CastleVille
{{Short description|2011 video game}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2020}}
{{Infobox video game
| title = CastleVille
| image = Castleville logo.png
| publisher = Zynga
| developer = Zynga Dallas
| released = Facebook
November 2011
| genre = Simulation, role-playing
| modes = Single-player with multiplayer interaction
| platforms = Adobe Flash
}}
CastleVille is a defunct social network game made by Zynga's Dallas studio and was released in November 2011. It combined a number of elements from the company's other "Ville" range of games. On launch it had received a million "likes" on Facebook. By the end of its first month, it had become the fifth most popular game on Facebook with 26.5 million players. The game was a freemium game, meaning there is no cost to play but players have the option of purchasing premium content.
Zynga created a sequel called CastleVille Legends in early 2013.*[https://www.facebook.com/castlevillelegends/info Facebook page registered 16 April 2013]
- [http://blog.castlevillelegends.com/2013/05/20/welcome-to-castleville-legends/ Welcome to CastleVille Legends!] {{Webarchive|url=https://archive.today/20140702010313/http://blog.castlevillelegends.com/2013/05/20/welcome-to-castleville-legends/ |date=2 July 2014 }} 20 May 2013 news announcement
- [https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=580248538673763 Cover photo added 5 June 2013]
CastleVille shut down on 30 April 2016.{{Cite web |url=http://blog.zynga.com/2015/03/31/zynga-games-update/ |title=Zynga Games Update | Zynga Company Blog |access-date=1 April 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150708101936/http://blog.zynga.com/2015/03/31/zynga-games-update/ |archive-date=8 July 2015 |url-status=dead}}
Gameplay
Set in a medieval world, the game allows players to build their land up with castle elements, and craft armor, art and trade items. The objective is to explore the unknown land around the starting territory and expand the player's empire into it. The character's avatar can be customized, and the world features peasants, pirates, princesses and Vikings. A new reputation system was developed to encourage players to be social within the game in order to unlock new items and actions such as trading.
Development and release
CastleVille was developed by Zynga Dallas, which was purchased by Zynga in October 2010 for an undisclosed sum.{{cite news|last=Rao|first=Leena|title=Zynga's Shopping Spree Continues, Buys Video Game Developer Bonfire Studios|url=https://techcrunch.com/2010/10/05/zyngas-shopping-spree-continues-buys-video-game-developer-bonfire-studios/|accessdate=10 December 2011|newspaper=Tech Crunch|date=5 October 2010|archive-date=15 September 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200915181454/https://techcrunch.com/2010/10/05/zyngas-shopping-spree-continues-buys-video-game-developer-bonfire-studios/|url-status=live}} It was the Dallas studio's first release under Zynga management, and the first social game to feature its own orchestral and choir soundtrack. Originally announced in October 2011,{{cite news|last=Davis|first=Justin|title=Zynga Announces Five New Social Games|url=http://uk.wireless.ign.com/articles/119/1199696p1.html|accessdate=10 December 2011|newspaper=IGN|date=11 October 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111225025058/http://uk.wireless.ign.com/articles/119/1199696p1.html|archive-date=25 December 2011|url-status=dead}} it was launched in seventeen languages. It was released a couple of weeks prior to Zynga's stock market launch.{{cite news|last=Geron|first=Tomio|title=Zynga's CastleVille Extends 'Ville' Franchise|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/tomiogeron/2011/11/04/zyngas-castleville-extends-ville-franchise/|accessdate=10 December 2011|newspaper=Forbes|date=4 November 2011}}
The production team's aim was to take the best elements of the other Zynga "Ville" games and combine them into one package.{{cite news|last=Curtis|first=Tom|title=Interview: Zynga Goes 'Massively Multiplayer' With CastleVille|url=https://www.gamedeveloper.com/business/interview-zynga-goes-massively-multiplayer-with-i-castleville-i-|accessdate=16 March 2024|website=Game Developer|date=12 October 2011}} Storytelling features were brought from The Pioneer Trail, while CityVille and FarmVille provided the inspiration for city building and self-expression, respectively.{{cite news|last=Rao|first=Leena|title=Zynga's Newest Title CastleVille Combines Rich Storylines, Fantasy, And Social Gaming in a Medieval World|url=https://techcrunch.com/2011/11/03/zyngas-newest-title-castleville-combines-rich-storylines-fantasy-and-social-gaming-in-a-medieval-world/|accessdate=10 December 2011|newspaper=Tech Crunch|date=3 November 2011}} The game's Creative Director, Bill Jackson, said that it was aimed to be a deep online game like World of Warcraft.{{cite news|last=Benedetti|first=Winda|title=Zynga launches 'FarmVille' toys, 'CastleVille' game|url=http://ingame.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/11/15/8825422-zynga-launches-farmville-toys-castleville-game|accessdate=10 December 2011|newspaper=MSNBC|date=15 November 2011|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20111221224501/http://ingame.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/11/15/8825422-zynga-launches-farmville-toys-castleville-game|archivedate=21 December 2011}}
