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'''''Agar.io'''''{{efn|Sometimes called or pronounced "agario" ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|eɪ|ɡ|ɑːr|iː|oʊ|,_|ˈ|ɑː|-}}).}} is a [[Massively multiplayer online game|massively multiplayer online]] [[action game]] created by Brazilian developer Matheus Valadares. Players control one or more circular [[Cell (biology)|cells]] in a map representing a [[Petri dish]]. The goal is to gain as much mass as possible by eating [[agar]] and cells smaller than the player's cell while avoiding larger ones which can eat the player's cells. Each player starts with one cell, but players can split a cell into two once it reaches a sufficient mass, allowing them to control multiple cells. The name comes from the substance agar, used to culture bacteria.<ref name="Takahashi" />
'''''Agar.io'''''{{efn|Sometimes called or pronounced "agario" ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|eɪ|ɡ|ɑːr|iː|oʊ|,_|ˈ|ɑː|-}}).}} is a [[Massively multiplayer online game|massively multiplayer online]] [[action game]] created by Brazilian developer Matheus Valadares. Players control one or more circular [[Cell (biology)|cells]] in a map representing a [[Petri dish]]. The goal is to gain as much mass as possible by eating [[agar]] and cells smaller than the player's cell while avoiding larger ones which can eat the player's cells. Each player starts with one cell, but players can split a cell into two once it reaches a sufficient mass, allowing them to control multiple cells. The name comes from the substance agar, used to culture bacteria.<ref name="Takahashi" />


The game was released to positive critical reception; critics particularly praised its simplicity, competition, and mechanics, while criticism targeted its repetitive gameplay. Largely due to [[word of mouth]] on social networks, it was a quick success, becoming one of the most popular [[browser game|browser]] and [[mobile game]]s in its first year.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.appannie.com/en/insights/market-data/why-you-should-care-about-agario/|title=Why You Should Care About Agar.io|website=App Annie|date=28 July 2015}}</ref> A [[Steam (service)|Steam]] version was announced on 3 May 2015 but was never released,<ref name="steamgreenlight" /> while the mobile version of ''Agar.io'' for [[iOS]] and [[Android (operating system)|Android]] was released on 24 July 2015 by [[Miniclip]]. ''Agar.io'' has inspired similar web games called ".io games", including games with a similar objective but different characters, and games that incorporate elements of other genres like [[shooter game]]s.<ref name="Takahashi">{{cite web|last1=Takahashi|first1=Dean|title=The surprising momentum behind games like Agar.io|url=https://venturebeat.com/2017/02/11/the-surprising-momentum-behind-io-games-like-agar-io/|work=[[VentureBeat]]|access-date=5 May 2018|date=2017}}</ref>
The game was released to positive critical reception; critics particularly praised its simplicity, competition, and mechanics, while criticism targeted its repetitive gameplay. Largely due to [[word of mouth]] on social networks, it was a quick success, becoming one of the most popular [[browser game|browser]] and [[mobile game]]s in its first year.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.appannie.com/en/insights/market-data/why-you-should-care-about-agario/|title=Why You Should Care About Agar.io|website=App Annie|date=28 July 2015}}</ref> A [[Steam (service)|Steam]] version was announced on 3 May 2015 but was never released,<ref name="steamgreenlight">{{cite web |title=Steam Greenlight: Agar.io |url=http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=436491794&searchtext=agar.io |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150618085953/http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=436491794&searchtext=agar.io |archive-date=18 June 2015 |access-date=16 June 2015 |publisher=[[Steam (service)|Steam]] |df=dmy-all}}</ref> while the mobile version of ''Agar.io'' for [[iOS]] and [[Android (operating system)|Android]] was released on 24 July 2015 by [[Miniclip]]. ''Agar.io'' has inspired similar web games called ".io games", including games with a similar objective but different characters, and games that incorporate elements of other genres like [[shooter game]]s.<ref name="Takahashi">{{cite web |last1=Takahashi |first1=Dean |date=11 February 2017 |title=The surprising momentum behind games like Agar.io |url=https://venturebeat.com/2017/02/11/the-surprising-momentum-behind-io-games-like-agar-io/ |access-date=5 May 2018 |work=[[VentureBeat]]}}</ref>


