A sweet new version of Bejeweled Blitz

PopCap unveils a brand new version of Bejeweled Blitz -- one you can eat! OK, so this Bejeweled isn't really from PopCap, it was posted by 'ShakeSheepSound' on YouTube, and it's made of delicious candy. To see how this edible Bejeweled was created, check out the second video below, complete with indie rock/shoegazing soundtrack.


I'm impressed with the steady-handed individual tasked with moving the gem selector pieces with a tiny pair of tweezers. I also like how the artist makes it look like the pieces of candy shrink and disappear when three of the same color are matched. Talk about going to great lengths to pay homage to a game. Then again, when it's all over, you can eat your game as a reward.

PopCap launches 4th & Battery games label for Facebook, iPhone, & PC games

While PopCap may be known as the developer behind some of the most polished (and popular) PC, mobile, and Facebook games released to date (just take a look at Bejeweled Blitz for one example, which is in the finals of our March Madness Facebook game showdown), all of that time spent fine-tuning just a few games leaves the company's employees with a need to blow off some creative steam.

In come Ed Allard, Executive Vice President of Studios at PopCap to announce 4th & Battery, the company's new small games label that will be creating games for all manner of platforms, including PC, iPhone, and even Facebook games. The label's first announced game is Unpleasant Horse, and while it might be a mobile game, it does give us an idea of just how much "weirdness" (that's a quote) we can expect from this new division. Unpleasant Horse follows, you guessed it, a very unpleasant horse that has wings and destroys small birds or lands on other horses, sending them into the ground into a meat grinder. Doing this will reward you with extra points and "special bonuses." Obviously, the game will be meant for mature audiences, but it will be released for free later this month on the Apple App Store for all who are interested.

Jason Kapalka, CCO at PopCap, gives more of an explanation as to what to expect from 4th & Battery, via a company press release.

    "4th & Battery is a purely experimental, creative label with none of the typical concerns like schedules, profitability, or even target audience. It's kind of the video game equivalent of B-sides or short films. Expect weirdness."

While no announcements have been made as to when an "experimental" new game will be coming to Facebook, we'll make sure to stay on top of things and let you know when that changes.

What do you think of the concept of the 4th & Battery games label? Are you looking forward to seeing what outlandish, creative titles these normally reserved developers can come up with?

How do you become awesome at Bejeweled Blitz? Start early [Video]

Talk about living vicariously. This father is a self-admitted Bejeweled Blitz nut, and like any self-respecting nerdy dad has decided to pass on his love for PopCap's exploding gems to his 7-month-old daughter.

Sure, he's probably starting a bit early, but just you watch: This kid is going places. Well, that's if Bejeweled becomes a professional sport someday, but we wouldn't bank on it.

So, don't stop throwing change into that "college fund." Hey, at least it's better than passing on love for contact sports or power tools.


[Via PopCap]

[Video Credit: henamychou]

Are you a Bejeweled-addled parent, too? How early did you start your kids on the gem genocide? Sound off in the co

PopCap feels the power of 'free,' more freemium games incoming

Perhaps "PopCap feels the power of Facebook" is more like it. During an interview with PocketGamer.biz, PopCap senior director of mobile product and business strategy Giordano Contestabile revealed that the Bejeweled Blitz creator has plenty more plans for freemium mobile games. That's especially since its recent Plants vs Zombies freemium-inspired update.

"While we typically don't disclose much about our future plans, I can say that you're in for a lot of surprises for us in the coming months, and that in-app transactions and the freemium model are going to feature prominently," Contestabile told PocketGamer.biz. The PopCap exec believes that the play first, (maybe) pay later model of mobile games will likely take over.

"I think that, one year from now, 95 percent or more of iOS game downloads might come from freemium games, and 80 percent or more of the revenue could be associated with them," Contestabile told the website. "The freemium model is extremely powerful because it allows developers to reach the biggest possible audience, and it allows players to choose if and how to pay for content, after having tried it out."

While Contestabile did say that there's still a place for premium game experiences, or pay-to-play games, that approach is losing its luster for most games. It wouldn't be terribly inaccurate to call this "The Facebook Effect." The fact that companies like Zynga and EA (which now owns PopCap) have made serious dough with free-to-play Facebook games has certainly had a visible impact on mobile gaming, which has a distribution model fairly similar to social networks. Almost Free is here to stay, and it looks like PopCap wants to lead the charge.

Are you excited to hear that more free-to-play games are coming from PopCap? Which property do you hope gets the free treatment next, or are you hoping for more original games? Sound off in the comments. Add Comment