as a corporate website or an online shopping catalog, and analyze the website for text, keywords, prices, concepts, meta tags, and other details associated with location 115.
User Identification
In various embodiments, location networking system 120a can identify users of location 115 by a variety of methods. The methods described below are not intended to be limiting, and one of ordinary skill in the art would recognize that other methods can be used to identify a user 101.
In some embodiments, location networking system 120a can identify a user 101 when the user 101 purchases an item at location 115. When a user 101 purchases an item at location 115, location networking system 120a may collect purchase information from the user 101, including the user 101's name, credit card number, billing address, shipping address, email address, and so forth. For example, if user 101 visits a store and purchases an item with a credit card, location networking system 120a could use the information contained on the credit card to identify user 101.
In some embodiments, location networking system 120a can identify a user 101 based on some form of identification presented by the user 101 at location 115. A user 101 could present a membership card, discount card, coupon, ticket, code, driver's license, passport, or other item that contains identifying information about the user 101 at location 115. For example, user 101 may have a ticket with a scannable code (e.g., a Quick Response (QR) code) that contains identifying information. The ticket can be scanned at location 115, thereby allowing location networking system 120a to identify user 101.
In some embodiments, location networking system 120a can identify a user 101 based on the user 101's proximity to location 115. A user 101's proximity can be determined using various devices or applications, such as a GPS device, a social networking site (e.g., Facebook, Twitter), a location tracking site (e.g., Foursquare, Google Latitude), a location reservation site (e.g., OpenTable, Expedia), and the like. Location networking system 120a could then access this proximity information to identify the user 101. For example, if user 101 enters a store, he could access Foursquare via any suitable computing device to indicate that he is at the store, and Foursquare could transmit this information to location networking system 120a, thereby informing location networking system 120a that user 101 is at the store. In another example, location 115 could have a QR code printed inside the location, which user 101 could photograph with a mobile client system 130 (e.g., a smart phone) and transmit to location networking system 120a. In yet another example, if user 101 makes a reservation to dine at a restaurant on OpenTable, location networking system 120a could identify user 101 when he checks in with the maître d' at the restaurant.
In some embodiments, location networking system 120a can identify a user 101 when the user 101 provides an indication of the user 101's presence at location 115. User 101 could check-in with a host, log in to a computing device, activate a button or switch, or perform some other type of action to indicate the user 101's presence at location 115, which could then be transmitted to location networking system 120a. For example, if user 101 visits a hotel, location networking system 120a could identify user 101 when he checks in with the hotel clerk. In another example, if user 101 accesses a computing system at location 115, location networking system 120a could identify user 101 when he logs into the computing system.
In some embodiments, location networking system 120a or game networking system 120b can identify user 101 based on a search engine query made by the user 101. For example, if user 101 queries a search engine (e.g., Google or Yahoo) that has information that identifies user 101, that information can be transmitted to location networking system 120a or game networking system 120b along with any other relevant information (e.g., the search query made by user 101) that either system could use to identify user 101.
In some embodiments, while identifying a user 101, location networking system 120a may also collect information related to one or more game accounts associated with the user 101, including any unique game account identifiers assigned to the user 101. For example, user 101 may gain entrance to location 115 by presenting a ticket with a scannable QR code, which contains information identifying user 101 and information about user 101's unique identifier on an online game. After this ticket is scanned at location 115, the identifying information can be transmitted to location networking system 120a.
In some embodiments, location networking system 120a can assign a unique identifier to each user 101 of location 115. Location networking system 120a can assign a name, identification number, or other unique identifier to user 101. Location networking system 120a can also utilize any unique identifier assigned to the user 101 by game networking system 120b.
Offering Incentive Rewards for Performing Location-Based Actions
A user of an online game hosted by game networking system 120b can also be user 101 of location 115. Location operators may find it desirable to provide some type of incentive to encourage these users to perform one or more location-based actions. Some users may be incentivized to perform certain location-based actions when offered an in-game asset for an online game. As used herein, an incentive reward is an in-game asset in an online game that is offered to a user of the online game for completing one or more location-based actions. For example, the incentive reward could be a specific in-game asset (e.g., a Sword of Destruction +5) that provides a particular in-game benefit (e.g., increasing a player character's ability to defeat in-game opponents). As used herein, a location-based action is a type of action that can be performed at one or more locations by a user of an online game, wherein the action is proposed to the user as part of an offer for an incentive reward. For example, a location-based action could be entering, visiting, using, purchasing, or performing some other action at location 115.
In some embodiments, a distributor or manufacturer of an item can incentivize users of an online game to purchase the item from a location. For example, the distributor or manufacturer of a specific soft drink may offer (e.g., via an interface of the game networking system 120b) an in-game incentive for purchasing a can of the soft drink from any location. While this disclosure generally discusses location-based actions with respect to a location, the embodiments disclosed herein are also applicable to location-based actions with respect to a distributor or manufacturer of an item, unless context suggests otherwise.
Incentive Rewards
An incentive reward may include a providing of an in-game asset, a changing of an attribute of an in-game asset, or an enabling of a feature of an online game hosted by game networking system 120b. An incentive reward could be, for example, game points, virtual currency, experience points, character levels, character attributes, virtual items, or other in-game assets. Or an incentive reward could be, for example, a changing of an attribute (e.g., a visual characteristic) of an in-game asset. Or an incentive reward could be, for example, an enabling of an in-game feature, such as a dead drop for virtual items (described below) or a trading post for virtual items (described below).
Or an incentive reward may include an out-of-game asset. For example, an incentive reward may be a real-world item, such as money or a coupon. Or an incentive reward may be reward points (e.g., airline miles), such as reward points associated with a credit card. Or an incentive reward may be a real-world item that corresponds to a virtual item. For example, an incentive reward may be a plastic ring corresponding to a virtual ring purchased by a player character of a user within a virtual world of a computer-implemented game.
Incentive Offer Search Systems
In various embodiments, game networking system 120b can include an incentive offer search system, which is a network-addressable computing system that is operative to generate and/or select an incentive reward in response to a request from another computing system, such as location networking system 120a, game networking system 120b, or client system 130. The incentive offer search system may be a central system accessible to one or more systems over a wide area network, or a local system accessible to a single domain. The present disclosure assumes the incentive offer search system is a subsystem of game networking system 120b; however, it is possible that the incentive offer search system is part of location networking system 120a or even an independent remote system.
In one embodiment, the incentive offer search system includes one or more physical servers and an incentive offer data store. The incentive offer data store can store content information containing incentive offer creative content and Uniform Resource Locators (URLs) or identifiers to content or other resources hosted by game networking system 120b or location networking system 120a. The content may be stored in association with a game engine or game account information on game networking system 120b.
In various embodiments, the incentive offer search system determines an appropriate incentive reward to offer to a user 101 for performing one or more location-based actions. In various embodiments, the incentive offer search system determines an appropriate reward to offer to groups (or cohorts) of people, either to each individual member of the group, or to the group collectively. Such groups of people may include in-game groups (e.g., a party existing within a role-playing game) or out-of-game groups (e.g., a “clan” of players that exists independently of a particular game). In some embodiments, the incentive offer search system determines an appropriate reward to offer to groups of people regardless of whether the group is associated with the computer-implemented game. For example, the incentive offer search system may determine an appropriate reward to offer to a church group or members of a Zynga Mafia Wars clan. The incentive reward can be determined by a variety of methods (e.g., statically, randomly, or dynamically).
In some embodiments, the incentive reward can be determined statically, such that the incentive reward offered is the same for all users. For example, user 101 might be offered an incentive reward of $20,000 in virtual poker chips for purchasing a lawnmower at location 115, and this same incentive reward would be offered to all other users.
In some embodiments, the incentive reward can be determined dynamically, such that the incentive reward offered may vary based on a variety of factors. For example, the incentive reward can be determined based on location attributes, game state, or other parameters.
Determining Incentive Rewards Based on Game State
In various embodiments, the incentive offer search system can determine an appropriate incentive reward based on game state data stored on game networking system 120b. The incentive offer search system can access the user 101's game account to retrieve various game state data (e.g., the games played by the user 101, the user 101's player character state) and then identify an incentive reward appropriate for user 101 based on that data.
In some embodiments, the incentive offer search system can consider thematic, topical, or categorical relationships between a possible incentive reward and a game state variable to determine an appropriate incentive reward. For example, the incentive offer search system may query game networking system 120b to determine that user 101 is a player in Zynga Dragon Wars and that user 101's player character is a 5th-level elf. The incentive offer search system may then determine that an Elven Invisibility Cloak is an appropriate incentive reward for a 5th-level elf based on the thematic relationship between the player character's race and the incentive reward.
In some embodiments, the incentive offer search system can consider player character state, such as in-game assets and other attributes of a player character, to determine an appropriate incentive reward. For example, if user 101 has $25,000 in virtual poker chips in Zynga Poker, the incentive offer search system may determine that an incentive reward of $10,000 in virtual poker chips is appropriate, but if user 101 has $100,000 in virtual poker chips, an incentive reward of $30,000 may be determined appropriate based on his current in-game assets, wherein the incentive reward is scaled to user 101's current in-game assets. In another example, if user 101 has five purple gems and zero orange gems in Zynga Treasure Isle, the incentive offer search system may determine that two orange gems is an appropriate incentive reward for user 101 based on his current in-game assets, wherein the incentive reward is selected so that user 101 is not offered a redundant in-game asset.
In some embodiments, where user 101 plays more than one game hosted by game networking system 120b, the incentive offer search system can generate incentive rewards corresponding to one or more of the games. Game networking system 120b can host a plurality of online games, and a particular user may play one or more of these games and control one or more player characters in each game. If the user 101 plays more than one game on game networking system 120b, the incentive offer search system may generate an incentive reward corresponding to one or more of these games. The incentive offer search system can determine which games to generate incentive rewards for by examining the user 101's game account information with respect to each game and analyzing a variety of factors (e.g., the user 101's frequency of play, duration of play, play preferences, social network information). In a particular embodiment, the incentive offer search system can generate an incentive reward for one game from the plurality of games. For example, if user 101 plays Zynga Poker on average ten hours a week, but only plays Zynga Mafia Wars on average five hours per week, the incentive offer search system may determine that user 101 prefers playing Zynga Poker and may only generate an incentive reward for that game. Alternatively, the incentive offer search system may generate an incentive reward for Zynga Mafia Wars instead as a means of encouraging user 101 to increase his game play time in that game. The offer search system may also consider a user 101's social network information for multiuser online games that interface with social networking systems. For example, if user 101 has twenty friends who play Zynga Poker but fifty friends who play Zynga Mafia Wars, the incentive offer search system may determine that user 101 prefers playing Zynga Mafia Wars and only generate an incentive reward for that game.
In some embodiments, the incentive offer search system can generate incentive rewards for two or more games. In one embodiment, the incentive offer search system can generate incentive rewards for a plurality of games. For example, if user 101 plays both Zynga Poker and Zynga Mafia Wars, the incentive offer search system may offer an incentive reward of $10,000 in virtual poker chips (for Zynga Poker) and a virtual submachine gun (for Zynga Mafia Wars). In another embodiment, the incentive offer search system can generate incentive rewards for a plurality of games, but the offer requires the user 101 to choose which game he wants to receive the incentive reward in. For example, using the previous example, the incentive offer search system might offer user 101 an incentive reward of $10,000 in virtual poker chips and a virtual machine gun, but require user 101 to choose which of the two rewards he wants. In yet another embodiment, the incentive offer search system can generate a single incentive reward that can be used in a plurality of games. For example, in a variation of the previous example, the incentive offer search system might offer user 101 an incentive reward of $10,000 in virtual cash, wherein this cash can be used in either Zynga Poker or Zynga Mafia Wars.
In some embodiments, the incentive offer search system can generate an incentive reward for a game hosted by game networking system 120b that user 101 has never played or that has no game account associated with the user 101. An incentive reward for an unplayed game can be generated even if the user 101 plays other games on game networking system 120b. For example, if user 101 has only played Zynga Poker on game networking system 120b, the incentive offer search system may generate an incentive reward for another game hosted by game networking system 120b (e.g., Zynga Mafia Wars, Zynga YoVille) to encourage user 101 to try a new game.
FIG. 2A shows a flowchart illustrating an example method 200A for generating an incentive reward based on game state. In various embodiments, game networking system 120b accesses a game account of user 101 to identify one or more computer-implemented games associated with the user 101 at step 210. Game networking system 120b then generates an incentive reward for the user 101 based at least in part on the game state of the one or more identified games at step 212. The game networking system 120b then transmits a message to the user 101 comprising a description of the incentive reward, a description of a location-based action, and an offer of the incentive reward for the user 101's performance of the location-based action at step 214. The example method illustrated in FIG. 2A and described above is provided for illustration purposes only and is not meant to be limiting. One of ordinary skill in the art would appreciate that the steps described above can be performed in any reasonable order, and that various steps can be reordered, added, and removed.
Determining Incentive Rewards Based on Location Attributes
In various embodiments, the incentive offer search system can determine an appropriate incentive reward based on location attribute data. The location attributes of location 115 can be stored in a location account, which can be stored and accessed on any suitable computing system, including location networking system 120a, game networking system 120b, a third-party system, a distributed computing system, or any combination of two or more of the above. The incentive offer search system can access location 115's location account to retrieve various location attribute data (e.g., the goods and services available at the location, personal and demographic information of users of the location) and then identify an incentive reward appropriate for a user based on that data.
In some embodiments, the incentive offer search system can consider thematic, topical, or categorical relationships between a possible incentive reward and a location attribute to determine an appropriate incentive reward. For example, the incentive offer search system may query the location account associated with location 115 to determine that location 115 is a grocery store with organic strawberries on sale. The incentive offer search system may then determine that 100 servings of virtual strawberry shortcake in Zynga Café World is an appropriate incentive reward for performing a location-based action at location 115 based on the thematic relationship between and goods available at location 115 and the incentive reward.
In some embodiments, the incentive offer search system can consider details of the goods or services available at the location to determine an appropriate incentive reward to offer. This can include the type, price, quantity, quality, brand, size, description, and other details of the goods and services available at location 115. For example, the incentive reward for purchasing a toaster from a particular appliance store might be a virtual toaster in Zynga YoVille. In one embodiment, the incentive reward may improve based on the price of the item. For example, the incentive reward for a $50 boombox may be $5000 in virtual poker chips in Zynga Poker, but the incentive reward for a $1000 home stereo system may be $200,000 in virtual poker chips.
In some embodiments, the incentive offer search system can consider any brands, trademarks, logos, and other corporate or intellectual property information associated with the location to determine an appropriate incentive reward. For example, if location 115 is a Sears department store, the incentive offer search system may determine that a virtual item affixed with the Sears logo is an appropriate incentive reward for performing a location-based action at the location 115.
In some embodiments, the incentive offer search system can consider personal and demographic information of users of the location to determine an appropriate incentive reward. This can included the name, sex, race, ethnicity, age, income, education, employment status, address, credit information, purchase history, and other personal or demographic information of the users of the location. For example, if user 101 is female, the incentive offer search system may determine that a virtual Barbie doll in Zynga YoVille is an appropriate incentive reward for user 101 based on her sex.
In some embodiments, the incentive offer search system can consider the purchase history of goods and services at the location to determine an appropriate incentive reward. For example, if visitors to location 115 often buy fertilizer, the incentive offer search system may determine that five applications of fertilizer in Zynga FarmVille is an appropriate incentive reward for performing a location-based action at location 115, based on the purchase history there.
In some embodiments, the incentive offer search system can consider the location-based action history of players of one or more online games at the location to determine an appropriate incentive reward. This can include the type of location-based actions, proposed location-based actions, performed location-based actions, and other information regarding location-based actions associated with the location. For example, if some users often fail to perform a certain location-based action when offered an incentive reward of $10,000 in virtual poker chips in Zynga Poker, the incentive offer search system may determine an incentive reward of $30,000 in virtual poker chips is an appropriate incentive reward to incentivize performance of this location-based action.
In some embodiments, the incentive offer search system can consider the geographic information of the location to determine an appropriate incentive reward. This can include the position, elevation, size, orientation, GPS coordinates, relation to other locations, local terrain, weather, and other geographic information of the location. For example, if location 115 is near a beach, the incentive offer search system may determine that a virtual beach towel in Zynga Treasure Isle is an appropriate incentive reward for performing a location-based action at location 115.
In some embodiments, the incentive offer search system may generate an incentive reward that is unique to a location where a user performs a location-based action. For example, the user 101 may only receive an incentive reward for a first in-game asset when performing a location-based action in New England, and the user 101 may only receive an incentive reward for a second in-game asset when performing a location-based action in Wisconsin. Each incentive reward may be unique by country, region (e.g., four corners of the U.S.), state, city, or any area. In this way, the incentive offer search system may create an asymmetry in the availability of particular incentive rewards. In response, users may seek to expand their social networks such that they are able to obtain (e.g., through trading with other users) incentive rewards that would not otherwise be available to the users.
FIG. 2B shows a flowchart illustrating an example method 200B for generating an incentive reward based on location attributes. In various embodiments, game networking system 120b accesses a location account of location 115 to identify one or more attributes associated with location 115 at step 220. Game networking system 120b then generates an incentive reward for user 101 based at least in part on the attributes associated with location 115 at step 222. The game networking system 120b then transmits a message to the user 101 comprising a description of the incentive reward, a description of a location-based action, and an offer of the incentive reward for the user 101's performance of the location-based action at step 224. The example method illustrated in FIG. 2B and described above is provided for illustration purposes only and is not meant to be limiting. One of ordinary skill in the art would appreciate that the steps described above can be performed in any reasonable order, and that various steps can be reordered, added, and removed.
Determining Incentive Rewards Based on Other Factors
In various embodiments, the incentive offer search system can determine an appropriate incentive reward based on factors other than game state or location attributes.
In some embodiments, the incentive reward can be determined based in part on the location-based action generated by an action proposal search system (described in more detail below). For example, if the action proposal search system generates a location-based action for user 101 of buying a barbecue from a specific hardware store, the incentive offer search system may determine that a virtual super oven in Zynga Café World is an appropriate incentive reward based on the thematic relationship between the incentive reward and the location-based action. In another example, the incentive reward for purchasing a bottle of Coca-Cola from any location might be a virtual item affixed with a Coca-Cola logo.
