There was a time when FarmVille was one of the biggest games in the world; it was a huge hit on Facebook right after its launch in 2009 and helped social gaming company Zynga become a giant. But entropy eats away at everything, and by 2011 its fortunes began to wane, and with the end of Flash support looming (Adobe decided to pull the plug on December 31), Zynga decided it was time to take the old girl behind the barn. 'Grandpa, why do you have a shotgun?'

It's a distant memory now, and to be honest, I haven't even thought about it in years, but it's hard to overstate the impact FarmVille had back then. This is a game that turned Facebook into a gaming platform: zingers accounted for 12 percent of Facebook's total revenue in 2011, and even if you didn't play it yourself, you probably know at least three people who did.

FarmVille in-app purchases will be voided on November 17, but the game will continue through December 31, and content updates, including new farms and features, will roll out until it shuts down. In-game currency will not be refunded, but Zynga is offering a "bonus package" to players transitioning to FarmVille 2: Tropic Escape. For more information, see the FarmVille Closure FAQ.