Description: At a cocktail party on the second floor of the expensive Bowery Hotel in Manhattan on Thursday night, as trays of stuffed mushrooms and thinly sliced filet mignon circulated, Charles Forman was marveling at how quickly things can change.
Source: NYTimes .com
Date: March 25, 2012
Draw Something transformed Omgpop from a little-known, nearly broke start-up into a must-have for an industry giant. The Zynga deal shows how companies are moving at Internet speed to stay on top of online trends, generating quick reversals of fortune.
“They bought a property that went from 0 to 60 in four seconds,” said Lewis Ward, a research analyst at IDC who focuses on the game industry.
Draw Something, a twist on Pictionary, involves making quick sketches that illustrate words and phrases like “swimming pool” and “starfish” for a friend to guess. It has been downloaded more than 35 million times since its release on Feb. 6, and players have generated more than a billion drawings, according to Zynga. Read Rest of Story
Questions for discussion:
1. Why are companies having to move so fast in their marketspaces?
2. Why is “Draw Something” so successful? Is it something that can be copied easily?
CAP
I think “Draw Something” is so successful because people were posting their sketches on Twitter and Facebook which helped the game spread rapidly. In the article it also mentions that the game topped the Apple App Store charts, guaranteeing that many more people would hear of it and try it. It probably was a really fun game to play as well, but I think the advertisements from the social medias definitely was a big factor in the game being so successful. Social media has helped a lot of products, games or really anything become bigger and more known to the public. There are so many people who use social media for everything and seeing products on their webpages can be very helpful for companies. It is free advertisement for companies. People usually would post things on their facebook or twitter account if they like a product or service so this can really benefit the company.
This game can be easily copied. From reading the article, it seems like it is an easy game to play. As long as a company makes a good product that people like then people would most likely use social media to advertise the products and tell all their friends.
LW
“Draw Something” seems to have made its way to the top of games available for smart phones. It would not have been able to do so without the app world. Being able to be apart of the app world would only increase its success. Having millions of people around the world playing this game, passing it on to others is a huge reason for its high success rate that literally happened over night. “Draw Something”is clearly one of those games that is unique resulting in it being addicting, once you start you cant stop. Its also a game that is convienant to the users. You do not need to constantly be online to play, you can play on the go. Which results in something that is appealing and attractive to the users. This game is not only available on the go, but the company has done a phenomenal job at attracting a certain age group. By designing a game that is directed for a certain age group, this being the generation of smart phones, will only draw more users in resulting in its success sky rocketing overnight. “Draw Something” ‘s success overnight is truly amazing, and in my opinion will make it hard to be copied. Once a unique game like such as “Draw Something”has become overly popular is released its hard for competitors to beeat what customers are already engaged and content with.
Sarah Lawson
Companies need to move faster than ever because people’s interests change so quickly and trends expand at such a fast rate due to the powers of the Internet. The speed of the internet has increase the speed of everything it effects. To keep up with the quick-changing trends, companies need to become flexible enough to change their market strategy. Omgpop, on the verge of bankruptcy, changed their marketing strategy to mobile device games instead of the classic online multiplayer games. Since society is trending on the use of smartphones, this plan was successful.
As a user of Omgpop’s website for multiplayer online gaming, I believe the change from the computer to the smartphone was what made Draw Something so successful. I also believe it was important for Omgpop to connect the game to Facebook. This allowed users to use an account they already have set up and they don’t have to remember yet another password. Draw Something can be easily copied and there were already games similar to Draw Something, but since the collaboration with an already well-known Smartphone Game App reputation (Zynga), Draw Something was able to grasp more publicity.
