Monopoly on Facebook: Playfish is giving the classic board game a social spin

At a GDC Online panel this afternoon, Playfish COO Sebastien de Halleux let it slip that Monopoly is coming to Facebook. Electronic Arts own the rights for digital versions of Monopoly, and Playfish is currently hard at work at bringing the classic board game to everyone's favorite social network.

We don't know any more details on the game right now, but we're more than ready to Pass Go and Collect $200.

NBA Jam creator splits EA for Zynga; next stop, BasketballVille? [Rumor]

With Zynga, anything is possible. Come on, it made a mini game called PrivacyVille. Kotaku reports that Mark Turmell (pictured), creator of the legendary NBA Jam series of arcade-style basketball games that were recently revisited on the Wii and other consoles, has left EA Sports and joined the creator of FarmVille. (However, no sources have been cited.) And considering his extensive track record with entertaining sports games with wide appeal, Zynga might intend on entering the sports genre with Turmell.

Turmell had been with EA Sports at its Tiburon studio since 2009 and also helped bring iconic games like the '90s arcade game Smash TV and NFL Blitz, another arcade-style sports game. Turmell was senior creative director at EA Tiburon in Orlando, Fla., and while his Linkedin profile has yet to be updated with the new position, his departure is official. "We appreciate Mark's contribution to Tiburon and EA Sports and wish him well in future endeavors," an EA spokesman told Kotaku.

A number of EA employees have reportedly left the company in recent months for ventures in social gaming. Former EA CCO John Schappert has left the company for Zynga, and former EA CCO Bing Gordon has invested in the monolithic company. Ben Cousins of EA's free-to-play developer Easy Studios left the company for Ngmoco's (owned by Japanese gaming giant DeNA) new Sweden studio.

Amidst rampant departures, EA runs headstrong into the social games world and is making huge strides to compete--the company bought Bejeweled developer PopCap for a whopping potential $1.3 billion recently. However, it will be interesting to see if these talent losses affect EA's ability to go toe-to-toe with Zynga, but with an entire company's worth of talent now, we'd say it has a pretty solid shot at the big time.

Plants vs Zombies says 'I, Zombie' in festive holiday update for iPhone

Plants vs Zombies Christmas
The characters of Plants vs Zombies (PvZ) have basically become the unofficial mascots for PopCap. So, it's only fitting that the developer throws festive hats on their heads in time for the holidays. PopCap has updated PvZ on iPhone in time for Christmas, Hanukkah, what have you and has included way more than just a few hats and some Christmas cheer.

In addition to all the zombies in the game looking rather festive, the beloved "I, Zombie" mode is now playable on iPhone. This play mode allows players to try the game from the zombies' side, attempting to use every zombie in the book to take over that single home's backyard. The "I, Zombie" has one free level to start, but eight additional levels and an endless mode are available through an in-game purchase at Crazy Dave's Shop.

The "I, Zombie" mode has been available on most version of PvZ for some time, so PopCap expects it to be a welcome addition to the iPhone variety. This update finally brings leaderboard support through Game Center along with four new achievements for players to brag about share with their friends. Now, all we need a holiday video to top PopCap's Halloween romp, and the holidays will have been sufficiently rung in. Well, that long-rumored Facebook version would rock, too.

Do you have Plants vs Zombies on your iPhone? Where do you prefer to play most of your PopCap games?

Playfish hires ex-Planet Moon Studios CEO Aaron Loeb as GM

Now that it's nabbing CEOs, EA must really want to catch up to and strangle Zynga. The omnipotent gaming company's social game development arm Playfish, just hired former Planet Moon Studios CEO Aaron Loeb as general manager.

Loeb will do much of what he did at Planet Moon Studios: "development of original and brand-oriented social games as well as the rapid expansion of the studio," Playfish says. During his 10 years as overlord of the Moon (never thought I'd get to say that in my career), Loeb oversaw the sequel to Drawn to Life on Nintendo DS for Wii.

Most recently, he saw tie-in games for Disney film Tangled on both Nintendo consoles from start to finish. And for some trivia, Loeb was also the founding editor-in-chief of gaming news site UGO, so he has that all-too-unique advantage of experience on both ends of the industry. (Lightning Round: He also is an award-winning playwright. Awesome!) Now, with potential talent powerhouses like Loeb, it's time to see what EA can do to gain some steam.

[Image Credit: Playwrights Foundation]

Do you think this hire will help EA and Playfish gain lost ground in the epic battle against the might Zynga? How do you think Loeb's experience in the editorial world will help him at Playfish?

Like the Sims Social Facebook page to unlock in-game rewards

While the simple fact that the Sims is finally coming to Facebook is enough to send players like myself into a virtual tizzy (ok, maybe a real world tizzy too), try this bit of news on for size: If you become one of the thousands of players that "Like" the Sims Social official Facebook fan page, you'll help all players (including yourself, of course) unlock some exclusive freebies in the game at launch.

