1 00:00:00,320 --> 00:00:02,960 Speaker 1: Brought to you by the reinvented two thousand twelve Camray. 2 00:00:03,200 --> 00:00:08,960 Speaker 1: It's ready. Are you get in touch with technology with 3 00:00:09,039 --> 00:00:17,560 Speaker 1: tex stuff from how stuff works dot com. Hey kids, 4 00:00:17,840 --> 00:00:20,400 Speaker 1: welcome to tech stuff. My name is Chris Polatin. I'm 5 00:00:20,400 --> 00:00:23,160 Speaker 1: an editor in how stuff Works dot Com. Sitting across 6 00:00:23,200 --> 00:00:25,919 Speaker 1: for me as usual, although he's not juggling this time 7 00:00:26,200 --> 00:00:28,960 Speaker 1: his senior writer, Jonathan Strickland. In the last years of 8 00:00:29,000 --> 00:00:31,120 Speaker 1: the seventeenth century, there was to be found among the 9 00:00:31,120 --> 00:00:33,840 Speaker 1: fops and fools of the London coffee houses one rangy 10 00:00:33,880 --> 00:00:37,159 Speaker 1: gangling flitch called Ebenezer Cook, more ambitious than talented, and 11 00:00:37,240 --> 00:00:39,920 Speaker 1: yet more talented than prudent, who, like his friends and Volley, 12 00:00:39,960 --> 00:00:42,520 Speaker 1: all of whom we're supposed to be educating at Oxford 13 00:00:42,520 --> 00:00:44,800 Speaker 1: at Cambridge, had found the sound of mother English more 14 00:00:44,840 --> 00:00:47,159 Speaker 1: fun to gain than her since to labor over, and so, 15 00:00:47,280 --> 00:00:49,599 Speaker 1: rather than applying himself to the pains of scholarship, had 16 00:00:49,640 --> 00:00:51,879 Speaker 1: learned the knack of versifying and ground out choirs of 17 00:00:51,880 --> 00:00:54,040 Speaker 1: couplets after the fashion of the day. A froth with 18 00:00:54,120 --> 00:00:57,320 Speaker 1: joves and Jupiter's acclang with jarring rhymes and sting taught 19 00:00:57,360 --> 00:01:01,279 Speaker 1: with similar stretched to the snapping point. Well, I think 20 00:01:01,320 --> 00:01:03,080 Speaker 1: this is the first time where the quote took up 21 00:01:03,080 --> 00:01:07,840 Speaker 1: two thirds of the podcast and we're done today. We 22 00:01:07,880 --> 00:01:12,640 Speaker 1: are going to talk about casual games, yes, um, which 23 00:01:12,640 --> 00:01:15,200 Speaker 1: is funny because you know, you know, I grew up 24 00:01:15,280 --> 00:01:20,399 Speaker 1: with um grandparents and parents who like doing things like 25 00:01:20,440 --> 00:01:24,319 Speaker 1: crossword puzzles and uh, you know, word search and stuff 26 00:01:24,360 --> 00:01:27,000 Speaker 1: like that. And as a kid, I used to love 27 00:01:27,000 --> 00:01:28,960 Speaker 1: those and I thought, I'm sure I'm probably the only 28 00:01:29,000 --> 00:01:32,959 Speaker 1: one of my friends who really enjoys doing these puzzles 29 00:01:32,959 --> 00:01:36,760 Speaker 1: and games and things. You know. I As I got older, 30 00:01:36,800 --> 00:01:41,319 Speaker 1: I started to uh and especially when video games became 31 00:01:41,600 --> 00:01:45,400 Speaker 1: sophisticated enough where they were they were common, um, started 32 00:01:45,400 --> 00:01:49,240 Speaker 1: playing things like the Majong tile games and Solitaire and 33 00:01:49,280 --> 00:01:52,080 Speaker 1: stuff like that. And still I thought, you know, I'm 34 00:01:52,080 --> 00:01:55,800 Speaker 1: a big weenie because I'm not playing uh call of Duty, 35 00:01:56,480 --> 00:02:00,680 Speaker 1: um duty. Um, good grief. I should have just gone 36 00:02:00,680 --> 00:02:03,440 Speaker 1: with Halo. And even that, even then, if I had 37 00:02:03,440 --> 00:02:05,600 Speaker 1: gone with Halo, all the all the hard core gamers 38 00:02:05,600 --> 00:02:09,440 Speaker 1: all there be like Halo. Come on. Editors, note, we're 39 00:02:09,440 --> 00:02:11,920 Speaker 1: recording this is the flip side of the day that 40 00:02:12,000 --> 00:02:15,520 Speaker 1: we record the nuclear weapons podcasts, which on which we 41 00:02:15,520 --> 00:02:19,959 Speaker 1: were pretty sober. So the fact that we're talking about gaming. Uh, 42 00:02:20,000 --> 00:02:22,520 Speaker 1: and the fact that we're very very stayed in the 43 00:02:22,560 --> 00:02:25,400 Speaker 1: first podcast, probably we're probably gonna be a little goofy 44 00:02:25,520 --> 00:02:28,959 Speaker 1: full of beans anyway. Um No, as it turns out, 45 00:02:29,400 --> 00:02:34,200 Speaker 1: I'm hardly alone. Um. Casual gaming is especially now that 46 00:02:34,560 --> 00:02:39,000 Speaker 1: there are platforms available like Facebook where millions and millions 47 00:02:39,000 --> 00:02:44,360 Speaker 1: of people come together to play socially. Um, casual gaming 48 00:02:44,440 --> 00:02:48,320 Speaker 1: is huge. So let's start to define some stuff, shall we. 49 00:02:49,440 --> 00:02:53,680 Speaker 1: So in general, we tend to break up games into 50 00:02:53,720 --> 00:02:56,880 Speaker 1: one of two very broad categories, each of which has 51 00:02:56,960 --> 00:03:00,360 Speaker 1: subcategories within it. Yes, and this has done I would 52 00:03:00,360 --> 00:03:04,640 Speaker 1: say primarily for marketing purposes. I know people who play 53 00:03:04,680 --> 00:03:07,200 Speaker 1: all these kinds of games and and and don't like 54 00:03:07,440 --> 00:03:10,560 Speaker 1: being put into a box. Sure, so it's more it's 55 00:03:10,560 --> 00:03:14,639 Speaker 1: more for a marketing There's a spectrum of games out there, 56 00:03:14,919 --> 00:03:17,120 Speaker 1: and and most people I would say, fall in the 57 00:03:17,160 --> 00:03:19,560 Speaker 1: middle of the spectrum, and that they like some games 58 00:03:19,600 --> 00:03:22,120 Speaker 1: from one category and other games from another. There may 59 00:03:22,160 --> 00:03:25,040 Speaker 1: be a few who they only like a couple of 60 00:03:25,200 --> 00:03:27,760 Speaker 1: games that fall into one and then all the rest 61 00:03:28,000 --> 00:03:30,880 Speaker 1: are in the other category. And then there might be 62 00:03:31,000 --> 00:03:34,720 Speaker 1: a few extremists out there who believe that the game 63 00:03:34,840 --> 00:03:37,880 Speaker 1: type of games they play are the only ones worth playing. Well, 64 00:03:37,920 --> 00:03:41,720 Speaker 1: you know, there's that kind of person on pretty much everything. 