Posting Game Status Updates to Google Buzz
The past few weeks I have been using Google Buzz as my main social media outlet, trying to find new ways to help improve the service along the way. Currently the main features I see in Google Buzz are: post status updates/Buzz posts, share website/blog updates, RSS feeds from Google Reader, Twitter updates, images and video from Picasa, Flickr and YouTube. This is a limited selection of content that Google chose to include with the launch of Buzz, however I see this area being the best place for Google Buzz to grow. If Google Buzz allowed other sites and tools to integrate into your Buzz stream it would allow all of your favorite sites and tools to become more social.
The first thing that came to mind was that Google Buzz would be the perfect medium for game status updates. These game status updates could be a new high score, granted a new item in-game or even beating the game in general.
Currently I am playing three (3) games on my iPhone which push status updates to Facebook, these games are: Zombie Farm, Frogger and Bejeweled. Those of you who know me know that I don’t really like Facebook. Facebook in my opinion is a closed ecosystem that should only be used as a tool to connect with old friends and family, so having my game status updates posted there has never made me or my friends happy.
Now on the other hand why not allow all games, not just ones on the iPhone post game status updates into your Buzz stream? Game makers could either create their own website for the game status updates and have that page feed into Google Buzz or they can have the game status updates posted directly into Buzz. Posting your game status in Buzz will allow your friends to make comments on your game status, ask you questions about how you got that high score or how you got to a new level.
Cons:
The only con that I see with this idea is that it would make some people hard to follow if they played a lot of games. A way to get around this is to be able to choose what streams you would like to follow/unfollow from a specific person. This would also resolve the issue with people who post a lot of useless content from Twitter or Google Reader.
Let me know if you like or don’t like this idea and why. The more that we discuss ideas for Google Buzz, the better our experience will be.
Buzz Post
April 1st, 2010 at 7:43 am
Nooooo no games please, dont do it to us – see a Buzz I did yesterday regarding how games and applications are killing Facebook ( http://www.google.com/buzz/Seanmichaelwalsh/5ifStwsNCzw/Is-Facebook-pushing-out-its-original-target).
In my view, we already have a fairly strong feelings just about twitter feeds coming in, I can't imagine what would happen if game feeds did as well!
This comment was originally posted on Google Buzz.
April 1st, 2010 at 7:44 am
I'm not a gamer but I can see where people would like this. You offer a nicely written argument too.
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April 1st, 2010 at 7:50 am
@Sean – I do agree that the dumping is bad at times, however I included a way to eliminate certain feeds for people who do not want them. For example, I don't follow a few people because of how many blog posts they write, but I do like the Buzz posts they do. I want a way to sort through and get the content that I want, and leave out the rest.
I am a casual gamer, I only play a few minutes here and there, nothing big so my updates would be minimal at best. I have a few friends who play the same games that I do and I it is fun talking to them, trying to find better ways to play the game, why not let others get involved too?
This comment was originally posted on Google Buzz.
April 1st, 2010 at 7:54 am
@Andrew Maxwell Thats a fair and good reply, but for instance, I like following you and what you have to say but if I was being spammed by game posts then I'd unfollow. Perhaps a system on "opting-in" rather than "opting-out" of game and application updates is the way to go?
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April 1st, 2010 at 7:58 am
@Sean – I agree that we need both an opt in and an opt out feature. This will allow me to follow all feeds from new people and eliminate the feeds that I don't want if they become spammy or if I don't like feeds from twitter, I can eliminate them before I start following someone.
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April 1st, 2010 at 8:38 am
Andrew.. Noooooo nooo game updates..
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April 1st, 2010 at 8:39 am
@Haden – Did you read the article? I also included an opt-in/opt-out feature which will clean up feeds for people regarding game updates as well as other feeds.
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April 1st, 2010 at 8:47 am
Think about it this way. There are a lot of gamers out there, I know because I actually am the web designer/web developer for one of the largest online forms for video game news(name left out because I try to not associate myself with games). People want to share their status with other people. Granted Google Buzz is used mostly by tech people like you and I, however, if Buzz wants to gain more users, they need to be more open. Why should game companies be left out of the great conversation feature of Google Buzz? What about women who post images of the items they just bought? How are these different? You and I may not like seeing either one, but it doesn't mean that someone else won't like it. We just won't follow them, or opt out of their game feeds. I myself would post 1 update a every few days at most, but that 1 update could spark a huge conversation with other friends.
This comment was originally posted on Google Buzz.