What Are Social Network Website Games?

As suggested, these are games that are played online through social media networks. They are mostly operated on multiplayer gameplay mechanics. When these games first started becoming popular, they were played as browser games that could mainly be accessed on a computer. As the penetration of smartphones grew, the social networking gaming developers started penetrating the mobile market. One of the first forms of mobile gaming on social networks was seen on Facebook in 2011. There are millions of players on social network games, and some of the popular games include Happy Farm, Farmville, CityVille, Mafia Wars, YoVille, GreenPatch, and Mob Wars.

Revolution of Social Network Website Games

Ever since games such as Farmville took over social media, there was a growth of social network games as more gaming companies shifted to tap into the growing numbers on social networks. Some of the big gaming providers such as Nintendo, Naughty Dog and Blizzard have launched many games. Even online casinos have caught on the trend and are cashing in on the numbers on social media networks. A visit to any popular gaming website will show a deliberate switch from traditional gaming to social network gaming. Even though the games that were first launched on social media like FarmVille have slowly lost popularity, it does not take away from the fact that they revolutionized online gaming.

How Developers of Games on Social Media Make Money

• Pop up ads: Some of the popular games on social media such as “Scrabble for Facebook” have several pop up ads that show up in the middle of the games. The advertisers pay for these ads to be strategically placed within the game.
• Charging for upgrades or special features: Some of the games have a feature where they request virtual currency that is paid using real money whenever one wants to upgrade or use special features that are embedded within the games.
• Sponsorship: Some of the game developers reach out to a sponsor such as the big corporate companies and ask them to sponsor placement on a game on social networking websites.
• Asking players to share: In some games that are on social network websites, the players are asked to share the game with their followers first before they are allowed to play. The more numbers a game has, the more adverts it is likely to make, and the increased traffic is also good for gaming companies that want to attract users to their site.

Why Social Network Gaming Is Gaining Popularity?

Some of the reasons why people prefer social media gaming include:

• It is convenient: Having a platform where users can play their favourite game and at the same time get some other form of entertainment that social networking brings is one of the top reasons why these games are popular.
• Low cost: people love free things, and the fact that they do not have to pay to play social networking games is a welcome relief to most of them. Even though some of the games require a certain payment, it is not so high.
• Less violence: Most games that are approved on social networks are less violent compared to the ones that are all over the internet. They are safe enough for young people.
• Easy to play: Another reason for the popularity of these games is because they are relatively easy to play and grasp.