Mike Prest
I would firstly like to congratulate this man for a great game. Secondly i think the biggest reason this game took off is not so much the game itself but how it was marketed. From my experience i was on twitter and read a tweet by someone about the game. This sparked my interest and because the app store is so easily accessible on my iPhone it took maybe 4 min from when i read the tweet to playing the game. I think the main reason something like this is so successful is because of the number of smart phones people own and social media which uses the most powerful form and cheapest form of advertising and that is word of mouth. By having so many people connect with one another constantly it allows companies such as this one to create buzz and watch their company take off. The one distinguishing factor that i feel this game has on most apps is the connection between friends on each game. Most games are based on high score or levels of some sort and this one is simply drawing pictures over and over, between friends which brings an added level of fun to the game that others dont have in comparison.
IDR
I just heard of this game a couple of days ago, my brother and I were talking as he was trying to figure out what something someone had drawn was. He was really excited about it, he heard of it on facebook and he downloaded the free game. It is incredible how some things just get viral in just a few days, good for them. In regards of why companies need to move faster in the market place, I can say that the interest of people changes quickly; trends come and go, and the North American culture allows this to happen on a daily basis. This would not happen that quickly in other places like South America, they just don’t have the time for that -that being in a general context-. North Americans have better access to smart phones and data plans, and therefore more access to games, social network sites, etc. draw something is definitely a good game, if it weren’t, it would not have been this successful. But it success came mostly from the digital word of mouth that is facebook and twitter.
Jillian
About two weeks ago I saw some guys playing Draw Something while on their lunch break at work. I asked them what it was and they told me; it looked fun so I downloaded it. To begin, I didn’t know how to add people I know to play with me; however, I soon figured out that it is connected to facebook and facebook will tell you the people who already have this app. I played it quite frequently the first few days, now it seems as though I can’t keep up to people drawing me something back. It is a simple game; I enjoy that it is not timed, and you can’t really lose anything from it. Playing Draw Something has become the thing I do when I go to bed at night, or wake up in the morning; (just trying to keep up with everyone else drawing me something back). Playing Draw Something is what people do when they’re bored on their coffee break, or waiting at a doctor’s appointment. Therefore, I believe the game has become popularized, because it’s quick, simple, you can’t really lose, you can cheat if you want and you don’t have to be good at it.
cl
The recognition that these app games are getting continues to amaze me. The reason for the popularity is that it has made it into the online world where everyone can play; it is popular on twitter, facebook, smart phones, the list goes on. Once a game starts to gain popularity on facebook it starts like a wildfire with 800 million users the world is your oyster. I think the reason apps gain so many sales on smartphones is because it doesn’t really feel like you are buying anything it’s not like you have to put money up front, It just shows up on your next phone bill. The other thing with smartphones is that virtually everyone has one and if they don’t they have facebook, so the client base is absolutely massive. The key to these apps is that it has to be simple and draw something seems to be just that. Yes it is easy to copy and that is why app companies have to continue making new products for the users to use. For most of these games they don’t stay popular for very long so that is why innovation is the key to stay successful in an industry such as apps.
knwe
Companies are having to move so quickly because otherwise they may miss their chance if a similar product/service to theirs is developed and becomes popularized before they enter the market. Since the mobile game product life cycle is fairly short, many users will access the game for a short amount of time. Eventually the game peaks, and then users move on after to the next big thing. It truly is a fad market where users play whatever is popular at the time.
Draw something is so successful because it is available across multiple platforms (iOS, Android), and uses an integrated approach to online casual gaming where you can find your friends through facebook or email. It markets itself through word of mouth, and if your friends are playing it, you are playing it with them. Profits are easy for draw something: users pay (up to a few dollars each) for extra drawing colors, bombs (hints), and additional word choices. This is easy for consumers to spend, as the basic game has limited options. After all, what’s a couple dollars when the game is free or only $1? Multiply the number of people who have downloaded the app by a dollar here or there, and this equates to huge profits for these added features. Their acquisition by Zynga was also a good move for the company because although their game was already popular, it placed them under a more recognizable household brand.
