Can 'FarmVille 2' Save Struggling Zynga?
SAN FRANCISCO (CBS/AP) - San Francisco online games company Zynga is releasing a sequel to its 2009 hit, "FarmVille."
It's a total makeover for the simplistic, addictive, but oft-derided online diversion. It now has lush 3-D graphics instead of the old two-dimensional figures.
The game has another dimension, too. Players can interact with cute cartoon animals instead of simply "harvesting" them with endless clicks to obtain coins, as in the original "FarmVille."
A lot is riding on "FarmVille 2."
"FarmVille" became a household name and helped propel Zynga to the forefront of Facebook game makers. But investors are now questioning the company's long-term viability. Its stock is down some 70 percent since its December initial public offering. Zynga faces some of the same challenges in the mobile world as Facebook, where most people play Zynga's games.
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