65 00:03:41,760 --> 00:03:43,160 Speaker 1: If you don't drive the car and a kind of 66 00:03:43,160 --> 00:03:46,119 Speaker 1: car I drive, then you stink, right. So anyway, those 67 00:03:46,160 --> 00:03:49,160 Speaker 1: two types of games I'm trying so hard to just 68 00:03:49,200 --> 00:03:53,240 Speaker 1: get to my point here, sorry, is the hardcore games 69 00:03:54,080 --> 00:03:57,200 Speaker 1: and the casual games. Now, hardcore games, when we talk 70 00:03:57,280 --> 00:04:00,360 Speaker 1: about that, what we're really talking about is the level 71 00:04:00,360 --> 00:04:05,680 Speaker 1: of complexity of the gameplay itself, all right, the how 72 00:04:05,840 --> 00:04:09,720 Speaker 1: deep that game goes, how much time you need to 73 00:04:09,760 --> 00:04:12,840 Speaker 1: dedicate to really play that game at a decent level, 74 00:04:13,960 --> 00:04:17,160 Speaker 1: and whether or not you can just pick up and 75 00:04:17,400 --> 00:04:21,400 Speaker 1: drop off in that game casually throughout the day. The 76 00:04:21,520 --> 00:04:24,080 Speaker 1: hardcore game, a really hardcore game, is one of those 77 00:04:24,080 --> 00:04:26,480 Speaker 1: things where you're gonna have to dedicate a good amount 78 00:04:26,520 --> 00:04:30,200 Speaker 1: of time each playing session, where you're not interrupting in anyway, 79 00:04:30,240 --> 00:04:32,680 Speaker 1: and that it's not just pick up and play, and 80 00:04:32,760 --> 00:04:36,080 Speaker 1: that the controls themselves are really really complex and there's 81 00:04:36,080 --> 00:04:40,680 Speaker 1: a there's a learning curve to really getting to know them. Uh. 82 00:04:40,800 --> 00:04:44,480 Speaker 1: A good example of this is a typical first person 83 00:04:44,520 --> 00:04:48,360 Speaker 1: shooter on say the the Xbox three sixty that uses 84 00:04:48,800 --> 00:04:51,400 Speaker 1: the controller to its full extent, because let's let's think 85 00:04:51,400 --> 00:04:55,240 Speaker 1: about the controller for a second. Okay, so the Xbox controller. 86 00:04:55,240 --> 00:04:58,320 Speaker 1: You've got the two thumbsticks, both of which can also 87 00:04:58,440 --> 00:05:02,119 Speaker 1: click in to act as a button. You've got four 88 00:05:02,120 --> 00:05:07,000 Speaker 1: shoulder buttons to trigger buttons into bumper buttons. You've got 89 00:05:07,040 --> 00:05:10,760 Speaker 1: the four buttons that are that are in a diamond 90 00:05:10,760 --> 00:05:13,880 Speaker 1: pattern on the on the right side where your right 91 00:05:13,920 --> 00:05:16,480 Speaker 1: thumb can touch them. And you've got a direction pad 92 00:05:16,560 --> 00:05:19,480 Speaker 1: as well. Plus you've got the start in back buttons, 93 00:05:19,480 --> 00:05:22,200 Speaker 1: which in some games also plays a part. So you've 94 00:05:22,240 --> 00:05:25,240 Speaker 1: got all these different buttons, all these different that potentially 95 00:05:25,240 --> 00:05:28,640 Speaker 1: could make a game incredibly complex and intimidating for someone 96 00:05:28,680 --> 00:05:30,760 Speaker 1: to learn if they're just picking up gaming for the 97 00:05:30,760 --> 00:05:38,160 Speaker 1: first time. Now, let's contrast that with casual games. Casual 98 00:05:38,240 --> 00:05:42,120 Speaker 1: games have simple gameplay. It does not mean that the 99 00:05:42,120 --> 00:05:44,960 Speaker 1: game itself is easy. It just means that the game 100 00:05:45,040 --> 00:05:48,680 Speaker 1: mechanics are simple. So it could be a puzzle game 101 00:05:48,760 --> 00:05:52,120 Speaker 1: that actually is pretty complex, but the the the way 102 00:05:52,200 --> 00:05:55,680 Speaker 1: you play the puzzle game is easy, then you've got 103 00:05:55,880 --> 00:05:58,520 Speaker 1: uh usually will allow you to play the game in 104 00:05:58,720 --> 00:06:02,760 Speaker 1: just really short bursts so whenever you have time to play, 105 00:06:03,240 --> 00:06:07,000 Speaker 1: you can just log on or you know, access it. 106 00:06:07,040 --> 00:06:09,920 Speaker 1: However you're accessing this game, play a little bit, and 107 00:06:09,960 --> 00:06:12,200 Speaker 1: then you can pop right back out and you're fine. 108 00:06:12,760 --> 00:06:16,520 Speaker 1: You don't have to dedicate a lot of time to it. Uh, 109 00:06:16,560 --> 00:06:20,960 Speaker 1: there's usually a way where you very quickly progress through 110 00:06:21,000 --> 00:06:24,800 Speaker 1: the game, or you very quickly unlock other elements in 111 00:06:24,839 --> 00:06:29,200 Speaker 1: the game. And a lot of them also have a 112 00:06:29,320 --> 00:06:32,880 Speaker 1: method where they let you try the game in some 113 00:06:33,000 --> 00:06:36,839 Speaker 1: format before you purchase it, or they will support the 114 00:06:36,880 --> 00:06:40,760 Speaker 1: game with advertising, so that you know. They might have 115 00:06:40,760 --> 00:06:43,120 Speaker 1: two different versions of the same game, right, they have 116 00:06:43,240 --> 00:06:46,360 Speaker 1: one that has ads, so every so often you are 117 00:06:46,520 --> 00:06:48,920 Speaker 1: subjected to an ad while you play this game. And 118 00:06:48,960 --> 00:06:50,839 Speaker 1: then they might have a paid version where if you 119 00:06:50,880 --> 00:06:53,240 Speaker 1: buy it, you no longer have ads in your game. 120 00:06:54,680 --> 00:06:57,680 Speaker 1: So that that's Those are the typical attributes you would 121 00:06:57,680 --> 00:07:02,240 Speaker 1: find in a casual game. Um, although we tend to 122 00:07:02,279 --> 00:07:05,840 Speaker 1: say the hardcore games are more often found on consoles 123 00:07:05,960 --> 00:07:09,000 Speaker 1: and are dedicated computer games, and we tend to see 124 00:07:09,080 --> 00:07:14,840 Speaker 1: casual games and things like mobile platforms and social uh, 125 00:07:14,960 --> 00:07:18,600 Speaker 1: social network platforms, that's not always a case. There's not 126 00:07:18,680 --> 00:07:21,080 