Facebook - The Future of Gaming?

Casual browser based gaming has become more widespread and normal thanks to Social networking sites such as Facebook. I recall when I was in college, playing browser based games seemed kinda "geeky" if you will; of course the Internet was fairly new around that point in time and not everyone at school had it, and if you did, you were often on a horrendous 56K dial up connection.

Now with the easy access to broadband Internet, more faster paced games could take place. Giving rise to Mega Multiplayer Online Role Playing Games or MMORPG's for short, and since these games required multiple players, social networking sites could be seen as a no-brainer move. I'd actually go out on a limb here and predict that as long as Facebook stays around, game developers will shift their resources into the online arena. Not only will there be more people playing their games, but the revenues will be higher and a more constant stream.

Think of it this way, say EA (a major game developer) puts out a game similar to Farmville (hypothetically speaking), the game will require time to develop for various platforms it is to be sold on (such as PS3, Xbox, Xbox 360, Wii, etc...), after that, it will require money to market the game, it will need to be distributed internationally via freight of some sort and if it's lucky, the game may have a [physical] shelf life of maybe a couple of years and then after that, it will cease to make money for EA. Compare this to actual Farmville, developed for one platform (Facebook, though it could be on other SNS that I'm unaware of), marketing is done pretty much through word of mouth via Facebook, distribution is via Internet and doesn't take space on a shelf, so it will be around indefinitely (or as long as Facebook retains its user base), continuous updates can be made to the game to take advantage of real world changes, promotions and the like. Therefore, the game can continue to bring in money for the developer more long term.

In fact, according to Gamepro, many big names in the console/PC gaming industry such as Sid Meier are expressing interest in exploiting this potential lucrative market. Just as Napstar, Kazaa, p2p file sharing & Apple iPods & iTunes have changed and shifted the music industry complicating the financial survival of physical stores such as Real Groovy, the same could happen to game developers such as Take Two Interactive, EA Games & Activision thanks to Facebook.