Russian Investors Buy the FarmVille
ADOTAS – Perhaps Green Acres is the place to be, because farm livin’ is the pastime of millions of Facebook users. Only launched in June of this year, FarmVille — which, yes, simulates managing a farm — is the most popular game application on Facebook with more than 70 million active users. That’s about a fifth of all Facebook’s members.
Social gaming is bleeping a blinding red on the radar screens of advertisers — as well as investors and venture capitalists. Zynga — developer of FarmVille and Mafia Wars, another popular Facebook game — has just secured $180 million in funding, with Russian Investment firm Digital Sky Technologies (DST) leading the bid.
The firm, which also plunged $300 million into Facebook earlier this year, will invest some of the money in the company while also buying stock from shareholders (many of which are the company’s employees).
But of course there’s a sketch factor to this, which isn’t surprising considering that Zynga was already being scrutinized for its shady monetizing schemes. Russian billionaire Alisher Usman, who owns 35% of DST, spent six years in an Uzbek jail in the 80s for fraud, though he claims he was imprisoned for political reasons.
Despite a fishy reputation, social gaming and virtual goods have become a huge revenue pot and advertisers increasingly want in. Heeding the call, companies like Adknowledge are offering advertisers to bid for leads on a cost-per-action basis within Facebook and MySpace apps.
So keep growing your virtual carrots, FarmVilliens, and don’t think about where the fertilizer is coming from.
Reader Comments.
No comments yet
Leave a Comment
Article Sponsor
More News
-
Loading ...
Latest News
- Infographic: HootSuite Analyses Social Media Impact of Super Bowl Ads February 7th 2012 ADOTAS - So, it’s the Tuesday after the Super Bowl, [...] more »
- Facebook to Serve Mobile Ads in Coming Weeks February 6th 2012 ADOTAS – According to a Financial Times report, Facebook will [...] more »
- Survey: 39 Percent of Mobile Users Responded to Super Bowl Ads Via Mobile February 6th 2012 ADOTAS - During the Super Bowl yesterday, mobile ad network [...] more »
- Sponsormob Leads the Way Into RTB for Mobile February 3rd 2012 ADOTAS – For more than half a decade, Berlin-based tech [...] more »
- Weird Study: Mobile Purchasing While in the Bathroom on the Rise February 3rd 2012 DM CONFIDENTIAL - According to 11mark, three-quarters of Americans with mobile [...] more »
- This Week’s New Hires February 3rd 2012 ADOTAS – Another week, another round of new gigs. Here [...] more »
- Two Surveys: What Are We Doing with Mobile Devices During the Super Bowl? February 2nd 2012 ADOTAS - With the Super Bowl fast approaching and the [...] more »
Features
- Covering the Digital Buy: Super Bowl Winners and Losers February 8th 2012
- How Social Targeting Can Lead to Discovery February 7th 2012
- Video: “The Future of Engagement” Looks at Audi’s #solongvampires Campaign February 7th 2012
- Three Best Practices for Increasing Subscriber Engagement February 7th 2012
- Reaching the Multi-Tasker in 2012 February 6th 2012
Spotlight
Sponsormob Leads the Way Into RTB for MobileADOTAS – For more than half a decade, Berlin-based tech firm Sponsormob has remained relevant in an industry characterized by [...] more...
Reader Favorites
Classifieds
- PS Technical Writer - SEO Data Analyst
- Interactive Project Manager
- Media Buyer
- PHP Software Engineer (Facebook Platform/Social AP
- SEO/Marketing Internship at Green Education Startu
Recent Comments
- Bob: and just like that he got fired.
- 101 Best Twitter Apps Blog » Blog Archive » Social Networking: Without a Champion, Enterprise Social Tools Sputter – Formtek Blog (blog): [...] And Cons Of Social Media In Education …mediabistro.comMashable -Minnesota Daily -ADOTASall 97 news [...]
- The Rise of the Data-Driven CMO | ADMA Blog: [...] of information transparent to customers also stand to gain financially. According to a separate
- Tuesday, February 7 | Duncan/Day Advertising: [...] Messages Ever Work Online? [Econsultancy] 39% of Mobile Users Responded to Super Bowl Ads
