Google+ Games comes out swinging with Zynga, PopCap, Playdom et al

The gloves are officially off. Google has announced that it's slowly rolling out games to its Google+ social network. Aptly dubbed Google+ Games, the search--and possibly now social games--giant has teamed up with a number of high-profile Facebook game developers and publishers to bring their games to its platform.

According to a blog post announcing the new games movement, Google is focused on providing you with games that "are there when you want them and gone when you don't." Meaning that, instead of being infused with the existing Google+ News Feed, game updates are found by clicking on the new Games button between the search bar and the Circles button.

And just as quickly, these updates will be removed from your view when you press any other button next to the search bar. Your accomplishments in games on Google+ are only shown to those who also play games on Google+. And boy, has Google come armed to the teeth against Facebook. Google+ Games launches with games from PopCap, Playdom, Kabam, Wooga, GameHouse, EA, Funzio and Digital Chocolate. (And, of course, Rovio.)

Google+ Games
Wait a second, is that a Zynga game down there? But, doesn't that violate its terms with Facebook? (Surely, there's a loophole there we're not aware of.) Check out all of the launch games below, and join us in the waiting game for when that Games button appears on your Google+:

Games on Google+

[Image Credit: Google]

Collapse! Blast, UNO Boost burst onto GameHouse games portal

Between its new mobile platform and now this, Facebook looms like the spaceship from Independence Day over the Internet. Casual and social game creator GameHouse announced that both of its Facebook games, Collapse! Blast and UNO Boost, are now available on GameHouse.com. The games are playable on GameHouse's home turf through Facebook Connect.

This allows players to switch between platforms with the same scores and gameplay data. More importantly--if not for GameHouse, then the Internet on the whole--this marks a creative partnership between Facebook and GameHouse that brings Facebook Credits to GameHouse.com. This is a first for Facebook that allows users to make purchases on third-party websites, games and apps using its exclusive currency, namely Collapse! Blast and UNO Boost.

According to GameHouse, this is currently in the test phase, allowing players to buy virtual goods using Facebook Credits within Collapse! Blast and UNO Boost on the GameHouse website slash games portal. The process of buying virtual items using Facebook Credits outside of Facebook is seamless. "We truly believe that every game will be social someday, whether it's played on Facebook, Google+, or at GameHouse.com," the company wrote in a blog post.
GameHouse social games
This news follows GameHouse's recent reveal of Bayou Blast, the developer's next game in the Blast series of social games. The game looks to be an arguably fresh take on the match-three genre that PopCap popularized with Bejeweled. As for Facebook Credits appearing outside of Facebook, this could have massive implications not only for social games, but the commerce on the web across the board.

Click here to play Collapse! Blast and here to play UNO Boost on GameHouse.com Now >

Will Facebook Credits' availability through other online game platforms will change anything about online games? Is this indicative of all online games ultimately attaching to social networks?