[casual_games] surprising stats about casual gaming

Sun Jul 9 05:11:35 EDT 2006

All major casual game portals feature "reviews" of games - usually by
other players, and usually just a few sentences. I'm guessing that when
the typical Trymedia customer saw that question, that's what they
thought the question meant.

Likewise, that's how I interpret the 35% who said they enjoyed strategy
games. We've asked this same questions ourselves, and we have found that
when the typical casual game player says they like "strategy" games they
are not talking about Age of Empires. They are talking about games
like... Bejeweled. It's basically a bogus question --- what exactly is a
puzzle game? Most respondents say Bejeweled is a puzzle game, but really
there is very little about it that's a puzzle.

--------------------
James Gwertzman
Director of Business Development
PopCap Games
+1-206-256-4210 

________________________________

From: casual_games-bounces at igda.org
[mailto:casual_games-bounces at igda.org] On Behalf Of Cole, Vladimir
Sent: Sunday, July 09, 2006 12:35 AM
To: IGDA Casual Games SIG Mailing List
Subject: RE: [casual_games] surprising stats about casual gaming

One of that survey's stats in particular made me wish for more
information about exactly who their sample was: "67% read game reviews
and 46% of those who do feel they are influenced to try or purchase a
new game by the reviews they read "

These reviews aren't of casual games (because reviews of casual games
aren't plentiful, easy to find, or well-trafficked). Therefore (assuming
that respondents didn't simply lie or misunderstand the question), these
people must be reading reviews of "hardcore" games. That would indicate
that this is less a survey of the casual gamer population than of the
hardcore gamer population. 

... or is there a better explanation for that puzzling stat? 

________________________________

	From: casual_games-bounces at igda.org
[mailto:casual_games-bounces at igda.org] On Behalf Of David Wessman
	Sent: Saturday, July 08, 2006 05:17 PM
	To: IGDA Casual Games SIG Mailing List
	Subject: [casual_games] surprising stats about casual gaming

	I don't recall anyone bringing this up here, (but then I don't
always have time to read every single post, so forgive me if it has.)
This article suggests that a lot of what people think is true about the
casual games market is very wrong.  There are serious implications for
anyone developing or marketing casual games.  Here's the article: 

	http://www.gamesindustry.biz/content_page.php?aid=18017 

	New survey shatters misconceptions, offers insight to
advertisers <http://www.gamesindustry.biz/content_page.php?aid=18017> 

	Macrovision has revealed the results of a new worldwide survey
of the casual games market, highlighting numerous misconceptions about
its audience and their consumption habits.

	Perhaps the biggest surprise of the survey, which polled 789
consumers who play casual PC games through Macrovision's Trymedia
network, is that 37 per cent of participants stated that they play nine
or more game sessions per week. 

	The length of the gameplay sessions further challenged the
preconceived idea of 'casual' gaming, with 66 per cent playing for at
least an hour each time and 31 per cent spending more than two hours in
each gameplay session. 

	Loren Hillberg, Macrovision's EVP and general manager of
commerce, commented: "Our survey has determined that mainstream
audiences dedicate a substantial amount of time to gameplay - not just
in 15-minute increments as previously thought." 

	Further insight into gaming habits reveals that 73 per cent play
at night, rather than "quick break" sessions during the working day. 55
per cent play at weekends and 48 per cent play when they have the house
to themselves. 

	In terms of the demographic for casual games, Macrovision
reveals that the market is dominated by women, with a 71 per cent female
audience. 37 per cent are aged 35-49, and 28 per cent are aged 50-60,
with almost 60 per cent confirming that they have no children under 18
years of age living at home. 

	Providing insight for advertisers and marketers, the survey
revealed that the most popular genre is puzzle games (67 per cent),
followed by card games (44 per cent), strategy (35 per cent) and action
(34 per cent).

	When not indulging in a mammoth casual games session,
participants revealed their favourite hobbies were: pets, travel, arts
and crafts, shopping
<http://www.gamesindustry.biz/content_page.php?aid=18017>  and gardening
- something advertising
<http://www.gamesindustry.biz/content_page.php?aid=18017>  agencies and
publishers alike may wish to take note of.

	"Whether advertisers are reaching out to casual or core
audiences, we want them, through the results of our survey, to realize
who gamers are, how they operate and what they like," added Hillberg.

	"The survey findings will certainly help them to adjust their
advertising strategies accordingly to ensure maximum penetration to the
appropriate audiences."

	The survey also revealed a positive reception to the
try-before-you-buy model, 30 per cent confirming more than 21 game
downloads <http://www.gamesindustry.biz/content_page.php?aid=18017>  in
the past year and an astonishing 70 per cent stating that they have
purchased a game after playing it free of charge on the Internet.

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