casual games
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Has Sony failed to understand the casual gamer?
In a recent interview with GI.biz, Nintendo VP of marketing, George Harrison, said that Sony and Microsoft have both attempted to woo the casual gamer but both failed due to a lack of understanding of the casual gamer. Specifically, Harrison mentioned the Sixaxis as Sony's failure:"We can already see some of the things they've tried. For last year's E3, at the last minute, Sony rushed out their Sixaxis controller as an effort to respond to the Wii remote. We saw Microsoft roll out Viva Piñata as their killer app for the Pokemon set. And neither of those worked really well.It's true that Nintendo knows how to dominate a certain kind of casual gamer market, but it seems a bit disingenuous to be writing off the Sixaxis as a failed attempt to capture Nintendo's market share. Sony has never particularly positioned that motion-sensitivity of the Sixaxis as a lure to the casual gamer. They've marketed it as a feature that adds to existing games and allows you to do things you've never done before (see LAIR and Warhawk). It's true that they have utilized the motion sensitivity aspect of the controller to create more easily accessible games like Blast Factor, flOw and Super Rub-a-Dub, but unlike Nintendo, thats that's clearly not their whole focus.
LocoRoco players need something new to play on PSP, reminds creator
There are a few people that purchased a PSP system to play the innovative LocoRoco. To this day, the title stands out as one of the happiest, most original titles on the platform. While there's nothing wrong with the large number of mature games on the platform, gamers that enjoy LocoRoco have been thoroughly neglected by Sony. Tsutomu Kouno, creator of LocoRoco, spoke at the Nordic Game Conference about PSP's lackluster offerings for that demographic: "We have to increase the number of casual games, games that LocoRoco players will want to play.""There are too many sequels for PSP, only sequels, so I want to make a new game for PSP ... I have five or six new game ideas either for PSP or PS3, but I actually want to make them for PSP - for the people who bought LocoRoco, or bought a PSP because of LocoRoco, and like casual games."It's great to see a developer want to work exclusively for the handheld. Certainly, we could use some original titles in addition to the stellar sequels that we'll also be receiving. But Kouno ... didn't you also talk about a LocoRoco sequel at this same conference?
Apple TV to play games, too?
Back last September when Apple introduced the "iTV" alongside games for the iPod, we had to wonder to ourselves whether Apple would use iTunes and their new casual games relationships to make the device we now know as the Apple TV something of a competitor for Xbox Live Arcade. While there's no way of knowing whether Apple will again dive into living room gaming (remember the Pippin?) short of swiping their 12-month roadmap, we do find it rather interesting that casual games company PopCap (the studio that supplies titles such as Bejeweled and Zuma oh so many platforms -- including the iPod) might have slipped on some Apple TV plans. Greg Canessa, Xbox Live Arcade executive that recently jumped ship to PopCap, told Wired the following about his new job: "It will be about taking the stable of franchises and games out of PopCap's studio and adapting, customizing it for different platforms -- adding multiplayer, new play modes, HD, customizing the user interface and display for Zune, iPod, Apple TV, Nintendo DS, PSP." You might think that maybe the Apple TV part was an erroneous slip, but he did mention adding HD support, and none of the other subjects for ports he listed play games in HD -- you do the math. What we really want to know, though, is how they plan to get us to game with the impossibly minimal Apple remote bundled with the Apple TV.[Thanks, Joe]
Ritual acquired by MumboJumbo, absolved from SiN
It was announced today that Ritual Entertainment has been acquired by purveyor of casual games, MumboJumbo. The latter company describes the move as "consistent with our strategy to bring high-quality casual game content to the major platforms," citing Ritual's multi-platform development experience as a key advantage in creating a "major industry powerhouse." Interestingly, Ron Dimant started up MumboJumbo only after departing his CEO position at Ritual Entertainment in 2001.GameDaily BIZ delves into some of the repercussions of the purchase, the most obvious of which is Ritual's shift to creating casual and seemingly SiN-free titles. "If there's an opportunity to have them do something on the SiN episodes, we would look at that, but that will not be the focus of the company," explains Mark Cottam, CEO of MumboJumbo. "The combined companies will focus exclusively on casual, unless opportunities present themselves that we think are strategic from a business standpoint." Considering the muted reaction generated by the first (and apparently final) installment of SiN Episodes, continuing the franchise would likely not be considered "strategic" in the slightest. [Thanks Serban.]
Blocking business targets gaming at the workplace
Sophos PLC is in the business of security. For years the company has designed software to protect business networks from viruses and spyware. But a recent survey determined a need to extend security concerns to another productivity inhibitor: games. And so, a January upgrade to Sophos's application will quietly erect a wall, blocking mischievous employees from their secret workplace obsessions, like The Sims 2, Need For Speed Carbon, and Guild Wars: Nightfall.Of course, blocking games does more than just thwart slackerdom, it protects networks against malware (often hidden in game installations); programs that could potentially compromise a business's security. We're all for playing it safe too -- just keep an ear out for big boss as you sneak some Portable Ops in under the desk.[Via VH1 Game Break]
Casual games are serious business
The Associated Press describes the state of casual games, giving an overview of the business side of the industry. The story quotes research group DFC Intelligence, putting the annual revenue of these games at nearly a billion dollars -- and that number doesn't even include casual games on "handheld devices."With all of that money in play, the casual games segment is beginning to look like a microcosm of the whole games industry; even casual games are becoming sequel- and hit-driven titles. The article says PopCap took two-and-a-half years and $700,000 to develop a sequel to Bookworm Adventures, while just a few years ago, three developers could create a game for $100,000 in less than six months.We hope that the casual market balances cash-cow sequels with new game types. We action-puzzle fans can only play Tetris -- or Bookworm Adventures -- so many times.
