PopCap's odd unicorn-starring, ball-busting puzzle game, Peggle, has reached more than 30 million downloads since its debut in 2007. Sure, that's across a number of releases on nearly every platform imaginable, but that's still an impressive feat nonetheless.
Given those kinds of numbers, it doesn't seem too surprising why EA bought the company for as much as it did.
It must be a sign of the times and the increasing popularity of mobile games: PopCap has decided to revise its development process to start considering mobile interface options like touch from the very beginning. In a Gamasutra interview with senior producer of core IP Matt Johnston, he revealed that the company has had to rethink its design stages to make workflow and ports easier on the team for the long-term.
"We have a lead platform [for our unannounced game], but we're actually going to do something pretty different," he said, "which is we're going to build our game to be as accepting of the main, dominant input mechanisms out there. So we're going to build our game for platform A as the lead platform, but we're also going to build our game so that it also considers platform B, and that adaptation process is a little bit more smooth, and it's not as work-intensive."
PopCap has launched a preview of its latest game on Facebook, titled Pig Up! After being launched from a cannon, the adorable pigs flap wildly to stay in the air.
Bees, the natural enemy of the pig, are the game's major threat.
PopCap is planning on bringing two of its most popular casual games, Plants vs. Zombies and Peggle to Facebook "eventually." The ball got rolling when Games.com noticed a slide at an EA investor meeting that posed the two games under "Success on Facebook" next to planned EA games Risk: Factions and The Sims: Social.
The Escapist reports that PopCap's Garth Chouteau later confirmed the reports, but was hazy on the details. "Sure, they're coming to Facebook eventually," he said. "No timetable available yet, however." The word "eventually" doesn't sound like it will be terribly soon, so you might have to rely on old-fashioned methods of bragging to your friends about your zombie-killing abilities.
There are always concerns when a large company--especially one as large as EA--absorbs a beloved independent game developer. PopCap is by no means small fish--its $750 million price tag is evidence enough. However, some are wondering if being part of the EA empire will somehow change PopCap for the worse. EA CEO John Riccitiello addressed the concern at an investors' conference call.
"It's already a rapidly expanding, margin-expanding business before we got there," Riccitiello said. "So on one level, don't break it." Read more »
PopCap, makers of casual games like Plants vs. Zombies, Peggle, and Bejeweled, will be acquired by EA for $750 million. The announcement comes just weeks after initial rumors pegged a one billion dollar acquisition by EA. In actuality, EA will pay approximately $650 million in cash and $100 million in shares of EA common stock to "certain stockholders" of PopCap.
EA has been aggressively pursuing the digital and casual market, and the PopCap acquisition will help augment EA's growing portfolio in the arena. It purchased Playfish two years ago, a deal which has translated some of its biggest properties into Facebook games.
Techcrunch reports that PopCap is in the process of be acquired and, according to "multiple sources," that the casual hit-maker could sell for over $1 billion.
Though no buyer has been named, a number of possibilities are on the table. As expected, the immediate favorite is Zynga, makers of the Facebook hit Farmville; however, that may not be where PopCap lands. According to Techcrunch, Zynga was interested in PopCap but "couldn't get comfortable" with the price PopCap was asking. Read more »
Almost every PopCap game on Xbox 360 can be downloaded for half-off this week. Xbox Live Gold members can pick up Plants vs. Zombies for 600 Microsoft Points ($7.50), Peggle for 400 Microsoft Points ($5), and Bejeweled Blitz Live for only 200 Microsoft Points ($2.50).
The full list of discounts is below: Read more »
Earlier this year, American McGee told Joystiq that his studio Spicy Horse planned to switch to developing free-to-play online games following the launch of Alice: Madness Returns. Now, McGee has revealed a little more of those plans to Gamasutra.
Spicy Horse has secured $3 million in funding, McGee revealed, which will fund a two-year plan to develop and release five new games. McGee expects to finish a game "every six months or so." Spicy Horse's focus is "definitely going to be about free-to-play online multiplayer games," he explained. Read more »
PopCap has acquired the social games developer ZipZapPlay, the two companies announced this morning. ZipZapPlay will still operate independently from its office in San Francisco, and will report to PopCap VP of social games development Jon David. The move is meant to shore up PopCap's social games support, with four or five Facebook games due by the end of the year. Financial terms of the deal weren't disclosed.
ZipZapPlay is most known for its social title Baking Life, a Facebook game. PopCap has been moving towards the social games space with Bejeweled Blitz and Zuma Blitz, as it takes on social giants like Zynga. Read more »
Unpleasant Horse, in which a naughty Pegasus pushes hapless animals into meat grinders, is apparently a little too unpleasant for Apple's tastes. In a series of tweets (via Joystiq), PopCap's new experimental label 4th & Battery announced that Apple rejected the free iPhone game. "We thought horses dying in meat grinders were wholesome family entertainment!" the team joked in a now-deleted tweet.
4th & Battery is appealing with a higher rating, and set to make an official statement soon. In the meantime, the team has been none-too-subtly complimenting Apple. Read more »
Joy-maker PopCap Games--developer of Peggle, Plants vs. Zombies and Bejeweled 3--has launched a new games label. 4th & Battery will make "experimental" games, including titles for "mature audiences."
4th & Battery's focus is on "small-scale, arcade-style games" for platforms including PC, iPhone and Facebook. The label expects to put out several games per year. That name, by the way, comes from the intersection where PopCap's Seattle headquarters is located. Read more »
PopCap's addictive reach has once again emerged on PS3 soil. Today, Sony Computer Entertainment announced it will bring a port of the PC fan-fave Plants vs. Zombies to the PlayStation Network in February.
If you're tired of hearing that cute song, SOE also revealed a slew of original PSN experiences: In March, Fire Hose Games will launch its build and brawl title Slam Bolt Scrappers. Sometime in the "Spring," Playbrains and Fuel Industries will release Sideway--a game set in the art culture of New York. Read more »
If you're a fan of highly-addictive, casual titles, PopCap's holiday sale is going to put a massive strain on your finances.
PopCap revealed that, right now, its entire PC and Mac catalog will be half-price until November 29. Hits like Peggle, Plants vs. Zombies, and more are a few of the games you're likely to play throughout the rest of the week. Read more »
Casual gaming master PopCap is hoping to integrate social features into all its games in the future, senior designer Dave Bishop explained during a talk at Develop 2010, as well as rolling out new social network games "based on PopCap's classic franchises."
Bishop gave the example of a future Peggle instalment showing players which 'Peggle masters' their friends are using, so they can question and taunt them appropriately. Read more »
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