==Gameplay==
==Gameplay==
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Players can split their cell into two, and one of the two evenly divided cells (if the mass of the original cell is odd, one cell will be slightly bigger than the other) will be shot in the direction of the cursor when the space bar was pressed. This can be used as a ranged attack to shoot a cell in order to swallow other smaller cells or to escape an attack and move quickly around the map.<ref name="theweek">{{cite web|title=Agar.io: a guide to the hit game&nbsp;– and the best tips to win|url=http://www.theweek.co.uk/64437/agario-what-is-the-hit-game-and-what-are-the-best-tips-to-win|website=The Week|access-date=5 August 2015}}</ref> Split cells merge back into one cell if a bigger cell of the same player consumes it. Aside from feeding viruses, players can release a small fraction of their mass to feed other cells, an action commonly recognized as an intention to team with another player.<ref name="lemonde3">{{cite news|title=Comment battre vos collègues au jeu en ligne Agar.io|trans-title=How to beat your colleagues in the online game Agar.io|url=http://www.lemonde.fr/pixels/article/2015/08/03/comment-battre-vos-collegues-au-jeu-en-ligne-agar-io_4709759_4408996.html|newspaper=Le Monde.fr|date=3 August 2015|language=fr}} "Le plus gros est, par exemple, nourri par ses amis qui viennent volontairement se faire manger." ("The biggest are, for example, fed by their friends who come voluntarily to be eaten)</ref>
Players can split their cell into two, and one of the two evenly divided cells (if the mass of the original cell is odd, one cell will be slightly bigger than the other) will be shot in the direction of the cursor when the space bar was pressed. This can be used as a ranged attack to shoot a cell in order to swallow other smaller cells or to escape an attack and move quickly around the map.<ref name="theweek">{{cite web|title=Agar.io: a guide to the hit game&nbsp;– and the best tips to win|url=http://www.theweek.co.uk/64437/agario-what-is-the-hit-game-and-what-are-the-best-tips-to-win|website=The Week|access-date=5 August 2015}}</ref> Split cells merge back into one cell if a bigger cell of the same player consumes it. Aside from feeding viruses, players can release a small fraction of their mass to feed other cells, an action commonly recognized as an intention to team with another player.<ref name="lemonde3">{{cite news|title=Comment battre vos collègues au jeu en ligne Agar.io|trans-title=How to beat your colleagues in the online game Agar.io|url=http://www.lemonde.fr/pixels/article/2015/08/03/comment-battre-vos-collegues-au-jeu-en-ligne-agar-io_4709759_4408996.html|newspaper=Le Monde.fr|date=3 August 2015|language=fr}} "Le plus gros est, par exemple, nourri par ses amis qui viennent volontairement se faire manger." ("The biggest are, for example, fed by their friends who come voluntarily to be eaten)</ref>


==Development==
==Development and popularity==
''Agar.io'' was created by Brazilian developer Matheus Valadares, written in [[JavaScript]] and [[C++]]. Valadares shared an [[IP address]] to the game for testing on the [[4chan]] video game board /v/, before releasing it on the domain ''agar.io'' on 28 April 2015. It is named after [[agar]], a substance used to grow [[Cell culture|cell cultures]].<ref name=":0">{{Cite journal |last=Lindsey |first=Cameron |date=March 2019 |title=Agar.io: The Game’s in the Name |url=https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/1555412018821483?journalCode=gaca |journal=[[Games and Culture]] |volume=14 |issue=2 |url-access=subscription}}</ref> Valadares continued to experiment with adding new features{{Emdash}}experimental mode was created specifically for this purpose.<ref>{{cite web |date=3 October 2015 |title=The new Agar.io mobile update – what's new? |url=http://blog.miniclip.com/2015/10/03/the-new-agar-io-mobile-update-whats-new/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160102045359/http://blog.miniclip.com/2015/10/03/the-new-agar-io-mobile-update-whats-new/ |archive-date=2 January 2016 |access-date=17 December 2015 |work=Miniclip}}</ref>
''Agar.io'' was announced on [[4chan]] on 28 April 2015 by Matheus Valadares, a 19-year-old Brazilian developer, after completing "voar.io", a similar game that involved [[Spacecraft|spaceships]] orbiting the Earth.<ref name="4chan">{{cite web|url=https://archived.moe/v/thread/292440446/|title=No.292440446|last1=Anonymous|website=4chan (archived by archived.moe)|access-date=16 April 2016}}</ref> Written in [[JavaScript]] and [[C++]], the game was developed in a few days.<ref name="interview">{{cite web|title=Efsane oyunun geliştiricisi ile kısa bir söyleşi yaptık|url=http://kafakutu.com/2015/05/13/efsane-oyunun-gelistiricisi-ile-kisa-bir-soylesi-yaptik/|website=Kafakutu|date=13 May 2015|access-date=26 August 2015|language=tr|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150826020526/http://kafakutu.com/2015/05/13/efsane-oyunun-gelistiricisi-ile-kisa-bir-soylesi-yaptik/|archive-date=26 August 2015}}</ref> The game originally did not have a name, and users had to connect to Valadares' [[IP address]]es in order to play. The name ''Agar.io'' was suggested by an anonymous user on 4chan, as other [[domain names]] such as cell.io were already taken.<ref name="4chan" /> Valadares continued updating and adding new features to the game, such as an [[Experience point|experience system]] and an "experimental" game mode for testing experimental features.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://blog.miniclip.com/2015/10/03/the-new-agar-io-mobile-update-whats-new/|title=The new Agar.io mobile update – what's new?|work=Miniclip|date=3 October 2015|access-date=17 December 2015|archive-date=2 January 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160102045359/http://blog.miniclip.com/2015/10/03/the-new-agar-io-mobile-update-whats-new/|url-status=dead}}</ref> One week later, ''Agar.io'' entered [[Steam Greenlight]] with Valadares announcing a future [[free-to-play]] version of the game for download. He planned to include features in the Steam version not available in the browser version, including additional gamemodes, custom styling, and an account system. It was approved for listing on [[Steam (service)|Steam]] due to community interest;<ref name="steamgreenlight">{{cite web|title = Steam Greenlight: Agar.io|url = http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=436491794&searchtext=agar.io|publisher = [[Steam (service)|Steam]]|access-date = 16 June 2015|url-status = dead|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150618085953/http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=436491794&searchtext=agar.io|archive-date = 18 June 2015|df = dmy-all}}</ref> however, the announced game has yet to be released, as the Greenlight program was shut down in June 2017.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Sarkar |first1=Samit |title=Valve shuts down Steam Greenlight, replacing it next week |url=https://www.polygon.com/2017/6/6/15749692/steam-direct-launch-date-valve-greenlight |website=Polygon |access-date=26 December 2018 |date=6 June 2017}}</ref>