Speaker 1: a there's not a true division in platforms. After all, 127 00:07:21,120 --> 00:07:25,920 Speaker 1: the Nintendo we in a way, is really a It's 128 00:07:26,040 --> 00:07:28,920 Speaker 1: known mostly for its casual games, or at least that 129 00:07:28,920 --> 00:07:32,280 Speaker 1: that was really how Nintendo promoted the WEE early on. 130 00:07:33,080 --> 00:07:36,080 Speaker 1: It was the idea, this was the game console for anyone, 131 00:07:36,160 --> 00:07:39,520 Speaker 1: even someone who had never really gotten into video games, 132 00:07:39,560 --> 00:07:43,960 Speaker 1: because the motion controller gave you the opportunity to play 133 00:07:44,040 --> 00:07:45,960 Speaker 1: games in a way that was supposed to be really 134 00:07:46,040 --> 00:07:49,400 Speaker 1: intuitive and really simple. So there's that simple gameplay we 135 00:07:49,400 --> 00:07:52,320 Speaker 1: were talking about. Even if the games themselves were pretty complex, 136 00:07:52,760 --> 00:07:56,080 Speaker 1: the the barrier to entry in the game was supposed 137 00:07:56,080 --> 00:08:00,400 Speaker 1: to be really low. So that's the general difference. Most 138 00:08:00,440 --> 00:08:03,160 Speaker 1: games fall somewhere between the two. There's there there are 139 00:08:03,160 --> 00:08:05,200 Speaker 1: a few games that you could probably argue, okay, this 140 00:08:05,280 --> 00:08:08,840 Speaker 1: is like the example of a hardcore game versus the 141 00:08:08,880 --> 00:08:11,040 Speaker 1: example of a casual game, And then there are a 142 00:08:11,040 --> 00:08:13,520 Speaker 1: lot of games that you know, you might say, well, 143 00:08:13,960 --> 00:08:16,480 Speaker 1: it has these attributes from a casual game, but you 144 00:08:16,480 --> 00:08:18,480 Speaker 1: can't just log in and log off because if you do, 145 00:08:18,520 --> 00:08:20,480 Speaker 1: you're gonna lose your progress. And you know, let's say 146 00:08:20,480 --> 00:08:23,360 Speaker 1: plants versus zombies. Yes, that's a good example. Plans versus 147 00:08:23,440 --> 00:08:27,720 Speaker 1: Zombies is a fun game. Uh, it's it's relatively simple, 148 00:08:28,000 --> 00:08:33,960 Speaker 1: it's got some great animations and great uh gameplay to it. Uh, 149 00:08:34,000 --> 00:08:37,360 Speaker 1: and it's it's still it's not too difficult for someone 150 00:08:37,400 --> 00:08:40,000 Speaker 1: who even isn't really big into video games to get 151 00:08:40,000 --> 00:08:42,760 Speaker 1: into it. My wife loves Plants Versus Zombies, but she's 152 00:08:42,760 --> 00:08:46,439 Speaker 1: not a video game person. However, that being said, it's 153 00:08:46,480 --> 00:08:47,760 Speaker 1: also the kind of game that if you're in the 154 00:08:47,800 --> 00:08:49,679 Speaker 1: middle of the level and you jump out of it, 155 00:08:49,720 --> 00:08:51,920 Speaker 1: depending on what platform you're in, you may lose your 156 00:08:51,960 --> 00:08:55,160 Speaker 1: progress and have to start over. Yes, there's a zombie 157 00:08:55,160 --> 00:08:58,040 Speaker 1: on your lawn. Well, I'll just have to go and 158 00:08:58,080 --> 00:09:01,719 Speaker 1: get one of those pe shooters. Then I hope I 159 00:09:01,760 --> 00:09:05,400 Speaker 1: have enough sunflowers to generate the sun. I also play 160 00:09:05,440 --> 00:09:08,320 Speaker 1: a lot of Plans Versus on my phone and on 161 00:09:08,360 --> 00:09:11,200 Speaker 1: my computer and in the browser. And you know, yeah, 162 00:09:11,400 --> 00:09:13,520 Speaker 1: I'm one of those gamers that I like both camps. 163 00:09:13,559 --> 00:09:16,800 Speaker 1: I like hardcore games and I like casual games. Yeah. Yeah, 164 00:09:17,600 --> 00:09:21,360 Speaker 1: me too. Um yeah, I was thinking Tetris. I mean 165 00:09:21,720 --> 00:09:25,040 Speaker 1: there's fantastic example of a casual game. Ye yep. And 166 00:09:25,040 --> 00:09:29,640 Speaker 1: and a lot of people find themselves unable to get 167 00:09:29,640 --> 00:09:34,280 Speaker 1: the little falling um you know, the little tetraminos the 168 00:09:34,520 --> 00:09:37,360 Speaker 1: head when they used to play that so often that 169 00:09:37,440 --> 00:09:40,040 Speaker 1: when I would close my eyes at night, I would 170 00:09:40,040 --> 00:09:43,360 Speaker 1: see the blocks in my sleep. Later those became the 171 00:09:43,440 --> 00:09:46,120 Speaker 1: jewels from Do Do Do Do Do Do Do Do 172 00:09:46,120 --> 00:09:50,400 Speaker 1: Do Do Do Do Do Do Do do do do. Um. 173 00:09:50,440 --> 00:09:53,600 Speaker 1: You know, in contrast, you might have something like, um, 174 00:09:53,720 --> 00:09:58,480 Speaker 1: uh the role playing games. Vast numbers of role playing 175 00:09:58,480 --> 00:10:02,040 Speaker 1: games that could be uh, Dungeon Crawlers or shoot them 176 00:10:02,080 --> 00:10:06,040 Speaker 1: ups or the first person series or uh, you know, 177 00:10:06,120 --> 00:10:11,120 Speaker 1: the the Never Winter Nights type games walters Gate. Um. 178 00:10:11,520 --> 00:10:15,679 Speaker 1: I would think that the Civilization series very complex. Even 179 00:10:15,679 --> 00:10:19,280 Speaker 1: Sport could be considered a hardcore game because you spend 180 00:10:19,440 --> 00:10:25,880 Speaker 1: hours building up your your species first four um, although 181 00:10:25,960 --> 00:10:29,520 Speaker 1: very few people play it, I think in comparison, um, 182 00:10:29,559 --> 00:10:31,960 Speaker 1: and yeah, they're there. You know, there's there's stuff that 183 00:10:32,000 --> 00:10:35,440 Speaker 1: falls in between. UM. I think there are some some 184 00:10:35,520 --> 00:10:38,480 Speaker 1: of the Facebook type games now where the play on 185 00:10:38,520 --> 00:10:42,920 Speaker 1: the level as you're working on the level is pretty easy, 186 00:10:42,960 --> 00:10:45,280 Speaker 1: but then you know it's one in a series of 187 00:10:45,320 --> 00:10:47,480 Speaker 1: things that you have to do to accomplish a larger goal. 188 00:10:47,520 --> 00:10:50,880 Speaker 1: There's sort of hybrid games. Um. But yeah, as it 189 00:10:50,880 --> 00:10:54,800 Speaker 