So far, the fan page has gained over 150,000 Likes, and we've unlocked three new items for our trouble: a basic BBQ grill, a keyboard and an artist's easel. If the fan page can reach a million Likes, we'll unlock three more items along the way: a modern bookshelf, a white marble fireplace, and a blue claw foot tub. Want some more? There are spaces for three additional prizes, but we don't know what they are just yet. What do this mean? Simple: ask every man, woman, child, and heck - even animal - in your social circle to Like this fan page! We just can't wait to see what these new prizes can do!

'Tis the season to play The Sims Social's Cozy Winter Retreat update

With December quickly approaching--like, in less than six hours--it's time to whip out the Christmas, Hanukkah and Kwanzaa decorations. Of course, it's no different for the Sims of Little Haven, as EA and Playfish have pushed a new theme to The Sims Social: Cozy Winter Retreat. Your Sims are headed to a comfy-looking ski resort complete with a steamy sauna and jacuzzi.

But that's not the only thing steamy about this content update--more on that later. Starting today, players will have access to a slew of brand new Christmas decorations through the in-game shop including a number of interactive decorations. How does a buildable Christmas Trees sound? You'll get to decorate their very own holiday firs with "tinsel, baubles and other stuff to make your tree look cooler and cooler," according to EA. Better yet, Christmas Trees double as interactive and skill items, and will be able to be used for other items in the future.
The Sims Social Winter Outfits
Players can also pick up, like we said, yet another new jacuzzi, the Winter Chalet Hot Tub. Unfortunately, we're told that there's no WooHoo to be had in this hot tub, but players can take a deeper dip than usual. Finally players will likely get to make their own Christmas cookies with the Holiday Toasting Set. Of course, a brand new quest awaits players, making a nod to a Christmas classic.

The Simch has descended upon Little Haven with a hatred for all things jolly, and it's up to you to bring the holiday cheer to this grumpy character. As with all The Sims Social quests, there's something in it for you: an Okea Gingerbread Pal. Now, back to the steamy stuff. This weekend, players can pick up a Mistletoe Hat for 25 SimCash that will 100 percent guarantee success with kisses until Jan. 31. And on Monday, a Fire Oven will go on sale that will increase Sims' Cooking skill.
The Sims Social Winter Chalet Hot Tub
Check out the rest of our Holiday 2011 coverage right here.

Have you started enjoying this wintry updates to The Sims Social yet? What do you think of the weekly updates to the game so far

Warhammer Online: Wrath of Heroes moves the franchise to the free-to-play arena

Electronic Arts has announced a new installment in the Warhammer Online franchise that brings the series into the free-to-play landscape. Under their Play4Free heading, BioWare and Electronic Arts have announced Warhammer Online: Wrath of Heroes at Gamescom, which will launch sometime this fall.

Taking the PvP (Player vs Player) arena combat from Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning, Wrath of Heroes will allow players to mix and match the game's many heroes, forming combinations that best fit each player's style and each individual encounter you may face.

With the main focus being on the PvP Arenas, you'll find plenty of them when the game launches. For one, you can enter into three-team combat of up to 18 players (six players per team), as players are separated between three different races. We'd assume that at some point, you'll be able to use real money to better outfit your characters, or perhaps even purchase new heroes, but for now, all we've been told is that the game will be free to play and that you can sign up for access into the game's beta on its official website.

We can't promise that everything in Warhammer: Wrath of Heroes will be free, but if you're like me, you're up for trying anything "free" at least once. We'll make sure to let you know when you'll have that chance later this year.

Are you a big Warhammer Online fan? Will you try to get your friends to play this new game with you now that the experience will technically be free? Sound off in the comments.

The Sims Social Cheats and Tips: A Guide to Land Expansions

You've grown out of room to put all of your cool stuff? Man, a Sim's life sure is rough, huh? Well, we're about to make your Sim's life in The Sims Social even easier. A large component to the game is building out your Sim's dream home, which of course, requires you to expand, expand expand. So, here is everything you need to know about Land Expansions in The Sims Social:

Are You Financially Prepared?
Before you even think about expanding your home, you will need to level up a bit. To expand your property for the first time, reach Level 10 and accumulate a House Value of at least 25K. To increase your House Value, simply buy more stuff! Once that's through, you will find "For Sale" signs littered around your property.

Location, Location, Location
Next, it's time to choose where you want to expand first. Expansions are good only for the square in which you request. Click on the square, and a pop-up window will appear with the requirements for a Land Expansion. Surprise--you'll need to ask your friends for items in true Facebook game fashion.
The Sims Social For Sale Sign
Oh, and it'll cost you a chunk of Simoleons, too. While the first Land Permit Application requires just four items and 2,000 Simoleons to take, we imagine this would increase with later expansions. Also, read carefully: This is a Land Permit Application, remember? That means ...

