Social Games Next Big Thing for Google

Looks like the guys at Google think that social games are the next big thing, and if you look at recent trends you will probably tend to agree with them. Social gaming has become a very lucrative online business. Who hasn’t heard of FarmVille or Mafia Wars?

Because of the intrinsic popularity of social gaming, Google is starting to sink its teeth into the likes of Zynga (makers of FarmVille) and other games developers. In all likelihood, this is not only because of the popularity of online social gaming, but also because Facebook only recently surpassed Google as the Web’s most popular website. In addition to gaming, Google is developing a social network of its own.

Of course as with most things, it all comes down to money. Although online gaming deals in virtual products, it does in fact translate to actual currency – billions to be precise. In fact, experts are projecting the United States’ online social gaming industry to hit $2 billion before 2012. Social gaming players get the best of both worlds – the fun and excitement of playing a beloved game while also being able to chat, instant message, and interact with other players in real time.

Reports have revealed that Google has invested about $100 million into Zynga, a company that’s only three years old. Though Zynga is the creator of some popular Facebook games, the company has been on the outs for a little while, which is probably why Google has stepped in recently.

We all know that Google wants to challenge Facebook and give those guys a run for their money, but we can only surmise as to how the search engine giant actually intends to do it. Maybe with these investments in social gaming, we’ll find out soon enough.

Source – dailyfinance.com