1: turns out, well, I mean casual games sort of had 190 00:10:54,840 --> 00:10:59,440 Speaker 1: this reputation for being sort of a feminine thing. I 191 00:10:59,480 --> 00:11:02,000 Speaker 1: know a lot of statistics I've read sort of say 192 00:11:02,040 --> 00:11:06,960 Speaker 1: that excuse more toward women gamers. That spells the myth 193 00:11:07,040 --> 00:11:10,040 Speaker 1: that women don't play games like the There was one 194 00:11:10,240 --> 00:11:12,680 Speaker 1: statistic I saw, and unfortunately I don't have the source 195 00:11:12,720 --> 00:11:15,800 Speaker 1: with me. So guys, when you hear me quote the statistic, 196 00:11:16,160 --> 00:11:19,000 Speaker 1: remember any percent of all statistics that are quoted are 197 00:11:19,000 --> 00:11:22,480 Speaker 1: made up on the spot. But no, there was a 198 00:11:22,520 --> 00:11:25,400 Speaker 1: statistic I saw that suggested that I think it was 199 00:11:26,440 --> 00:11:32,080 Speaker 1: sent of the purchases of casual games were women, So 200 00:11:32,480 --> 00:11:35,480 Speaker 1: whenever anyone was you know, if you were to look 201 00:11:35,480 --> 00:11:38,600 Speaker 1: at all the purchases of the casual games across the market, 202 00:11:39,760 --> 00:11:43,920 Speaker 1: of those consumers were female. Um. But again I don't 203 00:11:43,920 --> 00:11:46,520 Speaker 1: have that source in front of me, so take that 204 00:11:46,559 --> 00:11:49,040 Speaker 1: with a grain of salt. Guys. Yeah, yeah, Well, the 205 00:11:49,559 --> 00:11:53,199 Speaker 1: it's it's roughly fifty fifty according to a study that 206 00:11:53,240 --> 00:11:59,080 Speaker 1: I found, Um for MSN games. Um, it's so it's 207 00:11:59,200 --> 00:12:01,400 Speaker 1: you know, not not the same. It's not just for 208 00:12:01,440 --> 00:12:04,160 Speaker 1: breakfast anymore. They used to say about orange juice, and 209 00:12:04,200 --> 00:12:06,840 Speaker 1: I think it's, uh, depending on the game, it it 210 00:12:06,960 --> 00:12:11,200 Speaker 1: defies category, It defies trying to put it in a 211 00:12:11,200 --> 00:12:14,440 Speaker 1: little box. There you go, Uh, well, so you know 212 00:12:14,520 --> 00:12:18,320 Speaker 1: they're they're definitely kinds that are easy to categorize. Like 213 00:12:18,360 --> 00:12:23,080 Speaker 1: The Jeweled is clearly a puzzle game, right match three game. 214 00:12:23,160 --> 00:12:25,520 Speaker 1: If you will see that these are these subdivisions at Jonathan, 215 00:12:26,280 --> 00:12:29,959 Speaker 1: the subcategories of subcategories, because within casual games you can 216 00:12:30,000 --> 00:12:32,079 Speaker 1: have puzzle games, and within puzzle games you have different 217 00:12:32,120 --> 00:12:35,960 Speaker 1: subcategories of that. Um, but you've got other kind of 218 00:12:36,640 --> 00:12:39,720 Speaker 1: you know, games that are are out for both the 219 00:12:39,760 --> 00:12:44,320 Speaker 1: computer and consoles uh, and and online social networks, things 220 00:12:44,360 --> 00:12:47,520 Speaker 1: like you know, the Farmvills, the City Bills, the Frontiervills, 221 00:12:47,960 --> 00:12:52,040 Speaker 1: Mafia Wars. Uh. These are all considered casual games because 222 00:12:52,040 --> 00:12:54,040 Speaker 1: again there are games that you can just pop PLoP 223 00:12:54,080 --> 00:12:59,080 Speaker 1: into at any time. Now, I would say that traditionally 224 00:12:59,120 --> 00:13:03,320 Speaker 1: speaking like if you're going with the very stereotypical hardcore gamer, yes, 225 00:13:03,720 --> 00:13:07,920 Speaker 1: there is a stigma against casual games. Some hardcore gamers 226 00:13:07,960 --> 00:13:10,240 Speaker 1: might say that casual games are not real games because 227 00:13:10,280 --> 00:13:12,760 Speaker 1: they don't have that level of complexity that they prefer 228 00:13:13,040 --> 00:13:16,560 Speaker 1: when in their gaming experience. And I can totally understand that. 229 00:13:16,640 --> 00:13:18,840 Speaker 1: I mean there's there is something to say like, well, 230 00:13:19,120 --> 00:13:22,280 Speaker 1: I don't get as much enjoyment out of that, because, uh, 231 00:13:22,280 --> 00:13:25,160 Speaker 1: this other game requires this level of skill that I've 232 00:13:25,280 --> 00:13:28,320 Speaker 1: I've developed over time, and I feel like this is 233 00:13:28,360 --> 00:13:30,920 Speaker 1: more rewarding. That's fine. I mean there are other people 234 00:13:30,960 --> 00:13:33,200 Speaker 1: are going to find casual games far more rewarding than 235 00:13:33,280 --> 00:13:35,079 Speaker 1: the level of frustration they would have they're trying to 236 00:13:35,080 --> 00:13:37,280 Speaker 1: pick up a hardcore game. The thing I would tell 237 00:13:37,280 --> 00:13:40,439 Speaker 1: hardcore gamers is you might think that casual games are 238 00:13:40,440 --> 00:13:45,560 Speaker 1: not really truly games. Tell that to the billionaires who 239 00:13:45,600 --> 00:13:51,760 Speaker 1: made their fortunes through casual games. I mean billions of dollars. 240 00:13:52,120 --> 00:13:55,760 Speaker 1: This is a huge industry, especially because, like Chris was saying, 241 00:13:56,080 --> 00:13:59,199 Speaker 1: you know, using Facebook as a platform brilliant. As soon 242 00:13:59,240 --> 00:14:01,480 Speaker 1: as Facebook opened up that a p I and allowed 243 00:14:01,520 --> 00:14:05,840 Speaker 1: people to create applications or Facebook to exist on top 244 00:14:05,880 --> 00:14:10,840 Speaker 1: of Facebook, the gaming market exploded. Because if you've already 245 00:14:10,840 --> 00:14:16,040 Speaker 1: got a potential audience of more than eight hundred million people, 246 00:14:17,080 --> 00:14:20,600 Speaker 1: it's a no brainer. Yeah, well, you might be surprised 247 00:14:20,600 --> 00:14:24,560 Speaker 1: then to find out, I'll surprise you. I bet it will. 248 00:14:24,600 --> 00:14:28,320 Speaker 1: Actually um. The the CEO of New Zoo, Peter Warman, 249 00:14:28,560 --> 00:14:30,480 Speaker 1: was quoted in an article I read where he was 250 00:14:30,480 --> 00:14:35,880 Speaker 1: saying