View source for Software:Game of War: Fire Age

{{short description|2013 massively multiplayer online strategy video game}}
{{Infobox video game
| title         = Game of War: Fire Age 
| image         = Game of War - Fire Age title screen.jpg
| caption       = Title screen of ''Game of War: Fire Age''
| developer     = [[Company:Machine Zone|Machine Zone]]
| publisher     =
| platforms     = [[Software:Android (operating system)|Android]], [[Software:IOS|iOS]], [[Software:IPadOS|iPadOS]]
| released      = July 25, 2013
| genre         = [[Software:Strategy video game|Strategy]]
| modes         = [[Software:Multiplayer video game|Multiplayer]]
}}

'''''Game of War: Fire Age''''' is a 2013 [[Finance:Freemium|freemium]] mobile [[Massively multiplayer online game|massively multiplayer online]] strategy [[Engineering:Video game|video game]] developed and published by [[Company:Machine Zone|Machine Zone]]. The game had a high-profile advertising campaign and was one of the top-grossing [[Mobile app|apps]] in 2014 and 2015.

==Gameplay==
''Game of War: Fire Age'' includes player vs. player battles, [[Software:Player versus environment|player vs. environment]] modes (monster killing and dungeons), and city building and event quests.<ref name=commonsense/> Gathering or farming of resources is required to create buildings, produce troops, and research advancements. Similar to other mobile games,<ref name=cnbc/> much of the gameplay consists of selecting an action and then either waiting a preset amount of time for completion or expediting the task by making a payment.<ref name=macworld2015/> Gameplay in ''Game of War'' has no defined end; long-term players continue to grow indefinitely, attacking other players and avoiding significant losses.<ref name=appsorium/>

The title places an emphasis on each player joining an alliance.<ref name=commonsense/> Alliances are each limited to 100 players, and are situated within kingdoms measuring 512 by 512 tiles, plotted on a 512 × 1024 staggered isometric map. Alliances provide a team structure to conflicts within each kingdom. After a kingdom has been active for several months, the kingdom emerges from a protected status and players begin to engage in kingdom vs. kingdom combat events, which are periodically scheduled by the developer.

Players are encouraged to engage with one another through alliance chat and kingdom chat.<ref name=commonsense/> The game's chat system includes translation services that allow players from all over the world to play together.<ref name=wsj2014/> The game's translation of player-to-player chat and email messages is powered by services from [[Company:Microsoft|Microsoft]] and [[Company:Google|Google]].<ref name=wsj2014/> The automated translator supports 30 or more languages, and includes user-supported suggestions for translation corrections. Messages that cannot be automatically translated are reviewed by players who volunteer to correct spelling and grammar, or approve corrections made by others, after which the automatic translation is attempted again.

==Business and marketing==
[[File:Kate Upton at G-Star 2014.jpg|thumb|right|Kate Upton in 2014, promoting the game dressed as Athena.]]

[[Company:Machine Zone|Machine Zone]], the game's developer, was described by its CEO as "probably the world's largest direct response marketer and largest single product marketer on mobile," with 200 employees in marketing,<ref name=marketingweek/> out of about 550 employees worldwide {{as of| 2015|10|lc=y}}.<ref name=venturebeat/>

Approximately $40&nbsp;million was spent on marketing ''Game of War: Fire Age'' in 2014.<ref name=tassi2014/> Along with advertisements in digital and social media, highly produced television commercials featuring model Kate Upton were created. The ads made use of Upton's sex appeal to promote the game as she leads battles in fantasy settings loosely comparable to those in ''Game of Thrones''. The spots were introduced in the United States during an NFL ''Thursday Night Football'' game and have since been prominent during Super Bowl XLIX and other sporting events.<ref name=monllos2014/><ref name=huff-ca/> Upton was replaced in 2015 by singer Mariah Carey as the face of the game's advertising campaign,<ref name=verge2015/> and the first commercial with Carey was revealed on September 14, 2015.<ref name=wsj2015/>

==Reception==
{{Video game reviews
| title = 
| subtitle = 
| MC = 67/100<ref name=metacritic/>
| PG = 6/10<ref name=pocketgamer/>
| rev1       = Common Sense Media
| rev1Score  = 2/5<ref name=commonsense/>
}}