MumboJumbo brings mass-market games to the PSP [Update 1]
Have you ever played LUXOR? I haven't, but according to Pocket Gamer, over 40 million people have! Yikes! I guess casual gamers really ARE an important demographic for companies to target. Well, it looks like two casual games are coming to hardcore PSP owners: Luxor: Wrath of Set and Platypus. Luxor is one of those marble games, akin to DS's Magnetica. Platypus looks to mesh the shooting action of Gradius with the classic look of Clayfighter.Both games are coming to the US in November for the "mass-market" price of $30.[Update 1: Yes, made a boo-boo on the names. And Platypus is a weird word to spell.]
Webkinz molds next generation of gamers
While attending my niece's soccer game this past weekend, I noticed a few furry new additions to the family. "They're Webkinz", she said referring to the pink poodle and St. Bernard stuffed animals she and my nephew had brought with them. At first, there didn't seem to be anything special about these Webkinz, until a few of her schoolmates came over with plush little pals of their own. Then they all started talking about emailing each other at their Webkinz addresses, and playing games at the Webkinz web site. That's when I became interested in learning more about this emerging craze created by gift maker Ganz.Webkinz combines elements of Nintendogs, The Sims, Brain Age, and Nick.com, packaging all of it together in a secure online environment for kids and their 'kinz. The result is an addictive blend of educational and simulation-style activities geared toward maintaining your pet's avatar and its virtual living space. Food and furniture are paid for with Kinzcash, the community currency which is accrued while playing games and taking quizzes. A word puzzle game had my nephew and I hooked for almost an hour, and the "one more round" syndrome manifested itself in both of us each time we achieved one goal and were given another. Despite Wall Street grumblings and increased federal legislation, this pre-pubescent enthusiasm ensures a healthy future for the gaming industry. Ganz isn't just grooming digital dogs and cats, but also tomorrow's PlayStation 4 and MMO gamers. The ingredients are all here: the online community, competitive gaming, an achievement system, and the W Shop (the place where you spend your Kinzcash). It's not quite Live Anywhere, but the physical extension of the plush toy creates a persistent real world experience away from the desktop computer, keeping young users engaged throughout the day no matter where they venture. Just make sure you monitor your kids' health and hunger meters as often as they monitor their Webkinz's.See also: Microsoft educates parents on 20-city bus tour
Women make majority of casual gamers
eMarketer covers two recent studies, saying that casual games make up the most popular genre, and women are the majority of casual gamers. According to a May, 2006 study by AOL, 29% of respondents said that casual games were their favorite genre, with strategy games rating a distant second place at 17%. A survey just released by PopCap says that 76% of casual gamers are female, and 47% are 50-and-older.But marketers can make numbers mean anything; another way to look at the initial survey is to say that 70% of respondents had a favorite other than casual games. (1% said they weren't sure of a favorite.)However you interpret these surveys, we like the idea of games reaching a more diverse audience. Only after that happens can games be as culturally significant as books and movies.[Via: Adrants]
Zidane, Bush and Cheney walk into a videogame...
AddictingGames.com (part of Viacom), just created a newsgames repository for web games based on current news events. Games include the Zidane game we blogged back in June, Cheney's Fury, Bush Backrub and Darfur is Dying. The company expects most of these games to come from users of the site (aka, free labor!), with game developer Persuasive Games filling out the offering where needed. Persuasive Games founder Ian Bogost is characteristically academic (and characteristically right) about the venture: "the news is constantly changing, and games give us a new way to understand current events." This idea ain't new (see The Guardian's The Role of Play from May 2004), but that doesn't mean it's not worth pursuing. Here's to hoping that they'll bring us a mix of goofy content like the Zidane headbutt game in addition to more serious, impactful games like September 12 (from which the post image is taken) or Madrid.
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.]
How's Vivendi planning to follow their blockbuster WoW act?
Quick: guess the second-best selling game in the Vivendi game portfolio, after World of Warcraft. If you guessed Ice Age 2, you're a freak (or you peeked). You're also clearly in touch with the ideas expressed by Vivendi's chief Jean-Bernard Lévy, who told investors last week that the company's working on a portfolio of games that are "capable of being played online or on a mobile phone on a train for 15 minutes," according to the International Herald Tribune. It's refreshing to hear the head of a major games publisher talk about diversifying his product portfolio along the lines of game session length. For too long, companies have focused diversification efforts along genre lines, a rigid segmentation strategy that lacks relevance in this age of on-the-go entertainment via DAPs, mobile phones, DSs and PSPs. [Image source]
Frustrating Flash puzzlers get awards
Casual games site extraordinaire Jay is Games recently finished up its month-long game design competition, picking one winner and two runners-up out of 21 submitted puzzlers. The games lean towards the inscrutable, but they're all incredibly inventive and quick -- perfect for a Friday coffee break full of rampant clicking and trial-and-error logic.
Philips reveals more Entertaible deets, screens
Philips reported yesterday that their prototype touch-screen horizontal gaming environment (dubbed "Entertaible") is ready for "market testing" which, according to these high-resolution photos, looks like it might be a lot of fun. Features include:
