Zynga updates Words with Friends to fix stability issues

By Daniel Rubino
published

Looks like the folks at Zynga have pushed out a little update for Word with Friends, the super popular word game…from six months ago. Although we haven’t had too many issues with the game, many reports from users suggest otherwise and Zynga evidently is trying to address some of that with the 1.0.0.1 update.

According to the change log, this update fixes “Stability and crashes” in addition to “performance and load times”. Indeed, the app does feel a little smoother to us but looking at the reviews, users are still having some crashing issues. Is that because Zynga just ported what they could instead of re-writing, inefficient SDK or just bad programming, we have no idea but it doesn’t seem like something many want to spend $2.99 on for now.

If you want to give it a go, you can pick it up here in the Store. There is no trial.

Daniel Rubino
Daniel Rubino
Editor-in-chief

Daniel Rubino is the Editor-in-chief of Windows Central, head reviewer, podcast co-host, and analyst. He has been here covering Microsoft since 2007 when this site was called WMExperts (and later Windows Phone Central). His interests include Windows, Microsoft Surface, laptops, next-gen computing, and for some reason, watches. Before all this tech stuff, he worked on a Ph.D. in linguistics and ran the projectors at movie theaters, which has done absolutely nothing for his career.

64 Comments
  • The reviews stopped me from taking the big 2.99 leap, good to see that they are listening
  • I'm a Nokia use so I got it for free. When you've played Words by post then go to words with friends, Words by post beats it hands down
  • Absolutely.  Metro theme, anyone?  In my review of WWF, I said that this game was a perfect example of why a direct port is sometimes a very bad idea, because users of one platform expect one experience, and users of another platform expect another experience, and that you need to adapt the UI to the base UI of the platform you're porting to, and I used WBP as an example of a well-done scrabble type game.
  • It's a game - they usually tend to have UIs of their own. I think people switching to WP from iOS or Android might actually appreciate familiarity of the UI in WwF.
  • It no longer cuts off my music that is playing when I open a game!!!!! :D
  • I dont think they updated the Nokia free version yet.  And they havent done anything with Draw Something either, as far as I know, which has even bigger problems.
    Ive been using Words By Post until they completely fix Words with Friends, and have found it to be a very enjoyable experience, and its free for all.
  • I have the Nokia free version and just received an update for it about an hour ago
  • Just got my update on the 920.
  • 1.0.0.1 from 1.0.0.0 That is a pathetic update.  I guarantee you there isn't a build number associated with that.  I bet the guy went in, changed one line of code that was throwing the exception, and built this version.  A**holes.  :P
  • This should go on their reviews
  • I'm happy with the update. Messaging finally works.
  • Messaging worked from the very beginning of this app. I use the Nokia free version on a Lumia 920.
  • Well I'm happy it worked for you. It didn't for me. My friends would see my text, but I wouldn't receive theirs. Since the update it works for me now. And I'm using the free Nokia app.
  • Does this mean the T-Mo version will also be getting the update?  It's crashing/locking quite often.
  • I'm on Tmo. I see the new version in the market but it wants me to buy it. Yes I hit buy and I got the confirm payment option. I then cancelled.
  • This is still an awful version of Words. Just terrible. They should be ashamed for charging money for this game.
  • They don't need to update it.  They need to rewrite it.  I can't stand the UI.  Metro Design language formerly known as Metro, anyone?  Having to tap on the letters several times to pick them up....  it's a hot mess.
  • After playing words by post, I don't see how people could even compare the two! As stated above, words by post beats it in all aspects hands down
  • Except having mind share and availability on Facebook
  • Agreed
  • Yeah.... In my review of WWF, I used WBP as an example of a well done scrabble type game for the WP platform, and said that WWF is a perfect example of why a direct port from one platform to another is a very bad idea. Users of one platform expect one experience, while users of another platform expect another experience, so they need to adapt the UI to the platform they're porting to. It may be ok to keep the engine behind it the same, or similar with minor changes, but adapt the UI.
  • No update yet tmobile free ver.
  • I got the update but it seems to still be really slow. :/
  • Its starts up faster and messages are working.  But, loading a game still takes forever.  Words by Post kills this game anyway. 
  • Glad I spotted it when it was free. $3 is a bit much.
  • Lol. "Fixed"?
    I received the update this morning. Excitedly opened the app expecting at least *something*. All I noticed was that the interface on 720P phones has been scaled up to match that of the WVGA phones.
    I didn't notice anything else - it crashed when trying to load a game.
    I thought "ok, maybe that's something to do with the update" and tried again. Froze my phone completely, had to hold the power button until reboot.
    "Third time lucky?" I thought. Nope. Error logging in.
  • When it froze your phone did your phone blackout by any chance? And to turn it on you had to hold the power button for like 10 seconds?
  • So this is independent from the version T-Mobile pushed out to its users?
  • Looks like a Scrabble rip-off.
  • That's exactly what it is!
  • Well, it is in the generic similar premise. And it isn't rule wise
  • Updated on 920, I can also confirm they fixed in game chatting which was broken. I actually submitted a support ticket on that issue earlier this week. I'm not a huge fan of zynga but they appear to be trying to support the platform and seem to be responding to feedback. Can't fault them there. Still prefer words by post but as you know more on other platforms play this.
  • Well, it was terrible before and now its just bad. That's a step in the right direction. .......I guess.
  • On my Lumia 920, the update seems to work better (not great, but tolerable), but on my Radar running WP7.5, it's still crap. Stalls at loading, sluggish, stops with a blue screen and won't load any games, etc, etc. Amazing that a company puts their name on a release like this.
  • Its shit.
  • They should fix draw something. I can't play a single match without problems.
  • Words by Post is way better, not even close.
  • I have the $2.99 version on the HTC Arrive
     
