Connecting the world through our games is a mantra often heard here at Zynga, but, once in a while, we have a chance to really celebrate that mission statement with a remarkable milestone. Today, I’m filled with appreciation and pride as we celebrate Socialpoint’s games surpassing more than 1 billion lifetime downloads, a staggering achievement that represents billions of moments where our players chose to laugh, compete, strategize, collect and escape into the worlds we helped create.

From Two Dots to Dragon City to Monster Legends, our games have found homes on devices around the world, reaching players across multiple cultures and generations. Each individual download represents a part of our players’ daily routines and shared memories between friends, siblings, partners and entire communities.

Take Two Dots, a minimalist puzzle experience that launched with a simple premise of connecting dots in thoughtful ways and has grown into a beloved title that’s been engaging players for more than a decade. With colorful worlds, relaxing music and clever level design, Two Dots became a companion for casual moments everywhere, and its 11th anniversary sweepstakes last June reminded us yet again of how deeply our players care about shared experiences and celebration.

Then there’s Dragon City, a game that sparked the imaginations of millions. From breeding adorable dragons to building dynamic cities floating in the sky, Dragon City blends creativity with strategy in a way that invites players to return again and again. Its longevity and continued engagement are a testament to the team’s dedication to evolution and responsive design informed by our audience.

And, of course, Monster Legends is a franchise that has grown into a true cornerstone of Socialpoint’s portfolio, with its deep monster collecting systems and strategic turn-based combat. The game has developed and maintained a passionate audience for more than a decade and continues to evolve by regularly introducing new monsters, in-game events and competitive features, keeping it fresh while rewarding long term mastery.

Reaching a billion lifetime downloads is not something we take lightly and it’s certainly not an achievement of any single member of the studio. This is a milestone that belongs to the players who have welcomed our games into their lives and to every designer, engineer, artist, live operations manager and team member whose passion and creativity make these experiences possible.

Great games aren’t just built at launch. They live through the ongoing relationships we build with our players and something we strive for is to not only create engaging core gameplay, but also to evolve those experiences with in-game events, gameplay updates and ever-expanding ways to bring players together.

As we look ahead, this milestone is both a capstone of what we’ve achieved and a spark for what comes next. With new ideas in development and a community that continues to grow and evolve with us, the next billion moments are already on the horizon.

To everyone who has played, shared or smiled over one of our games, thank you. This achievement is yours as much as it is ours. Here’s to the next chapter of play and our continued mission to unite the world through games.

• Akshay Bharadwaj, Head of Socialpoint