''Agar.io''<nowiki/>'s initial success is attributed to its popularity among online creators, as well as the addictiveness of its simplistic, intuitive gameplay. On 3 May, the [[YouTube]] channel [[Vinesauce]] released a video playing ''Agar.io'' and Valadares submitted the game to [[Steam Greenlight]]. Despite quickly being approved, it was never released on the Steam platform, possibly due to its existing popularity as a browser game. YouTuber [[PewDiePie|PewDiePie{{Emdash}}]]<nowiki/>who then had nearly fifty million subscribers{{Emdash}}also made nine videos playing ''Agar.io'' starting from 30 May.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1">{{Cite web |last=Burgess |first=Matt |date=April 12, 2016 |title=How addictive simplicity made Agar.io a global hit |url=https://www.wired.co.uk/article/agario-miniclip-game-viral-success-pewdiepie-youtube |url-access=limited |access-date=May 5, 2023 |website=[[Wired UK]]}}</ref>

After meeting with him in [[Lisbon]], mobile game publisher [[Miniclip]] began working with Valadares at the end of April 2015. They were attracted by ''Agar.io''<nowiki/>'s wide appeal; the game already had five million daily players and Miniclip executive producer James Carson that their staff were all playing it within a week.<ref name="Takahashi" /><ref name=":1" /> Miniclip released mobile ports of ''Agar.io [[App store|Apple Store]]''


On 24 July 2015, [[Miniclip]] published a mobile version of ''Agar.io'' for iOS and Android. Sergio Varanda, head of mobile at Miniclip, explained that the main goal of the mobile version was to "recreate the gaming experience" on mobile, citing the challenges with recreating the game on touchscreen controls.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Gordon|first1=Scott|title=Agar.io: can the Play Store's top game continue to grow?|url=https://www.androidpit.com/agario-interview-will-the-play-store-s-top-game-eat-the-world|website=AndroidPit|access-date=26 August 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150907220650/https://www.androidpit.com/agario-interview-will-the-play-store-s-top-game-eat-the-world|archive-date=7 September 2015|url-status=dead}}</ref>
On 24 July 2015, [[Miniclip]] published a mobile version of ''Agar.io'' for iOS and Android. Sergio Varanda, head of mobile at Miniclip, explained that the main goal of the mobile version was to "recreate the gaming experience" on mobile, citing the challenges with recreating the game on touchscreen controls.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Gordon|first1=Scott|title=Agar.io: can the Play Store's top game continue to grow?|url=https://www.androidpit.com/agario-interview-will-the-play-store-s-top-game-eat-the-world|website=AndroidPit|access-date=26 August 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150907220650/https://www.androidpit.com/agario-interview-will-the-play-store-s-top-game-eat-the-world|archive-date=7 September 2015|url-status=dead}}</ref>

==Reception==
==Reception==
''Agar.io'' recieved positive reviews from game journalists.

''Agar.io'' was released to a positive critical reception. Particular praise was given to the simplicity, competition, and mechanics of the game. ''[[Engadget]]'' described the game as "a good abstraction of the fierce survival-of-the-fittest competition that you sometimes see on the microscopic level."<ref name="engadget">{{cite web|last1=Fingas|first1=Jon|title=Agar.io brings massively multiplayer games to the Petri dish|url=https://www.engadget.com/2015/06/01/agar-io/|website=Engadget|access-date=16 June 2015}}</ref> ''Toucharcade'' praised its simplicity, strategic element, and "personality".<ref>{{cite web|last1=Carter|first1=Chris|title='Agar.io' Review&nbsp;– The Amoeba Boys (and Girls)|url=http://toucharcade.com/2015/07/28/agario-review/|website=Toucharcade|access-date=10 August 2015}}</ref>
''Agar.io'' was released to a positive critical reception. Particular praise was given to the simplicity, competition, and mechanics of the game. ''[[Engadget]]'' described the game as "a good abstraction of the fierce survival-of-the-fittest competition that you sometimes see on the microscopic level."<ref name="engadget">{{cite web|last1=Fingas|first1=Jon|title=Agar.io brings massively multiplayer games to the Petri dish|url=https://www.engadget.com/2015/06/01/agar-io/|website=Engadget|access-date=16 June 2015}}</ref> ''Toucharcade'' praised its simplicity, strategic element, and "personality".<ref>{{cite web|last1=Carter|first1=Chris|title='Agar.io' Review&nbsp;– The Amoeba Boys (and Girls)|url=http://toucharcade.com/2015/07/28/agario-review/|website=Toucharcade|access-date=10 August 2015}}</ref>


