Analyst: Casual gaming to top $1 billion by 2013, social networking key
International research firm Parks Associates envisions a bright future for casual gaming. The firm predicts the "premium" casual games business will be worth a very cool $1 billion by 2013 and the key to all of it is social networking.
Parks Associates president Stuart Sikes says "a persistent identity and integration with social network sites" will allow casual gaming to maintain its core audience, while expanding its reach at the same time."As companies try to capture subscriber dollars, these offerings will serve as differentiators in a very competitive market," he added. He says social networks and other game communities should been seen as marketing and distribution channels.
On a side note, we'd like to report that PopCap Games plans to open its Peggle theme park in the summer of 2013. See you there!
