The Zynga Platform  

Mark Pincus, CEO of Zynga:

Today, we’re proud to share a new platform for play. The Zynga Platform is designed with two simple goals: more access to the best social games and more people to play with. In a few days we’re turning on a beta of Zynga.com which will feature our most popular games: Words with Friends, CastleVille, Zynga Poker, Hidden Chronicles and CityVille.

Bad news for Facebook. But good news, possibly, for social gaming:

It’s our hope that our Platform partners, and eventually anyone in the industry, can extend the reach of their games and connect to even more players on Zynga.com. Later this year we’ll make our platform available for all social game developers through a Zynga API.

Zynga is on a great trajectory. If they can overturn the US ban on online gambling, and improve the quality of their games, they will be in a very powerful position.

DISCLOSURE I own Zynga stock.