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Because it was frequently propagated through social media and broadcast on [[Twitch (service)|Twitch]]<ref name="pcgamer" /> and [[YouTube]],<ref name="unocero">{{cite web|last1 = Matuk|first1 = Pablo|title = Agar.io, el nuevo y sencillo juego de moda|trans-title = Agar.io, the new and simple game in fashion|url = https://www.unocero.com/2015/07/31/agar-io-el-nuevo-y-sencillo-juego-de-moda/|website = Unocero|access-date = 7 August 2015|language = es|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150801093900/https://www.unocero.com/2015/07/31/agar-io-el-nuevo-y-sencillo-juego-de-moda/|archive-date = 1 August 2015|url-status = dead}}</ref> ''Agar.io'' was a quick success. The agar.io website (for the browser version) was ranked by [[Alexa Internet|Alexa]] as one of the 1,000 most visited websites<ref>{{cite web|title=agar.io Site Overview |url=http://www.alexa.com/siteinfo/agar.io |website=Alexa Internet |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150901055653/http://www.alexa.com/siteinfo/agar.io |archive-date=1 September 2015 |url-status=live }}</ref> and the mobile versions were downloaded more than ten million times during their first week,<ref name="conquer">{{cite web|title = How Agari.io conquered the App Store, without spending a penny|url = http://www.pocketgamer.co.uk/r/iPad/Agario/news.asp?c=66717|website = [[Pocket Gamer]]|access-date = 6 August 2015}}</ref> and 113 million times as of December 2016.<ref name="113mil">{{cite news|url=https://www.pocketgamer.biz/news/64583/agario-113-million-downloads/|title=Agar.io amasses 113 million mobile downloads in 20 months|work=[[Pocket Gamer]]|date=6 December 2016|access-date=2 September 2020}}</ref> During 2015, ''Agar.io'' was [[Google Search|Google]]'s most searched video game.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ibtimes.com.au/agario-fallout-4-mortal-kombat-x-googles-most-searched-games-2015-1494086|title=Agar.io, Fallout 4, Mortal Kombat X in Google's most searched games in 2015|work=International Business Times|date=22 December 2015|access-date=19 January 2016}}</ref> It was Google's second-most searched game in the United States in 2016.<ref name="MostGoogled2016">{{Cite magazine|url=http://time.com/4599919/these-were-the-most-googled-video-games-of-2016/|title=These Were the Most-Googled Video Games of 2016|last=Fitzpatrick|first=Alex|date=13 December 2016|magazine=Time|access-date=9 August 2017}}</ref> A 2015 press release by ''Miniclip'' stated that ''Agar.io'' was listed as the fifth top game on YouTube's list of top games.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://corporate.miniclip.com/press_release/agar-io-is-5-on-youtube-list-of-top-games/|title=Agar.io is #5 on YouTube's list of top games|website=corporate.miniclip.com|date=22 December 2015|access-date=3 April 2018|archive-date=23 August 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160823214208/https://corporate.miniclip.com/press_release/agar-io-is-5-on-youtube-list-of-top-games/|url-status=dead}}</ref>
Because it was frequently propagated through social media and broadcast on [[Twitch (service)|Twitch]]<ref name="pcgamer" /> and [[YouTube]],<ref name="unocero">{{cite web|last1 = Matuk|first1 = Pablo|title = Agar.io, el nuevo y sencillo juego de moda|trans-title = Agar.io, the new and simple game in fashion|url = https://www.unocero.com/2015/07/31/agar-io-el-nuevo-y-sencillo-juego-de-moda/|website = Unocero|access-date = 7 August 2015|language = es|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150801093900/https://www.unocero.com/2015/07/31/agar-io-el-nuevo-y-sencillo-juego-de-moda/|archive-date = 1 August 2015|url-status = dead}}</ref> ''Agar.io'' was a quick success. The agar.io website (for the browser version) was ranked by [[Alexa Internet|Alexa]] as one of the 1,000 most visited websites<ref>{{cite web|title=agar.io Site Overview |url=http://www.alexa.com/siteinfo/agar.io |website=Alexa Internet |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150901055653/http://www.alexa.com/siteinfo/agar.io |archive-date=1 September 2015 |url-status=live }}</ref> and the mobile versions were downloaded more than ten million times during their first week,<ref name="conquer">{{cite web|title = How Agari.io conquered the App Store, without spending a penny|url = http://www.pocketgamer.co.uk/r/iPad/Agario/news.asp?c=66717|website = [[Pocket Gamer]]|access-date = 6 August 2015}}</ref> and 113 million times as of December 2016.<ref name="113mil">{{cite news|url=https://www.pocketgamer.biz/news/64583/agario-113-million-downloads/|title=Agar.io amasses 113 million mobile downloads in 20 months|work=[[Pocket Gamer]]|date=6 December 2016|access-date=2 September 2020}}</ref> During 2015, ''Agar.io'' was [[Google Search|Google]]'s most searched video game.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ibtimes.com.au/agario-fallout-4-mortal-kombat-x-googles-most-searched-games-2015-1494086|title=Agar.io, Fallout 4, Mortal Kombat X in Google's most searched games in 2015|work=International Business Times|date=22 December 2015|access-date=19 January 2016}}</ref> It was Google's second-most searched game in the United States in 2016.<ref name="MostGoogled2016">{{Cite magazine|url=http://time.com/4599919/these-were-the-most-googled-video-games-of-2016/|title=These Were the Most-Googled Video Games of 2016|last=Fitzpatrick|first=Alex|date=13 December 2016|magazine=Time|access-date=9 August 2017}}</ref> A 2015 press release by ''Miniclip'' stated that ''Agar.io'' was listed as the fifth top game on YouTube's list of top games.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://corporate.miniclip.com/press_release/agar-io-is-5-on-youtube-list-of-top-games/|title=Agar.io is #5 on YouTube's list of top games|website=corporate.miniclip.com|date=22 December 2015|access-date=3 April 2018|archive-date=23 August 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160823214208/https://corporate.miniclip.com/press_release/agar-io-is-5-on-youtube-list-of-top-games/|url-status=dead}}</ref>


