Zynga with Friends

Zynga with Friends began in 2008 as Newtoy, Inc., a game developer established by cousins and brothers Paul Bettner, David Bettner, and Michael Chow. The founders targeted Apple’s emerging mobile ecosystem and concentrated on asynchronous multiplayer, allowing users to take turns in games without being online at the same time. The studio’s first release was Chess with Friends, launched for the iPhone and iPod touch in November 2008. Its second release, Words with Friends, arrived in August 2009. The latter applied a familiar word-game structure to mobile social play and became the company’s defining product. Its success made Newtoy an attractive acquisition target during Zynga’s rapid expansion into mobile and socially connected gaming. Zynga acquired Newtoy in November 2010 for $53.3 million and an additional undisclosed stock consideration. The transaction was described as Zynga’s fourteenth acquisition during its peak acquisition period. In December 2010, the acquired studio was renamed Zynga with Friends. The rebrand signaled that the studio’s products would remain centered on approachable games designed for interaction among friends, while also becoming part of Zynga’s broader corporate portfolio. The renamed studio released Hanging with Friends in June 2011 and Scramble with Friends in January 2012. Both titles extended the studio’s emphasis on recognizable casual-game concepts, turn-based participation, and social discovery. The strategy sought to capitalize on the popularity of Words with Friends by creating a family of similarly named products and a recognizable social-game identity. In June 2012, Zynga relaunched Zynga with Friends as a standalone social network. This represented an expansion from a branded studio and group of games into a proposed broader player community. The initiative did not maintain momentum, and by the autumn of 2012 it was reported to be unsuccessful. Paul Bettner and David Bettner left the company around the same period. The available reference material does not provide a definitive closure date or a verified current operating entity, so the brand’s present status cannot be classified confidently as active or defunct. Historically, Zynga with Friends is significant for helping establish asynchronous mobile gaming as a mainstream social format. Its games used simple rules, familiar activities, and persistent invitations between players to make mobile games suitable for brief or intermittent participation. Words with Friends in particular became the lasting expression of the studio’s original concept, even though the later standalone social-network strategy did not succeed.

• 2012

  Scramble with Friends launches

  [1]Zynga with Friendsen.wikipedia.org

  Zynga with Friends releases another word-oriented mobile game.

• 2012

  Standalone social-network relaunch

  [1]Zynga with Friendsen.wikipedia.org

  Zynga attempts to turn Zynga with Friends into a broader standalone social network for players.

• 2011

  Hanging with Friends launches

  [1]Zynga with Friendsen.wikipedia.org

  The studio adds a third title to its socially oriented mobile portfolio.

• 2010

  Zynga acquires Newtoy

  [1]Zynga with Friendsen.wikipedia.org

  Zynga purchases Newtoy for $53.3 million plus undisclosed stock consideration.

• 2010

  The studio becomes Zynga with Friends

  [1]Zynga with Friendsen.wikipedia.org

  Newtoy is rebranded under Zynga with Friends following the acquisition.

• 2009

  Words with Friends is released

  [1]Zynga with Friendsen.wikipedia.org

  The studio releases its signature word game, which becomes its best-known title.

• 2008

  Newtoy is founded

  [1]Zynga with Friendsen.wikipedia.org

  Paul Bettner, David Bettner, and Michael Chow establish Newtoy, a developer focused on social and asynchronous mobile games.

• 2008

  Chess with Friends is released

  [1]Zynga with Friendsen.wikipedia.org

  Newtoy launches its first iPhone and iPod touch game through the Apple App Store.

Accessible, socially connected mobile games based on familiar board, word, and puzzle formats, with asynchronous play designed to let people compete or interact on their own schedules.

• Asynchronous mobile board game · 2008

  Chess with Friends

  Newtoy’s debut title, released for the iPhone and iPod touch in November 2008. It adapted chess to asynchronous mobile multiplayer, enabling participants to take turns over time rather than requiring a live match. The game established the studio’s emphasis on accessible rules and persistent social play.

• Asynchronous mobile word game · 2009

  Words with Friends

  Released in August 2009, Words with Friends became the studio’s best-known product. Its gameplay was broadly comparable to Scrabble and combined a familiar word-building format with turn-based play, social invitations, and mobile accessibility. The title’s success was central to Zynga’s decision to acquire Newtoy.

• Asynchronous mobile word game · 2011

  Hanging with Friends

  Launched in June 2011, Hanging with Friends extended the studio’s naming and design strategy after the acquisition. It used a word-game concept presented for social, turn-based mobile interaction and was intended to benefit from the audience and recognition generated by Words with Friends.

• Mobile word and puzzle game · 2012

  Scramble with Friends

  Released in January 2012, Scramble with Friends was another attempt to broaden the studio’s portfolio of socially connected word games. It continued the emphasis on casual rules, mobile play, and interaction between friends that defined the Zynga with Friends brand.

• 2012

  Relaunch as a standalone social networkStrategy

  Background

  Zynga sought to build on the social engagement associated with Words with Friends and extend the brand beyond individual mobile titles.

  Action taken

  In June 2012, Zynga relaunched Zynga with Friends as a standalone social network for players.

  Aftermath

  By autumn 2012, the initiative was reported to be unsuccessful, and founders Paul Bettner and David Bettner left the company around this period.

  Source

• 2010

  Zynga acquires NewtoyM&A

  Background

  Newtoy had developed a recognizable position in asynchronous mobile social games, particularly following the release of Words with Friends.

  Action taken

  Zynga acquired Newtoy in November 2010 for $53.3 million in cash and an undisclosed amount of stock, then rebranded the studio as Zynga with Friends in December.

  Aftermath

  The transaction brought the studio into Zynga’s expanding acquisition portfolio and created a branded family of “with Friends” games.

  Acquisition consideration. $53.3 million plus an undisclosed amount of stock (November 2010)

  Source

1. 1Zynga with Friendsen.wikipedia.org