Check out Zynga's zany new offices - Zowie! (1) A view of Zynga's cavernous atrium, known as the Ztrium Zynga's new San Francisco headquarters feel like, well, a life-size version of one of the company's colorful, cartoonish social games. The lobby features a Western façade that echoes the look of FrontierVille, one of Zynga's virtual worlds. A "Zyngabago," a white 1970s Winnebago emblazoned with a giant "Z," is parked across from the receptionist's desk. In between sits a "time travel" tube, a tunnel of 20,000 programmable LED lights, and much of the building pulses with thumping music. "We are a gaming company, and we are about play," says founder and CEO Mark Pincus. "It should be loud and raucous. " The cushy workplace has become de rigueur in Silicon Valley, home of Google's free food, massages, and lava lamps. NEXT: Zynga's "time travel" tube. Zynga Confirms Unoh Acquisition. Zynga just officially confirmed their buy of Tokyo-based startup Unoh , which we reported on yesterday.
Japanese business publication The Nikkei estimated the price at several billion yen. When contacted, Zynga representatives declined to comment on financial details. The Unoh offices in Tokyo will be the base of Zynga Japan’s mobile initiatives, a joint venture between Zynga and the SoftBank Group which recently invested $150 million into the social gaming company. Former Unoh CEO Shintaro Yamada will helm Zynga’s foray into the Japanese social gaming market. SAN FRANCISCO and TOKYO – Aug. 5, 2010 – Zynga today announced that it has acquired Tokyo-based Unoh, one of Japan’s leading social games companies. Unoh is one of Japan’s pioneering social game companies, founded in 2001, with top hits Machitsuku! “Zynga is delighted to welcome the Unoh team, one of the pioneer Japanese social game developers, to the Zynga family,” said Mark Pincus, CEO and Founder, Zynga. About Zynga Japan. Zynga Launches First Localized Game; Debuts Chinese Version Of Texas Poker. It’s no secret that Zynga has actively targeted the Asian gaming market in its international expansion strategy.
The gaming giant recently bought Japanese gaming startup Unoh, took a $150 million investment from Japan’s SoftBank Capital, acquired Chinese game developer XPD Media and set up a Beijing office. Today, this expansion is culminating in the beta launch of Zynga’s first internationally localized game, Zynga Texas Poker, in traditional Chinese. Zynga Poker, the company’s first ever social game, launched in July 2007 and is currently the third most popular game on Facebook globally with more than 28 million people playing monthly. Now, the game is available in China as well as on Facebook in Hong Kong and Taiwan as Zynga Texas Poker and can be played in traditional Chinese or English. The game itself simulates playing poker, except in a social gaming environment. Zynga - Connecting the world through games. SEC Filing Suggests Zynga Paid At Least $20.5 Million For Challenge Games. Zynga Enters Asia With Acquisition Of Gaming Startup XPD Media; Opens Office In Beijing.
Yesterday, we reported that Zynga was possibly setting up shop in Beijing and making a few notable hires in China. It looks like we were on to something because today, the social gaming giant is announcing the acquisition of Beijing-based social gaming company XPD Media. Along with the acquisition, Zynga is also announcing the opening of the Zynga Beijing studio, the second international office for the gaming company (Zynga set up shop in Bangalore, India in March). Terms of the deal were not disclosed. This is Zynga’s fourth acquisition over the past two year (that’s been made public, that is); the company previously bought YoVille, Serious Business, and My Mini Life.
Backed by True Ventures and Pilot Group, XPD Media is one of the largest social game developers in China and has developed games for international markets that are available on Facebook and other social networks worldwide. Currently, Zynga does not have any games on any Asian social networks.