Zynga shutters CityVille 2, Party Place, The Friend Game [UPDATE]

In today's Zynga investor conference call, the game developer announced that it would be closing three games across Facebook and iOS that had only just really started to live. One iOS game, Party Place, and two Facebook games, The Friend Game and CityVille 2, will be shut down in the near future.

As Kotaku points out, the release of CityVille 2 was delayed due to Hurricane Sandy's effect on the Baltimore-based development team, and it finally released in November. The other two games came out in December, making these some of the shortest lived Zynga games ever released.

Interestingly, the CityVille 2 Facebook fan page hasn't been updated with the closure announcement, but the game's Key purchase system has been taken offline. When trying to access the Friend Game on Facebook, you're still allowed to play, but given a closure date of March 7. Finally, the Party Place fan page actually has been updated, giving players the standard apology and another closure date of March 7.

With The Friend Game and Party Place closing on March 7, it's easy to assume that CityVille 2 will go lights out at that time as well. While it's not a prediction I'm happy to see come true, we're definitely left to wonder if Brian Reynolds' departure from the company played a roll in getting CityVille 2 shut down, as he played a huge roll in its development. If we learn any additional information about these game closures, we'll make sure to let you know.

[UPDATE] CityVille 2 has now been updated to confirm the closure date of March 7. The game is no longer available to play for new players, but current players can still play until the date of closure. As a way of apologizing to players, Zynga is also offering a bonus package to current CityVille 2 players that can be redeemed in ChefVille, FarmVille 2, or Bubble Safari. When players access CityVille 2, they'll be given the opportunity to enter their email address to claim the package of their choice.

Are you a fan of The Friend Game, Party Place, or CityVille 2 on Facebook / iOS? Are you sad to see them shut down? What do you think this means for the future of Zynga? Sound off in the comments!