social games – Video Game News, Reviews, Walkthroughs And Guides | GamingBolt https://gamingbolt.com Get a Bolt of Gaming Now! Wed, 17 Apr 2013 13:43:18 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9.4 EA Shutting Down Social Games https://gamingbolt.com/ea-shutting-down-social-games https://gamingbolt.com/ea-shutting-down-social-games#respond Wed, 17 Apr 2013 13:43:18 +0000 http://gamingbolt.com/?p=150415 EAlogo

EA will be shutting down three of their Facebook games due to their restructuring. The three games that will be going down are Sims Social, Pet Society, and SimCity Social. The servers for these titles will be going offline on June 14th 2013.

Refunds will not be given on currency that was purchased for the free-to-play social games on Facebook despite the shut down.

However, EA will be giving players “a special offer to introduce you to a PopCap game,” according to this statement. EA will be going towards PopCap games. PopCap are very well known for block-buster casual indie titles such as Plants vs Zombies and Peggle.

EA bought PopCap games back in July 2012. Ever since  John Riccitello resgiend back in March, EA has been going through some major changes including the closure of their Montreal studio which was responsible for free-to-play social games.

Stay tuned on GamingBolt for more news regarding EA and their future plans. Leave any comments you have down below.

]]> https://gamingbolt.com/ea-shutting-down-social-games/feed 0 150415 Zenimax’s Battlecry Studios Hiring for AAA Free to Play Games https://gamingbolt.com/zenimaxs-battlecry-studios-hiring-for-aaa-free-to-play-games https://gamingbolt.com/zenimaxs-battlecry-studios-hiring-for-aaa-free-to-play-games#respond Thu, 21 Mar 2013 20:44:29 +0000 http://gamingbolt.com/?p=145674 Battlecry-Studios
Zenimax Media, who currently own Bethesda Softworks and id Software, also has a studio devoted entirely to making free to play games in Austin, Texas. Battlecry Studios is in fact their newest studio – so new in fact, that they’re trying to fill out as many positions as possible for working on upcoming AAA free to play titles.

Currently, Battlecry is looking for an Environmental Artist, Senior/Lead Environmental Artist, VFX Artist, Character Artist, Senior Technical Designer, Senior Systems Designer, Systems Designer, Associate Multiplayer Level Designer, Tools Engineer, Gameplay Engineer, Senior Server Database Engineer, Senior Server Engineer, Senior Network and Systems Administrator, Senior Concept Artist and Monetization/Systems Designer.

You know, among other positions of course.

Those interested can always head over the Battlecry’s jobs page to apply. The last position indicates that micro-transactions will indeed play a role in their upcoming titles. With Rich Vogel, who worked on Ultima Online and Star Wars Galaxies on board, heading the studio it will be interesting to see what shape it takes.

]]> https://gamingbolt.com/zenimaxs-battlecry-studios-hiring-for-aaa-free-to-play-games/feed 0 145674 Zynga “Game Copying” Comments Misrepresented – Exec https://gamingbolt.com/zynga-game-copying-comments-misrepresented-exec https://gamingbolt.com/zynga-game-copying-comments-misrepresented-exec#respond Mon, 11 Mar 2013 15:58:15 +0000 http://gamingbolt.com/?p=143665 zynga
Dan Porter, general manager of Zynga New York, recently sought to clarify statements he had made at a panel discussion where he stated that “Zynga is often accused of copying games, which is mostly true”.

In a blog post, Porter stated that, “Some of you have seen in the press that I supposedly said Zynga copies games. I was very surprised when the article came out because it was a misrepresentation of what I said at a small talk about the future of gaming and where I talked mostly about wearable gaming and ramification of everyday events.

“When I spoke to this group, I told them what I truly believe: the debate over copying games is a distraction if you are trying to figure out the future of social games; what matters is the ability to run those games as a service.

“But I also know that is a nuanced point and isn’t quite as sexy a headline. I should know better. Lesson learned. Sometimes it is truly better to say nothing at all.”

Source: GIBiz

]]> https://gamingbolt.com/zynga-game-copying-comments-misrepresented-exec/feed 0 143665 Bioware San Franciso Deemed “Too Expensive”, Shut Down https://gamingbolt.com/bioware-san-franciso-deemed-too-expensive-shut-down https://gamingbolt.com/bioware-san-franciso-deemed-too-expensive-shut-down#respond Tue, 05 Mar 2013 06:16:29 +0000 http://gamingbolt.com/?p=142420 mirrors_edge_2d
Despite “addressing” the same two weeks ago in a blog post by CEO Frank Gibeau, EA never explicitly mentioned that Bioware San Francisco had been shut down.

According to GamesRadar, the studio was proving to be “too expensive” for publisher Electronic Arts and subsequently let go of the 25 to 30 employees there.

Previously known as EA2D, Bioware San Francisco was responsible for developing social and mobile games like Dragon Age: Journeys, Dragon Age: Legends, Mirror’s Edge 2D, and The Fancy Pants Adventures.

The whole name of the game seems to be “transition”: In the preparation for next-generation development, many publishers are restructuring their teams and resources to focus on the future rather than what’s not working currently. Forget the burgeoning smartphone market for a minute – what does a predominantly mobile games maker have to offer when it comes to PS4/Next Xbox development?

Regardless, we hope that all the displaced employees find work soon.

Source: GIBiz

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