that somewhere between seventy six to of casual gamers 251 00:14:36,600 --> 00:14:41,040 Speaker 1: play outside of Facebook. So of all those people who 252 00:14:41,040 --> 00:14:45,440 Speaker 1: are playing Farmville and other games on Facebook, that's only 253 00:14:45,480 --> 00:14:49,440 Speaker 1: a small fraction of the entire casual gaming audience. Well. 254 00:14:49,560 --> 00:14:51,760 Speaker 1: I have a membership to pogo dot com. I don't 255 00:14:51,960 --> 00:14:53,800 Speaker 1: use it as often as I use some of the 256 00:14:53,800 --> 00:14:57,320 Speaker 1: other sites. But uh, yeah, some some game companies have 257 00:14:57,400 --> 00:15:00,800 Speaker 1: made their games available. I've seen games on on all 258 00:15:00,840 --> 00:15:03,760 Speaker 1: sorts of different sites that I didn't realize had them. Um, 259 00:15:03,800 --> 00:15:06,520 Speaker 1: like the Majong Dimensions game. I've seen it on multiple 260 00:15:06,600 --> 00:15:09,800 Speaker 1: different sites that weren't when I consider traditional gaming sites, 261 00:15:09,880 --> 00:15:12,840 Speaker 1: but they they added as a sort of bonus to uh, 262 00:15:12,960 --> 00:15:15,400 Speaker 1: to keep you there. Um. On the other hand, there 263 00:15:15,400 --> 00:15:18,760 Speaker 1: are places like uh, you know, they develop their own stuff, 264 00:15:19,360 --> 00:15:23,760 Speaker 1: like for example, Cartoon Network UM has games built around 265 00:15:23,760 --> 00:15:26,880 Speaker 1: all their properties and it's specifically there or for uh 266 00:15:27,240 --> 00:15:30,080 Speaker 1: you know some of the kids show game sites. Um, 267 00:15:30,200 --> 00:15:34,040 Speaker 1: you know they do that for for those properties as well, 268 00:15:34,120 --> 00:15:37,160 Speaker 1: So it's not just you know, the Bejewels of the world. 269 00:15:37,560 --> 00:15:41,240 Speaker 1: Well yeah, and then you see the game's really hitting 270 00:15:41,240 --> 00:15:44,280 Speaker 1: their stride with the smartphone revolution as well as because 271 00:15:44,280 --> 00:15:48,720 Speaker 1: one smartphones became a thing. Yeah, tablets as well. I 272 00:15:48,800 --> 00:15:51,920 Speaker 1: think more smartphones even than tablets, mostly because I think 273 00:15:51,920 --> 00:15:55,480 Speaker 1: of the average consumer. If the average consumer also happens 274 00:15:55,480 --> 00:15:58,960 Speaker 1: to have a smartphone, and the average consumer is running 275 00:15:58,960 --> 00:16:02,120 Speaker 1: into situation sens where he or she has a little 276 00:16:02,120 --> 00:16:05,400 Speaker 1: time on their hands waiting for stuff like you're in 277 00:16:05,520 --> 00:16:08,560 Speaker 1: line for the movie theater and the lines really long 278 00:16:08,600 --> 00:16:10,440 Speaker 1: for tickets and the people in front of you are 279 00:16:10,520 --> 00:16:13,680 Speaker 1: just now deciding what they want to see. Then you 280 00:16:13,680 --> 00:16:15,720 Speaker 1: know you've got some time to kill, so opening up 281 00:16:15,800 --> 00:16:18,120 Speaker 1: a an app on your phone and playing a little 282 00:16:18,160 --> 00:16:21,400 Speaker 1: Angry Birds is might just seem like the perfect thing 283 00:16:21,400 --> 00:16:25,160 Speaker 1: they'll do to occupy yourself while you're waiting to play this, 284 00:16:25,280 --> 00:16:27,960 Speaker 1: as opposed to, you know, occupying yourself by trying to 285 00:16:28,000 --> 00:16:30,000 Speaker 1: convince yourself not to stab the person in front of you. 286 00:16:30,520 --> 00:16:33,320 Speaker 1: And they're particularly useful the d M v UM. You know, 287 00:16:33,440 --> 00:16:36,760 Speaker 1: there's so many different doctor's offices. I mean, any situation 288 00:16:37,200 --> 00:16:40,320 Speaker 1: where you are not doing something. However, I will say 289 00:16:40,320 --> 00:16:48,840 Speaker 1: this people, if you play these social games, please don't 290 00:16:48,880 --> 00:16:53,120 Speaker 1: do it in the restroom, and if you do, please 291 00:16:53,200 --> 00:16:57,240 Speaker 1: mute your phone because I thought I thought you were 292 00:16:57,280 --> 00:17:01,120 Speaker 1: not well anonymous for sitting in the stall next to me, 293 00:17:02,080 --> 00:17:05,000 Speaker 1: because I did not know that pigs made that noise 294 00:17:05,840 --> 00:17:08,960 Speaker 1: when they were impacted by Angry Birds. And now that 295 00:17:09,040 --> 00:17:11,359 Speaker 1: I know that, I'm fine. I mean, okay, I mean granted, 296 00:17:11,359 --> 00:17:12,919 Speaker 1: I still I'm a little skeeved out that you were 297 00:17:12,920 --> 00:17:17,800 Speaker 1: playing the game. Yea um, but yeah, no, the that's 298 00:17:17,880 --> 00:17:20,960 Speaker 1: that's one of the hallmarks of the casual games though, right, 299 00:17:21,040 --> 00:17:24,080 Speaker 1: is that it's really accessible and that you can play 300 00:17:24,080 --> 00:17:26,480 Speaker 1: it at any time. And that's one of the really 301 00:17:26,520 --> 00:17:29,520 Speaker 1: attractive things about them. Yeah. And and and this is 302 00:17:29,520 --> 00:17:31,560 Speaker 1: what makes it so brilliant for people like ro Vio, 303 00:17:31,720 --> 00:17:35,800 Speaker 1: the publisher of Angry Birds, the PopCap series. It's plants, 304 00:17:35,840 --> 00:17:43,480 Speaker 1: plants versus zombies, bejeweled uh ing um. And and this 305 00:17:43,520 --> 00:17:46,080 Speaker 1: is what all of them and many many others have 306 00:17:46,200 --> 00:17:49,359 Speaker 1: done so effectively. Half Brick also, I would throw in 307 00:17:49,359 --> 00:17:53,800 Speaker 1: this camp that does fruit Ninja. They have hit the 308 00:17:53,840 --> 00:17:57,640 Speaker 1: sweet spot because okay, they've they've made their games available 309 00:17:57,760 --> 00:18:01,320 Speaker 1: on Actually they came from different directions. Um Rovio and 310 00:18:01,359 --> 00:18:04,760 Speaker 1: half Brick came from the smaller uh, the the cell 311 00:18:04,760 --> 00:18:08,439 Speaker 1: phone camp, smartphone camp. They made their applications available on 312 00:18:08,440 --> 00:18:12,439 Speaker 1: on tablets, and then they started moving into Google Plus 313 00:18:12,520 --> 00:18:18,120 Speaker 1: and Facebook. Um Zynga and Popcat came from computers and 314 00:18:18,240 --> 00:18:22,159 Speaker 1: websites and started moving their apps over to tablets and smartphones. 