According to Josh Quittner, Hasbro may actually be shutting down the insanely popular Facebook application, Scrabulous. They must be one of the dumbest companies to make such a horrible decision. I have a better idea: acquire Scrabulous. The developers of the application took the time to build the app and profited a minor amount. Eliminating Scrabulous from the applications will surely cause an overall decrease in the site’s traffic.
Yesterday alone there was a whopping 569,206 users on the application. That ranks it the ninth most popular application yesterday. I am willing to bet that the Scrabulous revolt will go far beyong the Beacon revolt that started in the blogosphere. I have to wonder why it took so long for Hasbro to take any action. The application has been accused of violating copywright law for months but now the developers have officially received a letter from Hasbro.
According to Techcrunch, the discussion is now taking place among the lawyers. Are you one of the many Scrabulous users? Do you think we will see a mass exodus from Facebook if the Scrabulous team can’t defeat Hasbro?
![[Inside Social Apps 2012]](http://www.allfacebook.com/wordpress/wp-content/themes/allfacebook2/images/ISA2012_336x100_F_RegisterNow.gif)
![[AllFacebook Stats: Facebook Analytics for Your Business]](http://www.allfacebook.com/wordpress/wp-content/themes/allfacebook2/images/stpro_allfacebookstats.gif)
![[How can Facebook change your business?]](http://www.allfacebook.com/wordpress/wp-content/themes/allfacebook2/images/FMB_A_MAY2011_336x100_F.gif)
I'm playing Scrabulous right now! It was the first game application I added. I spend at least half my time on Facebook playing Scrabulous games – with coworkers, friends from high school, my fiance, even my little brother. Hasbro should absolutely acquire Scrabulous instead of shut it down. It would be much better for their reputation to acquire the popular app than to shut it down and make users angry. After all, these are probably people that play the board game Scrabble. I know I do.
Comment by Christine — January 11, 2008 @ 11:46 am
RABBLE RABBLE RABBLE RABBLE!Even the facebook staff loves scrabulous.Maybe they can send some of their magic legal team over
Comment by Jonathan Kleiman — January 11, 2008 @ 11:54 am
this could destroy the company they don't realize what they're doing. they're the metallica of facebook!
Comment by Jonathan Kleiman — January 11, 2008 @ 11:55 am
Of course Scrabulous is a clear copyright violation, but something lots of people would hate to see eliminated because it is so much fun.I think Hasbro is faced with two bad choices – shutting Scrabulous down, or buying it. Both are likely to have negative impacts on their bottom line – they would have been much better off had Scrabulous never existed. But of the choices now available, buying it has to be the better one. Companies don't prosper by hurting the good will of their customers.
Comment by Victoria Pickering — January 11, 2008 @ 12:41 pm
I'm playing Scrabulous right now! It was the first game application I added. I spend at least half my time on Facebook playing Scrabulous games – with coworkers, friends from high school, my fiance, even my little brother.
Hasbro should absolutely acquire Scrabulous instead of shut it down. It would be much better for their reputation to acquire the popular app than to shut it down and make users angry. After all, these are probably people that play the board game Scrabble. I know I do.
Comment by Christine — January 11, 2008 @ 12:46 pm
RABBLE RABBLE RABBLE RABBLE!
Even the facebook staff loves scrabulous.
Maybe they can send some of their magic legal team over
Comment by Jonathan Kleiman — January 11, 2008 @ 12:54 pm
this could destroy the company they don't realize what they're doing.
they're the metallica of facebook!
Comment by Jonathan Kleiman — January 11, 2008 @ 12:55 pm
God, people are so STUPID…Can't they ever leave a good thing alone?
Comment by Mimzy — January 11, 2008 @ 1:14 pm
Of course Scrabulous is a clear copyright violation, but something lots of people would hate to see eliminated because it is so much fun.
I think Hasbro is faced with two bad choices – shutting Scrabulous down, or buying it. Both are likely to have negative impacts on their bottom line – they would have been much better off had Scrabulous never existed. But of the choices now available, buying it has to be the better one. Companies don't prosper by hurting the good will of their customers.
Comment by Victoria Pickering — January 11, 2008 @ 1:41 pm
Maybe they still plan to buy it. Sending a letter just shows that they're "serious" and will shut it down otherwise. So they can offer far less than the application is really worth.
Comment by David — January 11, 2008 @ 1:42 pm
This will have zero impact on users member status with facebook. Its just another app. Move on people.
Comment by Lee — January 11, 2008 @ 1:43 pm
Oh dear I can see a Hasbro boycott coming…
Comment by leon — January 11, 2008 @ 2:09 pm
God, people are so STUPID…
Can't they ever leave a good thing alone?
Comment by Mimzy — January 11, 2008 @ 2:14 pm
Maybe they still plan to buy it. Sending a letter just shows that they're "serious" and will shut it down otherwise. So they can offer far less than the application is really worth.
Comment by David — January 11, 2008 @ 2:42 pm
"I think Hasbro is faced with two bad choices – shutting Scrabulous down, or buying it. Both are likely to have negative impacts on their bottom line – they would have been much better off had Scrabulous never existed."I disagree on this point. An acquisition would not necessarily result in a hit to their bottom line – at least not in the long term. Scrabulous would definitely be a valuable asset. From the response shown even here in this post, it's no secret it's popular. Hasbro could feed branding and propoganda to 569,206 users every single day (provided Scabulous' users use it everyday). These are hardcore loyal fans of the game. Why throw that away?Money can always be moved around. They can justify a buyout as a marketing expense.