''Agar.io'' has inspired similar web games called ".io games", including games with a similar objective but different characters, and games that incorporate elements of other genres like [[shooter game]]s.<ref name="Takahashi"/> Agar.io has also spawned several clone games with the same mechanics and theme, such as Senpa.io. Nebulous.io is a similar game released for mobile. Zorb.io has similar mechanics, although it is played in a [[three-dimensional space|three-dimensional plane]].<ref name="12alts">{{Cite web|url=https://beebom.com/best-agar-io-alternatives/|title=12 Best Agar.io Alternatives: Games Like Agar.io|last=Sha|first=Arjun|date=24 September 2019|website=Beebom|access-date=2 September 2020}}</ref>
''Agar.io'' has inspired similar web games called ".io games", including games with a similar objective but different characters, and games that incorporate elements of other genres like [[shooter game]]s.<ref name="Takahashi"/>


During the campaigns of the [[June 2015 Turkish general election|June 2015 Turkish elections]], ''Agar.io'' was used in [[Turkey]] as a medium of political advocacy; many players were naming their cells after Turkish political parties and references, with alliances formed between players with similar political views, battling against other players with opposing views.<ref>{{cite web|title=Web game becomes latest battlefield in Turkish politics|url=http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/web-game-becomes-latest-battlefield-in-turkish-politics.aspx?pageID=238&nID=83041&NewsCatID=338|date=27 May 2015|website=Hurriyet Daily News|access-date=10 August 2015}}</ref> Some political parties have used ''Agar.io'' in campaign posters as a symbol of support.<ref name="turkeypolitics" />
During the campaigns of the [[June 2015 Turkish general election|June 2015 Turkish elections]], ''Agar.io'' was used in [[Turkey]] as a medium of political advocacy; many players were naming their cells after Turkish political parties and references, with alliances formed between players with similar political views, battling against other players with opposing views.<ref>{{cite web|title=Web game becomes latest battlefield in Turkish politics|url=http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/web-game-becomes-latest-battlefield-in-turkish-politics.aspx?pageID=238&nID=83041&NewsCatID=338|date=27 May 2015|website=Hurriyet Daily News|access-date=10 August 2015}}</ref> Some political parties have used ''Agar.io'' in campaign posters as a symbol of support.<ref name="turkeypolitics" />
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''Agar.io'' was featured, including some details of its gameplay, which was compared to the presidential campaigning, as well as a shot of an actual game, in episode 48 ([[House of Cards (season 4)#Episodes|''Chapter 48'']]) of [[Netflix]] TV-series ''[[House of Cards (U.S. TV series)|House of Cards]]''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.businessinsider.de/miniclip-agario-house-of-cards-season-4-frank-underwood-48-2016-3?r=UK&IR=T|title=Miniclip's Agar.io features in 'House of Cards' season 4|date=4 March 2016|work=Business Insider Deutschland|access-date=15 April 2016|archive-date=18 April 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160418160951/http://www.businessinsider.de/miniclip-agario-house-of-cards-season-4-frank-underwood-48-2016-3?r=UK&IR=T|url-status=dead}}</ref>
''Agar.io'' was featured, including some details of its gameplay, which was compared to the presidential campaigning, as well as a shot of an actual game, in episode 48 ([[House of Cards (season 4)#Episodes|''Chapter 48'']]) of [[Netflix]] TV-series ''[[House of Cards (U.S. TV series)|House of Cards]]''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.businessinsider.de/miniclip-agario-house-of-cards-season-4-frank-underwood-48-2016-3?r=UK&IR=T|title=Miniclip's Agar.io features in 'House of Cards' season 4|date=4 March 2016|work=Business Insider Deutschland|access-date=15 April 2016|archive-date=18 April 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160418160951/http://www.businessinsider.de/miniclip-agario-house-of-cards-season-4-frank-underwood-48-2016-3?r=UK&IR=T|url-status=dead}}</ref>


== Popularity ==
''Agar.io'' is credited with starting the ".io game" genre, featuring games that are generally simple, yet addictive. ''[[Slither.io]]'' was the second .io game ever released, followed by ''Wings.io,'' ''[[Diep.io]],'' and so on. Today, there are hundreds, if not thousands of .io games in existence.
''[[Digital Trends]]'' said in 2021 that ''Agar.io'' still maintained an active core fanbase.

⚫
=== .io games ===
Inspired by ''Agar.io''<nowiki/>'s success, Steven Howse released the snake-themed ''[[Slither.io]]'' in March 2016. The game soon reached the top 10 most-downloaded apps on iOS and Android, buoyed by the similar word-of-mouth and attention from YouTubers that had propelled ''Agar.io''. By June, ''Slither.io'' had hit over sixty million daily players.<ref name=":6">{{cite news |last=Needleman |first=Sarah E. |date=June 17, 2016 |title=As 'Slither.io' Goes Viral, Game's Creator Scrambles to Keep Up |work=[[The Wall Street Journal]] |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/as-slither-io-goes-viral-games-creator-scrambles-to-keep-up-1466195058 |url-access=limited |access-date=March 14, 2017 |issn=0099-9660}}</ref> It eclipsed ''Agar.io''<nowiki/>'s popularity,<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |last=Nicol |first=Will |last2=Hicks |first2=Michael |date=2021-03-28 |title=Eat and Be Eaten: How to Survive and Thrive in Agar.io |url=https://www.digitaltrends.com/gaming/agario-game-guide/ |access-date=2023-05-05 |website=[[Digital Trends]] |language=en}}</ref> pushing it to second place to become the most Googled game of 2016.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Cowley |first=Ric |last2= |date=December 14, 2016 |title=Slither.io beats Agar.io to be the most Googled game of 2016 |url=https://www.pocketgamer.biz/news/64647/slitherio-most-googled-game-of-2016/ |access-date=2023-05-05 |website=PocketGamer.biz}}</ref>