''Game of War: Fire Age'' was the third-grossing game app through Apple in 2014, and it was reported that Machine Zone projected $600 million in revenues that year.<ref name=wsj2014/> In March 2015, it was in the top 10 most downloaded free apps on both the [[Software:App Store (iOS)|iOS Appstore]] and [[Software:Google Play|Google Play]].<ref name=investors/> As of August 2018, the game has grossed {{US$|2.8 billion|long=no}} in total.<ref>{{cite news |title=Game of War's spoils surpass $2.8 billion revenue worldwide |url=https://www.pocketgamer.biz/news/68836/game-of-wars-spoils-surpass-28-billion-revenue-worldwide/ |work=Pocket Gamer |date=August 23, 2018 |access-date=October 25, 2018 |archive-date=December 8, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181208123543/https://www.pocketgamer.biz/news/68836/game-of-wars-spoils-surpass-28-billion-revenue-worldwide/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

The game and its user interface have been criticized for an aggressive style that "heavily pushes" in-app purchases, "littering the screen with ads and upgrade buttons" for gold packs priced from $5 to $100.<ref name=commonsense/> A reviewer in ''{{wipe|Forbes}}'' wrote, "From its overall design to how it handles cash purchases, ''Game of War'' is the most over-the-top cash grab I've ever seen."<ref name=tassi2015/> Similarly, ''Macworld''{{'}}s reviewer stated that "''Game of War'' may be the most aggressively monetized free-to-play game I've ever played."<ref name=macworld2015/>

Reviewers have also been highly critical of the title's "mundane" gameplay,<ref name=gamezebo/> which ''Common Sense Media'' called "light on both action and strategy."<ref name=commonsense/> For example, unless a player's alliance is actively at war, "the core gameplay revolves around waiting for your task timers to finish and then queuing up new ones. Even the daily and Alliance quests just ask you to tap something and come back later to collect your reward."<ref name=gamezebo/> ''Macworld'' wrote that the game "doesn't bother with interesting gameplay or any semblance of storyline – it's all 'build this' and 'train them,' but the reward is simply more and more busywork."<ref name=macworld2015/>

''Pocket Gamer'' reviewed the gameplay as "basically Busywork the Video Game," adding that "the spam-filled world chat is likely poisonous to your health" due to some players' "false sense of self-importance – a self-importance that is bought, incidentally, and not earned."<ref name=pocketgamer/> Nevertheless, the reviewer found it "a highly competitive, highly engaging game in which the human players supply huge amount of competition, drama, and frustration, and pleasure."<ref name=pocketgamer/>

A positive review in ''Paste'' called ''Game of War'' "addictive," especially in the social dynamics of in-game conflicts.<ref name=paste/> The reviewer, ''Paste''{{'}}s 43-year-old editor-in-chief, found the "internal politics" within his alliance to be "as fascinating as the kingdom-wide ones," particularly for alliance leaders: "We have our own chat room with the leader discussing the urgent matters of the day, and the responsibilities can feel strangely important – keep the store stocked, negotiate prison releases, secure diplomatic relations, organize relocations, protect friends and recruit new members. But it’s fun to collaboratively plan strategy when you can be attacked or attack at any time. My alliance has become a little online band of brothers and sisters – Felicia Day's ''The Guild'' with 90 people – and I love it."<ref name=paste/>

=== Player spending ===
In August 2015, a former employee of Machine Zone was arrested and charged with stealing proprietary data that included "player spending habits broken down by time, location, age and other characteristics" which showed, for example, which of ''Game of War''{{'}}s "in-game items generate the most revenue and where in the game players often quit."<ref name=needleman/> The monetary value of the data was linked by the ''Wall Street Journal'' to the fact that "about 3% of mobile-game players buy virtual goodies, such as extra turns and special powers. Most spend only a few dollars a month, while a tiny fraction known as whales – a name derived from casinos – plunk down $50 or more a month."<ref name=needleman/>

Analytics by [[Company:Rakuten#Slice|Slice Intelligence]] indicated that ''Game of War''{{'}}s paying players each spent an average of $550 in 2015 on its in-app purchases, compared to $87 spent by the average player of mobile free-to-play games.<ref name=vb-paying/><ref name=slice/> As an example of a "whale," ''Businessweek'' described a 15-year-old ''Game of War'' player in Belgium who had used his mother's credit card to spend over $41,000 on in-game purchases in the free-to-play game.<ref name=bloomberg2015/> In December 2016, a 45-year-old California man admitted in federal court to having spent $1 million of embezzled funds on online purchases in ''Game of War'',<ref name=arstechica2016/> and in August 2018, a library director in Logan, Utah was convicted after pleading guilty to felony theft and forgery for spending $89,000 on the game using the city's credit cards.<ref name=Macavinta/><ref name=Choudhury/><ref name=Kaser/>