Comment by Jeremy Lim — January 11, 2008 @ 2:56 pm
"I think Hasbro is faced with two bad choices – shutting Scrabulous down, or buying it. Both are likely to have negative impacts on their bottom line – they would have been much better off had Scrabulous never existed."
I disagree on this point. An acquisition would not necessarily result in a hit to their bottom line – at least not in the long term. Scrabulous would definitely be a valuable asset.
From the response shown even here in this post, it's no secret it's popular. Hasbro could feed branding and propoganda to 569,206 users every single day (provided Scabulous' users use it everyday). These are hardcore loyal fans of the game. Why throw that away?
Money can always be moved around. They can justify a buyout as a marketing expense.
Comment by Jeremy Lim — January 11, 2008 @ 3:56 pm
This will have zero impact on users member status with facebook. Its just another app. Move on people.
Comment by Lee — January 11, 2008 @ 5:43 pm
Oh dear I can see a Hasbro boycott coming…
Comment by leon — January 11, 2008 @ 6:09 pm
Let's see. Identify someone famous. Build something successful entirely based on their fame. Then say "pay me off or lose your fans." This is called extortion. It doesn't matter how much work you put into it, it is illegal.
Comment by Tom — January 11, 2008 @ 9:30 pm
Let's see. Identify someone famous. Build something successful entirely based on their fame. Then say "pay me off or lose your fans." This is called extortion. It doesn't matter how much work you put into it, it is illegal.
Comment by Tom — January 11, 2008 @ 10:30 pm
[...] Yesterday alone there was a whopping 569,206 users on the application. That ranks it the ninth most … [...]
Pingback by Scrabulous to go or not to go, that is the question. « The Daily Tech — January 12, 2008 @ 4:03 am
They don't need to buy it, you dopes. If this goes to court, they'll win and take from the developers as part of the judgment. (Or maybe even as part of a settlement before there's a judgment.)On the other hand, if they buy it, they just encourage people to do this to them over and over and over, copying their games.Seriously, Nick: You idea is stupid and naive.
Comment by Michael Bauser — January 12, 2008 @ 2:23 pm
They don't need to buy it, you dopes. If this goes to court, they'll win and take from the developers as part of the judgment. (Or maybe even as part of a settlement before there's a judgment.)
On the other hand, if they buy it, they just encourage people to do this to them over and over and over, copying their games.
Seriously, Nick: You idea is stupid and naive.
Comment by Michael Bauser — January 12, 2008 @ 3:23 pm
scrabulous is facebook's killer app for me. if it was taken offline, i'd probably stop visiting facebook at all – certainly on a daily basis – if not hourly – basis.Scrabulous has also resulted in me playing more real-world Scrabble, so Hasbro have a clear interest in preserving it. Equally, I can understand them wanting to challenge the makers of the app. It's a clear copyright infringement.They should settle ahead of going to court and take over the operation of it. They might even find jobs for its developers, without advertising the fact.
Comment by dan light — January 13, 2008 @ 1:04 pm
scrabulous is facebook's killer app for me. if it was taken offline, i'd probably stop visiting facebook at all – certainly on a daily basis – if not hourly – basis.
Scrabulous has also resulted in me playing more real-world Scrabble, so Hasbro have a clear interest in preserving it. Equally, I can understand them wanting to challenge the makers of the app. It's a clear copyright infringement.
They should settle ahead of going to court and take over the operation of it. They might even find jobs for its developers, without advertising the fact.
Comment by dan light — January 13, 2008 @ 2:04 pm
What they're doing is stealing, even if it is successful. It's like Napster… something's gotta give. In fact, if Hasbro doesn't enforce their copyrights, they could end up LOSING them across the board. You've got to enforce your rights if you want to keep your marks.
Comment by Eddie — January 13, 2008 @ 10:09 pm
What they're doing is stealing, even if it is successful. It's like Napster… something's gotta give. In fact, if Hasbro doesn't enforce their copyrights, they could end up LOSING them across the board. You've got to enforce your rights if you want to keep your marks.
Comment by Eddie — January 13, 2008 @ 11:09 pm
[...] of now the application is still up and running but as I reported last week, the game may be soon shut down. So far no actions have been made and as it currently appears, this [...]
Pingback by Will Facebook Cave on Scrabulous? - The Unofficial Facebook Blog — January 16, 2008 @ 9:18 am
heh you blatantly violate copyright and you get shut down. That is the LAW. Hasbro should sue Scrabulous and Facebook into the ground.
Comment by Big J Man — July 29, 2008 @ 5:02 am
heh you blatantly violate copyright and you get shut down. That is the LAW. Hasbro should sue Scrabulous and Facebook into the ground.
Comment by Big J Man — July 29, 2008 @ 9:02 am
I miss scrabulous so much!!! Hasboro please buy scrabulous it is my all time favorite game! I have been looking for it every where. Bring it back!!!!!!
Comment by Debbie — October 14, 2008 @ 11:53 am