The rapid rise of ''Agar.io'' and ''Slither.io'' led to the beginning of a new genre of browser games, dubbed ".io games" for the [[.io|domain name]] they use. Characterized by [[Low resolution|low-res]] graphics and simplistic gameplay in a free-for-all multiplayer arena, .io games recieved around 192 million visits in 2017.<ref name="Takahashi" /><ref name=":2" /> Many .io [[Shooter game|shooters]] launched after ''Slither.io''{{Emdash}}Valadares released ''[[Diep.io]]'' in July 2016. Miniclip also began developing new .io games.<ref name="Takahashi" /><ref>{{Cite web |last=Hodapp |first=Eli |date=21 July 2016 |title=‘Diep.io’ Hits the App Store From the Creator of ‘Agar.io’ |url=https://toucharcade.com/2016/07/21/diep-io-hits-the-app-store-by-the-creator-of-agar-io/ |access-date=2023-05-05 |website=[[TouchArcade]] |language=en-US}}</ref>
⚫
== See also ==
* ''[[Diep.io]]'' (another game developed by Matheus Valadares)
* [https://DigDig.io ''DigDig.io''], a game similar to ''Diep.io''
* ''[https://Florr.io Florr.io], another game like Diep.io and DigDig.io''
* ''[[Slither.io]],'' a mostly online game where you try to become the longest snake on the map. In the mobile app version of the game, there is a mode where you can play against A.I. Slither.io does sometimes use bots in its servers when there aren't many active players.
* ''[[Surviv.io]]'' which has been shut down by its last developer, [[Kongregate]], in February, 2023
* ''[[ZombsRoyale.io]]'', an online battle royale game like Surviv.io
* ''[https://Krunker.io Krunker.io]''
* ''[https://Survivor.io Survivor.io]''
* ''[[Paper.io]], a game developed by VooDoo game studios and is a non-online game that uses bots for gameplay''
* [https://Aquapark.io Aquapark.io], a game that uses bots for its multiplayer, and the player races down very long waterslide with the other "players," attempting to finish the race in first place
* [https://Deeeep.io Deeeep.io]
* [https://Mope.io Mope.io], a free for all game that lets you choose a starting animal, and then you eat plants and other prey (other players' animal characters) to gain experience to level up and evolve your animal character
* [https://Splix.io Splix.io], a square version of Paper.io basically
* … and other .io games.


==Notes==
==Notes==

Revision as of 13:02, 5 May 2023

Agar.io
File:Agar.io appstore logo.png
Agar.io's old mobile app logo
Publisher(s)Miniclip
Designer(s)Matheus Valadares[2]
Platform(s)Browser, Android, iOS, iPadOS
ReleaseBrowser
28 April 2015[1]
Android, iOS
24 July 2015
Genre(s)Casual
Mode(s)Multiplayer

Agar.io[a] is a massively multiplayer online action game created by Brazilian developer Matheus Valadares. Players control one or more circular cells in a map representing a Petri dish. The goal is to gain as much mass as possible by eating agar and cells smaller than the player's cell while avoiding larger ones which can eat the player's cells. Each player starts with one cell, but players can split a cell into two once it reaches a sufficient mass, allowing them to control multiple cells. The name comes from the substance agar, used to culture bacteria.[3]

The game was released to positive critical reception; critics particularly praised its simplicity, competition, and mechanics, while criticism targeted its repetitive gameplay. Largely due to word of mouth on social networks, it was a quick success, becoming one of the most popular browser and mobile games in its first year.[4] A Steam version was announced on 3 May 2015 but was never released,[5] while the mobile version of Agar.io for iOS and Android was released on 24 July 2015 by Miniclip. Agar.io has inspired similar web games called ".io games", including games with a similar objective but different characters, and games that incorporate elements of other genres like shooter games.[3]

Gameplay

Agar.io gameplay; this image shows only a small fraction of an Agar.io map. There are four cells on this screenshot. One cell is partially consuming another one. Another one of the cells is a drawing of Doge, an Internet meme.

The objective of Agar.io is to grow a cell on a Petri dish by swallowing both randomly generated pellets, known as "agar", which slightly increases a cell's mass, and smaller cells, without being swallowed by even larger cells.[6] The browser version currently holds five game modes: FFA (Free-For-All), Battle Royale, Teams, Experimental, and Party. The mobile version of the game includes Classic (like FFA), Rush Mode, and Battle Royale. The goal of the game is to obtain the largest cell; players must restart from a small cell when all their cells are eaten by larger players or fountain viruses. Players can change their cell's appearance with predefined words, phrases, symbols, or skins.[7] The more mass a cell has, the more slowly it will move.[8] Cells will gradually lose a small amount of mass over time.[9]

Viruses are green, spiky circles that split cells that consume them into many smaller cells, rendering them vulnerable and attractive targets to other players. Players can hide under viruses if their cell is small enough and their name short enough. Viruses are normally randomly generated, but players can also cause viruses to split in two by "feeding" them mass—typically in the direction of another nearby cell which the player wants to consume.[10]