==References==
{{Reflist|30em|refs=
<ref name=appsorium>{{cite web|title=Game of War: Fire Age – How to Survive the End Game |date=May 8, 2014 |website=Appsorium |url=http://www.appsorium.com/game_of_war/playing_guides/how_to_survive_the_end_game.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160428040030/http://www.appsorium.com/game_of_war/playing_guides/how_to_survive_the_end_game.html |archive-date=2016-04-28 }}</ref>
<ref name=arstechica2016>{{cite web|title=California man spent $1 million playing ''Game of War'' |first=David |last=Kravets |date=December 9, 2016 |website=[[Ars Technica]] |url=https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2016/12/california-man-spent-1-million-playing-game-of-war/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161213150231/http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2016/12/california-man-spent-1-million-playing-game-of-war/ |archive-date=2016-12-13 }}</ref>
<ref name=bloomberg2015>{{cite journal |title=One Nerd to Rule Them All |first=Robert |last=Kolker |date=March 5, 2015 |journal=Bloomberg Businessweek |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/graphics/2015-game-of-war/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160325170528/http://www.bloomberg.com/graphics/2015-game-of-war/ |archive-date=2016-03-25 }}</ref>
<ref name=Choudhury>{{cite web |first=Saheli Roy |last=Choudhury |title=A former librarian blew $89,000 of public money on a mobile game |date=August 16, 2018 |website={{wipe|CNBC}} |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2018/08/16/a-former-librarian-spent-89000-in-public-money-on-a-mobile-game.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180816105518/https://www.cnbc.com/2018/08/16/a-former-librarian-spent-89000-in-public-money-on-a-mobile-game.html |archive-date=2018-08-16 }}</ref>
<ref name=cnbc>{{cite web | url=https://www.cnbc.com/2014/05/02/on-mobile-more-challenging-games-mean-more-money.html | title=On mobile, more challenging games mean more money | work={{wipe|CNBC}} | date=May 3, 2014 | access-date=February 21, 2015 | last=DiChristopher |first=Tom |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160419045025/http://www.cnbc.com/2014/05/02/on-mobile-more-challenging-games-mean-more-money.html |archive-date=2016-04-19 }}</ref>
<ref name=commonsense>{{cite web |work=Common Sense Media |first=Chris |last=Morris |title=Game of War: Fire Age |date=15 May 2015 |url=https://www.commonsensemedia.org/app-reviews/game-of-war-fire-age |access-date=February 8, 2016 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151024193920/https://www.commonsensemedia.org/app-reviews/game-of-war-fire-age |archive-date=2015-10-24 }}</ref>
<ref name=gamezebo>{{cite journal |title=Game of War – Fire Age Review |first=Nick |last=Tylwalk |date=August 2, 2013 |journal=Gamezebo |url=https://www.gamezebo.com/reviews/game-of-war-fire-age-review/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151024195615/http://www.gamezebo.com/2013/08/02/game-war-fire-age-review/ |archive-date=2015-10-24 }}</ref>
<ref name=huff-ca>{{cite web | url=http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2015/02/01/kate-upton-game-of-war-super-bowl-ad_n_6591352.html | title=Game of War's Super Bowl Ad Is Pretty Much Kate Upton In 'Game of Thrones' | work=The Huffington Post Canada | date=February 1, 2015 | access-date=February 20, 2015 | author=Trinh, Brian Vinh Tien | archive-date=February 7, 2015 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150207082658/http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2015/02/01/kate-upton-game-of-war-super-bowl-ad_n_6591352.html | url-status=live }}</ref>
<ref name=investors>{{cite journal |url=http://news.investors.com/technology-click/030615-742358-king-ea-gluu-lead-mobile-video-game-business.htm |title=King Digital continues to 'crush' mobile game competition |first=Patrick |last=Seitz |journal=Investor's Business Daily |date=March 6, 2015 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150508211032/http://news.investors.com/technology-click/030615-742358-king-ea-gluu-lead-mobile-video-game-business.htm |archive-date=2015-05-08 }}</ref>