    Mine was sluggish previousl, but the only real problem I had was with the chat functionality, but this update has seemed to clear that all up
  • The update does not work. It froze my 920 for 10 minutes and that's after I updated it. The chat is working buy the app is still slow and buggy
  • Nothing yet for the Nokia free version on my 920, AT&T, in Philadelphia
  • This app really needs to pulled from the marketplace. Why does it need to look like an IOS app? 
    It causes the phone to overheat.
    It uses a pop up window to do updates (synchronously) locking up the application right in the middle of you dragging  a tile. 
    The toast notifications do not take you to the game you are being notified about.
    Dragging letters often result in a wrong letter being picked up.
    Chat within the games dont work.
    I think they need to hire programmers that actually understand windows programming. 
    I got the update today, and now you try to load a game and it just sits there saying loading.... You have to restart the app.
     
  • Basically I get no notifications when somebody plays, so I just don't!
  • Don't really care. They ignored WP until now...paid to develop? D/l'd it b/c it's free for Nokia Lumia phones, but haven't even launched it.
  • Anyone know if they will rewrite Draw Something? It's unusable.
     
  • I agree!
  • I paid for the full app, then uninstalled it due to such terrible performance. I guess I'll try it again. But I've never never been tempted to call and ask for a refund before this app.
  • Well, thanks everyone for helping me keep my money. I'll use it on a better app, or apps.
  • The one that really needs updates is Draw Something and its "Wrong letter-app is stuck" issue
  • The app sucks even more balls now.
  • To the authors of this post: If you never experienced problems with this app, then it is a fair assumption that you never played it.
    Let me start: Players on other platforms who don't change their default player name of "zynga...." appear to have no name (it is actually a blank field then where normally the player's default or chosen name is displayed) Playing with multiple opponents at the same time often crashes the app when you tap a toast notifying you that it is your turn now. Players who don't care to continue a game cannot be deleted from the list of games. As this list has only so many entries this is really making me angry.
  • wordfeud is far better than this poor iphone port, they also have a windows 8 app which syncs with your phone
  • Words by Post is so much better and is cross platform just the same.  
  • I bought the full Words With Friends when it dropped.  It works but its a lot slower on my 900 than I expected. A lot slower. I think Zynga should rework this game because it simply feels really clunky and it disrespects the Windows Phone OS. There was NO RUSH to release it and this release was NOT ready for prime time.
  • Has nobody used Spell It? Its a great scrabble game
  • I was having the issues with crashing when trying to load as well. Worse I wasn't prompted for the update, I just happened to uninstall and reinstall the app myself and it fixed it. I'm also having issues with Dray Something when a friend guesses the answer it says its wrong because it puts a blank box in for one of the letters instead of the actual letter, then the game is dead and you can't continue. Both are the Nokia Free version.
  • Nokia version. Updated. Still slow and just crashed while trying to load. I hope Zynga will get it right soon.
  • It's even worse.  I had to reset my phone for the first time, becauser of this app.  
  • It's even worse.  I had to reset my phone for the first time, because of this app.
  • So this game worked perfectly fine for me before the update but since it the game won't even start up without crashing my phone completely!
  • Just tried playing "zinc" and was told it was not an acceptable word? Really thinking that Android has so much more going for it. Even the new WP8 doesn't have much that interests me. As far as I'm concerned the Windows Phone app store is a complete mess, seriously how many flashlight apps do we need, and some of the best apps are reserved for Nokia devices. If it wasn't for the developers at XDA I would have exchanged my Verizon Trophy for an Android device long ago!!!
  • It looks like they also "fixed" the issue of the game not allowing music to run in the background.  This is a welcome addition. 
  • New to Nokia Windows 8. Having lots of trouble with WWF, updating is constant and causes phone to lock up. Was going to purchase the App for $2.99 thinking there may be a problem with the free version, happy to have read this prior to doing so. Sounds like I will be giving Words By Post a try, fed up with WWF.
  •  
     
     
     
    Waste money! Don't the programmers or whoever created/maintains this app ever read these comments or the reviews at iTunes?  It doesn't work!  Plain and simple!  Oh it did when I first started playing, at least most of the time. I thought that by purchasing it I would be rid of the annoying freezing when updating etc.  but no, it just all went belly-up from there.
    where to start? it freezes when I want to play my turn. If I do get to put letters up it drops them back down the minute I try to play them. i have deleted and reinstalled this too many times - it doesn't fix it. i restart my ipad and it doesn't fix it. i would have thought that the game was usable.  Most disappointed.
     
     
     
  •  
    Waste of money! Don't the programmers or whoever created/maintains this app ever read these comments or the reviews at iTunes?  It doesn't work!  Plain and simple!  Oh it did when I first started playing, at least most of the time. I thought that by purchasing it I would be rid of the annoying freezing when updating etc.  but no, it just all went belly-up from there.
    where to start? it freezes when I want to play my turn. If I do get to put letters up it drops them back down the minute I try to play them. i have deleted and reinstalled this too many times - it doesn't fix it. i restart my ipad and it doesn't fix it. i would have thought that the game was usable.  Most disappointed.