In some embodiments, the incentive reward for performing a location-based action can vary over time. The incentive offer search system may generate multiple possible incentive rewards, wherein the actual reward received by the user 101 is based on when the location-based action is completed. For example, an incentive reward for purchasing a lawnmower at location 115 within the next hour may be $20,000 in virtual poker chips, but the incentive reward may decrease to only $10,000 in virtual poker chips if the lawnmower is purchased after the hour has ended. In one embodiment, the incentive reward may only be offered for a limited time. For example, an incentive reward of a virtual sports car might only be offered to the first one hundred users who purchase a toaster from location 115. In a variation of this embodiment, the incentive reward may become less attractive for subsequent purchasers. For example, the first user to purchase a toaster from location 115 will get a virtual Porsche 911, while later users will be offered virtual Ford Pintos. The incentive offer search system may present offers such that it is not apparent to the user of the gaming system whether he will get the better item or not. For example, user 101 might be presented with an offer that states, “Limited time offer! The first person to buy a toaster today will receive a virtual Porsche 911 in Zynga YoVille (subsequent buyers will receive a virtual Ford Pinto).” In this case, the user 101, viewing this offer, may not know whether he will be the first purchaser and may only find out after the item is purchased (e.g., when handed the receipt for the purchase).
In some embodiments, the incentive offer search system may generate an incentive reward that represents a number of times or a frequency with which a user completes a location-based action. For example, users may be offered a selection of in-game coffee cups based on the number of times the users purchase coffee at Starbucks each week (e.g., users with fewer coffee purchases would have a smaller selection of in-game coffee cups to choose from). The incentive reward may also depend on the number of times or a frequency with which the user completes the location-based action relative to the number of times or a frequency with which other users complete the location-based action. For example, a user 101, who purchases more cups of coffee from Starbucks than other users, may be offered an in-game coffee cup having a different visual characteristic (e.g., a different color, size, or shape) than the in-game coffee cups of other users.
In some embodiments, the incentive offer search system may ensure that some incentive rewards are offered more rarely than others. In this way, the incentive offer search system may create a demand for items that are offered more rarely, thereby incentivizing users to expand their social networks to include users who obtain items that are rare relative to other items. In some embodiments, the incentive offer search system may correlate the rarity of an incentive reward with a difficulty level of the location-based action that users must perform in exchange for the incentive reward. In some embodiments, the incentive offer search system may correlate the rarity of an amount of a financial return that an entity associated with the game networking system 120b may receive in exchange for users performing a location-based action that is necessary to receive the incentive reward.
In some embodiments, the incentive offer search system may generate an incentive reward in exchange for a user 101 obtaining a particular set of in-game assets. Each of the in-game assets of the set may, in turn, may be offered to users 101 as incentive rewards for completing location-based actions. Thus, the incentive offer search system may incentivize users 101 to complete a series of tasks to obtain a set of in-game assets.
In some embodiments, the incentive offer search system may generate an incentive reward that is a composite in-game asset, where each of a set of in-game assets corresponds to a component of the composite in-game asset. For example, the incentive reward may be an in-game food item (e.g., an in-game McDonald's Big Mac) and each of the set of in-game assets may be ingredients of the in-game food item (e.g., two all-beef patties, special sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickles, onion, and a sesame seed bun).
In some embodiments, the incentive offer search system may generate an incentive reward that is a limited-edition reward that is available only to users 101 that perform the location-based action during a particular time period or with respect to an event that occurs at the location. For example, the incentive offer search system may generate an incentive reward that is based on a user 101 performing a location-based action at (e.g., attending) a particular live event (e.g., a Grateful Dead or Kiss concert) at a location 115. Or the incentive offer search system may generate an incentive reward that offers the user 101a percentage chance of receiving a shirt signed by the drummer of Def Leopard, where the percentage increases based on the number of friends the user 101 influences to attend a Def Leopard reunion concert.
In some embodiments, the incentive offer search system may generate an incentive reward that is non-transferrable. For example, the incentive offer search system may generate a non-transferrable reward (e.g., an in-game mountain climbing badge) to each user 101 that climbs a mountain (e.g., Mount Everest). Such non-transferrable rewards may correspond to personal achievements of the user with respect to a location 115.
In some embodiments, the incentive offer search system may generate an incentive reward that is based on a user 101 performing a first location-based action at a first location and a second location-based action at a second location (e.g., within a specific time period). For example, the incentive offer search system may generate an incentive reward based on a user checking in at a location in New York and a location in Los Angeles on the same day. In other words, the incentive offer search system may generate an incentive reward based on the user travelling between multiple locations. The incentive reward may correspond to the travelling between multiple locations (e.g., the incentive reward may be tied to the distance traveled, amount of time spent travelling, etc.). For example, the incentive reward may be in-game jet fuel based on a detection that the user is travelling between locations on an airplane. Or the incentive reward may be related to a path of travel between multiple locations. For example, the incentive reward for flying in an airplane over Chicago may be a virtual kielbasa.
In some embodiments, the incentive offer search system may generate an incentive reward that includes a consumable in-game asset. For example, the incentive offer search system may generate an incentive reward for a virtual orange that is based on the user 101 performing a location-based action (e.g., registering presence) at an orange orchard. The incentive offer search system may generate the incentive reward based on a consuming of a consumable in-game asset by a player character of the user 101. For example, the incentive offer search system may offer a virtual orange to the user 101 based on a player character of the user 101 having consumed a virtual orange or not having a virtual orange in his inventory. Or the incentive offer search system may not offer the virtual orange to the user if the player character has a virtual orange in his inventory that the player character has not yet consumed.
In some embodiments, the incentive offer search system may generate an incentive reward that is based on a positive or negative feeling users 101 have with respect to a location-based action, a type of location-based action, a location, or a type of location. For example, the incentive offer search system may determine levels of negative feelings (e.g., levels of boringness, hassle, or annoyance) associated with types of locations (e.g., a doctor's office, dentist's office, and so on) based on input from users. Then, when a user 101 performs a location-based action (e.g., sitting in a waiting room), the incentive offer search system may provide an incentive reward having a value that is correlated to the level of negative feeling (e.g., a level of boringness) of performing that location-based action. The incentive offer search system may also retrieve the levels of positive or negative feelings from a predetermined table containing correlations of the levels of positive or negative feelings with performing the location-based actions at the locations or types of locations. In this way, the incentive offer search system may generate an award that causes a user 101 to look forward to visiting a location that he may otherwise not be excited to visit.
In some embodiments, the incentive offer search system can generate an incentive reward that is only a percentage chance of receiving an in-game asset. For example, an incentive reward could be a specific percentage chance (e.g., 20%, 40%, 75%) to receive a particular in-game asset (e.g., a virtual Porsche 911). After the user 101 has earned the incentive reward, game networking system 120b could then determine if the user 101 actually receives the in-game asset.
In some embodiments, the incentive offer search system may generate an incentive reward for an unknown or undisclosed in-game asset. For example, the incentive offer search system may generate an incentive reward for a “mystery prize” for user 101 and present an offer that states “Purchase this item at location 115 now and receive a mystery prize in Zynga Dragon Wars!” The user 101 may not discover what the “mystery prize” is until the incentive reward is earned by performing an associated location-based action, or possibly even later (e.g., the next time the user 101 logs into game networking system 120b). In some embodiments, the incentive offer search system may present an offer that keeps a portion of the prize a mystery to be revealed when the user 101 performs a location-based action. For example, the offer may present a range of values corresponding to the reward, but not the actual value that the user 101 will receive. For example, the incentive offer search system may present an offer that states “Purchase this item at location 115 now and receive up to 100,000 poker chips in Zynga Poker!” Then, when the user 101 performs the location-based action, the incentive offer search system may reveal the value of the reward (e.g., “Congratulations! You received 5,000 poker chips in Zynga Poker! for purchasing this item at location 115!”).
In some embodiments, the incentive offer search system may generate an incentive reward that incorporates an element of chance (e.g., a lottery ticket). For example, the incentive offer search system may generate an incentive reward for a 10% chance of receiving a free coffee at Starbucks. The percentage of chance may vary according to various criteria, such as an estimated value of the player's action with respect to an operator of the location. For example, the incentive offer search system may generate an incentive reward for a 20% chance of receiving a free coffee at Starbucks for registering presence at Starbucks and an incentive reward for 90% chance of receiving a free coffee at Starbucks for purchasing a coffee at Starbucks.
In some embodiments, the incentive offer search system may generate an incentive reward for a player or group of players based on a level of influence of the player or group of players. The game networking system 120b may determine a level of influence of a player or group of players in a variety of ways, as described below.
Generating Incentive Rewards to Motivate Groups of People
In some embodiments, the incentive offer search system may generate an incentive reward to motivate groups of people. For example, an incentive reward me be offered—either individually or collectively—to a group of people (e.g., two or more players of a computer-implemented game or a player of a computer-implemented game and one or more friends of the player of the computer-implemented game). For example, the incentive offer search system may generate an incentive reward that is to be offered to each of a group of people based on each one (or a particular number or percentage of) the group performing a location-based action.
In some embodiments, the incentive offer search system may generate an incentive reward that that includes counting a player's vote on a matter. The game networking system 120b may determine a matter for which an entity associated with a computer-implemented game (e.g., a sponsor of the computer-implemented game) seeks an opinion of the players in the form of a vote. The game networking system 120b may also receive input as to the possible voting options for the matter. The incentive offer search system may then enable the players to place their votes (e.g., select one of the voting options) on the matter by performing location-based actions. For example, the game networking system 120b may seek to determine whether players of a computer-implemented game prefer Peet's Coffee or Starbuck's Coffee. The incentive offer search system may then generate an incentive reward that includes counting the player's vote on the matter based on the player performing a location-based action (e.g., purchasing coffee) at a Peet's Coffee or Starbuck's establishment. In this way, players may “vote with their feet” on a matter that is relevant or important to the players of a computer-implemented game or an entity associated with the game networking system 120b (e.g., a sponsor of a computer-implemented game).
In some embodiments, the game networking system 120b may only count a player's vote while the player is performing a location-based action or for a specific (e.g., predetermined) time period during or after the player performs a location-based action. Thus, a result of a vote may change (e.g., in a capture-the-flag style) at any given time based on a number of people who are currently performing (or have recently performed) a location-based action. In some embodiments, the game networking system 120b may count the player's vote only while the player is performing a location-based action. In some embodiments, a player's vote may only be counted one time, regardless of how many times the user 101 performs an associated location-based action. In some embodiments, a player's vote will be counted each time (or a particular number or percentage of times) a player performs a location-based action. In some embodiments, the game networking system 120b may limit a number of votes a player may place regarding a matter to a maximum number.
In some embodiments, the game networking system 120b may count a lack of performance by a player of a location-based action as an affirmative vote against a voting option corresponding to the location-based action. For example, if a player does not purchase a coffee at Starbuck's within a certain time period, the game networking system 120b may count the player's non-action as a vote against Starbuck's on a matter such as which coffee chain is a favorite of players of a computer-implemented game. Or the game networking system 120b may count a performance by a player of an opposite location-based action as an affirmative vote against a voting option corresponding to the location-based action. For example, if a player can vote in favor of Starbuck's as a favorite coffee establishment by registering presence at Starbuck's, but the player instead registers presence at Peet's Coffee, the game networking system 120b may register the player's action as a vote against Starbuck's on a matter such as a favorite coffee establishment of players of a computer-implemented game.
In some embodiments, the game networking system 120b may use the result of a vote to determine a next event in a computer-implemented game For example, if a vote shows that a majority of players of the computer-implemented game prefer Starbuck's over Peet's Coffee, then player characters of the players may receive virtual items bearing a Starbuck's logo. Or the vote may pertain to a rule of the computer-implemented game and the game networking system 120b may change the rule based on the result of the vote.
In some embodiments, the game networking system 120b may expose its functionality to one or more third parties to, for example, enable a third party to conduct market research. For example, the game networking system 120b may expose its functionality for collecting votes from players such that a third party can conduct market research based on input from the players For example, a third-party market research company may wish to determine whether players of a computer-implemented game prefer a blended coffee product from Starbuck's or a blended coffee product from Peet's Coffee. The game networking system 120b may enable the market research company to access its voting functionality (e.g., via an Application Programming Interface (API)) to specify a matter on which the players are to vote, specify the various voting options, or specify a location-based action that each player is to perform in order to register their votes. The market research company may formulate multiple matters, each with multiple voting options, thus using the game networking system 120b to present a marketing survey to the players. Additionally, the game networking system 120b may enable the market research company to specify various configuration options related to the voting functionality, such as how long players must remain present at the location of the location based action for their votes to count, whether the players can register multiple votes, and whether the players can vote affirmatively against a voting option by performing an additional location-based action (e.g., a location-based action that is opposite to a location-based action that is required for a player to register a vote for a voting option). The game networking system 120b may expose its functionality based on a contract (e.g., a financial contract) between an entity operating the game networking system 120b and the third-party market research company.
In some embodiments, the incentive offer search system may generate an incentive reward based on levels of influence. For example, the incentive offer search system may generate an incentive reward for a player of a computer-implemented game based on how much influence the player has over his in-game or out-of-game friends. Or the incentive offer search system may generate an incentive reward for a player based on the player's effectiveness at exercising influence over his friends to perform a location-based action For example, the incentive offer search system may offer an incentive reward that varies based on how many of the player's friends perform a location-based action at the player's request.
In some embodiments, the incentive offer search system may generate an incentive reward based on the types of people a player influences. For example, the incentive offer search system may generate an incentive reward for a player that is to be provided to the player based on the player influencing people having a certain level of attractiveness to register presence at a location (e.g., a bar or night club). The game networking system 120b may determine a level of attractiveness of the people that the player influences in various ways. For example, the game networking system 120b may receive input from other players present at the location regarding the level of attractiveness of the people that the player was able to influence to register their presence at the location. Or the game networking system 120b may perform a real-time validation of the attractiveness of the people (e.g., via a crowd-sourcing platform). As another example, the incentive offer search system may generate an incentive reward for a player that is to be provided to the player based on the player influencing people having a particular gender or a particular level of style to perform a location-based action.
The game networking system 120b may rank input received from other players based on reliability of past inputs by the other players For example, if a player's input has been particularly unreliable in the past (e.g., based on feedback received from other players), the player's input may be given a lower weighting relative to players who have given more reliable input. This weighting of input from players may be applied to all forms of input received from the players (e.g., votes, feedback, etc.). For example, if a player provides input to the game networking system 120b regarding the attractiveness of people that an additional player influences to perform a location-based action, the game networking system 120b may give the player's input a weighting corresponding the estimated reliability of the player's input. The game networking system 120b may estimate the attractiveness of the people based on an aggregation of weighted inputs received from multiple players.
The incentive offer search system may generate an incentive reward for a player based on the player influencing a number of friends to perform a location-based action. For example, the incentive offer search system may identify that an operator of a location is offering an incentive reward in exchange for a player influencing five friends to register their presence at the location. The incentive offer search system may also generate incentive rewards for each of the people that the player influences. In this way, the incentive offer search system may generate rewards cascading down to multiple people, encouraging flash sales at a location. Each of the incentive rewards may be unique to the person to whom it is offered (e.g., based on profile information retrieved about the person from a social networking system 120c). Or some of the incentive rewards may be the same as other incentive rewards offered to other people. For example, the player influencing his friends may receive a different incentive reward than the friends he influences; or, particular sets of friends of the player (e.g., the first set of friends to be influenced by the player) may receive different incentive rewards than other sets of friends. In some embodiments, the incentive reward may generate an incentive reward for a group (or cohort) of people based on the cohort influencing any combination of individual people or other cohorts of people to perform the location-based action. Individuals or cohorts may be related to a game executing on the game networking system 120b (e.g., players of the game) or unrelated to the game (e.g., a church group). The incentive reward may include a first sub-reward to be provided to a player or cohort based on the player or cohort asking an additional player or an additional cohort to perform the location-based action and a second sub-reward to be provided to the player or the cohort based on the number of completions of the location-based action by the additional player or additional cohort.
The incentive offer search system may generate an incentive reward for a player based on the player influencing a number of other people to perform a location-based action at a particular location based on input from an operator of the particular location. For example, if Starbucks is experiencing a slow-down in sales at particular physical Starbucks locations in the mid-western United States, an operator of the Starbucks may interface with the incentive offer search system to request generation of an incentive reward that rewards players or groups of players for influencing people to perform a location-based action at physical Starbucks locations in the mid-western United States.
The incentive offer search system may generate an incentive reward that is time constrained. For example, an incentive offer search system may generate an incentive reward that offers a player a 30% discount on items sold at a location based on the player attracting a particular number of friends to the location. The 30% discount may be offered in a first hour. In a second hour, the 30% discount may be reduced to a 20% discount. In future hours, the discount may either be reduced further or increased (e.g., based on the player influencing an additional number of people to perform a location-based action within an additional time period).
In some embodiments, the incentive offer search system may generate an incentive reward based on information collected from a social networking system about players to whom the incentive reward is to be offered. For example, the incentive offer search system may generate an incentive reward that is to be offered to players that have more than a threshold number of friends on the social networking system. Or the incentive offer search system may generate an incentive reward that has a value that corresponds to the number of friends of the player on the social networking system 120c. For example, the incentive offer search system may offer an incentive reward of X virtual gold coins, where X is equal to the number of friends the player has on Facebook.
In some embodiments, the incentive offer search system may generate an incentive reward based on input received from an operator at the location 115 or based on an identification of an incentive reward offered by the operator made independently of any input received from the operator.
Reflecting a Location-Based Action in a Game Independently of an Offer of an Incentive Reward
In some embodiments, a location-based action may be reflected in a computer-implemented game independently of an offer of an incentive reward. For example, a real-world blending system may automatically change an attribute of an in-game item (e.g., a color of a coffee cup) based on the number of times or a frequency with which a user 101 completes a location-based action (e.g., purchases coffee at Starbucks). Or the real-world blending system may enable a feature of a computer-implemented game based on a performance of a location-based action by the user 101. For example, the real-world blending system may enable or disable trading of in-game assets between a first user and a second user based on a performance of a location-based action by the first user or the second user. Or the real-world blending system may enable communication between multiple players of a computer-implemented game (e.g., enabling a first player to convey a hint to a second player regarding how the second player may advance within the game) based on the multiple players performing a location-based action at a location. Or the real-world blending system may enable multiple players to advance within the game based on each of the multiple players performing one or more location-based actions (e.g., registering presence at a logical Starbucks location within a specific time frame and then successively purchasing a cup of coffee). Or the real-world blending system may automatically provide a user 101 with an in-game coffee cup having a Starbucks logo based on a detecting that the user 101 performed the location-based action of making a purchase at Starbucks.
