The Social Game Craze

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This is currently live, expect to be able to check out the cast shortly after they're done. a good listen ^.^

We all remember connecting with friends over a game of cards, Parcheesi or Monopoly. These days, games are more popular than ever—but increasingly they’re virtual and played on Facebook.

In the game “Farmville,” cartoon characters raise barns and harvest virtual crops. In “Sorority Life,” players collect housemates and buy the latest fashions.

And while they’re free to play, the small fraction of serious players who pony up cash for coveted virtual goods means the business of social games is booming.

This Hour, On Point: The big business and mass appeal of social games.

-Jane Clayson

You can join the conversation. Tell us what you think — here on this page, on Twitter, or on Facebook.

Guests:

Nick Wingfield, technology reporter for the Wall Street Journal. His July 30 article on virtual goods is “First, Give Away the Game.”

Mia Consalvo, visiting associate professor in Comparative Media Studies at MIT’s GAMBIT Game Lab. She studies digital and casual games, new media, and women’s gameplay and is writing a book about Japan’s role in the gaming industry.

Frank Lantz, creative director and co-founder of Area Code, which creates social games for Facebook and other media platforms. He is also director of the NYU Game Center.

http://www.onpointradio.org/2010/08/social-game