MJJ
Draw Something is so popular because it is yet another game that allows people to play games with their friends online. The format of the game is appealing – no time limits, varying difficulties of words to draw, and it is easy to play. The popularity of smartphones makes the game completely mobile. The fact that it uses Facebook to locate friends that are playing also increases usage and popularity. The reasons that help make the game popular are also the reasons that make it necessary for companies to move fast when it comes to games. Word of mouth is a powerful way of advertising, and once a game is ‘discovered’ it is moves along like wildfire. If companies sit back and wait, they could miss the opportunity all together. The faster your game catches on, the better it is for the company.
Any idea can by copied depending on the protection measures put in place. However, even if a game idea is copied and slightly modified, chances are that people won’t drop Draw Something for a very similar game. And as the original players interest in Draw Something fades and interest shifts focus to the next new thing, new users will continue to discover it. People are always finding a new ways to kill time.
rosemary
Since internet is spreading so fast, the people that has the mind to invent on the other begins to play a role and to make their dreams come true. Draw something is a vision accomplished. There are other similar apps on the internet such as sketch free, sketch n draw etc, which will also motivate the the visioner to have the same mind with his competitors.
Mobile games like normal apps, increases the chance of Apple and Android to integrate marketing on a platform of come first, come serve to give the customer the incentive such that to interest in the kind of game.
To people that have interest to that game, $1 is free dollar to them.
Draw something will enhance the power of creativity, freedom to create and see what they can achieve through that.
At least Draw something transformed omgpop to something unimaginable, a giant industry. It came to existence in Feb 6 and sold over 35 million times, what an inspiration according to Zynga. With the extension on Facebook, people will keep on adding and adding, tell friends, family through the word of mouth and buzz marketing.
Mike S
The Story of Omgpop is not one that I haven’t heard before…This company has created a novelty game (in my eyes) that isn’t something that can last. There are game companies that create massive, evolving games to hold onto their customers and keep moving upwards to create a better game. Omgpop and similar start up companies are creating a quick and cheap escape from boredom. In a month the mainstream will be onto the next hit app and will largely have forgotten about Draw Something.
On my iPhone for example…I have pages of forgotten apps that I either paid or downloaded the free version. I have tiny tower, ninja fishing, temple run, words with friends and many others that rarely, if at all, get played. I can’t remember the names of the companies that made these games and since they failed to make a lasting impression on me, I would not feel a pressing need to buy a new game by them. This (app game) industry is moving so fast because few are creating a truly lasting app/game. One that did accomplish this is the angry birds developers as it has become somewhat of an icon and sells game related merchandise at surprisingly high numbers. As for Omgpop, they are blessed to have been absorbed by the massive Zynga games who has already set their roots.
B
Companies have to move so fast in their market spaces because of innovation and also changes in consumer wants. If you think about how quickly you get bored with one app game and move on to the next, you will realize that there are many games in your phone or tablet device that have not been used in probably a few months. If Zynga moved slowly on acquiring Omgpop, they not only would have missed out on certain profits, but would have lost out the limited popularity of the game. The successfulness of Draw Something is simple; it is fun. It is something that can be easily copied, but now that it is a household staple game for everyone, no knockoff will be able to beat the original. If you think about a game like Angry Birds, it would be simple to copy it. In fact, I am sure it already has been copied. The difference is, people have already come to know and love the game, so they are not looking to have two copies of the same game. The simple reason for it’s success is that it was first to the market, and now that everyone has it, sales have slowed down. The same will happen with Draw Something.
Jon
The comments I have read to this point refer to how it became so successful. Yet the real issue is why Draw Something is so successful. I believe that it is a success because it is a game that can be used interactively with other people. Games likes “Chess with friends” “Scrabble” and “Words with Friends” all have been downloaded millions and millions of times. They unite people, so that they don’t have to play their games in solitude, but actually get the feeling that they are interacting with others (even if it isn’t face-to-face). Therefore, the game creators are building on an existing idea, with a unique twist. Two other factors I would attribute to the games success would be the ability to share your creations over social media and the price. Firstly, I know of other games where you can post high-scores on Facebook or Twitter, but to post creative works is a innovative idea. With regards to the price, at only $1 per download, and a free version to entice consumers to buy, it is not take a great deal of money to be an owner of the game.
