Actually, I think the removal of notifications rendered some games unplayable. The notifications weren't really spam, but tools to let players know when to take action in the games. With the notifications gone, players have to rely on email, but some may not check their email as frequently as they log-in to Facebook.

Current Facebook games remain as spammy as ever. People can still send invitations, gifts, and wall posts to friends via the applications. All that removing application notfications did was make the games less enjoyable to players, hence the drop in users.

The grapes of wrath cover image is pretty funny.

So roughly 8 million people got lives last month?

To Jed Hubic:
LOL That made my night.

@Jed - Nah, they're probably just trolling now, instead.

Funny, Super Mario Bros. 3 never had to remind me to play it.

What do we learn from that:

People (well, the sub-average masses) don't look for a proper gaming experience. Just spam them with some random crap and they "play" it.


Well, in the end we learned nothing new.

In emerging markets the first to exploit it always become the market leaders but... quality remains king. If it's a good quality fun product, people should find it. While Farmville made a ton of cash exploiting notifications, they did so because they got the word out faster and had an ok product. However, IMHO, Farmville's days are numbered. I compare it to the housing market, in that it holds an overinflated value.

Players will get bored and want something that isn't limited in its theme.. something that grows and is able to top itself with each new element. It's a hard thing to do and it shouldn't be any surprise that the memberships have been cut as a result of the rules change because nobody would have even tried these games if they weren't attached to the facebook network.

Why!? because people like farting around with short game play experiences while they keyhole/spy on there list of buddies. When we had notifications for apps, we were in effect doing the same keyhole spying on other players. It was natural. It's why people like facebook. It's almost anti facebook to have removed that feature for apps. I think Facebook shot themselves in the foot and hindered one of the biggest reasons facebook makes money.

The core mechanic of Super Mario Bros. 3 is completely different from those of Facebook games. On Facebook, games keep playing while players are not looking at them. Something can happen to the game while the player is away, such as contruction of a building finishing or a pet being bought. Notifications were a way of letting people know that something happened, so they could resume the game.

Why is it called Facebook it's neither of them?

Actually, the more restrictive the better, I stopped using Facebook (altough I don't deleted my account) after the surge in games, seriously, there are 300 notifications to me see, 2 are friend invites, 200 are gifts from games, and the rest are game invitations... It is HELL ANNOYING.

Why not create a seperate "Game notification" feature that you can add if you like? That makes sense.

Most game players do create a seperate 'games' friend list and restrict their game spam to it. Not that it's that hard for people to just click 'hide' on any games/apps they don't want to see on their feed.

Dunno why facebook doesn't just create a seperate feed for game/app spam already. They seem determined to drive the social gaming 'nuisance' off of their platform instead of taking advantage of the opportunity. It's like they're in total denial that 1) people are actually enjoying playing the games, and 2) companies are making piles of money from them.

"Social" games such as this were a mere "fad". Some businessmen such as Acclaim's CEO Howard Marks thinks facebook apps are the future, that flash is the future. 3 days ago he told a group of students that flash gaming for the ipad and iphone is what they should be focusing on for the future of games. The poor guy hasnt been paying attention to current (or not so current events). Steve Jobs doesnt want flash on the iphone or ipad. Flash was never intended for games, it was a fun "hobby" for awhile, but it has no long term staying power. Furthermore, this whole concept of spammy and gimmicky social game design, has done nothing to positively increase the quality of the game industry. In fact, I would go as far to say it has damaged the industry in terms of design quality and a focus on FUN rather than consumer exploitation.

in related news, my facebook experience has improved dramatically!

I think it's a timely warning to potential Casual developers that they are at the mercy of the platform, in this case Facebook. For me personally I think there is definitely a place for casual games, I just wish we could break out of the GoldRush mentallity, ie developers enmasse all get Casual games up, causing a glut. I think what is exciting is when these so called games, actually become Games in the traditional sense of the word not just a notification friendslist spammer.
Oh and it is interesting how the platform we might all be returning to is the P.C. we've come full circle. Maybe Arcade might come back in next COOL!

As much as I think this is a fad. Facebook themselves are buying games (in a sad desparate attempt to make revenues) and the last thing they want to do is shoot themselves in the foot. I am sure they are looking at a better solution. Still in the meantime I will have a good laugh at the VCs who have been throwing money at yet another internet bubble waiting to happen. That spotty oik might have lots of shares in Facebook but at least I generate revenues and I am not in bed with the Russian mafia.