Just when I thought Zynga’s place in the game industry couldn’t get any weirder or more contentious, Mashable gave me this little gem:

Martha Stewart is setting up house on Facebook.

From now until mid-April, players of Facebook gameCastleVille will be able to interact with a virtual (and much younger-looking) caricature of the American entrepreneur, TV personality and author through a partnership between Martha Stewart’s company, Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, and online gamemaker Zynga.

CastleVille players will soon receive invites from Stewart to visit her “kingdom,” designed after her home and gardens in Bedford, New York. They’ll also be able to participate in an Easter egg hunt and crafting party on the grounds.

Although Zynga declined to disclose the terms of the partnership, it appears to be cross-promotional. The deal gives Stewart the opportunity to spread awareness of her brand among CastleVille‘s existing user base of 26 million. In a release statement, Stewart indicated that she would be encouraging her own fans to partake in the game as well.

It’s a good thing?

[via Mashable]