I think the fundamental ideas of the game can be copied – something that unites friends, allows competition and allows social media to be involved. With a huge game developer now in charge, however, I think it will be a challenge to copy the actual game.
Michael
These companies are so successful so rapidly because they create a product that many people want. The day we live in is one of easy scalability. Companies are able to grow exponentially very quickly not only this but ideas as well. This is why it is important for companies to realize the impact that they can have when they develop an awesome product. I personally have used this app and I really enjoyed it. This company shows how a simply idea can generate millions and millions of dollars in revenue. Even though the idea itself may not be the most brilliant or even if one cannot easily see how it can generate so much money. The point is if someone can generate interest in an idea they will be able to make money. Having people follow you is so important and if people are viewing a specific thing you can bet companies are vying to get their name on that product. I think it is great how this has developed as a small startup company can essential win a lottery just by being successful in developing a product that many consumers want. I am excited to see what happens with this app in the future.
Sarah Fletcher
I think the answer to the first question as to why companies have to move into the marketplace so fast is simple. Although Draw Something is a very popular came right now, next week it will be a new game. My generation is all about instant gratification. We like new things all the time and we like them now. If it takes too long we are simply over it. I actually had a friend ask me to download draw something about a month ago now so that she could have something to play with. I really liked the game but after about a week I was over it. Now I have all these people who just found the game hassling me to play with them and I don’t want to play anymore. I think this game was a success because it’s more fun to play with people you know rather than strangers which increased the flow of word of mouth amoung users. However, I do not think this would be a hard game to copy. Infact, having played I have some improvements I would make that would make it more likely that I would continue playing for longer. I think with apps you have to be creating something new all the time to keep people interested. I know that I personally don’t download apps very often and it takes a lot for me to want to spend the time on an app.
John McAllister
Companies are having to move faster and faster these days due to the constantly changing nature of the business world we live in. In the past 20 years we have seen and incredible change from the start of e-mail to the “always in contact” life style of today that is offered with the services of smart phones, laptops, tablets, and many other devices. As a result the life cycle of many products have become incredibly rapid. The future likely holds an even faster business world and as a result companies will be forced to adapt by moving faster and faster.
Draw Something is so successful because it is such a simple concept that allows people to connect with each other in a fun and easy way. I personally have played hundreds of games with dozens of friends and have recently become bored of the game. It will be very interesting to see how they will adapt to keep people fascinated by the simple concept. What originally attracted me to the game was not only its very basic concept of doodling but the fact that it became a new way of interacting with people and in a sense flirting with cute girls I hadn’t talked to in years.
Ellie
What is the most popular game on the Smartphone recently? If you see the top 25 in the App Store, you will know the answer. Draw Something is most popular now. As the article said, “It has been downloaded more than 35 million times since its release on Feb. 6, and players have generated more than a billion drawings, according to Zynga.” There is no doubt that “. Draw Something is a surprise for the Omgpop, the company which created this game. Draw Something changes Omgpop from a little-known, nearly broke company into a must-have for an industry giant. What makes Draw Something so popular? In my opinion, the game give the player a unique participation way. The player should draw the pictures according to the commands and the picture will send to players’ friend; then give them chance to guess it. It is very interesting, one little game can get many people involve it and enjoy it. For the people who are interested in painting, that’s better. The game gives them chance to draw picture and enjoy time. As the game developer said, the essence of the game is that player can get the sense of accomplishment though working together.