315 00:18:22,200 --> 00:18:25,600 Speaker 1: And now all of these guys are available on all 316 00:18:25,680 --> 00:18:30,480 Speaker 1: these platforms. So you you're eating your breakfast in the morning, uh, 317 00:18:30,640 --> 00:18:32,439 Speaker 1: you know, you're getting ready to the kids ready for school, 318 00:18:32,440 --> 00:18:35,600 Speaker 1: and you get in five minutes worth of gaming activity 319 00:18:35,640 --> 00:18:38,439 Speaker 1: before you you leave the house. You're waiting on the bus. 320 00:18:38,800 --> 00:18:42,600 Speaker 1: You get on your smartphone and play for another five minutes. Um, 321 00:18:42,840 --> 00:18:44,920 Speaker 1: you take a break at lunchtime, get on the tablet 322 00:18:45,520 --> 00:18:47,800 Speaker 1: and play for another five minutes. And and it just 323 00:18:47,840 --> 00:18:49,879 Speaker 1: goes on like this. You can do this. You're waiting 324 00:18:49,920 --> 00:18:51,760 Speaker 1: for your co host to find a quote from a 325 00:18:51,840 --> 00:18:57,240 Speaker 1: novel and guilty as charged, I have done that, um, 326 00:18:57,400 --> 00:18:59,960 Speaker 1: and and this is really And then they go off 327 00:19:00,119 --> 00:19:04,320 Speaker 1: and do uh crazy stuff like having plushies made. I 328 00:19:04,359 --> 00:19:07,480 Speaker 1: cannot tell you how many stores I have seen angry 329 00:19:07,520 --> 00:19:10,840 Speaker 1: birds in. Heck, I saw the board game when it 330 00:19:10,880 --> 00:19:16,679 Speaker 1: first came out. Ye, I see, yes, ten maybe waiting 331 00:19:16,840 --> 00:19:19,600 Speaker 1: on on the kid after school, I see kids walking 332 00:19:19,600 --> 00:19:23,520 Speaker 1: out with angry bird t shirts on UM. The Fruit 333 00:19:23,600 --> 00:19:26,200 Speaker 1: Ninja of Hulks at half Brick are coming out with 334 00:19:26,960 --> 00:19:33,080 Speaker 1: pleshy fruit and and sense a. UM absolutely look it 335 00:19:33,119 --> 00:19:34,719 Speaker 1: up if you don't believe me. So the thing is, 336 00:19:35,119 --> 00:19:38,600 Speaker 1: UM they've been able to expand the platforms to make 337 00:19:38,600 --> 00:19:42,080 Speaker 1: them available more places, and they're they're cashing in on 338 00:19:42,119 --> 00:19:46,919 Speaker 1: the interest around these properties. So this has become a 339 00:19:46,960 --> 00:19:50,600 Speaker 1: way for them to to uh, you know, sustain their operations, 340 00:19:50,640 --> 00:19:55,200 Speaker 1: to market themselves and UM make a lot of money. 341 00:19:55,920 --> 00:19:59,040 Speaker 1: And uh a whole lot. When we're talking about a 342 00:19:59,040 --> 00:20:02,960 Speaker 1: whole lot, I mean they're billions for the whole industry. 343 00:20:03,320 --> 00:20:06,920 Speaker 1: Like Zinga when it was announcing its IPO, it would 344 00:20:06,920 --> 00:20:09,720 Speaker 1: have been valued at eight point nine billion with a 345 00:20:09,760 --> 00:20:14,800 Speaker 1: B dollars and it had generated something like one point 346 00:20:14,800 --> 00:20:18,960 Speaker 1: one point five billion in revenues since it started in 347 00:20:19,000 --> 00:20:22,840 Speaker 1: two thousand seven. Now, Zinga when it when it first 348 00:20:22,840 --> 00:20:27,919 Speaker 1: started was one of those companies that UM that really 349 00:20:27,960 --> 00:20:31,040 Speaker 1: was a big surprise to folks because the founder, Mark Pinkus, 350 00:20:31,560 --> 00:20:35,920 Speaker 1: he had he had been an entrepreneur previously and had 351 00:20:35,960 --> 00:20:39,200 Speaker 1: had some successes and some failures. Some of the failures 352 00:20:39,200 --> 00:20:41,280 Speaker 1: were related to the dot com crash back in two 353 00:20:41,280 --> 00:20:45,560 Speaker 1: thousand but once Facebook was opening up that a p I, 354 00:20:45,760 --> 00:20:49,600 Speaker 1: he saw the opportunity to jump in the social games space, 355 00:20:50,119 --> 00:20:52,879 Speaker 1: and he thought that people would really enjoy playing games 356 00:20:52,920 --> 00:20:54,959 Speaker 1: and being able to share that experience with their friends 357 00:20:55,119 --> 00:20:59,439 Speaker 1: and to build in games that would allow people to 358 00:20:59,520 --> 00:21:02,000 Speaker 1: help one another out in a in a virtual way. 359 00:21:02,320 --> 00:21:03,879 Speaker 1: And so he kind of jumped on that and he 360 00:21:03,960 --> 00:21:08,119 Speaker 1: hired some really smart folks, including people like Bing Gordon, 361 00:21:08,400 --> 00:21:13,200 Speaker 1: Owen Van that A, Mark Skags, Brian Reynolds. These guys 362 00:21:13,240 --> 00:21:16,400 Speaker 1: are all really smart. Some of them are a game designers, 363 00:21:16,440 --> 00:21:21,520 Speaker 1: some of them are great at at leveraging social networks. Uh. 364 00:21:22,000 --> 00:21:26,919 Speaker 1: Bing Gordon is the consigliari. That's that's his term because 365 00:21:26,920 --> 00:21:30,639 Speaker 1: what he what he does is he finds people that 366 00:21:30,720 --> 00:21:34,119 Speaker 1: would be a really good addition to Zinga's workforce. Like 367 00:21:34,160 --> 00:21:36,040 Speaker 1: he's kind of like one of those guys who just 368 00:21:36,200 --> 00:21:39,800 Speaker 1: he's fantastic and networking. As someone who does that a lot, 369 00:21:39,880 --> 00:21:42,720 Speaker 1: I can totally I can totally dig that I do 370 00:21:42,760 --> 00:21:45,840 Speaker 1: a lot of working myself. It seems to me, Yeah, 371 00:21:45,880 --> 00:21:48,480 Speaker 1: well it seems to me that I'm more often get 372 00:21:49,040 --> 00:21:52,360 Speaker 1: cool people I know opportunities with other cool people I know, 373 00:21:52,960 --> 00:21:56,720 Speaker 1: more than I leverage it for myself, so I gotta 374 00:21:56,720 --> 00:22:01,840 Speaker 1: be more selfish anyway. It's