PopCap Games has just released its latest Bejeweled iteration known as Bejeweled Blitz, which is actually a 1-minute version of its super popular game Bejeweled for Facebook. Now available in beta, this title draws its strengths completely from its own merits, where the “social” version of Bejeweled is now a Facebook phenomenon, sending over 5 million monthly users towards its direction since it was released in beta version late last year. With the number of new users joining each minute, Bejeweled Blitz is now growing at an amazing pace.

According to Jason Kapalka, PopCap’s chief creative officer, “One-minute Bejeweled was initially an in-house joke because who’d think anyone would play a ‘casual’ game with such a frenzied time limit? But it turned out the one-minute timer actually made the game more accessible, as a bite-size entertainment for people busy doing other things on Facebook. The social nature of the game felt like the missing link. Playing Bejeweled on your own was always fun, but playing with and against family and friends takes it to another level.”

This again goes to prove that having a social game is much more fun than going up against a standard AI. Well, bosses had better watch out for this for you just don’t know how many hours your employees will spend in Facebook each day, eh? Perhaps they should start a Blitz version of the numerous other titles from PopCap Games, who knows – these might actually also take off in an equally big way?

Press Release

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