The Future of Games is Casual

Brian RobbinsDirector Online Games

Fuel Industries, Inc.

Overview• Definitions• History• State of the Industry• Moving Forward

What is a Casual Game?• No solid definition• Probably never will be• I’ll try anyway:

– A Casual Game is a game that can be easily picked up and played by a non-traditional gamer.

What is a Casual Gamer?• “A Casual Gamer wants fun without work

or hard decisions”– Ernest Adams, FuturePlay 2005

• Want to be entertained above all else and will not endure any overly difficult challenge

• Would not classify themselves as a gamer

Types of Games: Downloadable

• A “small file” game, typically less than 15MB, that is downloaded from a web site or peer-to-peer network, is installed on a user’s computer, and thereafter runs as a standalone executable – with or without Internet access. 1

1. IGDA 2005 Casual Games White Paper - www.igda.org/casual/

Types of Games: Web Game

• A game launched via a web page with no prior installation of software required.

• Does not include games that are downloaded to the user’s hard-drive and run outside of the web-browser, but it does include games launched from a web page that might require/installation of a general or custom ActiveX control.

Types of Games: Skill Game / Advergame

• Skill Game– A web game played for money or prizes, which

are won based on skill because the elements of luck have either been eliminated or greatly reduced in the game.

• Advergame– A web or downloadable game where the primary

objective of building it is to deliver advertising messages, drive traffic to web sites, and build brand awareness.

In the Beginning . . .• Pre-Internet (at least pre-modern Internet)• BBS• Mail-order• Shareware (1982)

– Games are casual, but player’s aren’t

1. http://www.asp-shareware.org/users/history-of-shareware.asp

A few years later• Mall software stores

– Like Generic Software Place

• Libraries• Still have BBS and Mail order• Games (and players) are becoming less

casual

Let There be Internet• Primordial soup of websites• Period marked by varied sites, no central

repository, unknown business models, but it’s lots of fun!

The Bubble Grows• Lots of sites come online, including the

major players of today.• Start to see business models emerge

– Ad-based– Advergames– Some downloads (though it’s still called

shareware)

And Grows• Audience starts to expand• Some developers begin to establish

themselves• Start to get noticed by “core” industry

types

POP!• Ad market drops out• Audience keeps growing• Tons of business models are tried• 60-minute trial takes hold and a

downloadable market is truly born

Downloads Today• Have few major distributors• “Market” is middle-aged women• Match-3 Rules the Day• Market growth is exploding• Everyone is hiring!

Alternatives Today• Ad CPM back for web-based sites• Skill-Based / Tournament gaming• Advergames / Advertainment booming• Web-based subscription games &

Purchasable Content both doing well

What about $$$?• Casual Games accounts for ~10% of total

PC Gaming revenue 1

• $656 Million in 2004 2

• Projected to over $2 Billion by 2008 2

1. IGDA 2005 Casual Games White Paper - www.igda.org/casual/2. US Online PC Gaming Forecast 2004-2008: Growth Continues. IDC, Schelley

Olhava. http://www.idc.com/getdoc.jsp?containerId=32473

Why is Casual the Future?• Only area of gaming with true mass-market

appeal• Hit every demographic with some skew

towards older women• Broadband at 60%1 in US which just makes

them even more accessible

1. http://www.nielsen-netratings.com/pr/pr_050928.pdf

What about Core Players?• Recent studies show that console gaming

interest is starting to decline1

• Those people are still gamers, just have less time

• People still want to be entertained

1. http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/051006/cgth042.html?.v=23

What’s Next?• Downloadable market will level off• Probably won’t decline in revenue, but

number of developers will be limited• Web-based titles will make a roaring return• Advertainment is going to be HUGE

• Overall market will outpace core game industry

Distribution• Consolidation of major players• Extreme fragmentation• More bundling

Technology• Always have 2D games• 3D will become a more prevalent option• Console play will happen

• Technology will become a non-issue

Gameplay• Action/Puzzle remain extremely popular• Will become more sophisticated• Expansion of genres to fully reach audience

• Games will remain extremely accessible and keep the same major properties of today

The Future of Gaming is Casual

• Lots of job growth• Interesting jobs too, not just animator

#345• Extremely popular games• Fun changing environment

Any Questions?Slides will be posted to:www.dubane.com/cons/

Blog:www.fuelgames.com/blog/

Email:brobbins@fuelindustries.com

Resource:www.igda.org/casual/