The real-world blending system may associate a location-based action with an in-game action. For example, the real-world blending system may detect that user 101 has come into physical proximity of or handled a real-world item at a location 115 (e.g., based on a scanning of a product code, such as a Universal Product Code (UPC) by the user 101). The real-world blending system may then reflect the action of the user 101 in the computer-implemented game by providing a player character of the user 101 with an in-game item corresponding to the scanned real-world item. Or the real-world blending system may represent the action of the scanning of the item by the user 101 by using the player character of the user 101 to shoplift an in-game item from an in-game store corresponding to the location 115 at which the user 101 scanned the item. In other words, the real-world blending system may correlate location-based actions with in-game actions by player characters. Such in-game actions may be analogous or representative of the location-based action.
In some embodiments, the incentive offer search system may generate an incentive reward that relates to an activity that is performed at the location 115 or is otherwise related to a location or type of location. For example, the incentive reward may include unlocking health points within a computer-implemented game based on user 101 performing a location-based action at a doctor's office. Or the incentive reward may include repairing an in-game asset based on the user 101 performing a location-based action at a repair shop. In this way, the incentive offer search system may generate rewards that make user 101's mundane tasks meaningful within a computer-implemented game (and thus more fun).
The real-world blending system may perform operations independently of whether the user 101 has been offered an incentive reward for performing a location-based action.
Location-Based Actions
A location-based action is a type of action that can be performed at location 115 by user 101 of an online game hosted by game networking system 120b. The location-based action may be proposed to the user 101 as part of an offer for an incentive reward. A location-based action could be, for example, entering, visiting, using, purchasing, or performing some other action at location 115. Although many of the examples below are described in terms of a single location-based action, it is contemplated that a location-based action may include one or more sub-actions or steps (e.g., a series of sub-action or steps) or may itself be a sub-action or step of a plurality of location-based actions. Thus, a location-based action may be an aggregation of other location-based actions. Each of one or more location-based actions of an aggregation of location-based actions may be associated with an incentive reward. Additionally, a location-based action that is an aggregation of additional location-based actions may itself be associated with an incentive reward.
Action Proposal Search Systems
In various embodiments, game networking system 120b can include an action proposal search system, which is a network-addressable computing system that is operative to generate and/or select a location-based action in response to a request from another computing system, such as location networking system 120a, game networking system 120b, or client system 130. The action proposal search system may be a central system accessible to one or more systems over a wide area network, or a local system accessible to a single domain. The present disclosure assumes the action proposal search system is a subsystem of game networking system 120b; however, it is possible that the action proposal search system is part of location networking system 120a or even an independent remote system.
In one embodiment, the action proposal search system includes one or more physical servers and an action proposal data store. The action proposal data store can store content information containing action proposal creative content and URLs or identifiers to content or other resources hosted by game networking system 120b or location networking system 120a. The content may be stored in association with game account information or location account information on game networking system 120b.
In various embodiments, the action proposal search system determines an appropriate location-based action to propose to user 101 in exchange for one or more incentive rewards. The location-based action can be determined by a variety of methods (e.g., statically, randomly, dynamically, etc.).
In some embodiments, the location-based action can be determined statically, such that the location-based action offered is the same for all users. For example, the action proposal search system may propose that user 101 purchase a cup of coffee at location 115 in exchange for an incentive reward of $100 in virtual cash, and this same location-based action would be proposed to all other users.
In some embodiments, the location-based action can be determined dynamically, such that the location-based action proposed may vary based on a variety of factors. For example, the location-based action can be determined based on location attributes, game state, or other parameters.
Determining Location-Based Actions Based on Game State
In various embodiments, the action proposal search system can determine an appropriate location-based action based on game state data on game networking system 120b. The action proposal search system can access the user 101's game account to retrieve various game state data (e.g., the games played by the user 101, the user 101's player character state) and then identify a location-based action appropriate for user 101 based on that data.
In some embodiments, the action proposal search system can consider thematic, topical, or categorical relationships between a possible location-based action and a game state variable to determine an appropriate location-based action. For example, the action proposal search system may query game networking system 120b to determine that user 101 is a player in Zynga FarmVille and that user 101's player character has a virtual barn. The action proposal search system may then determine that visiting a particular barn at the Sonoma County Fair is an appropriate location-based action for the user 101 based on the thematic relationship between user 101's virtual barn and the proposed location.
In some embodiments, the action proposal search system can consider player character state, such as in-game assets and other attributes of a player character, to determine an appropriate location-based action. For example, if user 101 has $25,000 in virtual poker chips in Zynga Poker, the action proposal search system may determine that playing a hand of real poker in Las Vegas at a $10 limit table is appropriate, but if user 101 has $100,000 in virtual poker chips, playing five hands of real poker at a $50 limit table may be determined appropriate based on user 101's current in-game assets. In another example, if user 101 has a virtual barn with no virtual chickens in it in Zynga FarmVille, the action proposal search system may determine that visiting the chicken coop at the Sonoma County Fair is an appropriate location-based action for user 101 based on his current in-game assets.
In some embodiments, where user 101 plays more than one game hosted by game networking system 120b, the action proposal search system can generate location-based actions corresponding to one or more of the games. Game networking system 120b can host a plurality of online games, and user 101 may play one or more of these games and control one or more player characters in each game. If the user 101 plays more than one game on game networking system 120b, the action proposal search system may generate a location-based action corresponding to one or more of these games. The action proposal search system can determine which games to generate location-based actions for by examining the user 101's game account information with respect to each game and analyzing a variety of factors (e.g., the user 101's frequency of play, duration of play, play preferences, social network information). For example, the action proposal search system may determine that buying a cup of coffee from a specific café is an appropriate location-based action to receive an incentive reward in Zynga Café World. In another example, the action proposal search system may determine that donating $10 to an animal cruelty charity is an appropriate location-based action to receive an incentive reward in Zynga FarmVille.
In an example embodiment, the action proposal search system may generate location-based actions corresponding to a game, such as a game in which players have a goal of attacking and defending turf (e.g., a location (e.g., location 115) or set of locations) by performing location-based actions. For example, players may start turf wars to become the boss of a location (e.g., a business establishment). To win a turf war, players may need to enlist their in-game or out-of-game friends (e.g., “mob,” “mafia,” or group), encouraging them to perform additional location-based actions. Based on their ability to influence other players in group, or based on their performance of location-based actions to assist other players in their group, players may expand their turf collectively or individually. A turf may include multiple locations or one or more regions, such as a street, block, city, state, and so on. An example embodiment of a game in which players attack and defend turf is the Turf Wars game, which is described in more detail with respect to FIGS. 6A-6L.
FIG. 2C shows a flowchart illustrating an example method 200C for generating a location-based action based on a game state. In various embodiments, game networking system 120b accesses a game account of user 101 to identify one or more computer-implemented games associated with the user 101 at step 230. Game networking system 120b then generates a location-based action for the user 101 based at least in part on the game state of the one or more identified games at step 232. Game networking system 120b then transmits a message to the user 101 comprising a description of the location-based action, a description of an incentive reward, and an offer of the incentive reward for the user 101's performance of the location-based action at step 234.
Determining Location-Based Actions Based on Location Attributes
In various embodiments, the action proposal search system can determine an appropriate location-based action based on location attribute data. The location attributes of location 115 can be stored in a location account, which can be stored and accessed on any suitable computing system, including location networking system 120a, game networking system 120b, a third-party system, a distributed computing system, or any combination of two or more of the above. The action proposal search system can access location 115's location account to retrieve various location attribute data (e.g., the goods and services available at the location 115, personal and demographic information of users of the location 115, etc.) and then identify a location-based action appropriate for user 101 based on that data.
In some embodiments, the action proposal search system can consider thematic, topical, or categorical relationships between a possible location-based action and a location attribute to determine an appropriate location-based action. For example, the action proposal search system may query the location account associated with location 115 to determine that location 115 is a grocery store with organic strawberries on sale. The incentive offer search system may then determine that buying a basket of organic strawberries is an appropriate location-based action to perform at location 115 based on the categorical relationship between the goods available at location 115 and the location-based action.
In some embodiments, the action proposal search system can consider details of the goods or services available at the location to determine an appropriate location-based action. This can include the type, price, quantity, quality, brand, size, description, and other details of the goods and services available at the location. For example, if location 115 is an amusement park, the action proposal search system may determine that riding a specific roller coaster is an appropriate location-based action based on the type of services available there. In particular embodiments, the action proposal search system can generate a location-based action to incentivize the purchase of particular goods or services, such as buying items that are on sale or items the location operator wants to clear from inventory. The location operator can provide preferences for the items that it wants associated with location-based offers, or the action proposal search system can query the location account and analyze the location's current inventory to dynamically determine an appropriate item. For example, if location 115 is an ice cream shop with an oversupply of vanilla ice cream, the action proposal search system may determine that purchasing a scoop of vanilla ice cream at location 115 is an appropriate location-based action based on the inventory of goods available there.
In some embodiments, the action proposal search system can consider any brands, trademarks, logos, and other corporate or intellectual property information associated with the location to determine an appropriate location-based action. For example, if the operator of location 115 has a patent on a certain method, the action proposal search system may determine that performing that patented method is an appropriate location-based action.
In some embodiments, the action proposal search system can consider personal and demographic information of users of the location to determine an appropriate location-based action. This can include the name, sex, race, ethnicity, age, income, education, employment status, address, credit information, purchase history, and other personal or demographic information of the users of the location. For example, if a user 101 of location 115 is a mechanical engineer, the action proposal search system may determine that purchasing a textbook on thermodynamics at location 115 is an appropriate location-based action based on the user 101's employment information. In another example, if user 101 has never purchased a sandwich from location 115, the action proposal search system may determine that purchasing a sandwich from location 115 is an appropriate location-based action for user 101 based on his purchase history. In yet another example, if user 101 is 18-years old, the action proposal search system may propose to the user 101 to purchase a can of soda, but if user 101 is 22-years old, the action proposal search system may propose to the user 101 to purchase a bottle of scotch.
In some embodiments, the action proposal search system can consider the purchase history of goods and services at the location to determine an appropriate location-based action. For example, if visitors to location 115 rarely buy a particular item, the action proposal search system may determine that purchasing that item at location 115 is an appropriate location-based action based on the purchase history of that item, wherein the location-based action is selected to incentivize purchase of that item.
In some embodiments, the action proposal search system can consider the location-based action history of players of one or more online games at the location to determine an appropriate location-based action. This can include the type of location-based actions, proposed location-based actions, performed location-based actions, and other information regarding location-based actions associated with the location. For example, if a small fraction of users perform a certain location-based action, such as playing at a high-stakes poker table at a particular casino, the action proposal search system may determine that an easier version of that location-based action is an appropriate location-based action, such as playing at a lower-stakes poker table. In another example, if user 101 has never visited Bozo's Amusement Park, the action proposal search system can propose that user 101 purchase a summer pass. If user 101 has already visited Bozo's Amusement Park, and it had already been proposed to user 101 to purchase a summer pass, the action proposal search system can propose that user 101 purchase cotton candy inside the park. In a particular embodiment, the action proposal search system can determine a location-based action based on any previous actions that have been proposed to the user 101 based on locations besides the one that is currently specified. For example, if the action proposal search system had previously proposed that the user 101 buy a grill at a general store, the action proposal search system could then propose that the user 101 purchase steaks or hotdogs at a supermarket.
In some embodiments, the action proposal search system can consider the geographic information of the location to determine an appropriate location-based action. This can include the position, elevation, size, orientation, GPS coordinates, relation to other locations, local terrain, weather, and other geographic information of the location. For example, if location 115 is a store that sells bread and the store is near a duck pond, the action proposal search system may determine that purchasing bread and feeding the ducks is an appropriate location-based action based on the geographic information of location 115. In one embodiment, the action proposal search system can determine a location-based action based on the local terrain. For example, if location 115 is near a beach, the action proposal search system may determine that purchasing a swimsuit from location 115 is an appropriate location-based action based on the proximity of the location 115 to the beach. In another embodiment, the action proposal search system can consider the current weather at the location 115. For example, if the current temperature at an amusement park is 90° F., the action proposal search system may determine that riding a water slide at the park is an appropriate location-based action based on the current weather there. In yet another embodiment, the action proposal search system can consider the historical weather at the location 115. For example, if the daytime temperature outside location 115 is typically 50° F. in the winter, the action proposal search system may determine that purchasing a sweatshirt at location 115 in the winter is an appropriate location-based action based on the historical weather there.
FIG. 2D shows a flowchart illustrating an example method 200D for generating a location-based action based on location attributes. In various embodiments, game networking system 120b accesses a location account of location 115 to identify one or more attributes associated with location 115 at step 240. Game networking system 120b then generates a location-based action for a user 101 based at least in part on the attributes associated with location 115 at step 242. Game networking system 120b then transmits a message to the user 101 comprising a description of the location-based action, a description of an incentive reward, and an offer of the incentive reward for the user 101's performance of the location-based action at step 244. The example method illustrated in FIG. 2D and described above is provided for illustration purposes only and is not meant to be limiting. One of ordinary skill in the art would appreciate that the steps described above can be performed in any reasonable order, and that various steps can be reordered, added, and removed.
Determining Location-Based Actions Based on Other Factors
In various embodiments, the action proposal search system can determine an appropriate location-based action based on factors other than game state or location attributes.
In some embodiments, the location-based action can be determined based in part on the incentive reward generated by the incentive offer search system. For example, if the incentive offer search system generates a virtual ice cream machine as an incentive reward for user 101, the action proposal search system may determine that buying a quart of premium ice cream from a specific grocery store is an appropriate location-based action based on the thematic relationship between the incentive reward and the location-based action.
In some embodiments, the incentive reward for performing a location-based action can vary over time. The action proposal search system may generate multiple possible location-based actions, wherein the location-based action the user 101 has to perform to receive an incentive reward is based on when the location-based action is completed. For example, the action proposal search system may determine that swimming 10 laps at a particular swimming pool is an appropriate location-based action in the summer, but may determine that visiting an ice rink is an appropriate location-based action in the winter. In another example, the difficulty of the location-based action may vary over time. User 101 may have to swim 10 laps in a swimming pool if the location-based action is performed within two hours of being generated by the action proposal search system, but after two hours, user 101 may have to swim 50 laps.
In some embodiments, the incentive reward may be based in part on participation (e.g., an attendance) of a user 101 at an event (e.g., a concert, like a Grateful Dead or Kiss concert) that is held at a location. For example, the action-proposal search system may generate multiple location-based actions corresponding to events the action-based proposal search system determines are scheduled to occur at a certain venue over a period of time.
In some embodiments, the action-proposal search system may determine a location-based action based on achievements associated with a location. For example, the action-proposal search system may determine that an achievement associated with the Himalayas is climbing Mount Everest. Thus, the user 101 may be offered an incentive reward (e.g., a non-transferrable in-game mountain climbing badge) for climbing Mount Everest. Or the action proposal search system may determine that an achievement associated with “Big Burger” restaurant is eating a five-pound burger. Thus, the user 101 may be offered an incentive reward for eating the five-pound burger at Big Burger.
In some embodiments, the action proposal search system may consider user state, such as out-of-game assets and other attributes of user 101, to determine an appropriate location-based action. For example, the action proposal search system may consider whether the user 101 owns or has in his possession a real-world item that is associated with a virtual item of a computer-implemented game. For example, if the game networking system 120b detects that the user 101 has in his possession a real-world item that corresponds to a virtual item of a virtual world of a computer-implemented game (e.g., an arrow that corresponds to a virtual arrow provided to a player character of the user 101), the action proposal search system may determine that an appropriate location-based action is to bring the virtual item into physical proximity (e.g., within a few feet) of an additional real-world item at the location that corresponds to an additional virtual item (e.g., a bow that corresponds to a virtual bow provided to a player character of an additional user of the game).
The action proposal search system may generate location-based actions involving any combination of users, virtual items, or locations. Thus, the action-proposal system may generate location-based actions for each of multiple users to bring any of a set of multiple items to five Starbucks and three record stores in four particular cities.
The game networking system 120b may be configured to detect the location of real-world items in various ways. For example, to detect a location of a real world-item, the game networking system 120b may be configured to detect a presence of the real-world item on a network. For example, a real-world item may be integrated with a lithium polymer battery having an embedded Bluetooth chip, such that the real-world item is uniquely serialized and detectable on the network. Such automatically-detectable real-world items may be offered as incentive rewards to users. For example, the incentive offer search system may determine that an appropriate incentive reward for user 101 performing a location-based action is to provide the user 101 with a real-world plastic ring that represents a virtual ring of a player character of the user 101. As another example, the game networking system 120b may detect the presence of a real-world item at a location based on input from one or more users present at the location.
Features of a real-world item with respect to a computer-implemented game may be locked and unlocked in a secure manner (e.g., using a password communicated to the user over an out-of-band communication channel, such as a foil or scratch-off serial number on a card provided with the real-world item) such that only authorized users may activate or use the real-world item with respect to the game. For example, by using the password, a user of the real-world item may bind the real-world item to a device (e.g., an iPhone or a computer), such that the features of the real-world item are enabled with respect to the game only when the user is accessing the device to which the real-world item is bound. Thus, if a player binds a set of playing cards (that are linked to the computer-implemented game via a wireless device) to his iPhone, and those playing cards are later stolen, the thief of those playing cards will be unable to use them with respect to the game unless he also has access to the user's iPhone.
The locking or unlocking of a real-world item with respect to a computer-implemented game may also enable a user to give, trade, or sell the real-world item in a marketplace. For example, upon acquiring a real-world item that is linked to a computer-implemented game, the provider of the real-world item may provide the receiver of the real-world item with a password necessary to unlock the features of the real-world item with respect to the computer-implemented game. The game networking system 120b may then perform verification of the sale (e.g., prompt the provider to confirm that he did in fact intend to provide the real-world item to the receiver). The game networking system 120b may also charge a fee (e.g., to the provider, receiver, or both) to unlock the features of the virtual item with respect to the game after the real-world item is exchanged. In this way, the game networking system 120b may control or prevent gray- or black-market exchanging of real-world items that are linked to a computer-implemented game.
The exchanging of real-world items linked to a computer-implemented game may include leasing, lending, temporary trading, or temporary swapping of virtual items.
A device (e.g., a wireless Bluetooth or radio-frequency identification (RFID) device) integrated into the real-world item may communicate a unique identifier (e.g., its Media Access Control (MAC) address or service set identifier (SSID)) such that the real-world item is uniquely identifiable to the game networking system 120b.
