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#armchairrevolutionary Think FarmVille meets real world activism. More »

#podcast Join us this Wednesday on Kotaku Talk Radio to discuss the week's video gaming news and chat with Marcus Segal, the chief operating officer for Zynga. More »

A weekly round-up of all that's new in the world of Facebook games

#browsergames From the FarmVille toolbar to a virtual pet that runs on your browser bar, Conduit's Ltd. is helping gamers connect with games without having to change their web page. More »

According to a recent study, 88 percent of gamers have purchased digital content over the last several years. The study was conducted by market research firm DFC Intelligence using a survey of 5000 gamers from the US and Europe during the first two months of 2010. The study also looked at data from several different countries -- including South Korea, the U.S., Japan, Germany, Vietnam and the Philippines -- gathered over the last seven years. The worldwide data was provided by Live Gamer, a company that helps developers and publishers monetize their products.

It's worth noting that the content described by the survey includes music and movies as well as in-game content. Still, 60 percent of those surveyed have purchased in-game items, most of which were offered as part of free-to-play games. DFC analyst David Cole notes that the free-to-play model gives games distinct advantages over traditional single releases, saying that "a single product can have a lifespan of years online as opposed to a few months on the retail shelf."

According to DFC, free-to-play games like Farmville and Combat Arms, which the firm refers to as "MMOG Lite," are expected to grow substantially over the next few years. DFC sees what it calls "MMOG Lite" products growing substantially in the next few years. Specifically, DFC predicts that the MMOG Lite market in Europe and North America will grow from $800 million in 2009 to over $3 billion by 2015.

But don't feel left out, core gamers, these finding apply to all kinds of games. Live Gamer's Andrew Schneider points out that core gamers are "increasingly engaging in the purchase of virtual goods" and adds that the study illustrates "the market potential as traditional Western game publishers migrate towards microtransactions as the central monetization method."

Frankly, the study's findings seem just a little far-fetched. Now, if you'll excuse us, the crops need tending.

[Via Gamasutra]

A roundup of all that was new in the most popular Facebook games this week.

Zynga's VP of game development on how Facebook will lead the charge to the next generation of games.

#facebook What a way to start the morning, with news that a Bulgarian city official has been sacked for milking a virtual cow in popular Facebook title Farmville. During government meetings. More »

Zynga, casual freemium enabler of FarmVille, MafiaWars and YoVille!, announced that pre-paid game cards recently arrived at real-life retail. Available in $10 or $25 denominations, the cards "make it easy for consumers who don't have access to credit cards or bank accounts to buy in-game items." No bank account, really? Well, maybe if they weren't obsessively buying in-game spice racks they'd still have a bank account.

The Zynga cards will be available at 12,800 locations, including 7-Eleven, Best Buy, GameStop, Target and doctors who deal in "prescription painkillers."

A roundup of all that was new in the most popular Facebook games this week.

#screengrab With all of those multi-colored bales of hay in Farmville why aren't more people doing this? More »

#strategy With around 82 million players worldwide, odds are at some point you're going to be playing the hit Facebook game, FarmVille. Kotaku went directly to Zynga's Farmville team for tips and tricks on harvesting your way to the top. More »

#hotflashes Are you addicted to leveling up in Facebook games like Mafia Wars and Farmville? Jakob Skjerning cures that craving with Progress Wars - "The ultimate game of being better than all your friends at filling progress bars." More »

Updates from the top Facebook games this week

Here's a rundown of all the updates to the top Facebook games this week.

People keep Tweeting and e-mailing... did you see this speech? Yes, I saw it. This is today's must-watch about the future of gaming — and the future of life. Carnegie Mellon assistant...

Social gaming continues to grow.

Dr. Phil recently broke off a piece of uncomfortable truth for one of his show's guests in a sassy manner. This isn't exactly newsworthy - the mustachioed television personality is no stranger to telling things how they are - however, the subject of the intervention is definitely worth further examination: A mother who began to neglect her family in favor of her virtual plantation in FarmVille. We'll give you guys a second to let that sweet sorrow sink in. On a recent episode of Dr. Phil, a woman named Teresa was confronted by her daughter about her addiction to the casual crop-growing sim. Apparently, Teresa would regularly unplug the house's router to oust her fellow family members from the computer. This kind of thing doesn't fly in Phil's book, who remarked, "you unplugged it because you have a ridiculous addiction to a ridiculous computer game that's interfering with your ability to be a mother." Check out this off-screen preview of the episode containing the depressing exchange. *For the record, we joined FarmVille just so we could make the image above. We're definitely still not playing it, and we definitely don't need neighbors to come help out because, hey, those crops aren't going to fertilize themselves.

Some console alternatives for your friends who love Farmville

A rich harvest for the 65 million active players of Zynga's FarmVille: Helpful tips and more at Playata's independent database "FarmBook."