Revisit Facebook Gaming: Simple, additive and free

So, how many hours a day do you spend on Facebook?  Are you already playing games like Farmville for more hours than you care to admit to?  Worry not, ‘cause you are not alone.

As Facebook exploded, so did gaming on the platform used by half a billion people worldwide.  The games are hugely popular because they are easy, addictive and free.

Unlike console games which require a sizable investment in both hardware and game tiles, these online games require no specialized equipment.  After all, you already have the PC/Mac for a number of other applications.  No special, expensive controllers are needed either.  Facebook games take advantage what you already have for Facebook.

And, most game titles are free.  There is no fee required to initially access and play the games.  Within the games, there are optional upgrade costs but, they are just that, optional.

The next thing that makes them popular is how easy the games are.  You know gamers, or thing you do, they are geeks that scour the internet for cheat sheets and complex tricks to truly enjoy the games.  But by contrast, Facebook games are super easy to learn and play.

Popular titles like Farmville, Mafia Wars, FrontierVille, Bejeweled Blitz and Texas Hold ‘Em Poker are all the rave on the social network.  And, don’t think you play these games alone.  Facebook is the perfect place to rope in your friends; invite them to play against you or with you, beg them for help or just sympathy if you need.

The social nature of the games makes the interactivity more fun and more engaging.  And I mean really engaging.  Nearly half of all Facebook users play games for up to seven hours a week (at work I am sure).  There are also more women than men playing games too!  Talk about the demolishing the perception of gamers.

If that wasn’t enough, Facebook made some changes recently to make gaming even better.  First up, games are now available in full screen mode.  The increased real estate opens up the gamers view allowing for more involved game play.

Then, the transformed the ticker to provide real time gaming updates from other players feed in a steady stream.

In recent months, Facebook gaming has declined slightly in terms of users and number of hours of game play.  This nominal decline is most likely the result of great, cheap, easy mobile games for smartphones and tablets.  In addition to the Facebook changes, there are a new slew of games coming from developers to Facebook to sweeten the experience.  This is the time to check out the new, free options.  Most games are great for all, but a few are really just for adults.  If you’re a parent, weary of those games.

Log in and have fun on Facebook.

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