A device may be integrated into the real-world item that includes sensors for motion detection, motion tracking, motion acceleration, elevation, magnetic fields, and so on, such that the game networking system 120b is able to obtain from the device (e.g., via communication with the device) information in addition to GPS information regarding the location of the real-world item For example, the device may have a capability to determine its position relative to an ad hoc collection of other items containing similar devices at a location. Thus, in various embodiments, the game networking system 120b may obtain finer-grained information about the movement of a virtual item at a location than it may obtain from a GPS device integrated into the item. For example, the game networking system 120b may be able to determine from an accelerometer or similar device integrated into a real-world item a velocity or degree of force used by a player when moving the item. The game networking system 120b may communicate with one or more devices integrated into real-world items at a location to obtain information collected by the various devices and then communicate that information back to the devices such that players at a location may be informed (e.g., via a client user interface executing on the device) of other real-world items that are nearby or relevant to a computer-implemented game. The game networking system 120b may incorporate information about the real-world items into its systems, such as the action proposal system (e.g., to propose location-based actions involving multiple real-world items at a location).
An item association system may associate a real-world item (e.g., a client device, such as an iPhone, that is in the user's possession) with a virtual item, such that the real-world item becomes representative of the virtual item. For example, the item association system may associate a user 101's iPhone with a virtual sword of a player character of the user 101. The user 101 may request such an association or the item association system may establish such an association as part of the gameplay of a computer-implemented game. The incentive offer search system may determine that an appropriate incentive reward is to offer an association between a virtual item and a real-world item. For example, the incentive offer search system may determine that an appropriate reward for performing a location-based action is to associate the iPhone with a sword of a player character of the user 101. Or the action proposal search system may use such associations to determine appropriate location-based actions.
For example, if the user 101 has a real-world item representing a virtual sword, the action proposal search system may determine that an appropriate location-based action is to swing the real-world item toward another user present at the location 115. The game networking system 120b may, based on a detecting of the performing of the location-based action by the player, reflect the performing of the location-based action within a virtual world of a computer-implemented game. For example, if the game networking system 120b detects that user 101 performed a swinging of a real-world item representing a virtual sword of a player character of the user 101 toward an additional user at the same location 115, the game networking system 120b may weaken a player character of the additional user within a virtual world of a computer-implemented game.
As another example, if a real-world item representing a virtual item is capable of giving a player character of user 101a special ability or power within a computer-implemented game (e.g., if the real-world item represents a virtual ring that prevents crops of the player character from withering within the computer-implemented game), the action proposal system may determine that an appropriate location-based action is for the user 101 to come within a certain physical distance (e.g., within a few feet) of the virtual item. Additionally, the incentive offer search system may determine that an appropriate reward for performing a location-based action is to provide the player character of the user 101 with the special ability or power of the virtual item. The incentive offer search system may provide the player character of the user 101 with the special ability or power while the user 101 is within a predetermined physical distance. The incentive offer search system may provide the player character of the user 101 with the special ability or power for a predetermined amount of time after the user 101 has come within the predetermined physical distance. In various embodiments, for virtual items that are unique within a game, the corresponding real-world item may be assigned a unique identifier (e.g., a code or logo) to establish a corresponding uniqueness of the real-world item.
As another example, if the real-world items represent virtual items that are combinable within a virtual world of a computer-implemented game (e.g., a real-world item that represents a weapon and a real-world item that represents ammunition for the weapon), the action proposal search system may determine that an appropriate location-based action is to bring the virtual items within a certain physical proximity of one another (e.g., within a few feet or inches), perform a “bumping” of the items or to scan one item with the other (e.g., via infrared scanning).
The incentive offer search system may select incentive rewards based on particular areas within a location that an operator of the location wants users to visit. For example, if an operator of a supermarket wants users to visit particular areas within the supermarket (e.g., places where special deals are being offered), the operator may request that the item association system establishes associations between real-world items (e.g., products) at specified areas of the supermarket and virtual items that bestow special abilities or powers on player characters of users who come within a predetermined distance of the real-world items. Thus, users will have an incentive to visit the particular areas within the location 115.
Furthermore, the incentive offer search system may select incentive rewards based on users' social networks. For example, if the game networking system 120b detects that multiple users of a computer-implemented game at a location have real-world items in their possession that represent virtual items that are combinable within a virtual world of a computer-implemented game, the action proposal search system may determine that an appropriate location-based action is for the users to come within a certain distance of each other at the location. Or the incentive offer search system may determine that an incentive reward for the users for coming within a certain distance of each other at the location is an in-game asset or other benefit relating to the combination of the virtual items represented by the real world items. For example, if each user has a real-world item corresponding to an ingredient of a virtual potion, the incentive offer search system may determine that an appropriate reward for users performing the location-based action of bringing the real-world items into close physical proximity to one another is to provide each of the player characters of the users with an instance of the virtual potion. Thus, the incentive offer search system may encourage users to expand their social networks by engaging with other users (e.g., users that are present at the same location at the same time) in location-based actions.
Or the action proposal search system may determine that an appropriate location-based action is for the users to introduce themselves to one another in the real-world based on detecting that the users are players of a computer-implemented game. Such a location-based action may be independent of any real-world items that the users own or possess. In some embodiments, the action proposal search system may determine that an appropriate location-based action is for a player to add other players (e.g., other players who are present at the same location as the player (e.g., within a predetermined time frame)) as friends with respect to his in-game or out-of-game social network. In this way, the action proposal search system may encourage players to increase the size of their social networks, which, in turn, may increase the players' level of influence over other people.
The game networking system 120b may determine an appropriate location-based action is for the user to influence other people (e.g., at the location or an additional location) to perform a location-based action (e.g., based on the player's level of influence over other people). The game networking system 120b may determine a players' level of influence based on various factors, including the number of in-game or out-of-game connections of the player (e.g., in-game friends of the player with respect to a computer-implemented game executing on the game networking system 120b or out-of-game connections of the player with respect to the social networking system 120c), how successful the player has been at influencing people (e.g., his in-game or out-of-game connections) to perform location-based actions, how well the player has performed within the computer-implemented game (e.g., a number or magnitude of experience points, levels, high scores, or other achievements awarded to the player or a player character of the player), a popularity of the player (e.g., a number or activity level of fans of the player), a number of publications (e.g., blogs, news articles, etc.) mentioning the player, and so on. Similarly, the game networking system 120b may determine a level of influence of a group of players (e.g., based on an aggregation of the levels of influence of the members of the group or separate data pertaining to the group itself, such as how successful the group has been at influencing other people to perform location-based actions).
The item association system may detect a purchasing, selling, or trading of a real-world item that is associated with a virtual item. For example, the item association system may detect that a first user and a second user have completed a location-based action that includes a trading of a first real-world item and a second real-world item. The detecting of the trading may be based on input received from the first user, the second user, or a third user (e.g., a user present at the location that witnesses the trade). The item association module may then reflect the trading of the real-world items with respect to the virtual items to which they correspond. For example, the item association module may exchange a first virtual item of a player character of the first user with a second virtual item of a player character of the second user, where the first virtual item corresponds to the first real-world item that was included in a real-world trade and the second virtual item corresponds to the second real-world item that was included in a real-world trade. Thus, the real-world trade may be reflected by a trading of virtual items by player characters within the computer-implemented game. Similarly, the item association module may detect real-world buying and selling of real-items by users and reflect the real-world buying and selling of the real-world items by, for example, exchanging virtual items between player characters of a computer-implemented game.
The item association system may charge a transaction fee (e.g., to a game account of a user) to enable the exchanging of real-world items to affect a virtual world of a computer-implemented game. For example, if the item association system detects that a first user has sold a real-world item to a second user, the item association system may charge a transaction fee to the second user to reflect the transaction within the game (e.g., to enable a player character of the second user to receive a virtual item corresponding to the real-world item).
Presenting Incentive Reward Offers to Users
A variety of methods can be used to determine and present incentive reward offers to a user. In one embodiment, user 101 can access, via the user 101's client system 130, an online game hosted by game networking system 120b. The user 101's browser client can load and render the content of the webpage. Game networking system 120b may also access the user 101's game account information and/or the location account of one or more locations. This account information may be accessed in a variety of ways. For example, game networking system 120b could access data stored in a cookie on client system 130 that is appended to messages transmitted from client system 130 to game networking system 120b. This allows game networking system 120b to identify user 101 and access the appropriate game account information. To access location account information, game networking system 120b may directly query location networking system 120a. Alternatively, the online game webpage may include code (e.g., HTML, etc.) instructing the client system 130 to call location networking system 120a to retrieve HTML code and/or script. For example, the online game webpage provided by game networking system 120b may be implemented in an iframe with a “src” tag identifying the URL of location networking system 120a. When client system 130 consumes the HTML or other code of the page, client system 130 transmits a request to location networking system 120a. In one embodiment, the request includes a browser cookie or other state object appended thereto that allows location networking system 120a to resolve the identity of user 101 (and possibly all or a subset of game state information associated with that user 101). If a script is used (e.g., JavaScript), the script when downloaded and executed might be operative to scan various attributes of webpages hosted by location networking system 120a to identify the one or more location attributes and transmit this location attribute data to game networking system 120b. For example, the webpage hosted by location networking system 120a may include semantic tags that identify elements of the page that correspond to the types and prices of items available for sale at location 115. Game networking system 120b may use this information to consider what type of incentive reward to offer user 101. As mentioned above, in response to the call from client system 130, game networking system 120b may access data stored in the cookie corresponding to the game networking system 120b, thereby allowing the game networking system 120b to identify user 101. If game networking system 120b is able to successfully identify user 101 as a player in one or more online games hosted by game networking system 120b, it can then trigger the incentive offer search system and the action proposal search system.
In some embodiments, even if user 101 is not a user 101 of game networking system 120b, the method may include offering an alternative type of incentive reward to user 101, such as an in-game benefit or asset that is not normally provided to new players. This might be done, for example, to encourage user 101 to establish a user account on game networking system 120b. For example, if user 101 is not a user of any game hosted by game networking system 120b, user 101 might be presented with an incentive reward offer of $100,000 in virtual poker chips if he performs a certain location-based action at location 115 and joins Zynga Poker, where a typical new poker player only receives $20,000 in virtual poker chips in that game.
The incentive offer search system and action proposal search system can determine an appropriate incentive reward and location-based action to present to user 101. An appropriate incentive reward and location-based action can be determined in a variety of ways. Once an appropriate incentive reward and location-based action have been determined, game networking system 120b can respond to the call from client system 130 with content that includes details of the incentive reward and the location-based action to be displayed on the browser client of client system 130. The incentive reward offer may be rendered, for example, in a discrete section of the online game interface viewed by user 101. The offer can include a variety of information about the incentive reward and location-based action, including a description of the in-game reward, an image, a description of the location 115 and the action to be performed, and other details, as instructed by the script and other content transmitted in the response received from game networking system 120b.
In one embodiment, game networking system 120b may generate a unique offer identifier that is associated with the offer transmitted to client system 130. The offer identifier can be included in the HTML code that becomes part of a Document Object Model (DOM) of the webpage as maintained by the browser client or other client application. If user 101 performed the location-based action, game networking system 120b and/or location networking system 120a may record the unique offer identifier in association with the offer. After user 101 performs the location-based action, location networking system 120a may transmit data to game networking system 120b indicating that the location-based action has been performed. This can be done in a variety of ways. Once game networking system 120b has confirmed that user 101 has completed the location-based action, game networking system 120b can then provide the incentive reward to user 101 or his player character. For example, game networking system 120b may update user 101's account to add the in-game reward to his in-game asset list, which will be presented or available to the user 101 the next time he accesses the game. The entities associated with the game networking system 120b and location networking system 120a, to the extent they are separate, can contract to achieve a variety of revenue exchange or sharing paradigms that arise out of the incentive offers described herein. For example, the entity associated with game networking system 120b may receive a payment for each performed location-based action. In another embodiment, the entity associated with game networking system 120b may receive a payment when user 101 redeems the award.
Other methods are possible for determining and presenting an incentive reward offer and location-based action to a user 101. For example, a variety of method steps and data flows are possible. The methods and data flows described above, as well as alternatives, are described in more detail below.
FIG. 2E shows a flowchart illustrating an example method 200E for proposing a location-based action to a user, such as user 101. In various embodiments, game networking system 120b receives a message identifying a user 101 at step 250. Game networking system 120b then accesses a game account of the user 101 to identify one or more computer-implemented games associated with the user 101 at step 252. Game networking system 120b then generates a location-based action for the user 101 at step 254. Game networking system 120b then transmits a message to the user 101 comprising a description of the location-based action, a description of an incentive reward, and an offer of the incentive reward for the user 101's performance of the location-based action at step 256.
FIG. 2F shows a flowchart illustrating an example method 200F for transferring an incentive reward to a user 101 for performing a location-based action. In various embodiments, a game networking system 120b receives a message identifying a user 101 and corresponding to a location-based action at step 260. The game networking system 120b then accesses a game account of the user 101 to identify one or more computer-implemented games associated with the user 101 at step 262. The game networking system 120b then generates an incentive reward for the user 101 at step 264. The game networking system 120b then credits the game account of the user 101 with the incentive reward at step 266.
FIG. 2G shows a flowchart illustrating an example method 200G of providing a virtual item to a user such as user 101 for performing a location-based action. At operation 270, a game networking system 120b receives an indication of a performance of a location-based action by the user 101. At operation 272, the game networking system 120b provides a virtual item to the user 101 (e.g., via a game account of the user 101). The virtual item may be a virtual item that is unique to a location 115 of the location-based action. For example, the virtual item may be an in-game cheese item that is available only to users who perform a location-based action in Wisconsin. Or the virtual item may be one of a set of virtual items that the user 101 may collect to obtain an additional incentive reward. That is, the virtual item may be a collectible virtual item. Or the virtual item may be a discovered mystery gift, a limited-edition virtual item, a composite virtual item, or a consumable virtual item, as described above with respect to FIG. 2B. Or the virtual item may be any combination of these types of virtual items (e.g., an item that is unique to a location and an item that is collectible as part of a set of virtual items). The game networking system 120b may determine which of these types of virtual items to offer the user 101 (e.g., based on a generation of an incentive reward by the incentive offer search system discussed above). Sets of collectible virtual items may be organized into of a hierarchy or a mega collection of sets of collectible virtual items. In various embodiments, users or groups may be enabled to collect particular sets of collectible virtual items (e.g., those that are higher in the hierarchy) based on having completed collections of additional particular sets of collectible virtual items. As an example, an in-game feature may be offered as an incentive reward to all users at a location (e.g., a geographic area, such as Brooklyn, N.Y.) based on all of the users at the location performing the necessary location-based actions to collect all of the virtual items in a set of collectible virtual items.
FIG. 2H shows a flowchart illustrating an example method 200H of providing an in-game asset to the user 101 based on association between a location-based action and an in-game action. At operation 274, the game networking system 120b receives an indication of a performance of a location-based action by user 101. At operation 276, the game networking system 120b associates the location-based action with an in-game action. For example, if the location-based action is a scanning of a UPC of a product at a grocery store, the corresponding in-game action may be a shoplifting of a corresponding virtual item from an in-game store.
At operation 278, the game networking system 120b provides an in-game asset to the user 101, the in-game asset representing a result of a performance of the in-game action. For example, the result of an in-game shoplifting of a virtual item (e.g., the in-game action determined by the game networking system 120b to correspond to an out-of-game scanning of a real-world item) may be an obtaining of an in-game asset corresponding to the type of the real-world item that was scanned. Thus, if the user 101 scans a UPC of a six-pack of beer, the game networking system 120b may provide the user 101 with an in-game asset related to beer.
FIG. 2I shows a flowchart illustrating an example method 200I of providing an in-game asset to a user 101 based on a detection that the user 101 performed a location-based action at a first location and a location-based action at a second location. At operation 280, the game networking system 120b receives an indication of a performance of a first location-based action by a user 101 and an indication of a second location-based action by the user 101.
At operation 282, the game networking system 120b provides an in-game asset to the user 101 based on a location of the first location-based action being different than a location of the second location-based action. The providing of the in-game asset may be based on the user 101 performing the first location-based action and the second location-based action within a particular time period. For example, the game networking system 120b may provide an in-game asset to the user 101 based on the user 101 registering presence at a location on the East coast and a location on the West coast on the same day. The providing of the in-game asset may be related to travelling by the user 101 between the location of the first-location based action and the location of the second location-based action. For example, the game networking system 120b may provide an in-game asset to the user 101 based on distance between the location of the first location-based action or the second location-based action. The in-game asset may be selected or generated based on travelling between locations. For example, based on a detecting that the user 101 flew on an airplane between two locations, the game networking system 120b may provide the user 101 with an in-game asset related to air travel (e.g., jet fuel).
The first location-based action and the second location-based action (as well as additional location-based actions) may be derived or received from an entity interested in incentivizing travel through a location. For example, a government interested in promoting tourism through a city or town may interface with the game networking system 120b to establish incentives for people to travel to various tourist locations (perhaps in a sequential order). As another example, a theme park may interface with the game networking system 120b to establish incentives for people to visit key parts of the theme park.
FIG. 2J shows a flowchart illustrating an example method 200J of providing an in-game asset based on a level of positivity or negativity associated with a location-based action. At operation 284, the game networking system 120b receives an indication of a performance of a location-based action by a user 101. At operation 286, the game networking system 120b identifies a level of positivity or negativity associated with the location-based action. The game networking system 120b may determine the level of positivity or negativity associated with the location-based action based on input from users who have performed the location-based action. Or the game networking system 120b may determine the level of positivity or negativity associated with the location-based action based on predetermined values (e.g., provided by an administrator of the game networking system 120b). For example, the game networking system 120b may determine that the location-based activity of sitting in a waiting room (e.g., at the doctor's office or a dentist's office) is viewed negatively by users.
At operation 288, the game networking system 120b provides an in-game asset to the user 101 based on the level of positivity or negativity associated with the location-based action. For example, the game networking system 120b may provide a first in-game asset to a user 101 that performs a location-based action that is viewed negatively by other users and a second in-game asset to an additional user that performs a location-based action that is viewed positively by other users, where the first in-game asset is more valuable than the second in-game asset. In this way, the game networking system 120b may entertain users by providing them with relatively valuable in-game assets when they perform location-based actions that are viewed negatively relative to other location-based actions.
