Zynga bid to quell Street Racing uproar

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Zynga bid to quell Street Racing uproar

Firm offers no real-term refunds, refuses to answer questions

Facebook gaming giant Zynga has initiated a series of damage-limitation measures after sparking outrage from within its own fanbase.

Zynga recently announced in a demonstrably objectionable manner that it will be deleting the Facebook game Street Racing from its servers on August 2nd.

The firm offered no explanation on why Street Racing was being axed, however, leaving its customers in the dark after many had spent cash on in-game items.

Zynga, which has been valued at $5 billion by independent analysts, did confirm that it will not be refunding its fans. It will instead be offering free credits that can be used in a selection of its other money-making titles.

“As an acknowledgment of the inconvenience these changes may have caused, we have offered credits to all players who have made a purchase in the last 90 days,” read a company statement sent to Develop.

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“Those players will receive a credit for the exact amount of their purchases, plus an additional 100 units of premium currency, in any of Zynga’s nine most popular games”.

Develop had established contact with Zynga – a company which, despite its astonishing influence and size, does not publicly provide telephone numbers for the press – and sought an interview with the group’s CEO Mark Pincus.

Develop asked why the firm was shutting down the game, and why it was axing a title that in all likelihood was still yielding a profit. The group declined to answer the questions.

“We thank the Street Racing community for their support and hope they enjoy a new Zynga game of their choosing," read the prepared Zynga statement.

Protests over the closure of Street Racing have resulted in a petition published on Zynga’s forums, featuring numerous threats of refusing to play any Zynga titles in the future.

Many fans have in particular complained that a game they’ve spent money on is being taken away from them.

Street Racing is monetised as users pay real money for credits to tweak and improve their virtual cars.

Over the weekend a number of angry Street Racing fans poured hostile comments into a Develop Online news story. Even more had made known their protests in a follow-up story.

Street Racing’s abolishment highlights the largely untold tension between digital content and its consumers, with more goods existing online and no longer under the unconditional ownership of those who pay for it.

When initially announcing the closure of Street Racing, Zynga chose against offering an apology or explanation – instead it quietly published a small, colourful note on its forums to announce “Street Racing will be shutting its garage doors and will no longer be open for business”.

In the same note Zynga said “but if you liked Street Racing, try out FrontierVille” – referencing a new and wholly unrelated game that the company is anxious to make a success.

Social gaming analyst Nicholas Lovell told Develop the advert was “fantastically stupid” and “asking for trouble”.

Zynga has now replaced the note with one that doesn’t reference FrontierVille.

SUEING ZYNGA

posted by dajak Jul 30, 2010 at 5:21 pm
1

I hope a group of Street Racing players who had spent lot of real money in Zynga to sue Zynga for stealing their real money and ask for compensation for their valuable time in the game (some players several years). For me StreetRacing Game is my first and only game ever on Internet. I had spent more then a year of my time to play this game. If they close down Streetracing then I will stop playing any game on Internet. I don’t to waste my time anymore for any game on Internet.

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future

posted by chris jackson Jul 30, 2010 at 7:48 pm
2
chris jackson

I'd like to see if Zynga can come back from this, Facebook is alive with bad press for them, this could also harm facebook in the end, just for letting Zynga treat its customers like this. i have already got rid of all zynga games but for SR & alot of other gamers have done the same, Zynga sponsers must be now looking at thier future sponsership of Zynga because bad business disissions like this can only fall back on them, after all they are sticking by them, so are they has bad????????

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Street Racing

posted by Aubrey Harvey Jul 30, 2010 at 7:57 pm
3
Aubrey Harvey

DO NOT ELIMINATE "STREET RACING"

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streetracing

posted by Poul-Erik Schultz Jul 30, 2010 at 7:58 pm
4
Poul-Erik Schultz

SHAME on zynga, their arrogance will be doom.
replacing a racing with a farm game, for gods sake, get a life.