Players can split their cell into two, and one of the two evenly divided cells (if the mass of the original cell is odd, one cell will be slightly bigger than the other) will be shot in the direction of the cursor when the space bar was pressed. This can be used as a ranged attack to shoot a cell in order to swallow other smaller cells or to escape an attack and move quickly around the map.[11] Split cells merge back into one cell if a bigger cell of the same player consumes it. Aside from feeding viruses, players can release a small fraction of their mass to feed other cells, an action commonly recognized as an intention to team with another player.[12]

Development and popularity

Agar.io was created by Brazilian developer Matheus Valadares, written in JavaScript and C++. Valadares shared an IP address to the game for testing on the 4chan video game board /v/, before releasing it on the domain agar.io on 28 April 2015. It is named after agar, a substance used to grow cell cultures.[13] Valadares continued to experiment with adding new features—experimental mode was created specifically for this purpose.[14]

Agar.io's initial success is attributed to its popularity among online creators, as well as the addictiveness of its simplistic, intuitive gameplay. On 3 May, the YouTube channel Vinesauce released a video playing Agar.io and Valadares submitted the game to Steam Greenlight. Despite quickly being approved, it was never released on the Steam platform, possibly due to its existing popularity as a browser game. YouTuber PewDiePie—who then had nearly fifty million subscribers—also made nine videos playing Agar.io starting from 30 May.[13][15]

After meeting with him in Lisbon, mobile game publisher Miniclip began working with Valadares at the end of April 2015. They were attracted by Agar.io's wide appeal; the game already had five million daily players and Miniclip executive producer James Carson that their staff were all playing it within a week.[3][15] Miniclip released mobile ports of Agar.io Apple Store

On 24 July 2015, Miniclip published a mobile version of Agar.io for iOS and Android. Sergio Varanda, head of mobile at Miniclip, explained that the main goal of the mobile version was to "recreate the gaming experience" on mobile, citing the challenges with recreating the game on touchscreen controls.[16]

Reception

Agar.io recieved positive reviews from game journalists.

Agar.io was released to a positive critical reception. Particular praise was given to the simplicity, competition, and mechanics of the game. Engadget described the game as "a good abstraction of the fierce survival-of-the-fittest competition that you sometimes see on the microscopic level."[17] Toucharcade praised its simplicity, strategic element, and "personality".[18]

Criticism was mainly targeted towards its repetitiveness and the controls of the mobile version. Tom Christiansen of Gamezebo was mixed on the game, saying that there was "nothing to hold my attention" and that it was "highly repetitive, overall".[19] Pocket Gamer, reviewing the mobile version, described its controls as "floaty".[20]

Because it was frequently propagated through social media and broadcast on Twitch[8] and YouTube,[21] Agar.io was a quick success. The agar.io website (for the browser version) was ranked by Alexa as one of the 1,000 most visited websites[22] and the mobile versions were downloaded more than ten million times during their first week,[23] and 113 million times as of December 2016.[24] During 2015, Agar.io was Google's most searched video game.[25] It was Google's second-most searched game in the United States in 2016.[26] A 2015 press release by Miniclip stated that Agar.io was listed as the fifth top game on YouTube's list of top games.[27]

Agar.io has inspired similar web games called ".io games", including games with a similar objective but different characters, and games that incorporate elements of other genres like shooter games.[3]

During the campaigns of the June 2015 Turkish elections, Agar.io was used in Turkey as a medium of political advocacy; many players were naming their cells after Turkish political parties and references, with alliances formed between players with similar political views, battling against other players with opposing views.[28] Some political parties have used Agar.io in campaign posters as a symbol of support.[7]

Agar.io was featured, including some details of its gameplay, which was compared to the presidential campaigning, as well as a shot of an actual game, in episode 48 (Chapter 48) of Netflix TV-series House of Cards.[29]

Popularity

Digital Trends said in 2021 that Agar.io still maintained an active core fanbase.

.io games

Inspired by Agar.io's success, Steven Howse released the snake-themed Slither.io in March 2016. The game soon reached the top 10 most-downloaded apps on iOS and Android, buoyed by the similar word-of-mouth and attention from YouTubers that had propelled Agar.io. By June, Slither.io had hit over sixty million daily players.[30] It eclipsed Agar.io's popularity,[31] pushing it to second place to become the most Googled game of 2016.[32]

The rapid rise of Agar.io and Slither.io led to the beginning of a new genre of browser games, dubbed ".io games" for the domain name they use. Characterized by low-res graphics and simplistic gameplay in a free-for-all multiplayer arena, .io games recieved around 192 million visits in 2017.[3][31] Many .io shooters launched after Slither.io—Valadares released Diep.io in July 2016. Miniclip also began developing new .io games.[3][33]

Notes

  1. ^ Sometimes called or pronounced "agario" (/ˈeɪɡɑːriːoʊ, ˈɑː-/).

