Joystiq http://www.joystiq.com Joystiq http://www.joystiq.com/media/feedlogo.gif Joystiq http://www.joystiq.com en-us Copyright 2008 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/Scrabulous disabled for US, Canadian Facebook usershttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/29/scrabulous-disabled-for-us-canadian-facebook-users/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/29/scrabulous-disabled-for-us-canadian-facebook-users/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/29/scrabulous-disabled-for-us-canadian-facebook-users/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Hoping to make a comeback with that 365-point quixotry play in Scrabulous? US and Canadian Facebook users were likely dismayed to find out this week that Scrabulous has been disabled. The region-specific lock likely has to do with Hasbro's license for all Scrabble video games, which is for US and Canada only (Mattel owns the rights for the rest of the world). In the interim, you can always play the official Scrabble Facebook app care of Electronic Arts, although it lacks the panache of the seemingly now-defunct Scrabulous.

[Thanks, Andrew B]

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]]>eaelectronic-artsfacebookhasbromattelscrabblescrabulousRoss Miller2008-07-29T12:15:00+00:00EA launches Scrabble on Pogo, coming to Facebook this monthhttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/07/ea-launches-scrabble-on-pogo-coming-to-facebook-this-month/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/07/ea-launches-scrabble-on-pogo-coming-to-facebook-this-month/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/07/ea-launches-scrabble-on-pogo-coming-to-facebook-this-month/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Electronic Arts is looking to take on the biggest Scrabble clone on Facebook with -- what else? -- an officially licensed version of Scrabble. A free online edition of of the bombastic board game is available now on Pogo, with a Facebook version coming "later this month," according a press release. The application would go up against reigning champ Scrabulous, which despite litigation threats is still alive and kicking.

The press release also confirmed that "many more Hasbro game properties in development and slated to launch on social networking sites later this year." Boggle knockoffs, beware!

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]]>eaelectronic-artsfacebookhasbropogoscrabblescrabulousRoss Miller2008-07-07T17:57:00+00:00McCain campaign releases facebook game: Pork Invadershttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/06/21/mccain-campaign-releases-facebook-game-pork-invaders/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/06/21/mccain-campaign-releases-facebook-game-pork-invaders/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/06/21/mccain-campaign-releases-facebook-game-pork-invaders/#commentsFiled under: , ,


While most of our time on popular social networking site Facebook is spent trying to impress our cohorts with our favorite bands and films or attempting to propel porpoises into the far reaches of the spiral galaxy, we recently took notice of a new application added by Republican presidential hopeful John McCain's campaign staff: a simple flash game titled Pork Invaders, an obvious parody of the similarly titled arcade classic.

Don't mistake the game's title to mean the Arizona senator harbors any disdain for unkosher meats -- rather, the act of firing vetoes at familiar patterns of descending pigs symbolizes the candidate's contempt for pork barrel spending -- the earmarking of funds for seemingly unnecessary projects. It's not a particularly good game, though it is worth noting when the U.S.'s prospective new leaders enter the intimidating world of game development. We hope for a swift response from the presumptive Democratic candidate's campaign -- Obomberman, perhaps?

[Via GamePolitics]

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]]>candidateelectionfacebookjohn-mccainmccainporkpork-invadersporkinvaderspresidentspace-invadersGriffin McElroy2008-06-21T15:30:00+00:00Make friends with 'Wii Friend Number' Facebook apphttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/06/06/make-friends-with-wii-friend-number-facebook-app/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/06/06/make-friends-with-wii-friend-number-facebook-app/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/06/06/make-friends-with-wii-friend-number-facebook-app/#commentsFiled under:


Forget about complicated telephone mnemonic devices to help you remember your sixteen-digit Wii friend code. Heck, forget about Joystiq's own lists of reader friend codes. As is often the case, where Nintendo hasn't offered a suitable solution for online gaming, gamers make their own and Sam Lu's Wii Friend Number app on Facebook is as good a solution as we've seen.

You already use Facebook to keep in touch with your pals, so rolling your console number as well as your game specific numbers (ugh) into your profile is smart thinking. Matchmaking you with your pals that have the same games, that's even smarter. Add the app and let us know if you agree in the comments.