The game was announced in October 2011.{{cite news|title=Zynga announces 'CastleVille,' 9 other titles|url=https://abcnews.go.com/Technology/zynga-announces-castleville-titles/story?id=14716584|accessdate=16 March 2024|website=ABC News|date=12 October 2011}}
Reception
At launch in November 2011, an official page on Facebook for CastleVille had already received a million "likes".{{cite news|last=Locke|first=Laura|title=Newest Zynga title CastleVille goes live|url=http://news.cnet.com/8301-1023_3-57324412-93/newest-zynga-title-castleville-goes-live/|accessdate=10 December 2011|newspaper=CNET|date=14 November 2011|archive-date=6 January 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120106034014/http://news.cnet.com/8301-1023_3-57324412-93/newest-zynga-title-castleville-goes-live/|url-status=live}} It had gained five million players by 21 November, compared to the top rated game, CityVille, which had only reached 3.2 million players after five days.{{cite news|last=Rao|first=Leena|title=Zynga's CastleVille Crosses 5M Daily Active Users, Now Growing Faster Than CityVille|url=https://techcrunch.com/2011/11/21/zyngas-castleville-crosses-5m-daily-active-users-now-growing-faster-that-cityville/|accessdate=10 December 2011|newspaper=Tech Crunch|date=21 November 2011|archive-date=18 July 2012|archive-url=http://archive.today/2012.07.18-020103/http://techcrunch.com/2011/11/21/zyngas-castleville-crosses-5m-daily-active-users-now-growing-faster-that-cityville/|url-status=live}} Within a month, CastleVille was ranked #5 on the most popular Facebook games, having accumulated 26.5 million players. Its entry into the top twenty games came at a cost to its own creators: CastleVille forced an older Zynga game, The Pioneer Trail, out of the list.{{cite news|last=Caoili|first=Eric|title=Most Popular Facebook Games: CastleVille Rises As Mafia Wars 2 Falls|url=http://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/38797/Most_Popular_Facebook_Games_CastleVille_Rises_As_Mafia_Wars_2_Falls.php|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111209050623/http://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/38797/Most_Popular_Facebook_Games_CastleVille_Rises_As_Mafia_Wars_2_Falls.php|url-status=dead|archive-date=9 December 2011|accessdate=10 December 2011|newspaper=Gamasutra|date=6 December 2011}}
Jon Swartz previewed the game for USA Today, thought the game had similarities in design to the Shrek franchise, but described it as Zynga's crown jewel.{{cite news|last=Swartz|first=Jon|title=Zynga announces 'CastleVille,' 9 other titles|newspaper=USA Today|date=11 October 2011}} Andrew Webster, reviewing CastleVille for Gamezebo, said that the release wouldn't "revolutionize social gaming", but because of "arguably the best visual and audio experience on Facebook", it was still one of the best games on Facebook.{{cite news|last=Webster|first=Andrew|title=CastleVille Review|url=http://www.gamezebo.com/games/castleville/review|accessdate=10 December 2011|newspaper=Gamezebo|date=18 November 2011|archive-date=19 November 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111119221639/http://www.gamezebo.com/games/castleville/review|url-status=live}} He gave the game four and a half stars of five.
During the 15th Annual Interactive Achievement Awards, the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences nominated CastleVille for "Social Networking Game of the Year".{{cite web |url=https://www.interactive.org/awards/award_category_details.asp?idAward=2012&idGameAwardType=141 |title=2012 Awards Category Details Social Networking Game of the Year |publisher=Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences |website=interactive.org |access-date=22 November 2023 |archive-date=22 November 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231122165618/https://www.interactive.org/awards/award_category_details.asp?idAward=2012&idGameAwardType=141 |url-status=live }}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
{{Portal|Internet|Video games}}
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20120115134444/http://company.zynga.com/node/4641 CastleVille Website]
{{Zynga}}
{{Portal bar|Video games}}
Category:Multiplayer and single-player video games
Category:Video games developed in the United States