Brazilian game developer Vostu will soon be launching a first for social games: an in-game radio station that not only provides some fresh music to listen to, but also gives players tips and tricks on how to play.
Brazilian game developer Vostu will soon be launching a first for social games: an in-game radio station that not only provides some fresh music to listen to, but also gives players tips and tricks on how to play.
The service will debut in Megacity before expanding to the farming game MiniFazenda. Available on both Orkut and Facebook, the service will, at least initially, be limited to Brazil and will be entirely in portugese.
According to Vostu, during playtests the radio feature proved popular with 95 percent of players and saw a 30 increase in how much time people were spending with the games. The service provides specific hints, such as the best place to put a building in Megacity or “did you know that” facts aimed at educating players on some of the trickier parts of a game.
“We are always looking for innovative ways to enhance our social games for our millions of devoted players,” Vostu chief scientist Mario Schlosser said. “Through in-game radio, we have created an entirely new way to communicate with our players while improving their gaming experience. We are incredibly pleased with our initial tests and players’ almost universal embrace of the radio feature.”
In addition to tips and music, players can also enjoy on-air interviews of successful users and notifications of significant in-game achievments. In total there will be three new hours of content each day.
