Get ready to waste a lot of time because Zynga has brought its Farmville juggernaut to the Apple iPad.
The Farmville app hit the iPhone earlier this summer and the Apple iPad version features a few enhancements to take advantage of the larger screen. It’s labeled as “HD” and it does look noticeably better on the larger screen and it features pinch-to-zoom capabilities, as well as push notifications about your precious crops.
“We want to reach people wherever they want to play the games they love, and deliver the most fun and social experience on every platform,” said Steven Chiang, president of studios, Zynga, in a prepared statement. “The iPad is a spectacular gaming device, and the new FarmVille app leverages its larger touch screen interface and enhanced graphics. FarmVille on the iPhone was an instant hit and now we are giving people another Apple device to play on.”
While this game is often the subject of ridicule, it is a big business. There are more than 50 million players online through Facebook and more than 100,000 virtual gifts (for real money) are sent each day via the mobile players in 85 different countries.
More importantly, this Apple iPad app shows the growing importance of gaming in the mobile space. That’s why we’re seeing big deals like Electronic Arts purchasing Chillingo to go after this market.
Zynga has its good brand name on the web but it may find some challenges in the mobile space because there are already a ton of Farmville rip-offs on the Apple App Store and Android Market. The company will be able to connect its mobile versions with the desktop versions though, which should give it a leg up on the competition.
So, friends, let us know your dirty little secret and tell us your favorite time-killing mobile game. I’m just starting to play Zombie Farm but my zombies keep rotting.