Claudia
Companies have to adapt and move so fast in order to keep up because market trends and consumer demand is constantly changing. As different generations of consumers start using new technology and products that are associated with their age they will naturally desire their own twists and features to their favourite products or services. As companies evolve with younger employees they are morphing into consumer satisfaction obsessed businesses which give them positive word of mouth and the ability to change in the environment of new employees and customers. I think games like draw something are the result of the younger generation becoming more computer savvy and realizing that developments in both the entertainment and academic sides of computers can be coupled and successful.
Josh
Personally I play “Draw Something” and its awesome! Its highly addictive and I have literally 25 games going on because virtually everyone with an iPhone or android plays it as well. I think the success of the game stems from two key points. First, that the actual game is a great concept. It allows people to be creative and have a laugh or two with their friends over their crappy drawing skills, and its collaborative as opposed to competitive which makes it that much more laid back a product to use. Secondly I feel that a huge amount of its success is that it can be played across platforms. Being able to not only play my friends all over the country who have iPhones, I’m also able to play my friends who have android phones. The integration between the two is what I think I like best from a technical standpoint. I think its also amazing how rich the guy in the article got simply overnight. Wouldn’t it be nice…. hahah
Tyler
Companies have to move so fast in the marketplace because the marketplace is moving so fast. What is popular one day can become unpopular the next as the world moves from one sensation to another one. As well there is quite often no real warning on what can become huge online. When the song “Friday” by Rebecca Black got so many hits so quickly it was nothing that anyone could have ever expected so if a company wants to get in on a marketplace like that they need to move fast and keep up to date with what is popular at the time.
The success of draw something is that it’s interactive combining people all over with each other to work to solve things and the fact that it’s so simple. The simplicity of it has allowed a lot of people to get involved that may not have wanted something more complex and combined with the fact that it allows players to build their own experience while playing the game has allowed it to become a major hit. While that sounds like something that would be easy to copy in reality it is something that is hard to duplicate. With so many varied preferences it is hard to get a read on what will become popular and it’s not easy to make games that are simple as well as fun.
sk
Draw Something was so successful for so many different reasons. Quite simply, it was an extremely good idea for a game. It is essentially Pictionary on the go – on your phone. Next, it was very successful because it was associated with Facebook. By allowing people to play with anyone on their Facebook page, it allowed people to easily start playing, and sharing the game with their friends. Not only that, Draw Something is so successful because it is available across different types of phones (iPhones, Androids). As well, agreeing with MMJ, I found that it spreads through word of mouth. For instance, the only reason I downloaded it was because my friends kept telling me they wanted to start a game against me. Essentially, if your friends are playing it, you are guaranteed to be playing it with them. Although I must say, I feel as though this is just a fad for now. It will probably be replaced by another huge thing next month. This is a fast paced marketplace, and if companies want to survive, they need to get to the marketplace first – and with something unique.
JX
Draw something is hot and successful app in recent months. And even Draw something become a studying English tool in some places. This game saves a company Omgpop. In the game market, especially mobile phone game market, gamer transfers his attention are so fast and so frequent. Many games were hot by some period such as Ninja fruit on iOS and Android, Smurfs on ios, and angry bird on iOS and Android. So companies have to move fast in order to follow the fashion in game area and avoid funds are into risk.
I play Draw something too, and I think there are many reasons that Draw something is so successful. First, gamer can draw any picture based on their ideas. People like the freedom style. People do not have to be limited by game designers. Second, it contact Facebook, it is easy to find friends to play together. Third, it is easy to play! There will appear other game that is so popular like Draw something, even exceeds it. The game and the reason of Omgpop’s success are easy to copy, but it other app companies want really to be successful, they have to create their own idea and own ways.
Morgan
Internet companies have to move quickly because the Internet moves in real time. Traditional companies have the luxury of the 9-5 work week but the Internet doesn’t sleep and things can go viral in a matter of hours (or even minutes). Companies dealing on the Internet have to be ready for anything at any given time, and they must be able to recognize when a potential profitable idea is about it take off.
