American Express Rolls Out Zynga Rewards

[Andy Chalk]

American Express Rolls Out Zynga Rewards

American Express [http://zynga.com/] have formed the first-ever partnership allowing cardholders to exchange their Membership Rewards points for Zynga virtual goods and game cards.

The new deal between American Express and casual game colossus Zynga will let gamers use their AmEx points to buy "limited edition virtual goods," like an exclusive YoVille [http://www.facebook.com/FarmVille] roadster will go for 755 points and a FarmVille blue manor will cost 1300 points.

"With millions of Cardmembers looking to use Membership Rewards points, Zynga can now offer our loyal customer base an exciting new way to engage with their popular social games," American Express Group President of Enterprise Growth Dan Schulman said. Zynga Senior Vice President of Business Operations Vishal Makhijani noted that this is the first relationship of its kind, adding that it "reinforces our commitment to offer consumers meaningful experiences that enhance their game play."

The partnership between American Express and Zynga is one of the most obvious signals yet that casual videogaming is mainstream business. Like it or not, a lot of people enjoy clicking cows on membershiprewards.com [http://www.facebook.com].


For years, gamers have been demanding that their medium of choice be accorded mainstream legitimacy and now the moment is at hand. How do you like it so far?


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[The_root_of_all_evil]

You mean the people who force retailers to pay for accepting them joins up with the scumsuckers that rip people off with targetted disruption?

That's like Lex Luthor and Dr. Doom teaming up.

Edit: Mainstream legitimacy? Most of the UK doesn't take Amex because of it's insane charging code.

 

[Assassin Xaero]

I'm beginning to think the world would have been a better place if facebook never existed...

 

[Crimsane]

In before news story about a man who murders his children because they used his reward points he was saving up for vacation on Farmville bullshit.

 

[EnigmaticSevens]

My heart laments and from my soul there is a blood-curdling cry. This... this is a sin. Another line blurred between physical currency and a virtual good... I just can't click with it properly.

 

[Lord_Panzer]

Part of me is screaming "WHAT THE FLAMING FUCK IS WRONG WITH THE WORLD" and another part is saying "Wow, that is the best deal either of them ever made."

Think about it.

Amex gets in with the super-casual gaming crowd (that consists mostly of everyone's mother), Zynga gets in with mainstream financial institutions, Amex gets people to spend their points on virtual shit instead of real things that cost money, and Zynga gets increased traffic due to Amex sending people their way looking for free stuff that doesn't actually have to be manufactured.

Good lord, it's just a giant cycle of money.

 

[manythings]

I'm beginning to think the world would have been a better place if facebook never existed...

Welcome, we have jackets now.

 

[Assassin Xaero]

I'm beginning to think the world would have been a better place if facebook never existed...

Welcome, we have jackets now.

Oh, yah! I love jackets!

 

[LavaLampBamboo]

Maybe Visa will respond and give us free XBLA and PSN stuff. That'd be cool, and also relevant because people actually use Visa.

 

[Waif]

Heh, kinda interesting to see this kind of partnership. I really wonder how many Zynga players actually have an American Express. Ah well, I suppose it's mutually beneficial to both parties. I can't help but wonder if other credit card companies will follow suit.

 

[Andy Chalk]

Edit: Mainstream legitimacy? Most of the UK doesn't take Amex because of it's insane charging code.

In 2008 AmEx held 24 percent of the total dollar value of credit card transactions in the US, more than any other card issuer. I'd say that's about as mainstream as it gets.

 

[The_root_of_all_evil]

Edit: Mainstream legitimacy? Most of the UK doesn't take Amex because of it's insane charging code.

In 2008 AmEx held 24 percent of the total dollar value of credit card transactions in the US, more than any other card issuer. I'd say that's about as mainstream as it gets.

Thanks for depressing me. Perhaps I should change it to mainstream != legitimacy.

 

[Andy Chalk]

But mainstream does equal legitimacy, at least in this case. What could possibly say "society no longer views videogames as worthless kids' stuff" than a points program with the most widely-used credit card in North America? This isn't some prepaid card you can get for your kids, this is a real, full-out American Express, don't leave home without it, holy shit there's Karl Malden credit card. It's driven entirely by the market of course, this isn't some kind of respect-and-love props, but that's an unavoidable side effect: respect.

I just find it rather ironic that this legitimization is being accorded to games that a great many "real" gamers have nothing but disdain for.

 

[nicyorehab]

A Zynga partnered with Citi [http://yorehab.com] as well.