[casual_games] The Definition of Casual Games

[Malcolm Michaels]

How about we move onto the definition of a GOOD casual game.  :)
 
As far as what a casual game is - It's whatever you think a casual game is
and enjoy playing.  MLB 2k5 on XBOX is my casual game of choice right now!
;)
 
Take Care,
 
 
Malcolm

 

  _____  

From: casual_games-bounces at igda.org [mailto:casual_games-bounces at igda.org]
On Behalf Of Joe Pantuso
Sent: Thursday, July 14, 2005 10:44 AM
To: 'IGDA Casual Games SIG Mailing List'
Subject: RE: [casual_games] The Definition of Casual Games



 

Coray Seifer said "casual games exist upon a continuum" which is dead on.
Perhaps we should look at things that can push a game out of the sweet spot
for being clearly casual;

 

For the player:

- Complexity of play

- Length of play per session

- 'Adult' or unpleasant subject matter

- Financial commitment 

 

For the developer:

- Financial commitment

- Length of development time

- Cost of deployment

- Speed of deployment

 

As each of these increases the game is likely further from a casual game.  I
suspect any one of these can be significantly elevated without clearly
pulling a game out of the 'casual' realm.

 

Again I'd have to say there are 'casual players' as the major audience for a
casual game.  We shouldn't mistake casual play (i.e. picking up
Counterstrike for 20 minutes after work) as having anything to do with a
casual game.  A person who can do that is so clearly a hardcore gamer, even
if they don't actually have much time to spend playing.

 

With any product there will be a percentage of people who obsess over it
(hardcore casual, you bet).  Some people collect beanie babies, some people
want to dominate at rolling a ball around.  There's always that fringe.  

 

I think it is also worth pointing out that if you are a member of this list,
you are almost certainly by definition NOT a casual game person.

 

This is an interesting discussion but I seriously doubt we can arrive at a
unified definition of 'casual game'.  There will always be edge cases that
some people select and others do not.  

 

Maybe we need another thread defining what a 'casual player' is.  That
should be interesting.

 

 


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