Draw Something was able to spread quickly because users posted their drawings on big social media sites. Things posted on Twitter have a tendency to go viral, which is what happened to Draw Something. The game is available as a $1 download (or a free version with ads) so there’s no risk to the user if they want to test the game out for themselves. Another reason why it blew up so fast was that people who already discovered Draw Something probably pestered their friends to purchase the app and play with them.
The game itself could be copied easily, but I do not believe a company could come out with their own drawing game and expect the same success as Draw Something. If another company were to copy the game, it would likely be boycotted because the Draw Something is now in the hearts of many fanatics.
Carly
Especially in technological industries, things are always changing quickly and constantly. There are always improvements being made to existing technologies and new and better technologies are constantly exploding onto the market. When it comes to online games, we see many trends, some that last longer than others. Games are something that people play to pass time. Phone games are usually fairly basic and repetitive and often when a new game is found, it will be played until the player becomes bored of that one game. Draw something is so successful because it does not require you to repeat similar motions over and over again. With draw something, people are encouraged to use their creative brain to draw pictures, on top of using problem solving skills to figure out what the other person has drawn. This keeps players wanting to draw over and over again. The option of playing multiple games at once enables players to stay connected to the game for lengthy periods of time. Draw something is a game that can be copied as the idea is fairly simple. Whether or not a copy would be as successful as the original is another question. The fun interface and current drawing suggestions would be a hard game to beat!
Jarrett
I agree with Sarah above, companies have to move into the market space as quickly as possible because what is hot and cool today, could be old news tomorrow. Smart phones were previously used for business, and now today, they are completely mainstream and used by people of all ages, for all purposes; gaming being a main purpose. People of all ages use their Iphones, Blackberries and android phones and tablets every day, for hours at end. if they can find an app or game that they enjoy using, then they will use it more and more while it is hot. As well, with draw something, they are ingenious in the fact that they make it so that you have to play with other friends. That is instant, free marketing because not only does it allow for more people to hear about your game, but for every person that plays it, there is going to be numerous others that will join. This is a great business strategy that has been perfected by other people before Omgpop, but has definitely been utilized for draw something. I think this company will continue to be very successful in the future
aaron
So thats what that game is. I think that draw something is so successful because it is very similar to facebook and twitter but more specialized in its socializing characteristics. it offers socializing over a network, same as many other applications, but this offers a fun encouraging game as part of the main theme. This motivates people to only socialize in a drawing theme, where as facebook and twiter socializing is more in depth, and most people dont need to know your life story. Draw Something feels like a stepping stone to facebook to me, almost like a cheap pick up line. But there are problems with any trends, like how long is it going to be “in” for, when or if someone else going to copy your ideas or products. I think that draw something was a huge success to its genre of gaming, but not the first nor the last to succeed. Angry birds merchandise for example, I see those birds everywhere, in gas stations being sold as toques, or Walmart in pillow form. Innovative games that break barriers have become large players, but how many actually succeed? It can be hard to predict a trend, not to mention the cost of being wrong, can be substantial.
Maria Rana
I found this article very interesting. I love the game “ Draw Something”. I honestly find it addicting. I like the fact that you can play with your friends or other people in real time. I was introduced to the game through a group member in one of my classes but at that time, I thought it was stupid. As time went on, I saw the photos people were drawing and posting on facebook and that caught my attention. I downloaded the game to give it a try and now, I am totally hooked! I think this game has gone viral as most people that I know are always playing it. I think word of mouth and social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter really helped spread the word about this game. At the same time, I do believe that this game is a sort of a trend and when the next “it” game comes out for smart phones, people will lose interest in “Draw Something” and go on to the next one. For now, I really do enjoy playing it but I do feel like I will get bored of it pretty soon.
