Tumbleweed-plagued Google+ is minus Bejeweled and Wooga

EA'd rather have 70% of something than 95% of buggerall

Two games developers are withdrawing from Google's troubled social network Google+. Kiddie game dev Wooga and Popcap, which is owned by giant Electronic Arts, confirmed they are deploying their resources elsewhere. Popcap markets the popular Bejeweled game.

Ironically, it is in games developers' long-term interest to see alternative platforms to Facebook succeed. Facebook's vast audience, coupled with the lack of competition, mean that the social network can get away with wolfing down a 30 per cent cut of revenue. Google's bite is just 5 per cent.

But games publishers must go where the audiences are. And for all its nice features – and there are a few – people are going where their friends go. A survey earlier this year showed Google+ users were spending an average of four minutes a month on the social network, compared to an average eight hours Facebook users spend.

At this rate, the only entertainment to be found on Google+ will be the sight of Robert Scoble playing Solitare in an empty room, as tumbleweeds roll past. ®