YoWorld

YoWorld (Formerly Yoville) is a browser-based virtual world game owned by Big Viking Games. YoWorld can only be played on Facebook, and on the Facebook Game Room App, currently.^[1] The game was initially developed by Tall Tree Games, which is now called Big Viking Games, YoWorld was acquired by Zynga in 2008.^[2] After Zynga expressed their plans of discontinuing the game on January 10, 2014 which sparked what could be the biggest movement in the game's history.^[3] On April 24, 2014, both Big Viking Games, Inc. and Zynga announced that YoVille was sold, and was renamed YoWorld, and that the game had been saved from being shut down.^[4][5]

The game operates on a Freemium model, where the game itself is free to play but players can purchase virtual currencies or enroll in its VIP program in order to improve their gameplay. One example would be YoCash, a virtual currency players can obtain by paying with real world currencies.^[6][7] YoVille was the first of the successful "-Ville" series of social/casual games by Zynga, and inspired other games like FarmVille and CityVille.^[8]

YoWorld allows Facebook members to create a virtual character, and maintain and decorate their homes. Players can also purchase more houses, change their look in the Clothing Store, work in the factory for virtual coins, meet people around the world, and make new friends in a virtual world. The game allows you to purchase YoCoins and YoCash using real world money. The average cost of 25 YoCash is $5.00 and cost of 50,000 YoCoins is $1.00. Players can also buy additional homes as Big Viking Games release themes. Players can visit other players homes from a buddy list feature by adding friends through Facebook and public places. YoCoins can also be earned through the game on a daily basis, while YoCash is a more exclusive form of virtual currency.

Game information

Within the game, players are able to decorate their homes, and buy new ones, as well as dress up their very own avatar. New themes with new clothing and furniture lines are released on a constant basis, covering different genres and holidays. With each theme, new clothing as well as furniture is released into the game for players to purchase. YoWorld players also have the ability to add their Facebook friends as in game neighbors. You can visit your neighbors and collect YoCoin rewards for doing so. Having plenty of neighbors also results in a higher salary at the Widgets Factory. The Widgets Factory is an area on the YoWorld map where players are able to clock in every four hours and collect free YoCoins.

Players are able to level up within YoWorld, and earn rewards for doing so. Leveling up allows players to access exclusive items that can only be earned in this manner. Yoworld players also host public events from within their homes which are then featured on a list of events that all players can view. There are also an assortment of jobs players can complete for payment.

History

• On May 8, 2008, YoVille was first launched, and the game opened its doors to the world of players.
• In late 2008, Tall Tree Games sold YoVille to Zynga, where the game was run by VP of Product Kyle Stewart and Zynga co-founder Justin Waldron. The team grew the user base from 10,000 daily active users at the time of purchase to over 5 million daily active users less than a year later.^[9] Zynga operated the game until March 2014.
• In 2009, YoVille forums, the official forums of YoVille was created for players at www.yoville.com. The site replaced forums located on both Myspace and Facebook. Later on the site was brought down.
• In 2012, the V.I.P was released which enabled players to pay for a monthly subscription which allowed them to access exclusive items in the clothing and furniture stores with a discounted price. The cost of $17.99 allows the player either the clothing store or furniture store VIP and discount sections, 15 YoCash and 1 free hair of their choice weekly (4 weeks a month). After 3 months of paying for VIP service, the player is allowed into both stores and both discount stores, 20 YoCash and 2 hairs of their choice.
• The introduction of the Auction House in 2012 added another way to purchase items in game. Later in 2013 it added an option to trade using YoCash.
• On January 10, 2014, Zynga announced that YoVille will be closed on March 31, 2014.^[10]
• Greg Thomson, creator of the YoVille game from London, Ontario, Canada, was featured on CBC Ontario Morning and when interviewed, he expressed interest in buying the game back. He said to the fans that he was "cautiously optimistic" about buying the game back.
• On March 5, 2014 Zynga announced that they are continuing the YoVille program & It will not shutdown as previously planned.
• On April 24, 2014, Big Viking Games announced that discussions between both Big Viking Games and Zynga had come to a close. Big Viking Games announced on their Facebook page that they had successfully acquired and 'saved' YoVille. On May 12, YoVille was taken offline for 24 hours while data and information are transferred to Big Viking Game's servers. Due to copyrights YoVille is now formally known as YoWorld.^[11]
• On May 12 the game began its transformation from YoVille to YoWorld.
• On May 13 YoVille was re-launched as YoWorld.
• Since the Re-launch of Yoworld, It has continued to thrive. With the player base that once exceeded 500,000+ daily users, fell to roughly 40,000 daily users before the purchase of the game by Big Viking Games. Since the purchase of YoWorld, The game's community has expanded to roughly 100,000 daily players.

References

External links

• YoWorld
• Yoworld Forums