Rod white quills
i have experienced this game first hand draw something is running wild my wife and my older son who like playing the game so much that it sometimes gets to be a bother for the rest of us in the household. it is different in that you can enjoy the challengs with any body form anywhere. this is something that some people really enjoy it and some peopleare always texting my wife for her to play and sometimes she just doesn’t feel like it. even though we play together justfor kicks with some of our friends. i’m not reaaly that into it because it gets boring. so at atime when it was becoming very popular was just the right time to sell this game. who knows how long before somebody comes up with the next best thing. because of how fast everything on the internet is growing it won’t be long until the game is a thing of the past draw something is fun but can become a bother to people who want different things at different times of the day. just like other games that me and my family play we get bored and want to move onto the next thing. so i think that draw something was in the right place at the right time when it was sold because it will soon bea thing of the past and will no longer be fun and just be boring for me and my family.
Keely
Companies need to move fast to introduce the new latest and greatest things for their marketspaces before competitors do. When it comes to games, if you don’t get your game introduced and all the bugs fixed quickly consumers won’t tell their friends about how great it is and convince them too to buy it. Though, if you introduce a great game, or app word gets around, and suddenly companies are continually gaining consumers. Social media sites have a huge impact on what the latest and greatest are. Personally, when I downloaded Draw Something it wasn’t because someone had told me about it, and I hadn’t just randomly come across it like with most apps I have, but I’d seen a picture for it on Facebook, and decided to look it up. After downloading the beta copy, it didn’t even take a day of using the app to purchase the full game.
Draw Something is so successful because its something that if fun for anyone, no matter what age. Not only is it a game, but it is a form of social networking, with the ability to delete an entire page and then continue drawing, people can send messages through a game. On numerous occasions, I have found myself drawing messages to my friends through Draw Something, when I could just as easily type them out a text. Because of the features of this game, and there always being something new and fun to create Draw Something has been and will continue to be very successful. The app is not something that can easily be copied, as it has many technical features.
Jenn Burton
In the age of the internet and social media many new technologies either sink or swim within days of being released. Simple is key and if you can create a cheap phenomenon then competitors will be watching you. Omgpop was struggling and was in the sinking category till one game got a facelift and became a hit creating buzz and possibly panic in their competitor Zynga. Although, Zynga is Facebook based hit and has their games on a server other than Facebook, many are also apps. “Draw Something” is an app to compete with what they had created. I think the fast pace is to keep a “monopolistic” grasp on the industry that is becoming more popular and broader. Zynga’s acknowledgement of Omgpop’s success just meant that they saw them as a threat and acted quickly to neutralize it.
Social media has replaced conventional get-togethers, thus creating a virtual world of multiplayer games. Draw something was a “version” of Pictionary without the hollering and gathering of a group in the same room, it also eliminated the stress component of time constraints. Because of the twist on an old favorite, the success was inevitable when compared to Zynga’s success with Word with Friends and many others. Words with Friends is like Scrabble. Draw Something could be copied easily but doubt that anything new would have the similar and extent of success.
Andrew D
Companies need to move quickly in the marketplace becuase technology moves very quickly. The next big thing is constantly happening and the best companies are the ones who can utilize all of their technological resources to stay on top of the game. ‘Draw Something’ is sucessful for several reasons. It is available for free on the app store, which is available to every iphone, ipod and ipad user around the world. HUGE market! secondly it is very simple to play, its really something that anyone can do, and its fun for people interested in video games and more importantly those who are not interested in video games. It also is linked through social media. You need someone to play with, so you tell them to get it and it snowballs from there. This is a game that could be duplicated easily, but its unique because it was first. People will always be able to spot an imposter and will often reject it, even if it improves on the original.
Chance Engel
It is so important for companies in the technology industry to move so quickly because of how fast the industry itself moves. If companies want to keep up and have a shot to compete then they are forced to move at an outstanding rate. Most games such as apps like Drawsome are games that become extremely popular almost overnight but they are fads and people switch their interests over to the next big hit and soon forget about the previous one. I think that Drawsome was a success because of three things. 1- It was unique and not done before in terms of an app that people could play on their phone. 2- It was a variation of Pictionary, a popular board game that a lot of people throughout generations are familiar with and could connect to. 3- The ability to play with friends and even online with strangers. Drawsome is a game that could be easily copied but since it is a fad, the game that copied them would not be successful i dont believe. I think people would see it as a copy, and they would already be over the whole idea of that game and move on with the next new hits.