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Street racing

posted by Ron Hulzebos ( Leadfoot ) Jul 30, 2010 at 8:07 pm
5
Ron Hulzebos ( Leadfoot )

I have been playing this game for over a year and have meet many good people through the game, now you just plan to walk away from your own game, this is sad and also very unfair as lots of people have spent real money on the game and lots more even tons of time spent on the game, we the players have stuck it out in the game even with all the glitches and there is still glitches in the game as I see crew that is not listed as crew right now. I have seen and experienced the good old zynga wipes where we lose everything in the garage and all the properties and all the upgrades, a total wipe-out and we still stuck it out where as you just want to run and hide, that is a pretty lame way of treating the players that stuck it out through thick or thin, it might be time to look at yourself and see how you think about what you are doing with just quitting.

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Street racin

posted by Jim Coughlin Jul 30, 2010 at 8:15 pm
6
Jim Coughlin

If street racing goes I will never play another zynga game again ...... whats the point.... so you can just delete it?

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I will play no more Zynga Games

posted by David Woo Jul 30, 2010 at 8:16 pm
7
David Woo

I will play no more Zynga games if they close Street Racing! All the time and money I have invested is going to be gone. It was really the only game I ever played on Facebook! I don't want credits to another game. I want to continue playing Street Racing!!

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Street Racing

posted by Jim Piatek aka jimbo Jul 30, 2010 at 8:33 pm
8
Jim Piatek aka jimbo

If Zynga shuts down Street Racing on Monday August 2nd, I will never play another Zynga game again. I have over two years of my time invested in playing a game that I truly enjoyed. I will never do it again if they pull the plug

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Street Racing

posted by Maureen Marsden Jul 30, 2010 at 8:39 pm
9
Maureen Marsden

We want SR to stay !!!!!! All other games are rubbish and complicated, none are without flaws !!! Frontier keeps asking to refresh, farmville and Mafia we lose gifts..Pirates of the Caribbean !Well I couldn't get on it for at least 6months !!!! Vampires was the same ... I rest my case !!!!!!!!!!!! Only ever spent real money on SR and now it's gone because Zynga stole everything back !!!!! I had all my cars,properties and mastery taken away twice !!!!!!! So stuff you Zynga.....I will never pay a penny to you ever again !!!!!!!hollins and

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Street Racing

posted by Maureen Marsden Jul 30, 2010 at 8:45 pm
10
Maureen Marsden

Stuff you Zynga !!! I wont pay you another Penny !!! You took all my cars,properties and mastery twice.. This means the customer can go swing for his/her money !!!!! Policy use to be the customer was always right....At least Dick Turpin wore a mask !!!!!!!!!!!!!

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Let's see what the weekend brings

posted by Fester Jul 30, 2010 at 9:07 pm
11
Fester

Folks, we've all had our say. Let's see what Zynga says, if anything.
Not really sure what facebook can do, as I'm guessing Zynga just rents space from them. I know if I was facebook, I'd be doing my best to distance myself from Zynga, and the Legal Eagles would be going over contracts with a find-toothed comb. And I'd also make sure that nothing like this could ever happen again.
Anyroad, we've all vented our spleens. Let's take the weekend off, and give Zynga a change to explain.
Is it because there were too many players using bots to gain advantage? And Zynga couldn't stop it?
Is it because too many people were cloning the best cars, and Zynga couldn't stop it?
At the moment, with Zynga's silence, it seems that it's because they've got $500m in the bank. And when you've got that, who needs Street Racing?
Tell you something for free tho...
If I was involved in the last funding round for Zynga, I'd be digging my contract out and trying to figure out how to extricate myself from the investment, and get as far away from Zynga as possible.

OK, Zynga, your turn now. Talk to us.

