PlaySpan, a Visa company, has explored the online purchasing decisions of gamers in a new study on virtual goods.  Overall, the study showed more than $2.3 billion of virtual goods were purchased in 2011 in the U.S., with gamers spending an average of $64 each over the course of the year. The dollar amount per individual was up 28 percent over 2009, thanks in part to the influx of new social games from companies like Zynga, Electronic Arts and Rovio Entertainment.

SAN FRANCISCO – Michael Pachter, video game analyst for Wedbush Morgan Securities, delivered a keynote at the fourth annual Ayzenberg A-List Summit 2012, put on by the all-purpose game marketing, PR and publishing firm. With the conference focusing on “The Consumer Courtship,” Pachter focused his speech on how the social landscape is already affecting the gaming industry and how will it will trend.  

Zynga, fresh off its IPO, is expanding into new territory on Facebook. The casual game maker has launched Hidden Chronicles, the company’s first-ever social hidden object game. Created by some of the most talented women in casual and social game design and entertainment, Hidden Chronicles invites players to find hidden objects, solve puzzles, and unlock mysteries. Marking an entrance into an entirely new game genre for Zynga, Hidden Chronicles combines memory, skill, and social interactions, making it the most social hidden object game available.

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas on Facebook. Credit card company Discover has partnered with Zynga to launch the first-ever brand-sponsored FarmVille expansion, Winter Wonderland. The new, customizable holiday farm is the third expansion to be released by the popular social games developer following English Countryside and Lighthouse Cove.

Created by Zynga Dallas, CastleVille is the next game in Zynga’s “Ville” franchise which includesFarmVille, FrontierVille, and CityVille. CastleVille is set in a medieval world, with an engaging story, a touch of fantasy and memorable, playful characters. A true manifestation of Zynga’s social magic, the game improves upon the best social and emotional elements from each of the “Ville” games that came before it. In CastleVille players will be able build and manage the kingdom of their dreams, explore the rich world and setting, and share it with their friends.

In anticipation of its IPO, Zynga showcased new games at Zynga Unleashed, its first media event hosted by CEO and Founder Mark Pincus held at its new San Francisco headquarters. The company gave a sneak peek of several new social games, including the next chapter in its Ville franchise and teased its own new play service, code named Project Z. CastleVille is the newest game heading to Facebook. Cityville, the last title in the franchise, has over 74 million gamers. There’s also a new Zynga Casino that features Zynga Poker and the newly announced Zynga Bingo to create the world’s largest and most social casino. The company is also launching a new Hidden Objects genre with the social game, Hidden Chronicles.

Despite a recent string of down months in U.S. video game sales at retail this year, a new report from research firm Gartner paints a very rosy picture for the global video game industry. When adding in revenues from burgeoning online, mobile and digital gaming sectors, Gartner estimates that worldwide spending on the gaming ecosystem will exceed $74 billion in 2011, up 10.4 percent from the $67 billion spent last year. By 2015, spending is expected to reach $112 billion.