<ref name=Kaser>{{cite web |first=Rachel |last=Kaser |title=Librarian blew $89k in city money on free mobile game |date=August 17, 2018 |website=The Next Web |url=https://thenextweb.com/gaming/2018/08/17/librarian-stolen-money-free-mobile-game/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180819150526/https://thenextweb.com/gaming/2018/08/17/librarian-stolen-money-free-mobile-game/ |archive-date=2018-08-19 }}</ref>
<ref name=Macavinta>{{cite news |first=Amy |last=Macavinta |title=Former library director to serve 30 days in jail on felony theft, forgery charges |date=August 13, 2018 |newspaper=The Herald Journal |location=Logan, Utah |url=https://www.hjnews.com/news/crime_courts/former-library-director-to-serve-days-in-jail-on-felony/article_d1e08110-4b7c-596c-80d1-084427463b97.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180814025427/https://www.hjnews.com/news/crime_courts/former-library-director-to-serve-days-in-jail-on-felony/article_d1e08110-4b7c-596c-80d1-084427463b97.html |archive-date=2018-08-14 }}</ref>
<ref name=macworld2015>{{cite web | url=http://www.macworld.com/article/2880551/freemium-field-test-game-of-war-fire-age-is-even-less-exciting-than-its-generic-kate-upton-commerci.html | title=Freemium Field Test: Game of War Fire Age is even less exciting than its generic Kate Upton commercials | work=Macworld | date=February 9, 2015 | last=Hayward |first=Andrew |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150909070159/http://www.macworld.com/article/2880551/freemium-field-test-game-of-war-fire-age-is-even-less-exciting-than-its-generic-kate-upton-commerci.html |archive-date=2015-09-09 }}</ref>
<ref name=marketingweek>{{cite journal|title=Find your edge and diversify: What marketers can learn from gaming |first=Charlotte |last=Rogers |date=November 15, 2016 |journal=Marketing Week |location=U.K. |url=https://www.marketingweek.com/2016/11/15/what-marketers-can-learn-from-gaming/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161213164255/https://www.marketingweek.com/2016/11/15/what-marketers-can-learn-from-gaming/ |archive-date=2016-12-13 }}</ref>
<ref name=metacritic>{{cite web | url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/game-of-war---fire-age/critic-reviews/?platform=ios-iphoneipad | title=Game of War - Fire Age for iPhone/iPad Reviews | publisher=Metacritic | access-date=February 20, 2015 | archive-date=February 9, 2015 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150209072717/http://www.metacritic.com/game/ios/game-of-war---fire-age | url-status=live }}</ref>
<ref name=monllos2014>{{cite web | url=http://www.adweek.com/news/advertising-branding/game-war-fire-age-launches-first-global-campaign-starring-kate-upton-161397 | title=Game of War: Fire Age Launches First Global Campaign, Starring Kate Upton | work=Adweek | date=November 13, 2014 | access-date=February 20, 2015 | author=Monllos. Kristina | archive-date=February 10, 2015 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150210083707/http://www.adweek.com/news/advertising-branding/game-war-fire-age-launches-first-global-campaign-starring-kate-upton-161397 | url-status=live }}</ref>
<ref name=needleman>{{cite journal |title=Why 'Game of War' User Data Is So Valuable |first=Sarah E. |last=Needleman |date=August 26, 2015 |journal=Wall Street Journal |url=https://blogs.wsj.com/digits/2015/08/26/why-game-of-war-user-data-is-so-valuable/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151225213912/https://blogs.wsj.com/digits/2015/08/26/why-game-of-war-user-data-is-so-valuable/ |archive-date=2015-12-25 }}</ref>
<ref name=paste>{{cite journal |title=Getting Sucked Into Game of War: Fire Age |first=Josh |last=Jackson |date=December 17, 2014 |journal=Paste |url=http://www.pastemagazine.com/articles/2014/12/getting-sucked-into-game-of-war-fire-age.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151226143934/http://www.pastemagazine.com/articles/2014/12/getting-sucked-into-game-of-war-fire-age.html |archive-date=2015-12-26 }}</ref>
<ref name=pocketgamer>{{cite journal |first=Peter |last=Willington |title=Game of War – Fire Age |journal=Pocket Gamer |date=February 14, 2014 |url=http://www.pocketgamer.co.uk/r/iPhone/Game+of+War+-+Fire+Age/review.asp?c=57200 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150908011028/http://www.pocketgamer.co.uk/r/iPhone/Game+of+War+-+Fire+Age/review.asp?c=57200 |archive-date=2015-09-08 }}</ref>