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Game Over

posted by Deryl Johnson Jul 30, 2010 at 9:22 pm
12
Deryl Johnson

As a player who is about to be deserted by the developer of one of his favorite games, let me say this. Zynga won't see me in Frontierville, Vampires or any other game they have developed. They are just plain stupid if they think some other unrelated game can take the place of Street Racing. Zynga has taken what was a premier game and run it into the ground, but unless the company reverses its decision to shut down our game, I'LL NEVER PLAY ANOTHER ZYNGA GAME AS LONG AS I LIVE. And I have hundreds of friends who feel the same way. We have invested too much time and energy just to have it go to waste. Furthermore, I am one of many players who contributed to their advertising revenue by responding to offers in order to earn favor points to use in the game, and received an inbox full of unsolicited commercial email as a result. Some of my friends have spent hard-earned money on the game as well. Probably enough money that their shutting down the game and walking away amounts to GRAND THEFT. I won't play games run by thieves, and neither will my friends. I sincerely hope to be part of a class-action lawsuit against the company.

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Wake up Zynga

posted by Bobby Ellison (Cobra II) Jul 30, 2010 at 9:24 pm
13
Bobby Ellison (Cobra II)

I play this game on both myspace and facebook and over the years, like other players, have spent hundreds of dollars for credits to purchase cars. I have also enjoyed making new friends in both the Forum pages and in sr clubs. There is problems with this game as with any game but the real problem is the lack of attention it gets from its programmers. I love this game and plan to boycott Zynga games once it is removed. Wake up Zynga!!! This is a money maker and could be a really great investment!!

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Street Racing on Zynga

posted by J Griff Jul 30, 2010 at 9:36 pm
14
J Griff

WHAT?!!!!! They are going to credit those who have purchased items within the last 90 days?

ARE YOU KIDDING ME??!!!

THE GAME HAS BEEN ABANDONED SINCE LAST OCTOBER, WITH JUST RECENTLY OFFERING NEW CARS. WHO SPENT REAL MONEY ON THIS GAME IN THE LAST 90 DAYS...Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!

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Do not close it!

posted by Felix Jaitman Jul 30, 2010 at 10:03 pm
15
Felix Jaitman

please, do not close this very good racing game or at least allow us to get into SRS or another car racing game carrying the Street Racing points and cars!!! I have the SRS in my Play2 and is a good street racing game, is fom NAMCO

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street racing

posted by rare Jul 30, 2010 at 10:23 pm
16
rare

Good point "J Griff", no one has spent any money in the last 90 days, we were still trying to get our cars back from Zynga from the last big rollback! What makes anyone believe they are going to credit anyone for anything??

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dont cancel street race

posted by robb Jul 30, 2010 at 11:00 pm
17
robb

I have spent hundreds of dollars for credits to purchase cars. I have also enjoyed making new friends in both the Forum pages and in sr clubs. There is problems with this game as with any game but the real problem is the lack of attention it gets from its programmers. I love this game and plan to boycott Zynga games once it is removed. Wake up Zynga!!! This is a money maker and could be a really great investment!!

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SR

posted by Tom Jul 30, 2010 at 11:08 pm
18
Tom

Zynga is killing the olny game worth keeping,
Don´t you have any any other than financial skills left at Zynga?
You offer credits, yeah, and you know where you can keep them.
/ Tom

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KEEP STREET RACING LIVE - AT LEAST PROVIDE REASONABLE EXPLANATIO

posted by Richard Jul 31, 2010 at 12:09 am
19
Richard

I still can't understand what Zynga is trying to do. What they're attempting to do is plain STUPID!!! Street Racing players will not play Frontierville or any like it. They are completely a different themed games. IMHO, most of the us, the players, are playing Street Racing because we love cars and how we interact with each other. I've made good friends through this game and we all have one thing in common. WE LOVE CARS!!! THAT'S WHAT IT'S ABOUT!

ZYNGA HAS NO CLUE!!!!

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SR

posted by Peter John Chiverrell Jul 31, 2010 at 12:11 am
20
Peter John Chiverrell

Well all i have left to say is Mafia Wars going same day as SR stops. Zynga you were useless at running the game, sorting out the problems and actually responding to comments from players! How you run a profitable company with such little regard for you customers is beyond me! you can keep you bloody games.