References

  1. ^ Irmak, Şafak. "İnternetin Yeni Çılgınlığı: Agar.io" [The Internet's new craze: Agar.io]. Webtekno (in Turkish).
  2. ^ "Agar.io, le nouveau jeu phénomène sur iPhone/iPad et Android". Pockett.net (in French). Archived from the original on 17 September 2016. Retrieved 7 August 2015.
  3. ^ a b c d e f Takahashi, Dean (11 February 2017). "The surprising momentum behind games like Agar.io". VentureBeat. Retrieved 5 May 2018.
  4. ^ "Why You Should Care About Agar.io". App Annie. 28 July 2015.
  5. ^ "Steam Greenlight: Agar.io". Steam. Archived from the original on 18 June 2015. Retrieved 16 June 2015.
  6. ^ "Eat and be eaten: How to survive and thrive in Agar.io". Digital Trends. 14 September 2015. Retrieved 21 November 2015.
  7. ^ a b Grayson, Nathan. "A Game That's Become A Political Battleground". Kotaku (America). Retrieved 13 July 2015.
  8. ^ a b Livingston, Christopher (27 May 2015). "Agario: the dot-gobbling browser game that's a hit on Twitch". PC Gamer. Retrieved 6 August 2015.
  9. ^ "Comment battre vos collègues au jeu en ligne Agar.io" [How to beat your colleagues in the online game Agar.io]. Le Monde.fr (in French). 3 August 2015. "Enfin chaque joueur perd de la masse." ("Finally each player loses mass.")
  10. ^ "Comment battre vos collègues au jeu en ligne Agar.io" [How to beat your colleagues in the online game Agar.io]. Le Monde.fr (in French). 3 August 2015. "Il doit composer avec les autres compétiteurs, mais aussi avec les virus, des boules de taille moyenne qui feront éclater les joueurs les plus gros en plusieurs morceaux, les laissant vulnérables ... Il est possible de faire se dupliquer les virus en leur tirant dessus plusieurs fois avec la touche W." ("They [the player] must deal with other competitors, but also with viruses, balls of medium size that split the biggest players into several pieces, leaving them vulnerable ... It is possible to duplicate viruses by shooting them several times with the W key.")
  11. ^ "Agar.io: a guide to the hit game – and the best tips to win". The Week. Retrieved 5 August 2015.
  12. ^ "Comment battre vos collègues au jeu en ligne Agar.io" [How to beat your colleagues in the online game Agar.io]. Le Monde.fr (in French). 3 August 2015. "Le plus gros est, par exemple, nourri par ses amis qui viennent volontairement se faire manger." ("The biggest are, for example, fed by their friends who come voluntarily to be eaten)
  13. ^ a b Lindsey, Cameron (March 2019). "Agar.io: The Game's in the Name". Games and Culture. 14 (2).
  14. ^ "The new Agar.io mobile update – what's new?". Miniclip. 3 October 2015. Archived from the original on 2 January 2016. Retrieved 17 December 2015.
  15. ^ a b Burgess, Matt (12 April 2016). "How addictive simplicity made Agar.io a global hit". Wired UK. Retrieved 5 May 2023.
  16. ^ Gordon, Scott. "Agar.io: can the Play Store's top game continue to grow?". AndroidPit. Archived from the original on 7 September 2015. Retrieved 26 August 2015.
  17. ^ Fingas, Jon. "Agar.io brings massively multiplayer games to the Petri dish". Engadget. Retrieved 16 June 2015.
  18. ^ Carter, Chris. "'Agar.io' Review – The Amoeba Boys (and Girls)". Toucharcade. Retrieved 10 August 2015.
  19. ^ Christiansen, Tom. "Agar.io Review: Bursting Your Bubble". Gamezebo. Archived from the original on 16 July 2015. Retrieved 17 December 2015.
  20. ^ Fox, Glen. "Agar.io review". Pocket Gamer. Steel Media.
  21. ^ Matuk, Pablo. "Agar.io, el nuevo y sencillo juego de moda" [Agar.io, the new and simple game in fashion]. Unocero (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 1 August 2015. Retrieved 7 August 2015.
  22. ^ "agar.io Site Overview". Alexa Internet. Archived from the original on 1 September 2015.
  23. ^ "How Agari.io conquered the App Store, without spending a penny". Pocket Gamer. Retrieved 6 August 2015.
  24. ^ "Agar.io amasses 113 million mobile downloads in 20 months". Pocket Gamer. 6 December 2016. Retrieved 2 September 2020.
  25. ^ "Agar.io, Fallout 4, Mortal Kombat X in Google's most searched games in 2015". International Business Times. 22 December 2015. Retrieved 19 January 2016.
  26. ^ Fitzpatrick, Alex (13 December 2016). "These Were the Most-Googled Video Games of 2016". Time. Retrieved 9 August 2017.
  27. ^ "Agar.io is #5 on YouTube's list of top games". corporate.miniclip.com. 22 December 2015. Archived from the original on 23 August 2016. Retrieved 3 April 2018.
  28. ^ "Web game becomes latest battlefield in Turkish politics". Hurriyet Daily News. 27 May 2015. Retrieved 10 August 2015.
  29. ^ "Miniclip's Agar.io features in 'House of Cards' season 4". Business Insider Deutschland. 4 March 2016. Archived from the original on 18 April 2016. Retrieved 15 April 2016.
  30. ^ Needleman, Sarah E. (17 June 2016). "As 'Slither.io' Goes Viral, Game's Creator Scrambles to Keep Up". The Wall Street Journal. ISSN 0099-9660. Retrieved 14 March 2017.
  31. ^ a b Nicol, Will; Hicks, Michael (28 March 2021). "Eat and Be Eaten: How to Survive and Thrive in Agar.io". Digital Trends. Retrieved 5 May 2023.
  32. ^ Cowley, Ric (14 December 2016). "Slither.io beats Agar.io to be the most Googled game of 2016". PocketGamer.biz. Retrieved 5 May 2023.
  33. ^ Hodapp, Eli (21 July 2016). "'Diep.io' Hits the App Store From the Creator of 'Agar.io'". TouchArcade. Retrieved 5 May 2023.
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