<ref name=slice>{{cite web |title=Hardly pocket change: mobile gamers spend an average of $87 dollars on in-app purchases |date=March 31, 2016 |first=Taylor |last=Stanton |website=Slice Intelligence |url=http://intelligence.slice.com/hardly-pocket-change-mobile-gamers-spend-an-average-of-87-dollars-on-in-app-purchases/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160331221608/http://intelligence.slice.com/hardly-pocket-change-mobile-gamers-spend-an-average-of-87-dollars-on-in-app-purchases/ |archive-date=March 31, 2016 |access-date=May 27, 2016 }}</ref>
<ref name=tassi2014>{{cite web | url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/insertcoin/2014/11/16/a-40m-ad-budget-buys-game-of-war-fire-age-kate-upton/ | title=A $40M Ad Budget Buys 'Game of War: Fire Age' Kate Upton | work=Forbes | date=November 14, 2014 | access-date=February 20, 2015 | author=Tassi, Paul | archive-date=February 7, 2015 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150207182825/http://www.forbes.com/sites/insertcoin/2014/11/16/a-40m-ad-budget-buys-game-of-war-fire-age-kate-upton/ | url-status=live }}</ref>
<ref name=tassi2015>{{cite web |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/insertcoin/2015/02/02/clash-of-clans-vs-game-of-war-which-is-better/ | title=Clash of Clans vs. Game of War – Which Is Better? | work={{wipe|Forbes}} |date=February 2, 2015 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303213405/http://www.forbes.com/sites/insertcoin/2015/02/02/clash-of-clans-vs-game-of-war-which-is-better/#20949c516138 |archive-date=2016-03-03 |last=Tassi |first=Paul }}</ref>
<ref name=vb-paying>{{cite journal |title=Game of War's paying players spent an average of $550 on its in-app purchases in 2015 |first=Jeff |last=Grubb |journal=VentureBeat |date=April 1, 2016 |url=https://venturebeat.com/2016/04/01/game-of-wars-paying-players-spent-an-average-of-550-on-its-in-app-purchases-in-2015/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160506060743/http://venturebeat.com/2016/04/01/game-of-wars-paying-players-spent-an-average-of-550-on-its-in-app-purchases-in-2015/ |archive-date=2016-05-06 }}</ref>
<ref name=venturebeat>{{cite journal |title=An interview with Gabe Leydon, Machine Zone's man on the Iron Throne |first=Dean |last=Takahashi |journal=VentureBeat |date=October 16, 2015 |url=https://venturebeat.com/2015/10/16/an-interview-with-gabe-leydon-machine-zones-man-on-the-iron-throne/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151120133701/http://venturebeat.com/2015/10/16/an-interview-with-gabe-leydon-machine-zones-man-on-the-iron-throne/ |archive-date=2015-11-20 }}</ref>
<ref name=verge2015>{{cite web|last1=Cox|first1=Jamieson|title=Mariah Carey is replacing Kate Upton as the new public face of Game of War: Fire Age|url=https://www.theverge.com/2015/6/12/8774011/mariah-carey-game-of-war-spokesperson|website=[[The Verge]]|date=12 June 2015|access-date=13 June 2015|archive-date=13 June 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150613150642/http://www.theverge.com/2015/6/12/8774011/mariah-carey-game-of-war-spokesperson|url-status=live}}</ref>
<ref name=wsj2014>{{cite web | url=https://blogs.wsj.com/digits/2014/07/16/newest-hit-game-maker-machine-zone-nears-3-billion-valuation/ | title=Newest Hit-Game Maker Machine Zone Nears $3 Billion Valuation | work=The Wall Street Journal | date=July 16, 2014 | url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160316152947/https://blogs.wsj.com/digits/2014/07/16/newest-hit-game-maker-machine-zone-nears-3-billion-valuation/ |archive-date=2016-03-16 | last1=MacMillan |first1=Douglas |last2=Demos |first2=Telis}}</ref>
<ref name=wsj2015>{{Cite web |url=http://www.tmz.com/2015/09/14/mariah-carey-game-of-war-commercial-promo-video-hero-kate-upton/ |title=Game Of War with Mariah Carey on tmz.com |access-date=2015-09-14 |archive-date=2017-08-07 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170807020113/http://www.tmz.com/2015/09/14/mariah-carey-game-of-war-commercial-promo-video-hero-kate-upton/ |url-status=live }}</ref>
}}

==External links==
* [http://www.mz.com Machine Zone] website

[[Category:Android (operating system) games]]
[[Category:Fantasy video games]]
[[Category:IOS games]]

{{Sourceattribution|Game of War: Fire Age}}