FIG. 2K shows a flowchart illustrating an example method 200K of changing a property of a virtual item based on a performance of a location-based action by a user such as user 101. At operation 290, the game networking system 120b receives an indication of a performance of a location-based action by the user 101. At operation 292, the game networking system 120b changes an attribute of a virtual item of the user 101 based on the game networking system 120b receiving the indication of the performance of the location-based action of the user 101. The changing of the virtual item may reflect a number of performances by the user 101 of a location-based action. For example, the game networking system 120b may change a visual characteristic (e.g., a color) of a virtual item of the user 101 based on the number of times user 101 performs a location-based action (e.g., purchases a real-world item at a location). The changing of an attribute of the virtual item may include adding or changing a branding message (e.g., a logo) associated with the virtual item. As another example, the game networking system 120b may change an attribute (e.g., a style or color) of an in-game virtual coffee cup of the user 101 based on the user 101 purchasing a particular number of cups of coffee at Starbucks. As another example, the game networking system 120b may change a level of power of the virtual item with respect to the computer-implemented game. For example, if the user 101 has a weapon in a fighting game, a level of power of the weapon may increase based on the number of times the user 101 performs the location-based action.
FIG. 2L shows a flowchart illustrating an example method 200L of enabling a user such as user 101 to access a feature of a computer-implemented game based on an indication of a performance of a location-based action by the user 101. At operation 294, the game networking system 120b receives an indication of a performance of a location-based action by the user 101. At operation 296, the game networking system 120b enables the user 101 to access a feature of a computer-implemented game. For example, the computer-implemented game may enable a dead drop for virtual items. The dead drop may enable user 101 to drop off a virtual item with respect to a location. The dead drop may also enable an additional user to pick up the virtual item with respect to the location (based, for example, on the additional user performing a location-based action at the location). As another example, the computer-implemented game may enable a trading post for virtual items. The trading post may enable user 101 to trade virtual items with other users (e.g., based on the other users performing a location-based action at the same location as the location-based action performed by the user 101). In some embodiments, when user 101 registers presence at a location (e.g., location 115), the game networking system 120b may enable the user 101 to trade virtual items with other users who have registered presence at the location (e.g., within a specific time frame, such as an hour, day, or week). As another example, the computer-implemented game may enable the user to request assistance from additional people (e.g., players of a game or people present at the location) in completing a location-based action. For example, to complete a quest to obtain an in-game virtual item, the user may need to perform a location-based action involving one or more in-game assets (e.g., virtual items or energy) that a player character of the user does not currently possess. The computer-implemented game may enable the user to request that users present at the location provide one or more in-game assets that the user needs. The computer gaming system 120b may then provide the user with the incentive reward for completing the quest. The computer gaming system 120b may also provide the people who helped the user complete the quest with an incentive reward related to the completion of the quest by the user. For example, the computer gaming system 120b may provide the user with an incentive reward of a Sword of Doom based on the user acquiring 100 energy points from people present at the location. Based on the people present at the location providing the necessary energy points, the user may be provided with the Sword of Doom, and the player characters of the people who assisted the user in completing his quest may each receive 10 additional hit points.
FIG. 2M shows a flowchart illustrating an example method 200M of associating a real-world item with a computer-implemented game. At operation 2002, the game networking system 120b detects a receipt of a virtual item by a player character of a user, such as user 101, of a computer-implemented game. For example, the game networking system 120b may detect that a player has received a virtual item as an incentive reward for performing a location-based action. At operation 2004, the game networking system 120b indicate (e.g., to an additional system) that the user 101 is to be provided with a real-world item corresponding to the virtual item. For example, if the user 101 receives a virtual ring, the computer-implemented game 120b may send a message to a real-world item provisioning (or shipping) system that the user 101 is to be provided with a plastic ring corresponding to the virtual ring. The real-world item provisioning system may then handle the providing of the a real-world ring corresponding to a virtual ring within a computer-implemented game.
FIG. 2N shows a flowchart illustrating an example method 200N of associating a real-world item with a computer-implemented game. At operation 2010, the game networking system 120b associates a real-world item with a virtual item of a virtual world of a computer-implemented game. For example, the game networking system 120b may associate a user's, such as user 101, iPhone with a weapon being wielded by a player character of the user 101 within the virtual world of the computer-implemented game. At operation 2012, the game networking system 120b reflects a performance of a location-based action involving the real-world item in the virtual world of the computer-implemented game. For example, the game networking system 120b may detect a swinging of the user 101's iPhone toward an additional user of the computer-implemented game. The game networking system 120b may then reflect the performance of this location-based action in the virtual world of the computer-implemented game by weakening the player character of the additional user to show that the player character of the additional user was struck by the weapon. Or the game networking system 120b may detect that the user has performed an action with the real-world item that includes recharging the item (e.g., connecting a rechargeable battery of the item to a power source). In response, the game networking system 120b may recharge the virtual item (e.g., energy points), enable additional properties or capabilities of the virtual item, and so on.
FIG. 2O shows a flowchart illustrating an example method 200O of associating location-based actions with votes on a matter. At operation 2020, the game networking system 120b associates a performance of a location-based action by a player (e.g., user 101) of a computer-implemented game with a vote on a matter. For example, the game networking system 120b associates a purchasing of a Starbuck's coffee at a Starbucks by a player with a vote on a matter pertaining to which coffee establishment players of the computer-implemented game prefer. At operation 2022, the game networking system 120b detects the performance of the location-based action by the player. For example, the game networking system 120b detects that the player has purchased coffee at Starbucks. At operation 2024, the game networking system 120b increments a count of votes corresponding to the vote on the matter based on the detecting of the performance of the location-based action by the player. For example, the game networking system 120b increments a count of votes in favor of Starbucks as the coffee establishment preferred by the players of the computer-implemented game based on a detecting that the player purchased coffee at Starbucks. Or the game networking system 120b increments a count of votes in favor of Peet's Coffee as the coffee establishment preferred by the players of the computer-implemented game based on a detecting that the player purchased coffee at Peet's Coffee.
FIG. 2P shows a flowchart illustrating an example method 200P of designating a plurality of players of a computer-implemented game as a plurality of owners of a location (e.g., location 115) with respect to the game. At operation 2030, the game networking system 120b determines that a count of a plurality of players of a computer-implemented game that have performed a location-based action has transgressed a threshold. For example, the game networking system 120b determines that 25 members of a group of players have registered presence at a location. At operation 2032, the game networking system 120b designates the plurality of players as a plurality of owners of the location with respect to the computer-implemented game. For example, the game networking system 120b designates the 25 members of the group as bosses of the location. Or the game networking system 120b designates one of the 25 members of the group as a boss of the location (see, for example, the Turf Wars game described below).
FIG. 2Q shows a flowchart illustrating an example method 200Q of providing incentive rewards to a player based on the player's ability to influence his friends to perform a location-based action. At operation 2040, the game networking system 120b notifies a player of a computer-implemented game of an incentive reward that is to be offered to the player based on the player influencing a number of friends of the player to perform a location-based action. At operation 2042, the game networking system 120b detects that the player has influenced the number of friends to perform the location-based action. At operation 2044, the game networking system 120b system offers the incentive reward to the player based on the detecting that the player has influenced the number of friends of the player to perform the location-based action.
FIG. 2R shows a flowchart illustrating an example method 200R of providing an incentive reward to a first group of players based on the first group of players having a level of influence over a location (e.g., location 115) that is greater than level of influence of a second group of players over the location. At operation 2050, the game networking system 120b notifies a first group of a plurality of players of a computer-implemented game that each member of the first group is to receive an incentive reward based on a level of influence of the first group over a location being greater than a level of influence of a second group of the plurality of players over the location. At operation 2052, the game networking system 120b determines that the level of the influence of the first group over the location is greater than the level of the influence of the second group over the location. For example, the game networking system 120b determines that the first group has spent more money at the location than the second group. Or the game networking system 120b determines that more people of the first group have registered presence at the location than people of the second group. At operation 2054, the game networking system 120b provides the incentive reward to the first group based on the determining that the level of influence of the first group over the location is greater than the level of influence of the second group over the location.
FIG. 2S shows a flowchart illustrating an example method of providing an incentive reward based on a number of members of a group of players of a computer-implemented game (or users of a game networking system) performing a location-based action. At operation 2060, the game networking system 120b notifies a group of players of a computer-implemented game (or users of a game networking system) that an incentive reward is to be provided based on a number of members of the group performing a location-based action transgressing a threshold. For example, the game networking system 120b notifies a group of players that each member of the group will receive 10% off their next purchase at Starbucks if at least 10 people register presence at Starbucks within an hour. At operation 2062, the game networking system 120b provides the incentive reward based on the number of members of the group performing the location-based action transgressing the threshold. For example, the game networking system 120b provides each member of the group with a coupon that enables the each member to receive 10% off of their next purchase at Starbucks based on 10 people of the group having checked in at Starbucks within an hour.
FIG. 2T shows a flowchart illustrating an example method of changing a property of a real-world item to reflect a changing of a property of a virtual item corresponding to the real-world item. At operation 2070, the game networking system 120b detects a changing of a property of a virtual item. For example, the game networking system 120b detects that a virtual item has changed color, gotten heavier or lighter, or made a sound. The changing of the property of the virtual item may be a result of an in-game action of a player (e.g., the owner of the virtual item) with respect to the virtual item. For example, a virtual sword may make a sound upon being used in virtual combat. At operation 2072, the game networking system 120b communicates a message to a device integrated into the real-world item to change a property of a real-world item corresponding to the virtual item. For example, the real-world item may include an integrated device (e.g., a MEMs device) capable of producing sounds, displaying images, producing vibrations, making the real-world item feel heavier or lighter, and so on. For example, the real-world item may be a plastic sword having integrated MEMs device capable of making sounds, changing color (e.g., shows streaks of blood), displaying visual patterns, or vibrating. Thus, the game networking system 120b may communicate with one or more devices integrated into the real-world item to configure the real-world item to reflect changes to a virtual item as they occur within a computer-implemented game.
FIG. 2U shows a flowchart illustrating an example method of offering a targeted advertising opportunity for sale. At operation 2080, the game networking system 120b identifies a targeted advertising opportunity based on a tracking of information pertaining to in-game actions, location-based actions, or other data (e.g., preference, profile, or social networking system data) associated with a player. For example, the game networking system 120b determines that a player of a computer-implemented game has repeatedly performed a location-based action involving a real-world item (e.g., the player has repeatedly scanned a product code of a real-world item to perform a shoplifting of a corresponding virtual item within the computer-implemented game). Based on the real-world item that the player selects for inclusion in the action, the game networking system 120b may identify an opportunity for sellers of the real-world item to target the player with advertising related to the item. At operation 2082, the game networking system 120b offers the targeted opportunity for sale to one or more operators or one or more locations. For example, if the player registers presence at a grocery store that sells the real-world item, the game networking system 120b may offer the operator of the grocery store an option to purchase a targeted advertisement to the player regarding the real-world item (e.g., a coupon for 10% off of the item if the player purchases the item at the grocery store). Or the game networking system 120b may offer the targeted advertising opportunity for sale to multiple operators (e.g., in an auction-style sale) of multiple locations (e.g., based on a history of locations that the user has visited), and provide the targeted advertising opportunity to the highest bidder. In various embodiments, the game networking system 120b may enable an operator of a location to access the tracked information pertaining to in-game actions, location-based action, or other data pertaining to a player based on a business agreement (e.g., a winning bid in an auction-style sale of the information or portion of the information). The game networking system 120b may also enable the operator to send in-game reminders, notification, promotions, or advertisements to the player that are customized for the player based on the information that the operator receives from the game networking system 120b regarding the player.
One of ordinary skill in the art would appreciate that the steps and operations described above can be performed in any reasonable order, and that various steps can be reordered, added, and removed. Additionally, any of the steps and operations described above may be combined in various ways.
For example, the examples described herein may be adapted to any combination of individual people or groups of people (e.g., individual players associated with a game, groups of players associated with a game, individual people not associated with a game, or groups of people not associated with a game). For example, the example method 200R is described with respect to groups of players having a level of influence over a location; however, the example method 200 may also be adapted to individual players. For example, the example method 200R may be adapted to provide an incentive reward to a first player based on the first player having a level of influence over a location that is greater than a level of influence of a second player over the location. Similarly, example methods that are described with respect to individual players may be adapted to groups of players. As another example, the examples described herein may be adapted to any type or combination of types of incentive rewards. Thus, an example that describes providing an in-game asset may be adapted to enable an in-game feature or provide another type of incentive reward.
Verification of Location-Based Actions
In various embodiments, location 115 can have one or more verification systems 118 that can verify when a user 101 has performed one or more location-based actions. Verification system 118 can verify performance of a location-based action using a variety of methods. Verification system 118 can generate, store, and transmit action verification data, which is data comprising information on one or more users and one or more location-based actions associated with the users. Action verification data can be transmitted to location networking system 120a, game networking system 120b, or client system 130, either directly or via network 160. In some embodiments, the action verification data can be generated by another system, such as client system 130, game networking system 120b, or location networking system 120a. This disclosure assumes that the action verification data is generated by verification system 118 and transmitted to location networking system 120a; however, this is not intended to be limiting. Action verification data can include a variety of information regarding a location-based action, including information indicating: the user 101; the location-based action; if the action was performed by the user 101; when the location-based action was performed; where the location-based action was performed; how the location-based action was performed; and other information related to the location-based action. The methods described below are not intended to be limiting, and one of ordinary skill in the art would recognize that other methods can be used to verify performance of a location-based action.
In some embodiments, if the location-based action is purchasing an item at location 115, verification system 118 can verify the purchase using a variety of methods. When user 101 purchases an item at location 115, location networking system 120a may collect purchase information from the user 101, including the user 101's name, credit card number, billing address, shipping address, email address, etc. For example, if user 101 visits a store and purchases an item with a credit card, location networking system 120a could use the information contained on the credit card to identify the user 101.
In some embodiments, if the location-based action is verifying the presence of user 101 at location 115, verification system 118 can verify the user 101's presence at the location 115 using a variety of methods. For example, verification system 118 can verify user 101's presence based on some form of identification presented at location 115; based on the user 101's proximity to location 115; when the user 101 provides an indication of the user 101's presence at location 115; and by using other location-verification methods.
In some embodiments, verification system 118 may verify that the user 101 was present at the location 115 during the time at which a particular event was scheduled to occur. For example, to verify that the user 101 was present at a Grateful Dead concert, the verification system 118 may verify that the user 101 was present at the venue of the Grateful Dead concert during the date and time the Grateful Dead concert occurred (or was scheduled to occur).
Data Flow
FIG. 3 depicts a schematic of system 300 and data flow between the components of system 300. System 300 can include client system 330, location networking system 320a, and game networking system 320b. Client system 330, location networking system 320a, and game networking system 320b can each have a corresponding data store such as local storage medium 325, location data storage medium 345, and game data storage medium 365, respectively. Client system 330 can communicate with location networking system 320a to receive messages, location information, etc. Additionally, client system 330 can transmit data to and receive data 323 (e.g., game inputs, incentive offer information, data transfers) from game networking system 320b. In a similar fashion, game networking system 320b and location networking system 320a can communicate HTTP packets 343 including data requests, transaction information, updates, etc. At some other time, or at the same time, game networking system 320b can communicate data 347 (e.g., game state information, game system account information, page info, messages, and so on) with location networking system 320a. Additionally, client system 330 can transmit data (e.g., offers, messages, web pages, and so on) 327 to and receive data 327 from game networking system 320b.
Communication between client system 330, location networking system 320a, and game networking system 320b can occur over any appropriate electronic communication medium or network using any suitable communications protocols. For example, client system 330, as well as various servers of the systems described herein, may include Transport Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) networking stacks to provide for datagram and transport functions. Of course, any other suitable network and transport layer protocols can be utilized.
In addition, hosts or end-systems described herein may use a variety of higher-layer communications protocols, including client-server (or request-response) protocols, such as the HyperText Transfer Protocol (HTTP) and other communications protocols, such as HTTP-S, FTP, SNMP, TELNET. In addition, a server in one interaction context may be a client in another interaction context. Still further, in particular embodiments, the information transmitted between hosts may be formatted as HyperText Markup Language (HTML) documents. Other structured document languages or formats can be used, such as XML and the like. Executable code objects, such as JavaScript and ActionScript, can also be embedded in the structured documents.
In some client-server protocols, such as the use of HTML over HTTP, a server generally transmits a response to a request from a client. The response may comprise one or more data objects. For example, the response may comprise a first data object, followed by subsequently transmitted data objects. In one embodiment, for example, a client request may cause a server to respond with a first data object, such as an HTML page, which itself refers to other data objects. A client application, such as a browser, will request these additional data objects as it parses or otherwise processes the first data object.
The example data flows in this section are presented with respect to data flow between location networking system 320a and game networking system 320b. One skilled in the art would appreciate that these are presented merely as an example of a data flow between two types of online systems. However, the present disclosure is intended to encompass data flows between a game networking system and a variety of other online systems, such as online merchant systems, online media systems, online reviewing systems, online search engines, and online advertising systems. The example data flows described herein function analogously with these online systems as with location networking systems.
In various embodiments, location networking system 320a or game networking system 320b can receive messages identifying a user 101 (shown in FIG. 1). For example, game networking system 320b can receive a digital message through a network, wherein the message contains information about the identity of the user 101. This message can be sent using any suitable communications protocol.
In one embodiment, messages with identifying information received by location networking system 320a or game networking system 320b will have been sent from the user 101. For example, the user 101 could actively use a digital communication device (e.g., a computer or a smart phone) to send a message to game networking system 320b. In another example, the user 101 could passively use a digital communication device (e.g., a computer or smart phone) to send a message to game networking system 320b by instructing the digital communication device to send a message to game networking system 320b if the device comes within a specified proximity of location 115 (FIG. 1). The user 101's proximity can be determined by a variety of methods (e.g., through the use of a Global Positioning System (GPS)).
In another embodiment, messages with identifying information received by game networking system 320b will have been sent from location 115 or location networking system 320a. For example, location 115 could use a computing system to send a message to game networking system 320b.
In various embodiments, user 101 can receive messages identifying both a location-based action and an offer for an incentive reward. For example, user 101 could receive from game networking system 320b a message describing a location-based action and an incentive reward through client system 330. In another example, user 101 could receive a similar message from location networking system 320a. In another example, user 101 could receive a message directly from location 115 (e.g., through the use of a physical receipt or through the use of a computer at the location 115).