it's yeah, almost nine billion 375 00:22:01,880 --> 00:22:07,439 Speaker 1: dollars in valuation, which is pretty phenomenal. Um and uh 376 00:22:07,480 --> 00:22:11,960 Speaker 1: that and that it's only been around since two thousand seven. Meanwhile, 377 00:22:12,000 --> 00:22:16,359 Speaker 1: pop Cap, that company, I believe, Electronic Arts acquired pop Cap. 378 00:22:17,400 --> 00:22:20,119 Speaker 1: So you're you're talking about these little bitty companies that 379 00:22:20,160 --> 00:22:23,600 Speaker 1: people would have thought of as upstarts that are become 380 00:22:23,720 --> 00:22:27,800 Speaker 1: that becomes such big players that the really well established 381 00:22:27,960 --> 00:22:31,000 Speaker 1: huge names and gaming have taken notice and they're either 382 00:22:31,480 --> 00:22:36,280 Speaker 1: you know, stealing themselves for direct competition or they're acquiring 383 00:22:36,320 --> 00:22:39,960 Speaker 1: them um as for direct competition. That's a little tricky. 384 00:22:40,040 --> 00:22:42,399 Speaker 1: Let's get back to the Nintendo we and kind of 385 00:22:42,400 --> 00:22:47,320 Speaker 1: wrap this up a little bit. So consoles in general 386 00:22:47,960 --> 00:22:51,520 Speaker 1: don't tend to cater to the casual market as much. 387 00:22:51,800 --> 00:22:55,560 Speaker 1: You can find casual games on these consoles, but the 388 00:22:55,600 --> 00:23:01,159 Speaker 1: consoles themselves, one, their price point is pretty high. So 389 00:23:01,560 --> 00:23:04,399 Speaker 1: that's a that can discourage a casual gamer who may 390 00:23:04,440 --> 00:23:06,679 Speaker 1: not want to make that level of investment in a 391 00:23:06,760 --> 00:23:11,280 Speaker 1: game or in a game system. To the interfaces tend 392 00:23:11,280 --> 00:23:14,560 Speaker 1: to be a little more complex. So again, if you 393 00:23:14,760 --> 00:23:17,600 Speaker 1: first pick up an Xbox controller and you've never used 394 00:23:17,600 --> 00:23:20,879 Speaker 1: one before, and you try and navigate through the menu 395 00:23:20,960 --> 00:23:22,840 Speaker 1: system and try and find a game that you want 396 00:23:22,880 --> 00:23:25,120 Speaker 1: to play, and then learn how the game itself operates 397 00:23:25,119 --> 00:23:29,760 Speaker 1: and try to coordinate all that. It can be really intimidating. UM. 398 00:23:29,880 --> 00:23:33,040 Speaker 1: So when Nintendo decided to come out with the Wei, 399 00:23:33,359 --> 00:23:35,199 Speaker 1: they were aiming at a different market. They were saying, well, 400 00:23:35,200 --> 00:23:37,520 Speaker 1: why don't we go for these people who would otherwise 401 00:23:37,880 --> 00:23:39,800 Speaker 1: you know, they might like to play games, but they 402 00:23:39,840 --> 00:23:41,919 Speaker 1: just find these other systems to be a little too 403 00:23:42,560 --> 00:23:45,400 Speaker 1: intimidating or complex or whatever. There's a barrier there. Let's 404 00:23:45,400 --> 00:23:48,040 Speaker 1: remove that barrier. We're going to create this movement based 405 00:23:48,040 --> 00:23:52,040 Speaker 1: controller where the controls will be much more intuitive, and 406 00:23:52,040 --> 00:23:54,320 Speaker 1: we're going to create a bunch of games that cater 407 00:23:54,440 --> 00:23:56,960 Speaker 1: to that crowd. And uh. And it did really, really 408 00:23:56,960 --> 00:23:59,480 Speaker 1: well when Nintendo we came out, it was it out 409 00:23:59,520 --> 00:24:01,800 Speaker 1: sold the Xbox three sixty and it outsold the p 410 00:24:02,040 --> 00:24:06,680 Speaker 1: S three and it seemed like everyone I knew had one. Uh. 411 00:24:08,080 --> 00:24:13,760 Speaker 1: The downside is that the game sales didn't really take 412 00:24:13,800 --> 00:24:16,800 Speaker 1: off at the same rate. People were not buying up 413 00:24:16,880 --> 00:24:19,840 Speaker 1: lots and lots of games, and whether that's because casual 414 00:24:19,920 --> 00:24:24,000 Speaker 1: gamers are satisfied with a smaller variety of games, like 415 00:24:24,320 --> 00:24:27,080 Speaker 1: just a few games is fine for them, or if 416 00:24:27,119 --> 00:24:30,920 Speaker 1: they just lost interest and therefore didn't have that desire 417 00:24:30,960 --> 00:24:33,760 Speaker 1: to buy that next title the way hardcore gamers do. 418 00:24:34,119 --> 00:24:37,280 Speaker 1: Because one of the byproducts of hardcore gamers is loyalty, 419 00:24:37,320 --> 00:24:39,600 Speaker 1: they tend to build up brand loyalty and they will 420 00:24:39,960 --> 00:24:42,760 Speaker 1: be very vocal about it, and to the point where 421 00:24:42,760 --> 00:24:45,000 Speaker 1: if you express an interest in a game that they 422 00:24:45,040 --> 00:24:47,119 Speaker 1: think of as a competitor, they will tell you are 423 00:24:47,119 --> 00:24:50,320 Speaker 1: stupid for liking that game because that game is not 424 00:24:50,359 --> 00:24:55,360 Speaker 1: the game they like. That's it happens a lot. But anyway, 425 00:24:55,440 --> 00:24:57,600 Speaker 1: that's you know, I don't know if that's the reason 426 00:24:57,640 --> 00:25:00,440 Speaker 1: why not to know, we sales like the games els didn't. 427 00:25:00,600 --> 00:25:02,440 Speaker 1: Some people might just say that there was a lack 428 00:25:02,480 --> 00:25:05,560 Speaker 1: of compelling games on the market. Well, if you if 429 00:25:05,560 --> 00:25:08,920 Speaker 1: you stepped back from it, and you aren't calling someone 430 00:25:08,960 --> 00:25:11,639 Speaker 1: else silly for not having the system that you have 431 00:25:11,840 --> 00:25:13,760 Speaker 1: and and look at them sort of across the board, 432 00:25:13,920 --> 00:25:15,320 Speaker 1: there were there were a couple of things going on 433 00:25:15,800 --> 00:25:18,199 Speaker 1: at play there um, one of which is if you 434 00:25:18,200 --> 00:25:21,040 Speaker 1: look at it um with the Xbox three sixty and 435 00:25:21,119 --> 00:25:24,600 Speaker 1: PlayStation three. I would argue that both Sony and Microsoft 436 00:25:24,680 --> 00:25:28,480 Speaker 1: were aiming for the core gamers. Um. You