The Waiting Game
Every time you apply for a Land Expansion through this process, it'll take some time go through. And we're talking literal time: Your first Land Permit Application will not be accepted for one minute after completing it. Sure, this is nothing, but just wait until you reach your 11th and final expansion. That's right, it'll take days later on for applications to go through. Here are the requirements for each Land Permit Application, and the time it takes for each to go through:

Land Expansion Requirements:

    * First: 25K House Value; Level 10
    * Second: 30K House Value; Level 11
    * Third: 70K House Value; Level 12
    * Fourth: 80K House Value; Level 14
    * Fifth: 90K House Value; Level 16
    * Sixth: 100K House Value; Level 19
    * Seventh: 120K House Value; Level 22
    * Eighth: 140K House Value; Level 26
    * Ninth: 170K House Value; Level 31
    * 10th: 200K House Value; Level 38
    * 11th: 250K House Value; Level 45

The Sims Social Land Permit Application
Land Permit Application Wait Times:

    * First: One minute
    * Second: Five minutes
    * Third: 30 minutes
    * Fourth: One hour
    * Fifth: Two hours
    * Sixth: Four hours
    * Seventh: Eight hours
    * Eighth: 12 hours
    * Ninth: One day
    * 10th: Two days
    * 11th: Three days


Once your application has been approved, you'll definitely know. It's said that a prize comes with each major Land Expansion, and that your Sim won't be able to help but celebrate. And after all the hard clicking work, we doubt you will either.

[Source and Image Credit: Playfish]

Have you started expanding your property in The Sims Social yet? What do you think of how Playfish is handling land expansions in the game? Share with us in the comments. 1 Comment

The Sims Social celebrates fans with a week of free stuff

Free stuff? Yes, please, I'll take some of that! With almost 61 million players (and climbing), the folks at EA / Playfish have a lot to be thankful for when it comes to the Sims Social on Facebook. As a way to thank their ever-growing player base for their support (even when the game suffered from some nagging loading and gameplay issues), the developers have launched a week long celebration involving free stuff that will be given away, apparently on a daily basis.

To start, we're given a gift of Social Points - a whopping 400 Social Points at that. Since your other methods of earning Social Points normally come in small increments (of 10 or less per action) when visiting friends, this really is a substantial prize. Remember, these Social Points work as a form of third currency in the game, and can be used to purchase exclusive decorations or other home items that aren't available through any other method or currency.

We've also been told that we'll be able to increase our land size in the future, although that wasn't exactly announced in as many words. To be specific, we're asked if we "need more space to build your dream home" and that with that question comes a secret that the developers just couldn't hold in anymore. We're even asked "If you could expand your land, what is the first room you'd build on it?"

Put two and two together here, and you're left with the answer that land size will soon be increasing, although no particular release date was announced (unfortunately). If you're like me, your home has already filled most nooks and crannies of land in our admittedly small square, and is surrounded by outdoor goodies to boot. Being able to increase the size of our house plot is a huge deal, and we'll make sure to let you know when that feature / ability launches as soon as it does.

In the meantime, keep checking back with the game's Facebook fan page for additional links / announcements of free prizes, and click right here to claim your free 400 Social Points.

What sorts of prizes are you hoping to receive in this week-long event of free stuff? What will you purchase with your 400 free Social Points? Sound off in the comments.

Is EA's PopCap working on casino-style Facebook games? [Rumor]

Is PopCap looking to go toe to toe with Zynga and DoubleDown Interactive's casino Facebook games? According to GeekWire, a bunch of rather specific domain purchases by the recently-acquired company certainly suggest that's the case. Well, that and a recent trademark application ... and a Facebook page created with that very same trademark. Alright, PopCap has been terrible at keeping this whole thing a secret.

Lucky Gem CasinoThe game in question might be titled "Lucky Gem Casino," as Fusible points out that the Bejeweled creator recently changed a Facebook page it owns to reflect the new title. The Info tab on the page reads, "Thanks for visiting! PopCap Casino is the future home of some amazing, casino-style social games from PopCap, the worldwide leader in casual gaming."

With wording like that, it sounds as if Lucky Gem Casino will be a suite of casino games from the developer, much like DoubleDown Casino. And if you take a peak at the page's Wall, a message can be found there, presumably from the company, that reads, "Keep an eye out to experience casino-style gaming from PopCap Games!" A week later, a poll was posted asking fans about their favorite type of casino games--unsurprisingly, the "Slot Machines" category won by a landslide.

GeekWire points out that this might be because PopCap is now owned by EA, which likely has a vested interested in directly competing with Facebook game champ Zynga at every turn. However, it's also important to keep in mind that a majority of PopCap's games (not including Plants vs Zombies) are visibly influenced by a casino approach to gameplay albeit with a far heavier focus on skill rather than luck.

[Via Financial Times]

[Image Credit: Destructoid]

What do you think PopCap might be up to with this trademark, Facebook page and domain registries? Would you play a stable of casino games from the creator of Bejeweled and Zuma Blitz? Sound off in the comments. 2 Comments.