Considering the downward trajectory that Draw Something has seen since being acquired by Zynga, it’s no surprise that the company is attempting to penetrate some new markets and use some star power to ignite a little bit of buzz.
Today, Zynga announced that the game is now available in twelve new languages including Spanish, German, and Chinese.
Zynga…today launches Draw Something in 12 new languages, providing even more people the chance to draw and connect with friends worldwide. Languages available starting today include: French, Italian, German, Spanish, Brazilian Portuguese, Norwegian, Swedish, Dutch, Danish, Simplified and Traditional Chinese, Korean and Japanese. Most of the localized versions offer translated user interfaces and dictionaries to enable players to have an enhanced playing experience in their native language. Additionally, the word choices for the Simplified Chinese version have been localized to include English words that are more meaningful to the Chinese speaking audience.
They are also adding some local cultural references to the game, for instance “Bocelli,” the Italian opera star and Spanish actor Mario Casas.
As far as celebrity buzz for the game, Zynga turned to J-Lo and Enrique Iglesias. In addition to promoting the game and “engaging players” on Twitter, the two singers will also choose words that will be available in the new “Special Words” feature within the game.
“Draw Something has only been available to players in English since its launch and became a cultural phenomenon across the globe. We are excited to be able to give back to our players around the world by offering an experience that is more locally relevant to them.” said David Ko, chief mobile officer for Zynga. “With native pop culture references and our partnership with global superstars such as Enrique Iglesias and Jennifer Lopez, the game will be even more fun for more players. How do you draw ‘caliente’? We’ll soon find out.”
Shortly after Zynga acquired OMGPOP, Draw Something lost some 5 million users. Since then, the app has continued to see a pretty steady decline.
Zynga is preparing to announce additional partnerships for Draw Something, including one with Dreamworks that would see in-game promotion for their new Madagascar film.