In various embodiments, location networking system 320a or game networking system 320b can receive a message verifying that user 101 performed a proposed location-based action. For example, game networking system 320b can receive the message in a digital form transmitted over a network. In some embodiments, the message verifying that user 101 performed a location-based action could have been transmitted by location 115 or location networking system 320a to game networking system 320b through the use of verification system 118.
In various embodiments, location networking system 320a or game networking system 320b can verify the presence of user 101 relative to location 115. For example, the user 101 could directly inform game networking system 320b that he is present at location 115 (e.g., by contacting the game networking system 320b directly through the use of a digital communications device owned by the user 101). In another example, the user 101 could indirectly inform game networking system 320b that he is present at location 115 (e.g., by permitting the game networking system 320b to track his location through the use of Global Positioning Service (GPS) positioning based on a communications device owned by the user 101).
In one embodiment, game networking system 320b can verify the presence of user 101 at location 115 through the use of a Global Positioning Service (GPS) device. For example, the user 101 could own a mobile client system 330 (e.g., a cell phone, pager, laptop, or tablet) that is in communication with a GPS system and game networking system 320b through a network. Game networking system 320b could then track the physical presence of the user 101 relative to one or more locations 115. In another example, the mobile client system 330 could be in communication with a GPS system and location networking system 320a through a network. Location networking system 320a could then track the physical presence of the user 101 relative to one or more locations 115. Location networking system 320a could then inform game networking system 320b of the physical presence of the user 101 relative to the location 115.
In another embodiment, game networking system 320b can verify the presence of user 101 at location 115 through the use of a third-party application, such as a social networking site (e.g., Facebook, Twitter), a location tracking site (e.g., Foursquare, Google Latitude), a location reservation site (e.g., OpenTable, Expedia), etc. For example, the application could notify game networking system 320b of the physical position of the user 101 relative to location 115 based on data received from the site. In another example, the application could notify location networking system 320a of the physical position of the user 101 relative to the location 115 based on data received from the site. Location networking system 320a could inform game networking system 320b of the physical position of the user 101 relative to the location 115.
In yet another embodiment, game networking system 320b can verify the presence of user 101 at location 115 through the use of codes (e.g., numerical codes, QR Codes, bar codes). For example, game networking system 320b could provide the user 101 with a code that the user 101 can take to location 115 and that the user 101 can input into a computing system (e.g., a cash register, computer), which can be transmitted to location networking system 320a and/or game networking system 320b to indicate the location 115 of the user 101. In another example, the location operator can provide the user 101 with a code that the user 101 can input into his client system 330, which will transfer an indication of the user 101's location 115 to location networking system 320a and/or game networking system 320b.
Systems and Methods
In various example embodiments, one or more described webpages may be associated with a networking system or networking service. However, alternate embodiments may have application to the retrieval and rendering of structured documents hosted by any type of network-addressable resource or web site. Additionally, as used herein, a “user” may be an individual, a group, or an entity (such as a business or third party application).
Particular embodiments may operate in a wide area network environment, such as the Internet, including multiple network addressable systems. FIG. 4 illustrates an example network environment in which various example embodiments may operate. Network cloud 460 generally represents one or more interconnected networks, over which the systems and hosts described herein can communicate. Network cloud 460 may include packet-based wide area networks (such as the Internet), private networks, wireless networks, satellite networks, cellular networks, paging networks, and the like. As FIG. 4 illustrates, particular embodiments may operate in a network environment comprising one or more networking systems, such as location networking system 420a, game networking system 420b, social networking system 120c, and one or more client devices 430. The components of location networking system 420a, game networking system 420b, and social networking system 120c may operate analogously; as such, hereinafter they may be referred to simply as networking system 420. Client devices 430 are operably connected to the network environment via a network service provider, a wireless carrier, or any other suitable means.
Networking system 420 is a network-addressable system that, in various example embodiments, comprises one or more physical server(s) 422 and data store(s) 424. The one or more physical server(s) 422 are operably connected to network cloud 460 via, by way of example, a set of routers and/or networking switches 426. In an example embodiment, the functionality hosted by the one or more physical server(s) 422 may include web or HTTP servers, FTP servers, as well as, without limitation, webpages and applications implemented using Common Gateway Interface (CGI) script, PHP Hyper-text Preprocessor (PHP), Active Server Pages (ASP), Hyper Text Markup Language (HTML), Extensible Markup Language (XML), Java, JavaScript, Asynchronous JavaScript and XML (AJAX), Flash, ActionScript, and the like.
Physical server(s) 422 may host functionality directed to the operations of networking system 420. Hereinafter server(s) 422 may be referred to as server 422, although server 422 may include numerous servers hosting, for example, networking system 420, as well as other content distribution servers, data stores, and databases. Data store(s) 424 may store content and data relating to, and enabling, operation of networking system 420 as digital data objects. A data object, in particular embodiments, is an item of digital information typically stored or embodied in a data file, database, or record. Content objects may take many forms, including: text (e.g., ASCII, SGML, HTML), images (e.g., jpeg, tif and gif), graphics (vector-based or bitmap), audio, video (e.g., mpeg), or other multimedia, and combinations thereof. Content object data may also include executable code objects (e.g., games executable within a browser window or frame), podcasts, etc. Logically, data store(s) 424 corresponds to one or more of a variety of separate and integrated databases, such as relational databases and object-oriented databases, that maintain information as an integrated collection of logically related records or files stored on one or more physical systems. Structurally, data store(s) 424 may generally include one or more of a large class of data storage and management systems. In particular embodiments, data store(s) 424 may be implemented by any suitable physical system(s) including components such as one or more database servers, mass storage media, media library systems, storage area networks, data storage clouds, and the like. In one example embodiment, data store(s) 424 includes one or more servers, databases (e.g., MySQL), and/or data warehouses. Data store(s) 424 may include data associated with different networking system 420 users and/or client devices 430.
Client device 430 is generally a computer or computing device including functionality for communicating (e.g., remotely) over a computer network. Client device 430 may be a desktop computer, laptop computer, personal digital assistant (PDA), in- or out-of-car navigation system, smart phone or other cellular or mobile phone, or mobile gaming device, among other suitable computing devices. Client device 430 may execute one or more client applications, such as a web browser (e.g., Microsoft Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox, Apple Safari, Google Chrome, and Opera), to access and view content over a computer network. In particular embodiments, the client applications allow a user of client device 430 to enter addresses of specific network resources to be retrieved, such as resources hosted by networking system 420. These addresses can be Uniform Resource Locators (URLs) and the like. In addition, once a page or other resource has been retrieved, the client applications may provide access to other pages or records when the user “clicks” on hyperlinks to other resources. By way of example, such hyperlinks may be located within the webpages and provide an automated way for the user to enter the URL of another page and to retrieve that page.
A webpage or resource embedded within a webpage, which may itself include multiple embedded resources, may include data records, such as plain textual information, or more complex digitally encoded multimedia content, such as software programs or other code objects, graphics, images, audio signals, videos, and so forth. One prevalent markup language for creating webpages is the Hypertext Markup Language (HTML). Other common web browser-supported languages and technologies include the Extensible Markup Language (XML), the Extensible Hypertext Markup Language (XHTML), JavaScript, Flash, ActionScript, Cascading Style Sheet (CSS), and, frequently, Java. By way of example, HTML enables a page developer to create a structured document by denoting structural semantics for text and links, as well as images, web applications, and other objects that can be embedded within the page. Generally, a webpage may be delivered to a client as a static document; however, through the use of web elements embedded in the page, an interactive experience may be achieved with the page or a sequence of pages. During a user session at the client, the web browser interprets and displays the pages and associated resources received or retrieved from the website hosting the page, as well as, potentially, resources from other websites.
When a user at a client device 430 desires to view a particular webpage (hereinafter also referred to as target structured document) hosted by networking system 420, the user's web browser, or other document rendering engine or suitable client application, formulates and transmits a request to networking system 420. The request generally includes a URL or other document identifier as well as metadata or other information. By way of example, the request may include information identifying the user, such as a user ID, as well as information identifying or characterizing the web browser or operating system running on the user's client device 430. The request may also include location information identifying a geographic location of the user's client device 430 or a logical network location of the user's client device 430. The request may also include a timestamp identifying when the request was transmitted.
The example network environment described above and in FIG. 4 is presented with respect to location networking systems and game networking systems. One skilled in the art would appreciate that these are presented merely as an example of a network environment between two types of online systems. However, the present disclosure is intended to encompass network environments that include a game networking system and a variety of other online systems, such as online media systems, online reviewing systems, online search engines, and online advertising systems. The example network environment described above performs analogously with these other online systems as with location networking systems.
FIG. 5 illustrates an example computing system architecture, which may be used to implement the server 422 or client device 430 shown in FIG. 4. In one embodiment, hardware system 500 comprises a processor 502, a cache memory 504, and one or more executable modules and drivers, stored on a tangible computer readable medium, directed to the functions described herein. Additionally, hardware system 500 may include a high performance input/output (I/O) bus 506 and a standard I/O bus 508. A host bridge 510 may couple processor 502 to high performance I/O bus 506, whereas I/O bus bridge 512 couples the two buses 506 and 508 to each other. A system memory 514 and one or more network/communication interfaces 516 may couple to bus 506. Hardware system 500 may further include video memory (not shown) and a display device coupled to the video memory. Mass storage 518 and I/O ports 520 may couple to bus 508. Hardware system 500 may optionally include a keyboard, a pointing device, and a display device (not shown) coupled to bus 508. Collectively, these elements are intended to represent a broad category of computer hardware systems, including but not limited to general purpose computer systems based on the x86-compatible processors manufactured by Intel Corporation of Santa Clara, Calif., and the x86-compatible processors manufactured by Advanced Micro Devices (AMD), Inc., of Sunnyvale, Calif., as well as any other suitable processor.
The elements of hardware system 500 are described in greater detail below. In particular, network interface 516 provides communication between hardware system 500 and any of a wide range of networks, such as an Ethernet (e.g., IEEE 802.3) network, a backplane, etc. Mass storage 518 provides permanent storage for the data and programming instructions to perform the above-described functions implemented in servers 422, whereas system memory 514 (e.g., DRAM) provides temporary storage for the data and programming instructions when executed by processor 502. I/O ports 520 are one or more serial and/or parallel communication ports that provide communication between additional peripheral devices, which may be coupled to hardware system 500.
Hardware system 500 may include a variety of system architectures, and various components of hardware system 500 may be rearranged. For example, cache memory 504 may be on-chip with processor 502. Alternatively, cache memory 504 and processor 502 may be packed together as a “processor module,” with processor 502 being referred to as the “processor core.” Furthermore, certain embodiments of the present disclosure may not require nor include all of the above components. For example, the peripheral devices shown coupled to standard I/O bus 508 may couple to high performance I/O bus 506. In addition, in some embodiments, only a single bus may exist, with the components of hardware system 500 being coupled to the single bus. Furthermore, hardware system 500 may include additional components, such as additional processors, storage devices, or memories.
An operating system manages and controls the operation of hardware system 500, including the input and output of data to and from software applications (not shown). The operating system provides an interface between the software applications being executed on the system and the hardware components of the system. Any suitable operating system may be used, such as the LINUX Operating System, the Apple Macintosh Operating System, available from Apple Computer Inc. of Cupertino, Calif., UNIX operating systems, Microsoft® Windows® operating systems, BSD operating systems, and the like. Of course, other embodiments are possible. For example, the functions described herein may be implemented in firmware or on an application-specific integrated circuit.
Furthermore, the above-described elements and operations can be comprised of instructions that are stored on non-transitory storage media. The instructions can be retrieved and executed by a processing system. Some examples of instructions are software, program code, and firmware. Some examples of non-transitory storage media are memory devices, tape, disks, integrated circuits, and servers. The instructions are operational when executed by the processing system to direct the processing system to operate in accord with the disclosure. The term “processing system” refers to a single processing device or a group of inter-operational processing devices. Some examples of processing devices are integrated circuits and logic circuitry. Those skilled in the art are familiar with instructions, computers, and storage media.
Turf Wars Game
FIG. 6A illustrates an example user interface 600A of a login screen of the Turf Wars game described above. The game networking system 120b may present the example user interface 600A on a client 130 (e.g., an iPhone). The login screen includes buttons for playing the game or registering to play the game. The user interface 600A is integrated into the user interface of the client 130.
FIG. 6B illustrates an example user interface 600B of a message service (e.g., a Short Message Service (SMS)) registration screen of the Turf Wars game. The example user interface 600B includes boxes for registering a phone number through which the player (e.g., user 101) may authenticate his Turf Wars account. The example user interface 600B includes a send button for sending the phone number to the game networking system 120b. The game networking system 120b then sends a message to the phone number for authentication purposes.
FIG. 6C illustrates an example user interface 600C of a home screen of the Turf Wars game. The example user interface 600C includes a status bar. The status bar includes a thumbnail photo of the currently logged-in player. The game networking system 120b may retrieve the photo from a profile of the player on social networking system 120c (e.g., Facebook). The status bar also includes information pertaining to the player's activities on the game networking system 120b, such as the player's award points, experience points, and so on. The status bar also includes information pertaining to a player's in-game mailbox (e.g., a notification of a number of unread or new messages in the player's inbox). The home screen includes buttons for performing location-based actions, such as a “GO FIGHT!) button for participating in a turf war or a “DO JOBS!” button for performing location-based actions proposed by another player. The home screen also includes buttons for the player to configure the game (e.g., update a profile, view or modify game properties, or manage a game-related inventory). For example, a player may click the inventory button to view game-related virtual items in possession of a player character of the player. For example, an inventory may include weapons retrieved for the player character based on the player performing location-based actions. The weapons in the inventory may be usable by a player character in conjunction with engaging in turf wars and doing jobs. For example, a player engaging in a turf war may be more likely to prevail in the turf war if he has more powerful weapons in his inventory than opposing players participating in the turf war.
FIG. 6D illustrates an example user interface 600D of a map screen of the Turf Wars game. The example user interface 600D includes a map showing the player's current location and nearby locations. The user interface 600D also includes an overlay of game data on the map. For example, if a player is in Union Square in San Francisco, the user interface 600D may display images of “bosses” (e.g., players who have won turf wars at a location) over nearby locations, such as the Cheese Cake Factory, Gucci America, or Technorati. The player's current location may be based on global positioning satellite (GPS) data. The user interface 600D may designate the player's current location relative to the nearby locations by displaying a red dot on the map. The user interface 600D may enable the player (e.g., by clicking on the map or visual representations of game data overlaid on the map) to view information about a location, a boss of the location, or a mob (or group of players) with which a boss of a location is affiliated. The user interface 600D may include a navigation bar for accessing different user interfaces of the Turf Wars game. For example, the navigation bar may include buttons for accessing game data related to the turf (e.g., the map screen or location-selection screen), the wars (e.g., a “wars” screen that displays information about wars currently being fought over the turf), or the mafia (e.g., information about the mafias or groups of players who are participating in the game). The navigation bar may also include a user interface element (e.g., a “Back” button) for accessing the screen that was accessed by the player immediately before the current screen.
FIG. 6E illustrates an example user interface 600E of a location-selection screen for viewing location data or performing location-based actions (e.g., performing a job, engaging in a turf war, or performing another location-based action). The user interface 600E may include a first region (e.g., a “Trending Now” region) for accessing information about popular locations (e.g., locations where players have recently performed jobs, turf wars have recently been waged, a large number of jobs have been performed, or a large number of turf wars have been waged). The user interface 600E may also include a second region (e.g., a “My Favorites”) region for accessing information about a player's favorite locations (e.g., locations where the player has performed jobs, engaged in a turf wars, registered presence at, or designated as a favorite location). The location-selection screen may also include a navigation bar similar to the navigation bar described with respect to FIG. 6D.
FIG. 6F illustrates an example user interface 600F of a turf wars engagement screen of the Turf Wars game. The user interface 600F includes a button (e.g., “CHECK IN”) for checking in at the selected location (e.g., “WHOLE FOODS”). The user interface 600F includes a first region for displaying information about the boss of the selected location (e.g., a photo of the boss taken from the boss's Facebook profile, the title of the boss (e.g., within his mafia or group), how long the boss has been the boss of the selected location, and how many turf wars the boss has won at the selected location). The user interface 600F also includes a second region for displaying information about activity at the selected location. For example, the second region may display a listing of people who have recently performed jobs or other location-based actions at the location. Each entry of the listing may include a photo of the player who performed the location-based action, information about the location-based action that the player performed, or the length of time since the player performed the location-based action. Examples of location-based actions that may have been performed include obtaining a virtual item (e.g., a weapon usable in a turf war) for purchasing an item at the location. The user interface 600F may also enable a player to start a turf war at the location (e.g., by clicking a “START WAR” button (not shown)).
When a player initiates turf war, the game networking system 120b may notify various players of the Turf Wars game. For example, the boss of the location, the boss's mafia, or the initiator's mafia may be notified that the initiator has started a turf war at the selected location. The notification may indicate the rules of the turf war. Examples of rules may be that the initiator will win the turf war (e.g., become the boss of the location) if the number of the initiator's mafia that registers presence at the location within a time frame (e.g., one hour) exceeds the number of the boss's mafia that registers presence at the location within the time frame. Or the rules may specify that the initiator of the turf war will become the boss of the location if the initiator's mafia spends more money at the location within a predetermined time period than the current boss's mafia. Or the rules may specify that the initiator will win the turf war if a particular number (e.g., five) members of the initiator's mafia each perform a location-based action at the location before a particular number (e.g., five) of the current boss's mafia each perform a location-based action at the location. The rules may also take into account virtual items in the inventories of player characters of the players. For example, if the initiator's mafia has more powerful weapons than the current boss's mafia, it may be easier for the initiator's mafia to win the turf war (e.g., the initiator's mafia may not need to register as much presence at the location or spend as much money at the location to win the turf war). The user interface 600F may also include the navigation bar described above.
FIG. 6G illustrates an example user interface 600G of a turf war status screen of the Turf Wars game. The user interface 600G includes information about the location where the turf war is being waged, how much time is left in the turf war, and information about who is currently active in the turf war. For example, the user interface 600G includes a first column for the initiator's mafia that lists the name of the initiator as well as the names of the initiator's mafia. The names of the initiator's mafia may be highlighted based on their participation in the current turf war (e.g., with a green bullet (e.g., to signify participation) or a red bullet (e.g., to signify lack of participation)). The user interface 600G includes a second column for the boss's mafia that lists the name of the current boss as well as the names of the current boss's mafia. The names of the members of the boss's mafia may be highlighted (e.g., with a green bullet or a red bullet) based on their participation in the current turf war. The user interface 600G may also include the navigation bar described above.
