Bigpoint, Spil Games try the Facebook alternative: The Buddy System

Facebook is the largest social game platform out there, so what do you do when you can't beat 'em? Shack up with somebody else, that's what. And that's exactly what Bigpoint, the developer behind hit MMOs like Battlestar Galactica Online and most recently RamaCity (a blatant competitor to CityVille by Zynga), has opted for. The Hamburg, Germany-based developer has joined forces with Spil Games, based in the Netherlands, to increase its potential player base to 130 million players.

"We're thrilled to bring our already hugely successful game ZooMumba to Spil's platform," Bigpoint CEO Heiko Hubertz said in a release. "Spil's audience of like-minded gamers is unique in the industry. We're certain this collaboration will ensure high amounts of exposure to ZooMumba and more of our games in the future."

Bigpoint will first take a dive on the deal with ZooMumba, its hit zoo-keeping social game, though there are other Bigpoint games headed for Spil Games' collection of European and Asian social gaming websites, according to a release. Considering Facebook's arguable stranglehold on game developers with its new Credits initiative, it's tough to blame companies for making partnerships to avoid it (and its 30 percent cut). It makes one wonder what Zynga might do ... in five years.