While I"m not a fan of their data collection, I have to admire zynga. They've managed to build and execute a solid recipe for games. (Notice they haven't experimented with new core game concepts). This is an excellent strategy, there's a HUGE backlog of game ideas from the 90's to steal from without taking real innovation risk. As a business, I love it. As an artist, It's derivative and boring.
Which is the problem with EA also. They found a recipe that works (create sports game x, create x+1, x+2, create franchise movie game and have gotten so entrenched in it and the surrounding market chain that they can't change. This is a risk for zynga in a few years time. But in the meantime they should milk it for all it's worth.
Personally though, I'll be playing sim city rather than cityville,
Which is the problem with EA also. They found a recipe that works (create sports game x, create x+1, x+2, create franchise movie game and have gotten so entrenched in it and the surrounding market chain that they can't change. This is a risk for zynga in a few years time. But in the meantime they should milk it for all it's worth.
Personally though, I'll be playing sim city rather than cityville,