FIG. 6H illustrates an example user interface 600H of a congratulations screen of the Turf Wars game. The user interface 600H may include a message indicating that the player (either the initiator of a turf war or the current boss of a location of the turf war) is the winner of the turf war. The notification may indicate that the winner of the turf war is now the current boss of the location. As the current boss of the location, the player's photo may be overlaid on the map screen of the Turf War game (e.g., when players are nearby to the location). Additionally, the game networking system 120b may update the profile of the winner to, for example, increment a number of turf wars won by the player. The user interface 600H may also include the navigation bar described above.
FIG. 6I illustrates an example user interface 600I of a failure screen of the Turf Wars game. The user interface 600I may include a message indicating that a player lost a turf war. The user interface 600I may also include a depiction of the reason why the player lost the turf war. For example, the user interface 600I may include information about the number of members of a rival mafia that performed a location-based action at the location within a predetermined time period. The user interface 600I may also indicate how long the losing player must wait before he (or a member of his mafia) may engage in a turf war at the location in order to attempt to reclaim the location. The user interface 600I may also include the navigation bar described above.
FIG. 6J illustrates an example user interface 600J of a mafia management screen of the Turf Wars Game. The user interface 600J may include a user interface element (e.g., an “Add Mafia” button) by which a player may invite his friends (e.g., in-game friends or out-of-game friends) to join his mafia. The user interface 600J may also include a user interface element (not shown) by which a player may remove a member of his mafia. The user interface 600J may also include the navigation bar described above. The user interface 600J may also include a sub-navigation bar (for, e.g., toggling between a mafia messaging screen and the mafia management screen (described below)). The user interface 600J may include a listing of all of the player's mafia members. The user interface 600J may enable the player to view information about a mafia member by clicking on the mafia member. The information about each mafia member may include locations at which the member has performed jobs or engaged in turf wars, as well as other information (e.g., information about the member's player character inventory or information retrieved about the member from the social networking system 120c).
FIG. 6K illustrates an example user interface 600K of a mafia messaging screen of the Turf Wars game. The user interface 600K may include a user interface element (e.g., a text box) into which a player may type a message. The user interface 600K may also include a user interface element (not shown) to send the message to all or selected members of the player's mafia. When the player first navigates to the messaging screen, the user interface 600K may overlay a message on the text window suggesting a topic of the message (e.g., “What's your next move . . . ”). The player may then overwrite the overlaid message by typing text into the text window. The user interface 600K may also include the navigation bar described above.
Shoplifting Game
As described above, an aspect of a computer-implemented game may include a shoplifting gaming mechanic in which a player of the computer-implemented game is able to shoplift or otherwise obtain a virtual item by performing a location-based action such as scanning a product code of a corresponding real-world item. The shoplifting gaming mechanic may enable players to steal virtual items from one another or groups of players to steal virtual items from other groups of players. The shoplifting gaming mechanic may include an aspect of enabling a player or group of players to set an alarm (e.g., by performing a location-based action), thus protecting a real-world item that is the subject of a location-based action that is to represent a shoplifting of a virtual item. When the alarm is set off (e.g., by a player attempting to perform a location-based action that is required to steal the item), the player(s) who set the alarm may be notified and be presented with various options in response to the setting off of the alarm. For example, the player or group of players who set the alarm may be given an option to perform a location-based action to steal the item back from player(s) who performed the location-base action to steal the item. Or the player or group of players who set the alarm may be given the option to punish a player character of the thieving player within the computer-implemented game (e.g., decreasing the mana of a player character or imprisoning the player character). Additionally, the shoplifting gaming mechanic may include a notification element for notifying an additional player, group of players, or an operator of a location of a shoplifting action by a player independently of whether an alarm is set. Thus, rival groups (or clans) may be notified of a shoplifting action of a player and be given various options to counter the shoplifting action by the player. Or the shoplifting action may be reported to an operator of the location where a shoplifting action occurs such that the operator may adapt to the popularity of particular shoplifting actions (e.g., by distributing popular items strategically within the location).
The game networking system 120b may be configured to determine a first value associated with a shoplifting of a virtual item by performing a location-based action (e.g., through brand impressions disseminated through a social network of the player who shoplifts the item) and a second value associated with an actual purchasing of the real-world item at the location. The game networking system 120b may then adjust the incentive rewards for performing a location-based action based on whether the location-based action is a shoplifting action or an actual purchasing action. Thus, a player who is highly influential (e.g., has many in-game and out-of-game social connections that he has successfully influenced in the past) may receive an offer for performing a location-based action to shoplift an item that is more valuable than an incentive reward that is offered to an additional player who actually purchases the real-world item at the location but is less influential than the player.
Additionally, the game networking system 120b may associate a fungibility attribute of a virtual item corresponding to a real-world item based on whether the virtual item is obtained via a shoplifting action or via a purchasing of the real-world item at a location. Thus, a virtual sword that is obtained by a player character of a player based on the shoplifting gaming mechanic may not be interchangeable with a virtual sword that is obtained by a player character of the player based on the player actually purchasing a real-world sword corresponding to the virtual sword. However, two virtual swords obtained by the same means (e.g., the shoplifting gaming mechanic) may be treated as interchangeable within a computer-implemented game.
Miscellaneous
One or more features from any embodiment may be combined with one or more features of any other embodiment without departing from the scope of the disclosure.
A recitation of “a”, “an,” or “the” is intended to mean “one or more” unless specifically indicated to the contrary.
The present disclosure encompasses all changes, substitutions, variations, alterations, and modifications to the example embodiments herein that a person having ordinary skill in the art would comprehend. Similarly, where appropriate, the appended claims encompass all changes, substitutions, variations, alterations, and modifications to the example embodiments herein that a person having ordinary skill in the art would comprehend.
For example, the methods described herein may be implemented using hardware components, software components, and/or any combination thereof. By way of example, while embodiments of the present disclosure have been described as operating in connection with a networking website, various embodiments of the present disclosure can be used in connection with any communications facility that supports web applications. Furthermore, in some embodiments the term “web service” and “website” may be used interchangeably and additionally may refer to a custom or generalized API on a device, such as a mobile device (e.g., a cellular phone, smart phone, personal GPS, personal digital assistant, personal gaming device), that makes API calls directly to a server. The specification and drawings are, accordingly, to be regarded in an illustrative rather than a restrictive sense. It will, however, be evident that various modifications and changes may be made thereunto without departing from the broader spirit and scope of the disclosure as set forth in the claims and that the disclosure is intended to cover all modifications and equivalents within the scope of the following claims.
Claims
1. A method comprising:
receiving a notification at a game networking system of a detecting of an interaction between a first real-world item and a second real-world item;
determining that a first association has been established by the game networking system, the first association associating the first real-world item with a first virtual item;
determining that a second association has been established by the game networking system, the second association associating the second real-world item with a second virtual item;
based on the determining that the first association has been established and that the second association has been established, determining that the first virtual item and the second virtual item are combinable in a computer-implemented game executing on the game networking system, the first virtual item being an ingredient of a consumable virtual item in the computer-implemented game and the second virtual item being an additional ingredient of the consumable virtual item in the computer-implemented game, wherein the determining that the first virtual item and the second virtual item are combinable is based on an accessing of game state parameters stored in a data store of the game networking system, the game state parameters representing properties of the first virtual item and the second virtual item; and
based on the determining that the first virtual item and the second virtual item are combinable, providing an asset in the computer-implemented game that reflects a combining of the first virtual item and the second virtual item, the providing including changing additional game state parameters in the data store, the additional game state parameters representing properties of the asset, one or more modules being incorporated into the game networking system to perform the receiving, determining, and the providing, the one or more modules being implemented by one or more processors of the game networking system.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the detecting of the interaction is based on a determination that the first real-world item came within a predefined distance of the second real-world item.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein the detecting is based on a bumping of the first real-world item and the second real-world item.
4. The method of claim 1, wherein the detecting is based on a scanning of the first real-world item by the second real-world item.
5. The method of claim 1, wherein the first virtual item is a virtual weapon and the second virtual item is ammunition for the weapon.
6. The method of claim 1, wherein the asset is an additional virtual item, the additional virtual item being one of a set of virtual items that are collectible with respect to the computer-implemented game.
7. A system comprising:
one or more modules implemented by the one or more processors of a game networking system, the one or more modules configured to, at least:
receive a notification of a detecting of an interaction between a first real-world item and a second real-world item;
determine that a first association has been established by the game networking system, the first association associating the first real-world item with a first virtual item;
determine that a second association has been established by the game networking system, the second association associating the second real-world item with a second virtual item;
based on the determining that the first association has been established and that the second association has been established, determine the first virtual item and the second virtual item are combinable in a computer-implemented game executing on the game networking system, the first virtual item is an ingredient of a consumable virtual item in the computer-implemented game and the second virtual item is an additional ingredient of the consumable virtual item in the computer-implemented game, wherein the determining is based on an accessing of game state parameters stored in a data store of the game networking system, the game state parameters representing properties of the first virtual item and the second virtual item; and
based on the determining that the first virtual item and the second virtual item are combinable, provide an asset in the computer-implemented game that reflects a combining of the first virtual item and the second virtual item, the providing including changing additional game state parameters in the data store, the additional game state parameters representing properties of the asset.
8. The system of claim 7, wherein the detecting of the interaction is based on a determination that the first real-world item came within a predefined distance of the second real-world item.
9. The system of claim 7, wherein the detecting is based on a bumping of the first real-world item and the second real-world item.
10. The system of claim 7, wherein the detecting is based on a scanning of the first real-world item by the second real-world item.
11. The system of claim 7, wherein the first virtual item is a virtual weapon and the second virtual item is ammunition for the weapon.
12. The system of claim 7, wherein the asset is an additional virtual item, the additional virtual item being one of a set of virtual items that are collectible with respect to the computer-implemented game.
13. A non-transitory machine readable medium embodying a set of instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations, the operations comprising:
receiving a notification at a game networking system of a detecting of an interaction between a first real-world item and a second real-world item;
determining that a first association has been established by the game networking system, the first association associating the first real-world item with a first virtual item;
determining that a second association has been established by the game networking system, the second association associating the second real-world item with a second virtual item;
based on the determining that the first association has been established and that the second association has been established, determining that the first virtual item and the second virtual item are combinable in a computer-implemented game executing on the game networking system, the first virtual item being an ingredient of a consumable virtual item in the computer-implemented game and the second virtual item being an additional ingredient of the consumable virtual item in the computer-implemented game, wherein the determining that the first virtual item and the second virtual item are combinable is based on an accessing of game state parameters stored in a data store of the game networking system, the game state parameters representing properties of the first virtual item and the second virtual item; and
based on the determining that the first virtual item and the second virtual item are combinable, providing an asset in the computer-implemented game that reflects a combining of the first virtual item and the second virtual item, the providing including changing additional game state parameters in the data store, the additional game state parameters representing properties of the asset.
14. The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 13, wherein the detecting of the interaction is based on a determination that the first real-world item came within a predefined distance of the second real-world item.
15. The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 13, wherein the detecting is based on a bumping of the first real-world item and the second real-world item.
16. The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 13, wherein the detecting is based on a scanning of the first real-world item by the second real-world item.
17. The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 13, wherein the first virtual item is a virtual weapon and the second virtual item is ammunition for the weapon.
Source:
http://patents.justia.com/patent/9649566
ZNGA: ...AN INTERESTING...BUYOUT
...AN INTERESTING TURNAROUND OR BUYOUT
THE MOBILE GAME MAKER SEEMS TO HAVE TURNED A CORNER. LAST QUARTER, ITS MOBILE DAILY ACTIVE USERS (DAUS) ROSE
STOCK WEEKLY PERFORMANCE OF 1.92%,
WHERE MONTHLY PERFORMANCE IS 3.06%,
QUARTERLY PERFORMANCE IS 31.1%,
6 MONTHS PERFORMANCE IS 43.24%
AND YEARLY PERFORMANCE PERCENTAGE IS 57.2%.
0 ANALYSTS RATED THE STOCK AS SELL
WHAT ARE ANALYSTS REPORT ABOUT ZYNGA, INC. (ZNGA)
BY JILL KEMP -
JUN 29, 2017
ZYNGA, INC. (ZNGA) WILL REPORT ITS NEXT EARNINGS ON AUG 03 AMC. The company reported the earnings of $0.02/Share in the last quarter where the estimated EPS by analysts was $0.01/share. THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE EXPECTED AND ACTUAL EPS WAS $0.01/SHARE, WHICH REPRESENTS AN EARNINGS SURPRISE OF 100%.
Many analysts are providing their Estimated Earnings analysis for Zynga, Inc. and for the current quarter 15 analysts have projected that the stock could give an Average Earnings estimate of $0.02/share. These analysts have also projected a Low Estimate of $0.01/share and a High Estimate of $0.03/share.
IN CASE OF REVENUE ESTIMATES, 13 analysts have provided their consensus Average Revenue Estimates for Zynga, Inc. as 206.8 Million. According to these analysts, the Low Revenue Estimate for Zynga, Inc. is 204.18 Million and THE HIGH REVENUE ESTIMATE IS 211.91 Million. THE COMPANY HAD YEAR AGO SALES OF 174.65 MILLION.
Some buy side analysts are also providing their Analysis on Zynga, Inc., where 4 analysts have rated the stock as Strong buy, 4 analysts have given a Buy signal, 7 said it’s a HOLD, 1 reported it as Underperform and 0 ANALYSTS RATED THE STOCK AS SELL. (These Recommendations are for the Current Month Only reported by Yahoo Finance.)
When it comes to the Analysis of a Stock, Price Target plays a vital role. ANALYSTS REPORTED THAT THE PRICE TARGET FOR ZYNGA, INC. MIGHT TOUCH $5 HIGH while THE AVERAGE PRICE TARGET AND LOW PRICE TARGET IS $3.83 and $3 respectively.
Zynga, Inc. closed its last trading session at $3.71 with the gain of 0%. The Market Capitalization of the company stands at 3.21 Billion. The Company has 52-week high of $3.86 and 52-week low of $2.33. The stock’s current distance from 20-Day Simple Moving Average (SMA20) is 2.16% where SMA50 and SMA200 are 10.53% and 27.26% respectively. The Company Touched its 52-Week High on 06/26/17 and 52-Week Low on 02/10/17.
The Relative Volume of the company is 1.31 and Average Volume (3 months) is 12.97 million. Zynga, Inc. P/E (price to earnings) ratio is 0 and Forward P/E ratio of 34.04.
The company shows its Return on Assets (ROA) value of -4.8%. The Return on Equity (ROE) value stands at -5.6%. While it’s Return on Investment (ROI) value is -7.4%.
While looking at the Stock’s Performance, Zynga, Inc. currently shows a WEEKLY PERFORMANCE OF 1.92%, WHERE MONTHLY PERFORMANCE IS 3.06%, QUARTERLY PERFORMANCE IS 31.1%, 6 MONTHS PERFORMANCE IS 43.24% AND YEARLY PERFORMANCE PERCENTAGE IS 57.2%. Year to Date performance value (YTD perf) value is 44.36%. The Stock currently has a Weekly Volatility of 3.00% and Monthly Volatility of 3.54%.
Source:
https://www.newsoracle.com/2017/06/29/what-are-analysts-report-about-zynga-inc-znga-3/
3 MOBILE STOCKS SET TO POP
THE MOTLEY FOOL
LEO SUN
1 DAY AGO
…
ZYNGA
I've never been a fan of Zynga(NASDAQ: ZNGA), but THE MOBILE GAME MAKER SEEMS TO HAVE TURNED A CORNER. LAST QUARTER, ITS MOBILE DAILY ACTIVE USERS (DAUS) ROSE 16% ANNUALLY TO 18 MILLION LAST QUARTER, LIFTING ITS MOBILE REVENUE BY 19% AND GIVING IT A SECOND STRAIGHT QUARTER OF POSITIVE ANNUAL SALES GROWTH.
© Google Play Farmville: Tropic Escape.
Zynga's revenue dipped 3% to $741.4 million in 2016, but "bookings" -- the total purchases of virtual products (reported as deferred revenue) recognized over the estimated time it takes to consume them -- rose 8% to $754.5 million. Analysts, who track Zynga's bookings instead of revenue, expect that figure to rise 12% this year.
ZYNGA'S TURNAROUND CAN BE ATTRIBUTED TO ROBUST GROWTH AT FARMVILLE AND WORDS WITH FRIENDS, AS WELL AS THE GROWTH OF ZYNGA POKER -- which offset its lower ad sales. On the bottom line, Zynga's adjusted EBITDA (including the impact of deferred revenue) fell 40% annually to $48.8 million in 2016. Zynga is unprofitable on a GAAP basis, but it's trying to cut costs by expanding its higher-margin online multiplayer titles and other services.
Zynga is still a work in progress, but its price-to-sales ratio of 4.5 is lower than the industry average of 6 for video game companies. This makes it AN INTERESTING TURNAROUND OR BUYOUT play for more daring investors.
Source:
www.msn.com/en-us/money/topstocks/3-mobile-stocks-set-to-pop/ar-BBDsifA
ZNGA: ANALYST "WE ARE ANOINTING ZYNGA-AS-OUR-BEST-IDEA AMONG OUR COVERED (SMALL AND MIDCAP) NAMES,"
"WE ARE ANOINTING ZYNGA AS OUR BEST IDEA AMONG OUR COVERED (SMALL AND MIDCAP) NAMES," HE SAID.
TOTAL REVENUE GROWTH IS ACCELERATING.
ZYNGA BULL COWEN SAYS COMPANY'S TURNED ITSELF AROUND -- MARKET TALK
'Words With Friends' Game Publisher Called 'BEST IDEA' STOCK PICK
Mobile video game publisher Zynga (ZNGA) is showing progress in its turnaround efforts, Cowen analyst Doug Creutz said in a report Friday.
CREUTZ REITERATED HIS OUTPERFORM RATING ON ZYNGA AND RAISED HIS PRICE TARGET TO 4.50 FROM 4.25.
ZYNGA WAS UP 3.9% TO 3.76 IN AFTERNOON TRADING ON THE STOCK MARKET TODAY. It hit an all-time low of 1.78 in February 2016.
"WE ARE ANOINTING ZYNGA AS OUR BEST IDEA AMONG OUR COVERED (SMALL AND MIDCAP) NAMES," HE SAID. "We believe valuation remains attractive, and with investor interest in the gaming sector continuing to increase, we believe shares are positioned to outperform."
