Story highlights
"Slingo" will have updated features to make the game interactive on Facebook
"Slingo" is played by more than 55 million people through online, mobile and casino games
The game's creators are partnering with Zynga, maker of such popular social games as "Farmville"
“Slingo,” a leader in online games for 17 years, is making its way to Facebook with a redesigned version of the popular bingo/slot-machine game.
The game’s creators are partnering with Zynga, maker of such popular social games as “Farmville,” “Cityville” and “Words With Friends,” to produce Zynga Slingo. Its gameplay is similar to the original “Slingo,” with some updated social features to make it interactive on Facebook.
“Our partnership with Zynga will bring the ‘Slingo’ brand to a whole new audience in a fresh, new way,” said Rich Roberts, CEO of Slingo. “We are excited to partner with the world’s leading social game developer to deliver the social experience ‘Slingo’ fans across the world have asked for.”
“Slingo” is played by more than 55 million people through online, mobile and casino games. The concept is rather simple – players use a slot machine to produce numbers, which then are used on a bingo-style board for prizes.
The Zynga Slingo version allows for playing with your Facebook friends in a variety of ways. Friends can gift others with power-ups or even act as a Joker during gameplay, allowing for a free movement. Leader boards also track in real time to see who is doing well and who could use a little help.
” ‘Slingo’ is one of the earliest and most cherished games of the Internet,” said Rich Sawel, product manager for Zynga Slingo. “And we’re proud to bring it to our players and make it even more fun and social than ever before.”
The new game comes on the heels of the release of Zynga’s 2011 financial report showing the company earned $1.14 billion but still ended up with a net loss of more than $400 million. The fourth-quarter report shows the company’s games were played by 54 million users daily, an increase from 48 million during the same time in 2010.
Zynga launched 12 new games in 2011 – four titles on Web-based platforms and eight others on mobile platforms. The company also had the top five most-played games on Facebook.
According to the report, Zynga’s net loss of $435 million in the fourth quarter included a $510 million stock-based compensation expense that was previously unrecognized until triggered by an initial public offering in mid-December.
As of early Wednesday, Zynga stock was trading at $14.35 per share on Nasdaq.
