Bejeweled Blitz
"1-minute social adaptation" of PopCap's game now available as a PC download.
SEATTLE, Washington and DUBLIN, Ireland – April 8, 2010 — PopCap Games, maker of some of the world’s most popular video games, today announced that Bejeweled® Blitz, the 1-minute social adaptation of its mega-hit franchise Bejeweled for the Facebook® platform, is now available as a downloadable game for Windows-based PCs. Carrying a suggested retail price of US$19.95 and available exclusively at www.popcap.com/bejeweledblitz/, Bejeweled Blitz PC offers a range of enhancements to, and advantages over, the free Facebook game, including full-screen play, dramatically enhanced sound and graphics, dozens of new achievements and corresponding badges, and 1 million coins redeemable for “Blitz Boosts” — power-ups and other score-stimulating effects.
“ Bejeweled Blitz is 10 years of the most popular puzzle game of the century packed into a minute-long experience,” said Jason Kapalka, co-founder and chief creative officer at PopCap Games. “ It's the purest form of Bejeweled that we've ever concocted, factoring in everything PopCap has learned from a decade of development and feedback from millions of fans. By adding social and competitive elements and a time limit, we've distilled Bejeweled down to its essence with Bejeweled Blitz, and the new PC downloadable version makes the game available in the largest, most vibrant form factor yet by far. For some players this could be the version that takes their Bejeweled Blitz game to new heights.”
In the new Bejeweled Blitz PC, players can connect Facebook from the game's main menu and play the game from their PC without having to open a Web browser. High scores and corresponding star medals can be published to players' Facebook pages when they are logged in to Facebook. Blitz Coins are a new form of currency recently added to the game, which can be earned via gameplay or purchased and then redeemed for various Blitz Boosts — power-ups and effects to improve in-game performance.
Bejeweled Blitz, already available for Web and as an update to Bejeweled 2 on iPhone, has grown dramatically since its original launch on Facebook a year ago, now attracting roughly 11 million active users each month and more than 25 million users overall. Even more amazing, about 3.5 million unique users play Bejeweled Blitz every day, playing more than 100 million sessions per day and destroying half a billion gems per hour!
About PopCap
PopCap Games ( www.popcap.com) is the leading multi-platform provider of fun, easy-to-learn, captivating video games that appeal to everyone from age 6 to 106. Based in Seattle, Washington, PopCap was founded in 2000 and has a worldwide staff of over 260 people in Seattle, San Francisco, Chicago, Vancouver, B.C., Dublin, and Shanghai. Its games have been downloaded more than 1 billion times by consumers worldwide, and its flagship title, Bejeweled®, has sold more than 50 million units across all platforms. Constantly acclaimed by consumers and critics, PopCap’s games are played on the Web, social platforms, desktop computers, myriad mobile devices (cell phones, smartphones, PDAs, Pocket PCs, iPod, iPhone, iPad and more), popular game consoles (such as Xbox and DS), and in-flight entertainment systems. PopCap is the only “casual games” developer with leading market share across all major sales channels, including social, Web portals, retail stores, mobile phones, MP3 players, and game devices.