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]]>FacebookChristopher Grant2008-06-06T05:01:00+00:00Social networking sites as market research for gameshttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/06/social-networking-sites-as-market-research-for-games/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/06/social-networking-sites-as-market-research-for-games/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/06/social-networking-sites-as-market-research-for-games/#commentsFiled under: ,


Chances are, you're on one (or all) of the major social networking sites out there -- MySpace and Facebook, being the two that stand out most. Vancouver-based Gnosis Games wants to utilize the time spent on these sites towards developing retail video games. Already, it plans on bringing one of its casual Flash-based games to the Wii. Candy Arcade is a (shock!) collection of sugar-themed mini-games.

Facebook has allowed Gnosis Games to share a small taste of these games, such as the surprisingly addictive "Sugar Blitz" (pictured, above). Not only does the application offer organic word-of-mouth marketing for the team, it gives them valuable feedback on what players like and dislike. Yes, the comments and Wall posts offer good clues, but Facebook's tracking tools offer even more insight into the habits of gamers. Through the Facebook application, Gnosis can see how players find the game, how long they play, and where they go within the application. If a cheap Flash-based game does well on Facebook, will it translate to retail success? That's what Gnosis is hoping for.

Plans for integration with social networking sites goes beyond simple market research data. The community encourages competition and bragging. Imagine if unlocking an achievement in the retail game unlocked avatars for display on one's Facebook page. The Xbox 360 Live Gamercard application already has us showcasing our conquest for more Gamerscore. The interaction between social networking and video game marketing has only begun -- expect it to become prolific as more marketing teams jump on board.

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]]>candy-arcadefacebookgnosis-gamesmyspaceAndrew Yoon2008-05-06T12:15:00+00:00Kongregate to bring its service to Facebookhttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/06/kongregate-to-bring-its-service-to-facebook/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/06/kongregate-to-bring-its-service-to-facebook/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/06/kongregate-to-bring-its-service-to-facebook/#commentsFiled under: ,


We don't talk about it a lot, but we have a secret love for online Flash service Kongregate. Not only does it offer achievements (truly the only good reason to play games) but it's brought us Flash obsessions like the soul- and time-sucking behemoth that is Desktop Tower Defense.

Now, the service is expanding into one of our other, even more secreter, loves with the Kongregate Facebook Challenge application. Though the features are limited at the moment, you'll soon be able to challenge friends to games through the Facebook service. You know, because the internet just wasn't distracting enough.

[Via 1UP]

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]]>facebookkongregateJustin McElroy2008-05-06T09:55:00+00:00Weekly Webcomic Wrapup is unproductivehttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/04/28/weekly-webcomic-wrapup-is-unproductive/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/04/28/weekly-webcomic-wrapup-is-unproductive/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/04/28/weekly-webcomic-wrapup-is-unproductive/#commentsFiled under: , ,


Click to embiggen
We'd like to blame other activities peripheral to Joystiq for the delay in Weekly Webcomic Wrapup (for this writer, it's academia), but really, it's Facebook Chat's fault. Note the chart above for proof (yes, infallible proof we say, with tongue, as always, firmly in cheek). Here are our picks for the week's best game-related webcomics; polling after the break.

Weekly Webcomic Wrapup: April 28, 2008

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]]>facebookfacebook-chatwebcomicRoss Miller2008-04-28T01:30:00+00:00Official Scrabble app 'launches' on Facebook, unplayable in North Americahttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/04/08/official-scrabble-app-launches-on-facebook-unplayable-in-nort/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/04/08/official-scrabble-app-launches-on-facebook-unplayable-in-nort/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/04/08/official-scrabble-app-launches-on-facebook-unplayable-in-nort/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


The official Scrabble Facebook application has recently launched, but don't expect the Scrabulous boys to be shaking in their word-savvy boots anytime soon. Copyright issues prevent the game from being played in the US and Canada, and numerous game-breaking bugs make it only slightly more playable everywhere else.

The region-locking is due to the confusing state of Scrabble's international copyright. In the majority of the world, toy manufacturer Mattel owns the rights to the game, but in North America, that honor goes to Hasbro. Everything would be honky dory with the Facebook version, except that EA already has an agreement with Hasbro to distribute digital versions of their titles, which the RealNetworks-developed Facebook app would be in breach of if Scrabble were playable in North America.

