Zynga Aquires Facebook Virtual World Yoville After Series B

Social game developer Zynga announced today that it has acquired Yoville, a virtual world app for Facebook. The news comes alongside Zynga's announcement of raising $29 million in a Series B round of investment led by Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers and Institutional Venture Partners with participation from previous investors Union Square Ventures, Foundry Group and Avalon Ventures.

Zynga says it will use the money to "accelerate [its] creation of next generation social games," so it's not clear how much of a new focus there will be on virtual worlds in particular. Yoville, though, is a strong start, currently tracking 152,466 daily active users. It seems like Yoville only opened to the public in May, so that's an especially impressive trajectory for such a short time.

Comments

[Simon Newstead]

Yoville has done a great job of making the whole startup and registration process simple.. I can see why they have grown so fast.

Ok, it's only 2D and flash based, but as a simple room chat environment it's alright. I wonder when Habbo will create something for Facebook in this space, otherwise these new players may grab the opportunity.

[Kyle Welter]

Gaia already has a Facebook app which has proven to have a decent amount of success (1,078 daily active users.)

I wonder how many of the 1,078 discovered virtual space through the app vs how many found the app due to previously being on Gaia.

[Kayleigh]

I do not have a facebook and want to go on yoville can i do that in anyway

[Ryan]

Yea YoVille is on myspace now

[Nilsa]

What is happening in Yoville? Because i cant enter since 10 days ago.

[Chris Brannigan]

Any examples of 3D virtual worlds yet on Facebook or other social networking sites?

[marie]

Im sad i can't play my favorite game any more whats going on? Please put it back on myspace. If not can i transfer my player to facebook? help!!!!!
thanks

[NovemberRain]

Hey Chris, everything is working fine, as far as being taken off of myspace or facebook that hasn't happened. Did your apps just not show up on the page or?

[troy xxx]

every one dont give ur email nor ur url to any one in yoville bec the might hack ur account as they did to me :(

[haley]

hi i was about to buy yo cash and it froze then i made a trade wit someone and lost 5 thouosand doollars cuz they didnt put anythin in trade box

[kali]

i got scammed for 5million coins in a trade on yoville

[kelly freeman]

i got scammed out of 5000 coins when i went to the bank,now i have no money to buy things,my screen froze and i lost everything.

[dlaurienzo]

I have YoVille on myspace and Face book however it keeps freezing on me. I charged 50 dollars on YoCash and it froze on me on Facebook. I also got scammed for 50,000.00 trying to buy stuff. That's alot of money when you have to work in the factory everyday

[kamery]

i got scammed for a all pets and all house and all furitan and all money i had 9998 yocash and know i want it back i had 3 cats 6 spca bulldogs and a 19 fishs and a 12 spca cats

[Heather]

I just bought a tree house it took my money and i have no tree house has this happened 2 anyone?

[andrew plew]

i had 10k coin and 1000 yo cash and its gone i didnt spend it my email is annoyinkid_8@hotmail.com

[andrew plew]

plzz get my money back my 10k coins and 1000 yo cash

[andrew plew]

i lost my 10k and 1000 yocash because i went to the bank and i was doing things using my money then it froze and everything i spent i didnt get nothing either

[darren braggs]

i am getting really tired of all the scamming going on i have lost 2 miilion worth of items do to this tradeing scam i have had it

[anthony nash]

i got scammed on yoville by bank too i got scammed 40k and 2000 yocash