Google+ Games shows its colors with new game discovery features

The seemingly endless tit for tat battle between Google+ and Facebook may finally be over. Well, at least where games are concerned. The search giant of the same name (minus the "+") issued an update to Google+ Games that includes three new ways for players to discover which games to play next. The lists are "Top Games"," "New Games" and "Staff Picks."

They're pretty much self-explanatory, but the key takeaway here is that features like these take full advantage of the fact that Google+ Games is its own tucked-away section of the social network. Therefore, Google has opted to take more of an app store approach that you'd find at Apple's App Store or the Android Market than Facebook's highly ad-driven and social approach.

Each list appears on the left hand sidebar of the Google+ Games home page, and clicking on each opens a new page. While the way each list is populated is entirely different, they each look identical. Each page features a number of game icons in a grid layout, and mousing over each reveals a description of the game and the option to play. If a player wants to find the newest games on Google+, the guy or gal can simply click on "New Games" and instantly find brand new games to play.

Well, brand new in theory: The majority of social games on Google+ are already available on Facebook, save for exclusive releases like The Godfather: Five Families and GT Racing: Motor Academy. As the platform matures, game discovery features like these could be the selling point for Google+ Games. Your move, Facebook.

Do you think these features could pique your interest in gaming on Google+ once it brings in more games? How do you think Facebook will respond ?

Playdom escapes Facebook; games available through new portal

Despite releasing two impressive Facebook games in the past month, Deep Realms and Gardens of Time, Playdom seems to want to escape Facebook. The Disney-owned developer has opened its very own games portal on the Playdom website through which fans can play their favorite Playdom games outside of Facebook, Gamezebo reports.


Why the change? Well, Playdom isn't the first developer to mention freedom from Facebook as a goal. It could be the reduced viral channels on Facebook. However, the 30 percent cut that Facebook is about to take from all games on the platform this July is a far more likely motivator. Unfortunately, playing on the site does not even use Facebook Connect, meaning you'll have to start all over.

Forget about continuing that thriving empire in City of Wonder here, you'll be back at square one through the Playdom portal. How Playdom will convince its existing player base to migrate over at the expense of their well-invested Facebook accounts is yet to be seen. At the moment, only City of Wonder and Wild Ones are available for play through the portal, but expect more to come if this experiment blows over well.

[Image Credit: Playdom]

Would you abandon your Playdom games on Facebook to play them directly through Playdom? How successful do you think this Facebook escape attempt will be?