Mafia Wars has pulled in 4 million

by Alexander Sliwinski { Jul 2nd 2009 at 11:15PM }

Mafia Wars, the free web-based game on social media networks (and iPhone), has over 4 million players. Gamasutra reports that Zynga has doubled the number of daily players in the last three months. Zynga makes its money off microtransactions within games and believes the title is on its way to becoming "a cult classic."

That's not the only good news for Zynga lately. The company recently hired veteran game designer Brian Reynolds (Alpha Centauri, Rise of Nations) to fill the roll of "chief designer." Zynga is building itself quite the little empire.

Tags: mafia-wars, zynga

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

MystileArmor @ Jul 2nd 2009 11:20PM

Honestly it's a shitty game that people sign up for cause they're addicted to Myspace and the likes and have nothing to do while waiting in between sending messages.

There I said it.

ArchiGamer @ Jul 2nd 2009 11:23PM

And boy I'm glad you did, because we all known it's true.

Rhamsey @ Jul 3rd 2009 12:17AM

i dont social network, so ive honestly never heard of this game. but if thats all it is, congrats to the developers on cashing in on those addicts, seemed like a wasted opportunity to me.
ive also heard that people spend real money to send gifts to people on social networking sites.

phr3qu3ncy441 @ Jul 2nd 2009 11:21PM

i'm rather impressed at how popular this game got. i've never played it but i would see so many newsfeeds on my facebook about it.

this actually kinda reminds me of the old games on the ti-83... like drug wars.

MaliceMajorE15 @ Jul 2nd 2009 11:23PM

if im honest i prefer Mob Wars on facebook. it requires not interaction with other players other than to attack them

MystileArmor @ Jul 2nd 2009 11:43PM

Mob Wars/Mafia Wars = Same difference.

dark_inchworm (on Steam!) dark inchworm (on XBL!) @ Jul 3rd 2009 4:15AM

What if you're lying?

MaliceMajorE15 @ Jul 3rd 2009 6:53AM

Mob wars is different people. you cant give people items as gifts. and you can hardly even interact with people that are in your mob. im sorry to have offended you people with my personal preference.

sony boy @ Jul 2nd 2009 11:28PM

never heard of it. what is it??

JoeTheBlow @ Jul 3rd 2009 5:37AM

Some say that its like playing an old skool text based RPG, where the characters around you are real people.
I say its about as much fun as playing with a spreadsheet.
*goes back to Fieldrunners*

Jawmuncher @ Jul 2nd 2009 11:29PM

Seriously I cant stand this game like MystileArmor said people basically play it when there sitting on myspace of facebook with nothing to do.

Unlike me when I have nothing to do on the computer I get up and go play some vieo games from the big 3

CH3BURASHKA @ Jul 2nd 2009 11:55PM

I'm not a Facebook friend whore, so it's getting progressively harder as my Mafia of 2 has to go up against Mafias of 100's.

Tegolin @ Jul 3rd 2009 12:00AM

Wait...People play that game?
Whats next Rock Hero Jona Buddies 2?

rTwelve @ Jul 3rd 2009 12:11AM

That sounds like something from the podcast's "Guess the Real Nintendo Game" from a while back......

Rhamsey @ Jul 3rd 2009 12:18AM

someone at activision just went "Fucking Brilliant"

HappyFunBall @ Jul 3rd 2009 12:10AM

"fill the roll"

Wouldn't they need a baker or chef for that? :)

Matt @ Jul 3rd 2009 12:13AM

Apparently, they're going to build a new studio in Baltimore, about a 45 minute drive from me. i was excited (game studios near come in at about 3, 2 of which are too far away) until I read the shitty list of games they're responsible for. No wonder I never heard of them.

Danny @ Jul 3rd 2009 12:22AM

iMob Online is better.

MystileArmor @ Jul 3rd 2009 12:25AM

You probably meant to say "is less shitty"

ToTheMoon @ Jul 3rd 2009 9:45AM

Also, don't forget the other clone - iMobsters. :) You have to give credit to all the copycats!

Danny @ Jul 3rd 2009 10:53AM

Imob was one of the irst one te app store, and it runs way better than the others

Sly @ Jul 3rd 2009 12:27AM

mafia wars on facebook is decent enough. i'm just surprised that people pay for godfather points (the only things available for purchase). i mean, you get them every time you level up, is it that hard to wait to collect some?

E.P. @ Jul 3rd 2009 2:54AM

OK, I'll be the first to say I love this game! Good way to pass the time while @ work.

sup3rmyk @ Sep 7th 2009 10:23PM

Same here :) I really love this game ;)

-----------------------------------------------------------
Mafia Wars Addicts
http://mafia-wars.mysoftwareshop.com

Nickytetlow @ Jul 3rd 2009 3:42AM

Zynga, you can't call you're own work "a cult classic".

The game itself is utter crap. The entire thing hinges on you having a lot of friends who play mafia wars who are in your "mafia". If you don't have a lot of friends who play it: You're kinda screwed, as you become easy pickings for the people who have 100s of people in their mafia.

And no matter how much money you earn from jobs, it gets taken away from you in less than an hour.

Screw you, Zynga.

Deezul @ Jul 3rd 2009 10:01AM

Glad to see someone admit he has no friends. Haha.

Sly @ Jul 3rd 2009 1:42PM

"And no matter how much money you earn from jobs, it gets taken away from you in less than an hour."

that's why they have a bank. idiot.

mr mobius @ Jul 3rd 2009 7:43AM

Texas Hold'em poker is my choice of Facebook procrastination (though apparently only during times when I've a lot of work to do). Half of my friend list seems to have this app though.

Nozzinja @ Jul 3rd 2009 10:21AM

I'm gonna be honest here. I only signed up because i was getting fed up of the barrage of invites to the damn game on facebook.
Everytime i log on to Facebook (not often tbh) I find ive saved someone from death or won a fight!?! WTF.. i didn't even play.

Seriously tho with the spam barrage of "[INSERT NAME] has invited you to join..." im in no way suprised to see its reached 4 million.

Nickytetlow @ Jul 3rd 2009 4:55PM

@sly

I apologize for not being clearer in my original post. I did put money into my bank of Mafia Wars, when i was referring to losing money, i was talking about the repair costs of the properties. Any money that was earned during jobs was used to fix the properties and i ended up with less and less money progressively.