Zynga buys ‘Draw Something’ developer OMGPOP
Garrett Peek, formally a designer behind the largely downloaded ‘Draw Something’ app at OMGPOP, is now a creative director for Zynga.
Hits-focused social gaming company Zynga Inc. has bought the developer of “Draw Something,” a mobile app that’s been downloaded more than 35 million times since its release six weeks ago, the Wall Street Journal reported.
Zynga purchased OMGPOP Inc., a 40-person outfit in New York, for between $200 million and $250 million, according to the Wall Street Journal. It’s the biggest acquisition to date for the San Francisco-based company, which makes Facebook games like "FarmVille" and "Mafia Wars.”
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"The OMGPOP team has created a game that's fun, expressive and engenders real social interaction," Zynga CEO Mark Pincus said in a statement, the San Francisco Chronicle reported. "Draw Something has captured the imagination of millions of people around the world. We love the way they've worked playful and relevant culture into their games from Devo to Daft Punk, from Lin to Beckham."
Zynga Chief Mobile Officer David Ko said Zynga was not just interested in acquiring “Draw Something,” but also the talents of OMGPOP’s developers, the Wall Street Journal reported. In the past, competitors have accused Zynga of copying their popular apps, the San Francisco Chronicle reported.
“Draw Something” is the No. 1 word game in 84 countries, according to data from Apple Inc.’s application store, the Wall Street Journal reported. In the game, players draw images on their iPhone, iPad or Android devices based on selected words.
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