Namco releases Facebook arcade games News
PC News by Tom Bramwell
Namco Bandai has released Facebook-compatible J2Play versions of arcade classics Pac-Man and Dig Dug, which burrow into the social networking site to record achievements and fill out leaderboards among other things.
The applications, which are accessible from Facebook's app pages (blue-word gateways: Pac-Man, Dig Dug), don't actually run within the browser though. Although they integrate with your profile pages and friends list, they are downloadable apps in the standard Windows fashion.
This has led to some concern among users. "Such an epic fail" and "Why should I have to download anything?" are two of the kinder comments on the Pac-Man page. There's also anger that the full versions of each game cost USD 9.99, with only limited demos available for free.
Silicon Valley Mercury News reports that Namco plans to release additional Facebook-compatible games in future. Let's hope it's paying attention to feedback.
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Comments: 1-23 of 23 in total
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kangarootoo
18/03/09 @ 09:29
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Sweet Jesus. Its like the game development equivalent of someone's Dad turning up at the local night club and trying to get down with the kids.
Way to "not get it" Namco. |
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bigjimbeef
18/03/09 @ 09:53
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Yeah, I reckon kangarootoo summed that up pretty much perfectly. It's hard to know even where to begin talking about how ill-advised these releases sound, so, erm, I won't.
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Make it stop!
Every cool thing seems to be getting targetted by these dinosaur games corporations. IPhone has some amazing indie stuff for 59p to 5 quid and facebook is just a simply but cool meeting place. Queue EA and Namco and now IPhone has a premium store with download content and microtransactions and facebook gets a fully not integrated ancient arcade games add on! Why didn't Apple and Facebook tell them to frak off when they had the chance? |
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AtomicBanana
18/03/09 @ 11:52
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Yes. The memo was sent on facebook though, tagged alongside a bunch of useless applications.
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kangarootoo
18/03/09 @ 12:58
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Its all relative. Facebook is far cooler than a bunch of gamers discussing games on an internet forum. FACT.
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"Why didn't Apple and Facebook tell them to frak off when they had the chance? "
Because Facebook obviously like their advertising money, and/or not being involved in legal issues surrounding floods of apps hitting Facebook which infringe on Namco's copyrights. I'm with the 'Namco don't get it' crowd here. Sounds like the guys in marketing had a brilliant idea ("Hey guys, Facebook!!11",) then gave a shit spec to lazy developers who didn't think or want to pipe up and say "hey there's a better way..." And thus we have this. A browser based applet supported by in-game advertising would've made more sense in this day and age, but then I can't see Facebook being too chuffed with someone getting their own advertising revenue via their site. The more I think about it, the more I think business simply got in the way of a good, commendable execution here.
Edited 1 times,
most recently on 18/03/09 @ 17:13
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canIdoyabombsforya
18/03/09 @ 17:44
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"Its all relative. Facebook is far cooler than a bunch of gamers discussing games on an internet forum. FACT. "
But we know we are c#nts and to a point remain anonymous. Facebook is like a worldwide online phonebook with pictures, except way more intrusive. I 'm waiting for privacy to be cool again ;)
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most recently on 18/03/09 @ 17:59
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Wastelander
19/03/09 @ 09:43
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"Yes nerds..."
IRONOMAN is ironing his boxers right now, but he'll be along shortly. |
Comments: 1-23 of 23 in total
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