[P R O D U C T
LAUNCHES
Microgaming officially
rebranded its poker network as ‘The MPN’ and supported the move with the launch of a new website. Formerly known as the Microgaming Poker Network, The MPN makes the move following the integration of five new skins from three operators previously on the soon-to-close IGT Network.
NEWS
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LAUNCHES
ZYNGA TO OFFER FB GAMBLING
Zynga could soon launch real-money gambling games on Facebook following a number of changes to Facebook and Zynga’s exclusive contract agreement, seen by eGaming Review. An SEC ?ling announcing changes to the relationship between the companies includes a tenet which states: “If Facebook allows real-money gambling games on the Facebook website in countries where Zynga has real-money gambling games, Zynga will subsequently launch such games on the Facebook website, if certain conditions are met by Facebook.” With Zynga partnering with bwin. party to debut a real-money offering for the UK market in the ?rst half of 2013, the presence of Gamesys’ Bingo & Slots Friendzy on Facebook suggests that it will also be able to go live with a cash gambling product on the platform. The provision was one of a series of
The games provider will operate under terms similar to a standard developer
conditions added to an amended contract signed by Zynga and Facebook, which essentially ends the exclusive partnership between the two companies, effective from 31 March next year. As a result, Zynga will operate under terms closer to those of a standard developer, rather than enjoying what many saw as preferential terms. Commenting on the amended contract, Zynga’s chief revenue officer Barry Cottle said: “Zynga’s mission is to connect the world through games. In order to do this, Zynga is focused on building enduring relationships with consumers across all platforms from Facebook and Zynga.com on the web to tablets and mobile. “Our amended agreement with Facebook continues our long and successful partnership, while also allowing us the ?exibility to ensure the universal availability of our products and services,” he added.
Microgaming also launched
Battlestar Galactica, its most ambitious video slot game to date, the supplier’s head of casino has told eGaming Review. Based on the science-fiction drama television series, more than 100 of Microgaming’s customers and 160 brands are due to take the game via its Quickfire games platform.
Virgin Games launched its
iPad casino, a standalone web app designed exclusively for iPad and tablets. The launch means that Virgin Casino’s players can now access the operator’s games online, on mobile or on a tablet.
Paddy Power demo-launched
a slots app on Facebook, bringing a number of the titles currently hosted on its PaddyPowerGames site to the social network.
SKYBET LAUNCHES HTML5 CASINO PORTAL
Sky Vegas Mobile Casino goes live featuring content from OpenBet
Sky Betting & Gaming has launched its HTML5 mobile casino portal, Sky Vegas Mobile Casino. The product has been developed inhouse using OpenBet’s mobile backend solution and will feature content supplied by a number of software providers. These include OpenBet’s blackjack and roulette games; Endemol Games' Deal or No Deal; Fremantlemedia’s X Factor: Steps to Stardom slot; and a slot game based on the adult comic Viz, developed by Blueprint Gaming. Another two games will be added to the portal before the end of the year. Discussing the development of Sky Vegas Mobile Casino, head of platform and product Gary Wimbridge explained
15 Network added a further
four bingo brands taking the total number of sites on its UK facing network to six with ambitions to grow to 10 by April. Launched in February 2012, 15 Network began with two of its own brands, Lights Camera Bingo and Show Reel Bingo but has recently added four additional brands including Zingo Bingo, Bingo Clubhouse, Charity Bingo and Cheers Bingo. Vienna-based development studio Rabcat has agreed a partnership that will see the company become one of the first to join Odobo’s Game Developer Platform (GDP).
SIGN-UPS
that it has been designed in order to automatically optimise for any device users are playing on: “We’ve utilised HTML5 so we can go cross-browser and cross-platform. It will launch initially on iOS platform, followed by Android in Q1 ‘13. We’ve developed the portal in such a way that it uses responsive design to adapt to the device which you are using. “We deliver images smartly by only giving you the images you need. For example, on a standard iPhone you’ll just get normal-sized images; if you’re using a retina display screen we’ll give you higherres images for that device. With that, it also gives us the ?exibility to wrap this up in a native hybrid app that will work on all devices,” he said.
www.egrmagazine.com
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