Zynga buys game maker behind ‘Draw Something’

NEW YORK (AP) - Online game maker Zynga has bought New York-based OMGPop, maker of the popular mobile game “Draw Something.”

Zynga Inc. did not disclose the deal’s financial terms. In “Draw Something,” players draw on a mobile device’s touch screen using their fingertips, and others _ in the same room or across the country _ have to guess what they’ve drawn. The assigned pictures range from easy to challenging, from an apple to Lady Gaga.

The mobile game has been massively popular since it launched just six weeks ago. Zynga said it has been downloaded more than 35 million times.

OMGPop, founded in 2006, will stay in its New York City headquarters. Its CEO Dan Porter, who is joining Zynga, said players will see “Draw Something” get more social with new features such as chat. There also will be a better way to save pictures, which now requires making a screen shot.

San Francisco-based Zynga’s last big acquisition was Newtoy Inc., the company behind “Words With Friends,” in 2010. But fans of “Draw Something” can rest assured: Zynga doesn’t plan to change the name of its newest acquisition to “Draw With Friends.”

Zynga’s stock closed up 33 cents, or 2.5 percent, at $13.72 on Wednesday. The stock has traded between $7.97 and $15.91 since Zynga went public in December. Zynga made the announcement before the markets closed.

Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.