Casual players act hardcore, win loot
Something's perverse about the idea of a casual games tournament, but that's exactly what happened when 71 gamers who don't speak a word of l337 gathered to compete in Bejeweled 2, Solitaire and Zuma.
We're having trouble imagining a LAN party without overwhelming BO, shouts of "pwnt!" and at least one Y chromosome for every X, but that's what Fun Technologies claims happened this past weekend in Hollywood, CA.
To be serious for just a second: casual games tournaments are nothing new. Scrabble, Chess, Poker and Bridge tournies have been around for many years (in some cases, hundreds of 'em). This may well be the biggest prize awarded in a software-based casual game tournament, though.
Professional FPS players the world over can now rest easy. When ya'll are too old and slow for FPS competitions, you won't need to start endorsing Mueslix and Viagra. Instead, prolong your glory days on the casual gaming circuit.
[In the image: champion Kavitha Yalavarthi, with her winnings and her fiance.]
