With the launch of Google+(Google Plus) into a social gaming platform, it marks Google+’ first attempt at expansion and solidifying its claim on the social network market. However, it’s still something that Facebook would not validate with a mere quiver at the moment. But it’s a good step into an expected direction.
Never has there been quite a notable contender for alternative social gaming experience since Facebook’s rule. It will be interesting to see how Google+ will come to its being as it continues to grow as a legitimate social network of sorts.
Will the games farm enough to make the bill?
Facebook came to even stellar prominence with the addition of its game apps. Most notable of late is Zynga’s Farmville. The game alone boasts of nearly 80 million users from Facebook’s Goliath total of 700 million.
The game came to public consciousness through massive game notifications displayed onto Facebook’s News Feed. There, people can share everything to everyone and, in some ingenious way, inadvertently enchant some of those to hither to apps friends had already tangled with. As if enticing other users with their friends’ dalliances with intriguing apps wasn’t enough, developers thought ahead to create a way for members to send out a massive amount of invites to friends with just a few clicks.
In contrast, Google+ has a more miniscule approach when it comes to self-endorsement (which can be directly proportional to app publicity as well). In Google+, most of a user’s posts are confined to a certain number of people. Users are allowed to choose which circles they want any developments be known to. This, whether in hindsight or foresight, is already a disadvantage in its own; game apps are being micro-marketed as opposed to Facebook’s in-every-user’s-friend’s-face approach.
A good thing to mention though is that Google+ is steadily gaining users. Based on a recent survey, all though a few drops in online frequenters have appeared in a few segments of its target market, a steady stream of mainstream users are starting to adapt to the platform.
It is conclusive that game apps and network size are good indicators of the developers and the network’s success. The more users a certain network has, the more expected users the game apps can sell to; and the more interested people become in a game app that a particular platform offers, the more prospects the network can service. In a way, it’s a very “commensalistic” concept to stay ahead.
Developer rates…Will they be consistent?
What whets developer appetites when it comes to Google+ is its small transaction fees for in-app purchases. Currently, Google offers a tiny across-the-board 5% rate when compared to Facebook’s 30%. Developers will definitely be on the lookout for any changes to the offer as developments ensue.
Will Google raise it up as it starts to collect even more users or will Facebook be compelled to reduce its asking fee?
Will other developers jump in?
Google+ launched 16 game titles onto its platform from ten different developers. Out of that number, two are Google’s own through investments in game developers Zynga and Kablam. What should be interesting to see is will other developers bid their titles to the platform soon?
Some, if not all, will want to keep their feets dry first and see if the network will prove to be a good collector of prospect users for the games. Crowdstar, a game company, was quick enough to quip that they’ll wait it out. They already have applications designed for Facebook and iOS.
For other companies to get on the Google+ bandwagon, they’d want to see first what capacity the platform has in assembling a potential market for their titles. They think it is wise to let the platform to successfully work before they can think of allocating resources to it.
Will users checkout Google Checkout?
Despite the investment Google has tendered to their own payments service, Google Checkout never really caught a following during its rounds. If Google Checkout proves to be a hassle to users, this would make a huge obstacle for any growth on revenues for developers, and in turn, for Google. If it clicks, it’s another plus on Google+ merits.
Google Checkout only accepts credit cards and debit cards for now. Paypal and other payment services are out of the scene.
Android and Mobile Implementation
The industry was caught off-guard by Google’s recent acquisition of Motorola Mobility. This development could provide a slew of great possibilities for Google+.
With no other mode of purchasing for Google+ users but credit or debit card charges, Google could make things better for their users through mobile payments.
With mobile gaming still out of Facebook’s stronghold, Google can make this work.
