We all kinda knew casual gaming was the next big thing (good news or bad news depending on your opinion) but I for one did not realize just how big this market is.
It turns out casual games reached over 145 million people aged 12-65. And over 71 million play casual games for one or more hours per week.
Not only are there lots of casual gamers and the numbers are growing, but they spend more than the average consumer, and are an extremely inquisitive (and perhaps more easily convinced) bunch as explained by the CEO of Interpret.
"Casual gamers are highly motivated when it comes to finding information on products they’re interested in," said Michael Dowling, CEO of Interpret. "The ability to engage them in a relevant media vehicle, where they spend an average of four hours a week, can enforce a brand message or further their knowledge of brands. Active casual gamers are 22 percent more likely than the general population to seek out information about new products, but are also 36 percent more likely to switch brands just for the sake of change. These characteristics make them a potential envoy for launching brands, and open to switching away to a competitive brand."
in other words, highly coveted by marketers, advertisers, and game developers, but as Wii owners, we already knew that didn't we?
full article
The PC, thought to be in decline, still has a lot of life left in it as a gaming platform.
It's true that sites like Pogo, Yahoo, MSN, and others will always have lots of people playing their games, because most of them are free to play, and it's easy to jump on another computer then taking your video game system with you.
I think the article does a very good at pointing out how powerful the PC still is to gamers, even if they are individuals who want to go on Yahoo games and play Euchre (like my mom).
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Your quote above drew102e is specifically talking about computer gamers. You have to go to page 2 of 2 to find the word Wii anywhere.
yeah, but i think it speaks to the trend of casual gaming as a whole that Nintendo in their wisdom was able to tap into with the DS and now the Wii, recognizing its potential before anyone else
perhaps my amateurish attempt did not covey this point well...but i would say it still belongs here rather than anywhere else.
You take my mom for instance. She'll sit at her computer and play cards for a couple hours a day and loves it. So I'm really glad how the computer's online game environment is so easy and mostly free to whomever wants to take 4 minutes and create an ID and register. I think this computer segment will always outpace any other gaming systems when it comes to these "casual games" because whether your at home, school, or a coffee house you can easily log in with your yahoo ID (just as an example) and choose from a huge selection of free games.
but i think it was smart of Nintendo to tap into that audience, and correct me if im wrong but that's what Drew's trying to say as well.
although its not free, its a new way for your mom to sit down and have fun.
I think there's a difference between someone who has been playing free games on the computer for years like cards and someone who will go out and buy a game system and spend $49.99 on a game.
I could also say that people who play online communities like Yahoo and MSN will also love and probably come over to XBLA and PSN because there are so many fun easy to play games on there.
although its not free, its a new way for your mom to sit down and have fun.
She played Wii Sports bowling for a couple months, and got really good at it, and after that didn't want to play anymore. I had at least 12 other Nintendo Wii titles and she wouldn't touch any of those. After all is said and done though, she still plays Euchre online everyday.
fun and easy, but not necessarily of the one-button-click-or-movement-and-youre-done variety. the Wii has plenty of those.
I feel like all of the above comes with the territory of living in the 21st century. It is an electronic age. When my dad sees me playing Medal of Honor Heroes in the living room, he will sit and watch because he is so in awe of the options given to the player. Our parents and their parents before them had no such identity as video gamers so they look at all of us.
It is a whole different kind of world and there is a lot of curiosity out there.
Well, it's great to know that Nintendo was going after them when they made the Wii. Now it's a freaking success!
I've got the game of forever, so whatever Nintendo does from here on in don't matter to me.
Brawl is the game of forever now?... *waits for Smash 4*