San Francisco-based Zynga makes such games as "Words With Friends," "Zynga Poker," "Hit it Rich! Slots," "CSR Racing" and "FarmVille." Zynga has been shifting its focus over the last few years from web-based games on Facebook (FB) and its site to mobile games that play on Apple (AAPL) iOS and Alphabet's (GOOGL) Google Android devices.
IBD'S TAKE: The IBD 50 list of top-performing growth stocks includes two video game companies: Activision Blizzard and NetEase.
"With the company's mobile business growing at 20%-plus year over year, but the Facebook business shrinking even faster, for several years the company could make no headway on revenue growth," CREUTZ SAID. "Now, however, MOBILE GAMING IS APPROACHING 90% OF TOTAL REVENUE, and as a result, TOTAL REVENUE GROWTH IS ACCELERATING."
Source:
www.investors.com/news/technology/click/words-with-friends-game-publisher-called-best-idea-stock-pick/
ZYNGA BULL COWEN SAYS COMPANY'S TURNED ITSELF AROUND -- MARKET TALK
10:46 ET - Cowen makes a bull case for Zynga (ZNGA), arguing the videogame company has righted itself after a tough period of adapting to making mobile games instead of desktop games for Facebook (FB). ZNGA's management team is different today than during those transition years and its mobile games --which include "Words With Friends," "CRS Racing 2 " and "Hit It Rich!" --now account for about 90% of the company's total revenue , the firm says . WHAT'S MORE, MOBILE GAMES IN GENERAL HAVE BECOME THE MOST LUCRATIVE SEGMENT OF THE OVERALL VIDEOGAME INDUSTRY, WITH WORLD-WIDE REVENUE THIS YEAR EXPECTED TO REACH $46.1B, according to research firm Newzoo. "WE ARE ANOINTING ZYNGA AS OUR BEST IDEA AMONG OUR COVERED [SMALL-MID CAPITALIZATION] NAMES," COWEN SAYS IN A NOTE TO INVESTORS. "With management controlling costs, the company should generate a very high incremental margin on revenue growth, as we have seen over the last several quarters." COWEN RAISES ITS PRICE TARGET ON ZNGA TO $4.50 from $4.25; ZNGA's up 1.1% to $3.66. ( sarah.needleman@wsj.com; @saraheneedleman )
ZNGA: 92% EARNINGS-PER-SHARE GROWTH ESTIMATE THIS YEAR, BETTER DAYS ARE AHEAD
IN FACT, THE CURRENT GROWTH ESTIMATE FOR THIS YEAR CALLS FOR EARNINGS-PER-SHARE GROWTH OF 92%.
SO IF YOU ARE LOOKING FOR A FAST GROWING STOCK THAT IS STILL SEEING PLENTY OF OPPORTUNITIES ON THE HORIZON, MAKE SURE TO CONSIDER ZNGA.
IMPRESSIVE ZACKS RANK SUGGESTS THAT ANALYSTS BELIEVE BETTER DAYS ARE AHEAD FOR ZNGA AS WELL.
TALE OF THE TAPE
IS ZYNGA (ZNGA) A GREAT GROWTH STOCK?
BY ZACKS EQUITY RESEARCH
PUBLISHED ON JUNE 23, 2017
ZNGA
Full Article
Growth stocks can be some of the most exciting picks in the market, as these high-flyers can captivate investors’ attention, and produce big gains as well. However, these can also lead on the downside when the growth story is over, so it is important to FIND COMPANIES WHICH ARE STILL SEEING STRONG GROWTH PROSPECTS IN THEIR BUSINESSES.
ONE SUCH COMPANY THAT MIGHT BE WELL-POSITIONED FOR FUTURE EARNINGS GROWTH IS ZYNGA INC. (ZNGA - Free Report) . This firm, which is in the Gaming industry, saw EPS growth of 23.1% last year, and is looking great for this year too.
IN FACT, THE CURRENT GROWTH ESTIMATE FOR THIS YEAR CALLS FOR EARNINGS-PER-SHARE GROWTH OF 92%. Furthermore, the long-term growth rate is currently an impressive 22.5%, suggesting pretty good prospects for the long haul.
Zynga Inc. Price and Consensus
ZYNGA INC. PRICE AND CONSENSUS | ZYNGA INC. QUOTE
AND IF THIS WASN’T ENOUGH, THE STOCK HAS ACTUALLY SEEN ESTIMATES RISE OVER THE PAST MONTH FOR THE CURRENT FISCAL YEAR BY ABOUT 60%.
Thanks to this rise in earnings estimates, ZNGA HAS A ZACKS RANK #2 (BUY) WHICH FURTHER UNDERSCORES THE POTENTIAL FOR OUTPERFORMANCE IN THIS COMPANY. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
SO IF YOU ARE LOOKING FOR A FAST GROWING STOCK THAT IS STILL SEEING PLENTY OF OPPORTUNITIES ON THE HORIZON, MAKE SURE TO CONSIDER ZNGA. Not only does it have double digit earnings growth prospect, but its IMPRESSIVE ZACKS RANK SUGGESTS THAT ANALYSTS BELIEVE BETTER DAYS ARE AHEAD FOR ZNGA AS WELL…
Source:
https://www.zacks.com/stock/news/265384/is-zynga-znga-a-great-growth-stock
ZNGA: SHARES SEEN HITTING $4.50,...MOTIVATES INVESTORS
ZYNGA ISSUED STRONG OUTLOOK FOR 2Q17
ZNGA: ..KEEP DELIVERING AFTER A JACKPOT...
ZYNGA SHARES SEEN HITTING $4.50
MORGAN STANLEY IS BULLISH ON ZYNGA
AS OF JUNE 9, THE STOCK HAD RISEN 44.4% SINCE THE BEGINNING OF
2017.
ANALYSTS ALSO EXPRESSED CONFIDENCE IN ZYNGA’S MANAGEMENT TEAM, NOTING THAT MOST OF THE KEY PLAYERS IN THE TEAM CAME FROM ELECTRONIC ARTS (EA).
WHEN DATA POINTS OF DIFFERENT VARIETIES COME TOGETHER, THE RESULTS CAN BE TRULY SPECTACULAR
[color=green]Home Stocks Zynga Inc. (ZNGA) moves +30.82% above 50 DMA
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ZYNGA INC. (ZNGA) MOVES +30.82% ABOVE 50 DMA
BY
MACK TYLER
-
JUNE 16, 2017
ZYNGA INC. (ZNGA) IS LOOKING VERY INTERESTING AS A TRADING OPPORTUNITY RIGHT NOW.
The technical setup offers the best window into what traders can expect whether they are bullish on the play or bearish. We’re therefore exploring these deeper technical numbers with a view to helping traders make better decisions on the current trading prospects of ZNGA. Before we get into the numbers let’s take a look at the importance of these numbers that help to make up the technical chart. The technical charts are, when used properly at least, great vehicles for profit. When used in the way they should, traders are able to roar along as they pick and choose the stocks they want to trade.
ZNGA’s position, when dissected using the very handy technical charting tool we’ve championed above, now looks very interesting. This position is opened up first by the stock’s current day’s high $3.73 and the accompanying day’s low $3.49. As things stand, the current day’s high means the stock is positioned negatively when matched against the prevailing 52-week high of $3.82 set by ZNGA on 06/27/16. Given the range, and in particular the position of the stock’s low, we can make the assessment that the day’s low represents a 60.79% since 06/09/17. As a trader you can take this to mean something positive as it relates to ZNGA latent upside potential and the opportunities, or not, that it provides for active traders.
IT’S NOT JUST TRADERS WHO ARE TAKING A KEEN LOOK AT THE STOCK, EITHER. IN THE WEEKS AND DAYS OF DATA AMASSED FOR THE STOCK, A MORE OPEN DISPLAY OF ANALYSTS. FROM THEIR PERSPECTIVE, THE STOCK HAS PRESENTED A COMPELLING PICTURE VIA DATA. THIS DATA HAS CREATED A $3.67 FOR ZNGA. AS IT STANDS, THIS TARGET PRICE IS ABOVE THE BIGGEST GAINS SET BY THE STOCK IN RECENT TIMES. OTHER IMPORTANT DATA IS STARTING TO INFORM THE WAY ANALYSTS AND TRADERS SEE THE STOCK. ZNGA BETA IS CURRENTLY 0.83. TRADERS THAT USE THE BETA METRIC IN THEIR TRADING ASSESSMENTS OF STOCKS KNOW THAT THE CURRENT BETA FOR ZNGA IS LESS THAN 1, AND AS SUCH, GIVES CLEAR DIRECTIONAL BEARING FOR UPSIDE.
The current beta, as assessed below or above 1, suggests that ZNGA is theoretically less volatile than the composite sector to which it belongs. AT THIS STAGE YOU SHOULD START TO SEE WHAT IS DEVELOPING FOR THE STOCK. Let’s move more inland; these metrics only scratch the edges
WHEN DATA POINTS OF DIFFERENT VARIETIES COME TOGETHER, THE RESULTS CAN BE TRULY SPECTACULAR. We are therefore going to use the next section to flesh out a stronger, more compelling picture for ZNGA. Two of the most important technical indicators used by savvy traders are the Relative strength indicator (RSI) and Stochastic – both offer a deeper glimpse into the soul of the stock as it were. The present reading for ZNGA 14-day RSI is 61.77%. What does this mean in real terms? A RSI reading at that level suggests that ZNGA is neutral, suggesting that the stock is relatively stable and may possibly stay in situ, moving neither up or down in any meaningful or dramatic way. The stochastic reading is a sort of tag team partner for RSI. Usually they speak the same language in terms of telegraphing upside. For ZNGA, the stochastic reading of 45.39% suggests that the stock is neither overbought nor oversold at prevailing levels. ZNGA and its upside, of course, can be judged by tacking on even more salient technical data points. We are thinking here about the always-used statistical moving averages – NAMELY THE 50 AND 200 SMAS. ZNGA, ON THE STRENGTH OF ITS MOVING AVERAGES, APPEARS TO PRESENT A SENTIMENT WORTHY OF BEING CALLED BULLISH. And as go the sentiment around the SMAs, so goes the upside potential of the stock. In this case the sentiments appear to be positive.
So far we’ve put together, what we feel, is a pretty compelling image of the trading g prospects for the stock. But what if we could do more? Stick around because in the next section we’ll do just that. ZNGA’s +0.28 has now created a much more confident set of data upon which traders can rely.
THIS RELIANCE IS SO PRONOUNCED THAT WE CAN MAKE A JUDGMENT THAT OVERALL SENTIMENT IS NOW POSITIVE. THIS IS HARDLY SURPRISING FOR ZNGA BECAUSE FURTHER ANALYSIS REVEALS THAT THE STOCK HAS ACTUALLY OUTPERFORMED THE S&P 500 BY 20.56.
As a result of this performance the stock is now offering lower volatility levels when juxtaposed with similar stocks in its native sector. Based on the overall readings, historical volatility has placed ZNGA in the front row for many traders. Again, this is hardly a shocker given that historical volatility for ZNGA is 30.75%. ZNGA is no slouch on the measure of the Average True Range, either. ATR, as you know, simply cannot be ignored in assessing a stock and ZNGA offers a very clear reading with an ATR reading of 3.66.
ZNGA IS AS REVEALING IT CAN BE AND THOSE FINE TECHNICAL INDICATORS USED TO ILLUSTRATE ITS UPSIDE SHOULD NEVER BE TAKEN FOR GRANTED. USE THEM WELL.
https://nystocknews.com/2017/06/16/zynga-inc-znga-moves-30-82-above-50-dma/
ZYNGA, INC. (ZNGA) JUMPED 3.4% IN THE LAST TRADING SESSION
BY
JACK
-
JUNE 16, 2017
0
78
Simple Moving Averages
Before looking at the financial values or the trading statistics of Zynga, Inc. (ZNGA), we will start our analysis with the SMA or Simple Moving Average values.
The SMA or Simple Moving Averages are commonly available for 20 Day, 50 Day and 200 Day Simple Moving Averages. For our stock under consideration here, Zynga, Inc. (ZNGA) has distance from 20 Day SMA is 3.15% while its distance from 50 day SMA is 14.26%. ZNGA’s distance from 200 Day SMA is 27.04%.
While looking at the SMA values of Zynga, Inc. (ZNGA), the 200 simple moving average (SMA) is considered a key indicator by traders and market analysts for determining the overall long-term trend. The 200 SMA is considered so critically important a trend indicator that the event of the 50-day SMA crossing to the downside of the 200-day SMA is referred to as a death cross, signaling a serious bear market in a stock, index or other investment.
LAST TRADING DAY PERFORMANCE
ON THE LAST TRADING DAY, ZYNGA, INC. (ZNGA) GAINED 3.4% CLOSING AT THE PRICE OF $3.65 WHILE THE PREVIOUS CLOSE OF ZNGA WAS $3.53.
Zynga, Inc. (ZNGA) traded with the volume of 25.76 Million shares while its average 3 months volume is at 11730 shares.
Zynga, Inc. (ZNGA) has a market capitalization of 3.15 Billion while its Major Index membership is at 0.
Key Indicators
Shares of Zynga, Inc. (ZNGA) touched the day high at $3.73 while its day Low was at $3.49. In contrast, ZNGA’s 52 week high hovers at $3.82 with its current distance from 52 week high value is -4.45%. Zynga, Inc. (ZNGA) 52 week low value is at $2.27 and its current distance from 52 week low value is 60.79%.
Volatility of the shares is also to be considered while making the investment decisions. As volatility place a very vital role in identifying the risk involved in the particular case. In our current pick, Zynga, Inc. (ZNGA) has weekly volatility of 5.33%% while its monthly volatility value is at 3.77%%.
Another indicator of risk for a particular security is “Beta”. A beta approximates the overall volatility of a security’s returns against the returns of a relevant benchmark (usually the S&P 500 is used). Currently Zynga, Inc. (ZNGA) has beta value of 0.83. This Beta value of Zynga, Inc. (ZNGA) shows that it has historically moved 83% for every 100% move in the benchmark.
Financial Ratios
For making investment decisions, Financial Ratios play a vital role. There is a large variety of Financial Ratios that can be considered while making an investment decision but here in the case of Zynga, Inc. (ZNGA), we will discuss a few.
Annual Dividend Yield of Zynga, Inc. (ZNGA) stands at 0%.
Price to Earning P/E ratio and Forward P/E stand at 0 and 34.11 respectively.
Zynga, Inc.’s Quick Ratio shows the value of 3.5.
Debt to Equity ratio stands at 0 while Long Term Debt To Equity Ratio flashes the value of 0.
https://hugopress.com/zynga-inc-znga-jumped-3-4-in-the-last-trading-session/641847
CAN ZYNGA KEEP DELIVERING AFTER A JACKPOT MAY
WHY MORGAN STANLEY IS BULLISH ON ZYNGA
BY NAOMI GRAY | JUN 16, 2017 11:14 AM EDT
ZYNGA SHARES SEEN HITTING $4.50
Experts at Morgan Stanley (MS) see Zynga (ZNGA) shares rising further. In a June 8 note to investors, MS analyst Brian Nowak upgraded his rating on Zynga to “overweight” from “equal weight” and boosted his price target on the stock to $4.50 from $3.00.
MORGAN STANLEY’S NEW TARGET PRICE FOR ZYNGA STOCK IMPLIES AN UPSIDE potential of about 20.0%.
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Although Zynga had a slow start to the year, the stock has steadily built momentum. Shares of Zynga fell ~2.0% in January and rose 5.2% in February. THE STOCK’S GAINS ACCELERATED IN MARCH, RISING 7.6% THAT MONTH, BUT THEN SLOWED DOWN IN APRIL, RISING ONLY 1.4%. IN MAY, THE STOCK GAINED 21.8%. AS OF JUNE 9, THE STOCK HAD RISEN 44.4% SINCE THE BEGINNING OF 2017.
Optimism anchored on live services
Morgan Stanley sees room for Zynga to keep rising, and the basis of this optimism lies in Zynga’s live services business. According to Nowak, live services are driving improvement in engagement and monetization.
ZYNGA POSTED REVENUE OF $194.3 MILLION IN 1Q17, WHICH WAS UP FROM $186.7 MILLION IN 1Q16, TOPPING THE CONSENSUS ESTIMATE OF $191.5 MILLION.
Given the wave of competition that Zynga faces from Electronic Arts (EA), Glu Mobile (GLUU), and Activision Blizzard (ATVI), it appears that ZNGZ will need a strong business model to succeed in the crowded video games publishing industry.
http://marketrealist.com/2017/06/why-morgan-stanley-is-bullish-on-zynga/
Part 2
Can Zynga Keep Delivering after a Jackpot May? PART 2 OF 6
THESE DEVELOPMENTS SENT ZYNGA SOARING IN MAY
BY NAOMI GRAY | JUN 16, 2017 11:14 AM EDT
ZYNGA MOTIVATES INVESTORS
AS OF JUNE 9, ZYNGA’S (ZNGA) SHARES HAD RISEN 44.4% SINCE THE START OF 2017, WITH THE STOCK’S BEST MONTH SO FAR BEING MAY. The stock climbed 21.8% in May, adding to its smaller gains in April, March, and February.
Zynga’s strong stock performance in May can be linked to several positive developments that month. On May 4, Zynga released its 1Q17 earnings report, which investors largely interpreted as positive, reporting $194.3 million in revenue. This revenue represented a rise over its $186.7 million in 1Q16 and exceeded the consensus estimate of $191.5 million.
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ZYNGA ISSUED STRONG OUTLOOK FOR 2Q17
Zynga also motivated investors with its strong guidance for 2Q17, estimating $200.0 million in revenue—which, if attained, would imply a decent growth from its revenue of $181.7 million one year previously and would top the consensus estimate of $199.8 million.
Vote of confidence in Zynga’s cost focus
A few analysts who have weighed in on Zynga following the 1Q17 report have also sounded largely bullish on the stock’s prospects. At Piper Jaffray (PJC), for instance, analysts have cited Zynga’s focus on real-time services and cost-curtailment measures as positive actions.
ANALYSTS ALSO EXPRESSED CONFIDENCE IN ZYNGA’S MANAGEMENT TEAM, NOTING THAT MOST OF THE KEY PLAYERS IN THE TEAM CAME FROM ELECTRONIC ARTS (EA). THE HOPE APPEARS TO BE THAT ZYNGA WILL BE A SUCCESSFUL TURNAROUND STORY LIKE ELECTRONIC ARTS.
marketrealist.com/2017/06/why-morgan-stanley-is-bullish-on-zynga/