Fortunately, North Americans apparently aren't missing much: the game is currently suffering from the "beta blues", with its woefully-small user base already up in arms on the discussion boards over some usability issues, as well as the system's penchant for deleting in-progress games. Nothing beats the real thing, right?

[Via Purple Pawn]

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]]>facebookhasbromattelscrabblescrabulousScott Jon Siegel2008-04-08T21:00:00+00:00Scrabulous under fire from Hasbro, Mattelhttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/01/17/scrabulous-under-fire-from-hasbro-mattel/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/01/17/scrabulous-under-fire-from-hasbro-mattel/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/01/17/scrabulous-under-fire-from-hasbro-mattel/#commentsFiled under: ,


With 2.3 million active users, Scrabulous has become the Facebook application of choice for linguaphiles and procrastinators unlike. Unfortunately for its many, many fans, Scrabble publisher Hasbro has become a bit grumpy over the success of the free, unofficial clone of its bestselling game. CNN's Fortune blog reports that Hasbro's been trying to pull the plug, requesting that the web and Facebook versions of the clone be removed.

Hasbro owns all distribution rights for Scrabble in the United States. Mattel, who owns the rights for all other parts of the world, has only recently joined in the fight, placing further pressure on Scrabulous' developers, who are based out of Calcutta.

At the moment, EA currently has a contract deal with Hasbro to develop and distribute digital versions of its games, including Scrabble. One commenter on CNN's post, who claims to represent Hasbro, stated that EA is currently developing a digital version of Scrabble, and that Scrabulous' execution raised heads after being strikingly similar to the version in production. Whether or not this is true, we hope that some sort of agreement can be reached that can keep the Facebook app afloat.

Read - "Will someone please start a Facebook group to save Scrabulous?" [CNN Fortune]
Read - "Facebook asked by Mattel to remove Scrabulous" [CNet]

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]]>eaea-gamesfacebookhasbromattelscrabblescrabulousScott Jon Siegel2008-01-17T08:00:00+00:00Mass Effect characters looking for friends on Facebookhttp://www.joystiq.com/2007/10/19/mass-effect-characters-looking-for-friends-on-facebook/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/10/19/mass-effect-characters-looking-for-friends-on-facebook/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/10/19/mass-effect-characters-looking-for-friends-on-facebook/#commentsFiled under: , ,


Britney and Commander Shepherd from Mass Effect have something in common: they're both looking for friends. Apparently, having your visitation rights with your kids removed and attempting to stop an evil force from causing the downfall of the entire galaxy produce a similar result for such pensive souls: loneliness. While Britney's response isn't terribly civil (then again, when is running over anyone's foot, let alone a paparazzi's?), the commander has tackled the problem in a more head-on way ... by signing up for Facebook.

That's right, after developing space flight mankind still uses Facebook in the year 2138. Amidst photos of underage coeds goaded into performing less than savory acts on frat members and annoying invites to install vampire, werewolf, zombie, pirates, ninjas, or pirates versus ninja applications, Commander Shepherd and a fellow Mass Effect character Wrex have both created their very own profiles on the social networking site. Anyone looking for some friends that are truly out of this world?

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]]>AdvertisingBiowareFacebookMass-EffectDan Dormer2007-10-19T17:28:00+00:00Weekly Webcomic Wrapup: Facebook graffiti editionhttp://www.joystiq.com/2007/07/28/weekly-webcomic-wrapup-facebook-graffiti-edition/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/07/28/weekly-webcomic-wrapup-facebook-graffiti-edition/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/07/28/weekly-webcomic-wrapup-facebook-graffiti-edition/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Sometimes we get addicted to Facebook. Lately, there's been an abundance of applications -- we've tried to avoid most of them (hey look, we've got four invites to to be werewolves, two for vampires, one for ninjas and a Charm spell should we accept Harry Potter magic invitation!). However, having the graffiti wall is fun and, as you can see above, good for expressing your video game love.

Hope everyone is enjoying Comic-Con (or online coverage of it, at least). Here are our picks for the week's best gaming comics, be sure to vote for your favorite!

Buddhist RPG
Under a rock
Raiders of the Lost Round
Product placement
Disgruntled Pikmin
Rejected villains
Attention-starved
The Tournémon, part one
Retro respect
Old age

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]]>facebookWebComicRoss Miller2007-07-28T12:45:00+00:00