Mattie E
First of all, I have to say that I LOVE Draw Something. You might even say I’m addicted. This game has exploded recently, especially among university students. During finals last semester, everyone I knew was playing this game during their “study breaks”. I think it is very interesting that a simple drawing game has made millions of dollars and become such a culture craze. Perhaps the simplicity of the game is why it is so successful. I like Draw Something because the idea is simple and it is really easy to use. I can play with my friends or a random person on the other side of the world. I can also chat with them about the drawings, which is an added bonus to the game. I think another reason this game is so popular is because there are no winners or losers. Each player is just there to have fun and earn coins for their drawings so they can “buy” more colours to draw with. There are no other games like Draw Something, which is why so many people play it.
crystal s.
In todays world of technology, something made today is extinct tomorrow. The success of this app and the viral explosion of its use has given the company the urgency to market it quickly before the interest dies out. Consumers change their preferences so fast that they are continually trying to stay above the competition. With Omgpop switching from pc’s to smartphones it was an incredibly successful move that made their app go viral thus ensuring the longterm success of Draw something. Adding it to a social media such as facebook also helped the app become popular among facebook users. I think that by adding it to facebook made it more popular and cemented the commitment from users over other similar types of apps. Zynga’s popularity and association with facebook was the catalyst that spiraled this app exponentially among users of facebook and smartphones. The ability to play with your friends on facebook is what made this app so interesting to users and its success. The ease of playing this app on your smartphone through social medias such as facebook and the ability for someone to copy it with no problems has helped to launch the success of draw something and make it a top app among users.
Ryan Huntley
I think what makes app development companies so competitive is the need for constant innovation in response to the evolving demands of their customers. This need for constant innovation is also propelled by a highly saturated market, where for every one big success, such as Draw Something, there are thousands of smaller developers that are fighting to stay afloat. Moreover, human-intellectual capital (arguably the main asset of tech firms) is easily moved from one company to another, creating an urgent need for employee retention above and beyond that of firms in other industries.
What makes Draw Something so spectacular is the collaborative aspect of the App. Collaboration for businesses and students has been made possible through cloud computing technology for quite some time now. However, what draw something does is makes working together a simple, fun, and easy activity that’s accomplished through your mobile device.
I have great difficulty in coming up with other Apps that accomplish what Draw Something does. On a more complicated scale, I think of Portal 2 collaborative missions, although that’s significantly more complicated and not conducive to a smart phone platform. In terms of replication, I think it would be relatively for developers to fabricated App games that are collaborative in nature, but I think coming up with something that is as uniquely simple and interactive would be exceptionally difficult.
Misbah Dar
Draw Something is so successful because it is the type of idea that is extremely simple that you are like to yourself why didn’t I think of it before. It gives you the feel of playing Charades with your friends and not being able to see their expression of not getting what is it that you are drawing or trying to tell them through drawing something. There is no time limit and you can take your time guessing and have fun drawing, showing or practicing your artistic abilities. Its popularity grew through word of mouth and proper social networking through Facebook and Twitter. Anything that has been talked about on these social networking has become extremely popular, gives everyone a chance to try some new things. Apps such as this one is what’s making smartphones so loveable and everyone wants to have one to be able to play on it. This is another way to connect with other people through draw something. The reason it became so popular is people like simple things that they can access easily in the palm of their hands and it’s like being a kid again without the worry of aging. Draw Something has been seen as an active way to stay busy and exercise your mind.
Joey
When beginning it is more realistic to mention you can score many free or really low-cost objects with minor attempt.