Zynga gives Google+ a boost with CityVille

While games arrived on Google's social network, Google+, back in August, support from social gaming titan Zynga was limited, with only Zynga Poker available on the service. That has now changed with the launch of CityVille, the most successful social game on Facebook.

While Gamasutra notes that there are still only 18 games on Google+, the importance of the launch of CityVille to the service's chance of success as a games platform cannot be underestimated.

Within 24 hours of launch, it had amassed 290,000 users, and a month later it was named the biggest-ever Facebook game with over 88 million users. It remains the most popular game on Facebook to this day, with AppData putting its current tally of monthly active users at just over 72 million.

While Google+ is the main beneficiary, the launch will also be good for Zynga. Last week it was revealed that its profits had fallen 90 per cent following a quarter without major game releases. It has since released a new Facebook game, Adventure World, and announced a second expansion to FarmVille and a sequel to 2008's Mafia Wars.

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