Zynga’s at it again with another virtual world game, PetVille, which lets users raise a pet. If it sounds familiar, that’s because it’s extremely similar to Playfish’s most popular game, Pet Society. Zynga now has competing applications to most of Playfish’s top games and they don’t appear to be stopping. You might as well call Zynga a “social gaming factory” as they continue to roll out one game after the other, all of which have similar game dynamics.
Just two weeks ago the company announced that they had surpassed 100 million monthly unique visitors, which means their average user plays at least two Zynga games a month. For now the company is focused on using similar game dynamics which is essentially simple virtual worlds in which users manage an owned property or character and build out a custom environment around the characters or properties.
Revenue is then generated via the sale of virtual goods. The business model is sound but the question is how long can Zynga rely on this single game dynamic? It appears that the model is working extremely well as the company has outperformed all other Facebook application developers. While there may not be much of an incentive to change strategies, I can only imagine that a diversification of game algorithms would reduce their risk, if not add value to their existing portfolio.
For the time being, the current game dynamic works and FishVille, which the company recently launched has already grown to over 22.9 million monthly active users in under a month. With that sort of success, there’s little incentive for Zynga to shift their game plan. Now the only question is whether or not PetVille will experience the same success that the company’s last few games have experience. There’s a good chance it will.
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The pet might as well be named "copy cat."
Comment by Rod Foglio — December 4, 2009 @ 4:32 pm
So what do you think about Zynga's changes to Mafia Wars? Specifically, the requirement to allow 3rd party cookies for the game to work at all, and the addition of the iesnare cookie/tracking apparatus? Lot of unhappy campers on those forums.
Comment by hoatzin — December 5, 2009 @ 4:33 am
i doubt it.
Comment by Facebook User — December 5, 2009 @ 8:04 pm
If Zynga actually came up with a game concept that isn't a ripoff of someone else's already successful game, I think I'd die of shock.
Comment by Kate Shaffer Trujill — December 6, 2009 @ 7:28 am
what's next humanville, sportville, robotville…. I mean … it's time to be more creative than that or it's the end very soon….
Comment by Ricky — December 6, 2009 @ 12:57 pm
Soooo…. you're saying PetSociety isn't a rip-off of Nintendo's Animal Crossing/Nintendogs?!… or Biggest Brain didn't copy Brain Age? I'm fed up with ignorant crybabies.
Most entertainment is made up of recycled and rehashed ideas. The question is who's doing it best?… and plus there's always room for healthy competition. If you don't think so, go write some complaint letters to Coca-Cola about how they're ripping off Pepsi.
I love both Playfish AND Zynga games… but currently, I'm loving Petville! lol. Sorry to say that the graphics and animation can't be touched.
Comment by Joey — December 6, 2009 @ 10:38 pm
no puedo accesar al juego el dia de hoy y veo que otros pueden, puedo entrar a todas las demas, alguien puede ayudarme porfa.
Comment by esther — December 23, 2009 @ 2:29 pm
Zynga has made another “copycat” game. Petville and Pet Society are basically the same thing, and imagine what could be next of Zynga.. bowlingville, golfville, planetville? Zynga needs to start thinking of it’s own ideas and STOP copying other games… Farm Town turned into Farmville, Restaurant City turned into Cafe World, now Pet Society turns into Petville. Zynga has no creativity whatsoever. Bothers me sometimes…
Comment by Megan — January 3, 2010 @ 4:32 pm
yes, ok, petville and farmville etc are copies, but they are better copies than the original thats why they have much more active monthly users that any other facebook application group, and i personally much prefer them to their original makers.
Comment by Chris — January 22, 2010 @ 2:28 am
I love Petvile so much.
I am 11 years old. I just wanna say that PETVILLE IS HELL COOL
Comment by Jessica — January 28, 2010 @ 4:01 pm
Petville is stupid. Pet Society is way better, since you can actually DO STUFF there.
Zynga almost only features the farmville mechanics of "planting" something, say the food in petville, then "harvesting" it a couple of hours later…
The graphics may be better, but it has no heart and soul.
The Pet society features like cooking, petlings, your own garden, fishing and the trading with friends (the trade concept being almost completely absent in any Zynga game), killed Petville to me.
The same applies to Restaurant City / Café World, Mafia Wars / Gangster City and Farmville / Country Story.
The only social part in Zynga games is, that you are forced to add friends in order to be successful in your game, whereas in Playfish games, you just need them for trading or help ingame.
Comment by Mercurio Maudlinfae — February 18, 2010 @ 1:51 pm
i think petville is quite fun nd i like it so if you dont like it then be a bitch fuker
Comment by sarah — February 18, 2010 @ 2:54 pm
pet ville
Comment by Thais Oliveira — February 27, 2010 @ 7:13 am
I don't agree with the phrase copy cat. It was really is a improvement of the game Pet Society. I played the game and it was awful. Im ,truly glade PetVille was created. Unfortunately I deleted my PetVille Application and I'm so upset about loosing my pet Sweetie. It was a enjoyable experience getting in touch with my creative decorating side of me. I wish would have became a fan. Sincerely PetVille admirer Deborah Salazar proud owner of Sweetie.
Comment by Deborah Hill — March 4, 2010 @ 10:52 pm
i love this game
i love petville
add me be neighbors
Comment by bima sabbihisma — March 10, 2010 @ 9:14 pm
This is the best and the easiest way to play.
Comment by Arnel Palma — March 13, 2010 @ 6:47 am
please put back again my applications on petville bec. i want to play it again plssssssssssssssss…….
Comment by lheani — March 17, 2010 @ 9:59 am
@ Deborah Hill.If you accidentally delete the application, your data will remain intact for 60 days after doing so. Your Pet should be fine.
Comment by Alacrity — March 18, 2010 @ 9:05 pm
love this but i am fed up with the errors on this page which stop me doing things i need to do can you help thank you
Comment by ebrock — March 27, 2010 @ 4:05 pm
PetVille zynga is the BEST GAME ever…… I really LOVE this game, Promise!!. So I encourage you to join and play this game. Love it. Congrats My Zynga Games (PetVille) your the BEST among the REST. LOVE YAH…… More power.
Comment by michelle aquino — April 5, 2010 @ 11:16 pm
y is it not playing
Comment by Salomi John — April 13, 2010 @ 5:22 am
my living room is unable to change the floor from wood. can't be changed to anything!! please help… been like that for months
Comment by jessica — June 8, 2010 @ 9:28 pm