Zynga helps Pocket God Facebook creator make a game for change

Between pumping out Facebook and mobile games like it's no body's business, Zynga finds the time to do its fair share of charity work. Now, the developer looks to kill two birds with one stone, as social good games advocate Games for Change has announced that Zynga will lend (more than) a few hands to Pocket God (on Facebook) maker Frima Studio in crafting Half the Sky, a social game for social good.

Based on the book of the same name penned by Pulitzer Prize winners Nicholas Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn, the Half the Sky Facebook game is one piece in a trans-media project aimed to "put an end to the oppression of women and girls worldwide," according to the movement's mission statement. Games for Change will serve as an executive producer of the Half the Sky game, while a number of Zynga staffers will help Frima Studio finish it.

"Helping others is so embedded in social games that engaging players to help address real-world issues seems like a natural extension of game play," Zynga.org executive director Ken Weber said in a release. "Zynga's employees are eager to leverage social games for good and we are honored to be collaborating with Games for Change and Frima on this important initiative."

With Zynga and one of the most talented independent social game studios around collaborating on a social game for social good, it will be--dare we say--exciting to see the results. Half the Sky is due out on Facebook this Nov. 13.

Are you excited to see what Zynga and Frima can accomplish together? What do you think of social games for good? Sound off in the comments. Add Comment.