Sep 30, 2011
Pop stars are lining up to make their debut in Facebook games from online game maker Zynga. First came Dr. Dre and Lady Gaga. Next week, an avatar of singer Enrique Iglesias will join "CityVille," Zynga's most popular title.
Starting Tuesday, "CityVille" players on Facebook will be able to interact with Iglesias's character when he visits their cities. They'll get to collect items the singer is known for and watch previews of his newest music video.
"CityVille," which is available on Facebook and the fledgling Google Plus, lets players build up and run virtual cities complete with farms, buildings and all sorts of infrastructure one would find in a real city. The game is free to play; Zynga makes money by charging for virtual items players use to decorate their cities and to get ahead in the game. The Iglesias tie-in will be available only on the Facebook version of the game.
"It's the first time Zynga has had such an entertainer being an integral part of the game," said Scott Koenigsberg, director of business strategy for "CityVille at Zynga.
"CityVille," which is available on Facebook and the fledgling Google Plus, lets players build up and run virtual cities complete with farms, buildings and all sorts of infrastructure one would find in a real city. The game is free to play; Zynga makes money by charging for virtual items players use to decorate their cities and to get ahead in the game. The Iglesias tie-in will be available only on the Facebook version of the game.
"It's the first time Zynga has had such an entertainer being an integral part of the game," said Scott Koenigsberg, director of business strategy for "CityVille at Zynga.
"CityVille" has more than 71 million monthly users, compared with more than 62 million for "The Sims Social." Facebook, meanwhile, has more than 800 million monthly users worldwide.
In addition to the Iglesias avatar and special items, the game will feature a new single featuring rapper Pitbull, "I Like How It Feels." Players will also be able to unlock a building called "Euphoria Arena" — referring to Iglesias' current tour and album. The virtual arena will stay in their cities even after the Iglesias promotion ends on Oct. 10.
Iglesias said it was important to interact with fans, especially younger ones, in new ways especially with the problems facing recording companies. That's where social media comes in.
Zynga's first musician tie-in was in 2010, when "Mafia Wars" players could unlock Dr. Dre-inspired virtual items and stream a music video.This year, Lady Gaga released new songs on "FarmVille."
In addition to the Iglesias avatar and special items, the game will feature a new single featuring rapper Pitbull, "I Like How It Feels." Players will also be able to unlock a building called "Euphoria Arena" — referring to Iglesias' current tour and album. The virtual arena will stay in their cities even after the Iglesias promotion ends on Oct. 10.
Iglesias said it was important to interact with fans, especially younger ones, in new ways especially with the problems facing recording companies. That's where social media comes in.
Zynga's first musician tie-in was in 2010, when "Mafia Wars" players could unlock Dr. Dre-inspired virtual items and stream a music video.This year, Lady Gaga released new songs on "FarmVille."
