Vator Box

Vator Box to Zynga - go on acquisition spree

Adeo Ressi, founder of TheFunded, is guest host analyzing the No. 1 social gaming company on the Web

Innovation series by Bambi Francisco Roizen
September 14, 2009 | Comments (3)
Short URL: http://vator.tv/n/a91

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Zynga, the hottest social gaming company with 100 million users, is believed to be raising another round of financing, which will most likely result in a significant valuation for the hot social gaming company. And, Zynga, which operates games such as Texas Hold 'em, Farmville, and Mafia Wars, should go on an acquisition spree to pick up popular gaming franchises. These are just a couple observations and comments made on this week's Vator Box, which features guest host Adeo Ressi, founder of TheFunded and TheFunded Founder Institute, Ezra Roizen (Vator Box regular and digital media investment banker) and me. In the spotlight this week is Zynga, which on Monday was reported to have settled its Mob Wars litigation.

Here's a few highlights about our view of Zynga. 

- While games have sticking power, they don't have eternal sticking power. Gaming is a hits business with the invariable challenge of always having to come up with hits

- If gaming is a hits business, Zynga should buy up hit franchises, like Playfirst, and sprinkle some Zynga juice on them

- It's not will Zynga be successful, it's how successful will it be?

- Zynga Founder and CEO Mark Pincus Mark Pincus has hit rock star status. He's the Eric Schmidt (CEO of Google)/Larry Page and Sergey Brin (founders of Google) of the gaming industry.

- Mark should start expanding his drink selection for sale, like coffee, at his Texas Hold 'em tables

- Word on the street is Zynga is raising a new round. As Adeo says it, "I think Mark is going to pull in an obscenely large round with an obscenely large valuation."

Watch the show for more! 

Vator Box is Vator's version of Siskel & Ebert meets American Idol. Every two weeks, we put one startup in the spotlight and with our guest host, we analyze and discuss the prospects of the company. We've been fortunate to have some amazing guest hosts, from Google's Marissa Mayer and Guy Kawasaki. Zynga founder and CEO Mark Pincus was also once a guest host. Our next guest host will be Howard Hartenbaum, a venture capitalist at August Capital and an early investor in Skype. 


Related companies, investors and entrepreneurs

Thumb_2322_the_founded_pitch_08-4-sequence_1-default_mpeg-4
TheFunded
Startup/Business
Description: TheFunded is a place where entrepreneurs and founders can rate and opine about venture capitalists. 
Plogo_zynga_zynga-logo-for-screen-v2
Zynga
Startup/Business
Description: Zynga is the largest social gaming company with 8.5 million daily users and 45 million monthly users.  Zynga’s games are avail...
Plogo_financial-and-strategic-advice_sfx-logo
STRATEGYfx
Service provider
Description: STRATEGYfx is primarily a venue for research and commentary on the technology industry.  We also take on consulting engagements, res...
Plogo_thefunded-founder-institute_logo
TheFunded Founder Institute
Service provider
Description: TheFunded Founder Institute is a new founder-centric incubator that trains new and seasoned entrepreneurs the best practices for bu...
90_70_default_profile_pic
Adeo Ressi
TheFunded Founder In...
62
Ezra Roizen
General Manager,
STRATEGYfx, LLC
Bio: Advisor and commenter on emerging ventures, focused on digital media, e-commerce and mobile companies.My transactional activities are per...

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Comments

Gary Silver
Gary Silver, on September 14, 2009

interesting and fun to watch.


Lorenzo Carver
Lorenzo Carver, on September 14, 2009

Excellent show! Awesome insights and a great guest. Thanks.


Bambi Francisco Roizen
Bambi Francisco Roizen, on September 14, 2009

Thanks Gary. It was fun to do!


Bambi Francisco Roizen
Bambi Francisco Roizen, on September 14, 2009

Thanks, Lorenzo:
Adeo is a great host. He also has good chemistry with Ezra. So, we're actually going to have him be a permanent host for our "Juice Box" version of Vator Box during our Juice Pitcher events


Lorenzo Carver
Lorenzo Carver, on September 14, 2009

What a wonderful combination that will be! I look forward to seeing the Juice Box show.


Bambi Francisco Roizen
Bambi Francisco Roizen, on September 15, 2009

Don't forget to make our event! Oh, btw - don't overlook or discount the value of the editing. Matt Bowman is the Quentin Tarantino of tech/startup video editing :-)


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