WSJ: Google to incorporate games to social networking service
Published July 29, 2010
Rumors that Google is developing a social network gained some credibility earlier today, as the Wall Street Journal reports the search giant is courting social game developers for the platform.
Google has entered in discussions with several top game studios, such as FarmVille developer Zynga, to offer their games on its platform. According to the Journal's sources, these games will be integrated into a larger social networking initiative that Google is working on.
In June, several unconfirmed reports arose that indicated Google was developing a social networking site, called Google Me. Kevin Rose, cofounder of Digg, tweeted that Google was working on a Facebook competitor, while former Facebook executive Adam D'Angelo wrote on Quora that Google Me "is not a rumor. This is a real project. There are a large number of people working on it."
Social games have grown tremendously popular among consumers, with FarmVille in particular attracting more than 80 million players in May. As a result, social games are often incorporated into digital marketing strategies. For example, DMNews reports that brands like Green Giant include vouchers for in-game goods with their products.