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if you close SR, dump ZYNGA!

posted by Daniel Jul 31, 2010 at 1:09 am
21
Daniel

I have spent money and time on your game and this is how you treat those who have stuck by your side helping YOU with YOUR GAME!?? Wow . . . I will NEVER play a part in your CO. if you dump SR as you may just pull the same stunt again and I do not care to waste my time or efforts! What happened to my first post on this subject???

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gross incompetence

posted by eno da ero Jul 31, 2010 at 1:31 am
22
eno da ero

zynga, please listen to your customers. shutting down one of the most popular game is not a bright thing to do. stop looking for trouble. we managed to bear with you with all those glitches but this time, enough is enough. and then, you can't even manage this crisis well and expect to ride out of it. you guys in zynga have no competence at all. please, please, please, ZYNGA, listen to us!

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Zynga What a waste of space you are

posted by Brian Law Jul 31, 2010 at 10:02 am
23

This is yet another example of a useless company that believes it is GOD.

This was the last comment they sent me

Thank you for contacting Zynga Customer Support.

My name is David and I understand your frustration and I am really sorry that you are not currently enjoying the game. We're constantly working to make the games more enjoyable but when they do not reach certain number of users, it is better to let it go, but we really appreciate your feedback.

Thank you for your patience while we address these issues.

Kind regards,
David F
Zynga Customer Support

Zynga don't care about anything or anyone as long as they can steal everyones money and get away with it.

ZYNGA OBTAINING FINANCIAL GAIN VIA CRIMINAL ACTS .....this should be Zynga's motto

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Please do not shut down street racing

posted by stanley Jul 31, 2010 at 10:43 am
24
stanley

Please do not shut down street racing, this is the best game I ever play from zynga. No need to shut down, just let it live. Cause its quite fun. thanks zynga

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do not shut down street racing

posted by michael. stephens ..ake /knuckels Jul 31, 2010 at 2:34 pm
25
michael. stephens ..ake /knuckels

zynga should be ashamed at the way its treated all its loyal players on street racing,no explanation as to why its being taken away,then wanting ppl to play frontierville,what a joke,sr is the best app by far,,disgraceful way to treat paying customers zynga;;;;;fuming
oh and you can stick your 20 credits,,,,

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keep the motor running

posted by Jim Stubinski Jul 31, 2010 at 3:44 pm
26
Jim Stubinski

I have posted this before but feel it need to be said again!!

I FOR 1 WILL NEVER PARTICIPATE IN ANY ZYNGA GAMES IF THEY SHUT DOWN SR!! I HAVE MET ALLOT OF GREAT PEOPLE PLAYING THIS GAME!!!!!!

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Street Racing shutting down..

posted by Friederic Kranzel Jul 31, 2010 at 6:30 pm
27
Friederic Kranzel

Closing down street racing will leave many people unhappy and disgruntled. How can you get people to play other games when you close the games they want to play!

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SR

posted by Isabelle Becerril Aug 02, 2010 at 6:37 pm
28
Isabelle Becerril

NOW you decide to offer those same favor points for different games - what's the matter Zynga? Don't like the heat you're getting - TOUGH. YOU are the ones who LIED to players like me and others when you told us via email that you were working on updates and "exciting new features" for the game for MONTHS. You are and always will be LIARS.

I love how you acknowledge that fact by NOT publicly providing contact numbers for the press. Just because you have control of who calls you doesn't mean you have control of what they can say about you, morons.

I'm keeping my fingers crossed that your investors are reading every single word of every single post on this topic.

I hope this serves as a warning to other gamers who play Zynga's games - enjoy your game folks, but, don't bother spending a single penny on them... EVER. Don't click on the "free" offers either folks, since you get shafted with additional charges that aren't explicitly outlined for you, as noted in the lawsuit against Zynga.

Don't bother folks. Just leave Zynga and their games alone. Forever.

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Interesting

posted by davidsd Aug 12, 2010 at 7:01 pm
29
davidsd

As a game developer, I find a lot of these posts interesting.

I'm getting the impression that a lot of players are investing time/money into these games with the belief of future reward.

On one hand, its nice to see that players are not short sighted and only interested in instant gratification. Unfortunately, these games are not designed for the long term.

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