But how was it so successful?
Nabeel Hyatt, a former Zynga general manager, has given a few reasons in a response on Quora:
- Draw Something was the only pictionary game that adhered to a turn-based asynchronous model like Words With Friends. Since it's asynchronous (meaning you don't play at the same time), you're more likely to play with friends than with strangers.
- The words in Draw Something's dictionary are vibrant and culturally relevant. Rather than stick to bland words in a normal dictionary, it includes words like "Lady Gaga."
- It's a cooperative, not a competitive game. When you guess a picture correctly, both players get coins. No one player is beating the other.