know, we're 437 00:25:28,520 --> 00:25:31,080 Speaker 1: talking about a war of processors and a war of 438 00:25:31,760 --> 00:25:36,639 Speaker 1: UM high definition and things like that and licenses, UM, 439 00:25:37,320 --> 00:25:41,720 Speaker 1: the very serious um uh in depth games they were. 440 00:25:41,760 --> 00:25:45,960 Speaker 1: They were serious gamers that were they were targeting. And 441 00:25:45,960 --> 00:25:48,560 Speaker 1: they said, we're really gonna hit this market. And people 442 00:25:48,600 --> 00:25:51,280 Speaker 1: scoffed at the Wii because he said, no, this is 443 00:25:51,440 --> 00:25:53,840 Speaker 1: it's not even high deaf, it's just amidst made from 444 00:25:53,840 --> 00:25:57,000 Speaker 1: off the shelf parts. Who cares. Nobody's gonna this little 445 00:25:57,359 --> 00:26:00,439 Speaker 1: WE remote. Nobody's gonna care. And it turns out that 446 00:26:00,440 --> 00:26:03,800 Speaker 1: that kind of gameplay hit the sweet spot for a 447 00:26:03,800 --> 00:26:06,240 Speaker 1: lot of people who just didn't see themselves buying that. So, 448 00:26:06,400 --> 00:26:09,600 Speaker 1: plus the cost, I mean talking about the PlayStation three 449 00:26:09,720 --> 00:26:12,000 Speaker 1: versus the cost of the we when it came out, 450 00:26:12,359 --> 00:26:14,720 Speaker 1: these were differences. But I think more than anything, it 451 00:26:14,880 --> 00:26:18,600 Speaker 1: was the kind of gaming involved. And you know, there 452 00:26:18,600 --> 00:26:21,359 Speaker 1: weren't a lot of games at that time that I 453 00:26:21,359 --> 00:26:26,480 Speaker 1: think UM hit the casual gamers for either the PlayStation 454 00:26:26,520 --> 00:26:28,840 Speaker 1: three or the the Xbox three sixty. When the Week 455 00:26:28,840 --> 00:26:31,240 Speaker 1: came out, they just they weren't aiming for that market. 456 00:26:31,320 --> 00:26:33,919 Speaker 1: Of course, now they are. You've got motion controllers to 457 00:26:33,960 --> 00:26:38,440 Speaker 1: connect and uh, the PlayStation move and they are selling. 458 00:26:38,880 --> 00:26:41,040 Speaker 1: Of course, people are using the Connect and hacking it 459 00:26:41,080 --> 00:26:44,600 Speaker 1: to do All's actually heard recently, and by recently, I 460 00:26:44,600 --> 00:26:49,320 Speaker 1: mean this, we're recording this in the beginning of March. Yes, 461 00:26:49,359 --> 00:26:51,919 Speaker 1: it's March nine right now, the day we're recording this. 462 00:26:52,280 --> 00:26:55,720 Speaker 1: Behind the current um I heard recently that Microsoft is 463 00:26:55,720 --> 00:27:01,000 Speaker 1: actually trying to move away from the the idea that 464 00:27:01,040 --> 00:27:04,480 Speaker 1: the Connect is a casual gamer gateway into the Xbox. 465 00:27:04,520 --> 00:27:07,640 Speaker 1: I think what what they're trying to do is trying 466 00:27:07,680 --> 00:27:10,680 Speaker 1: to make it more of a key element in some 467 00:27:10,720 --> 00:27:14,040 Speaker 1: of their hardcore games to try and add value to those, 468 00:27:14,480 --> 00:27:18,480 Speaker 1: because I think that's that that one of the problems, 469 00:27:18,520 --> 00:27:20,840 Speaker 1: one of the challenges of going after that casual gamer 470 00:27:20,880 --> 00:27:25,400 Speaker 1: market is that because they don't really think like hardcore gamers, 471 00:27:26,080 --> 00:27:29,040 Speaker 1: you can sell them on a game once, but then 472 00:27:29,119 --> 00:27:32,120 Speaker 1: selling them on a second game is a lot more challenging. 473 00:27:32,680 --> 00:27:34,879 Speaker 1: And therefore, if you're gonna, if you're gonna put a 474 00:27:34,880 --> 00:27:36,800 Speaker 1: lot of effort into selling games, you might want to 475 00:27:36,800 --> 00:27:39,800 Speaker 1: try and go for the audience that is shown historically 476 00:27:40,119 --> 00:27:43,119 Speaker 1: to be interested in buying lots of games and to 477 00:27:43,720 --> 00:27:46,399 Speaker 1: you know, the the audience that buys games occasionally, Well, 478 00:27:46,440 --> 00:27:48,760 Speaker 1: then you don't. You know, it's not that you ignore them, 479 00:27:49,160 --> 00:27:53,040 Speaker 1: you just don't dedicate a lot of resources to catering 480 00:27:53,119 --> 00:27:56,200 Speaker 1: to them. Yeah. Well it's an issue of perception. Um, 481 00:27:56,200 --> 00:27:59,400 Speaker 1: the way has a perception that it is a less 482 00:27:59,400 --> 00:28:03,760 Speaker 1: sophistic hated machine that has more casual games. That doesn't 483 00:28:03,800 --> 00:28:06,880 Speaker 1: mean it can't be used to play more sophisticated, more 484 00:28:06,920 --> 00:28:10,840 Speaker 1: in depth games. But that's the the reputation it has 485 00:28:10,880 --> 00:28:14,240 Speaker 1: and the connect Uh did bring a lot of casual 486 00:28:14,280 --> 00:28:17,359 Speaker 1: gamers on board for the Xbox three sixty, but it 487 00:28:17,480 --> 00:28:22,080 Speaker 1: got a reputation for being a enabler tool for casual 488 00:28:22,119 --> 00:28:24,320 Speaker 1: gamers to get on on the platform when the tool 489 00:28:24,400 --> 00:28:27,320 Speaker 1: itself can be used for a variety of different games. 490 00:28:27,800 --> 00:28:30,160 Speaker 1: Same same thing with the Sony Move. Like you're saying, yeah, 491 00:28:30,200 --> 00:28:33,200 Speaker 1: once on the motion control, I think again, because you're 492 00:28:33,200 --> 00:28:38,080 Speaker 1: taking away that that element of complexity with a controller 493 00:28:38,120 --> 00:28:42,600 Speaker 1: that has eleven buttons total when you animal up, Um, 494 00:28:42,680 --> 00:28:44,880 Speaker 1: once you take that out, then yeah, I can see 495 00:28:44,880 --> 00:28:49,840 Speaker 1: where that would uh some people would would equate that 496 00:28:49,880 --> 00:28:53,680 Speaker 1: with it being a simple system, although it's not necessarily 497 00:28:53,720 --> 00:28:56,080 Speaker 1: so we should also point out one other thing that 498 00:28:56,280 --> 00:28:59,960 Speaker 1: does tend to that I think people associate with casual 499 00:29:00,040 --> 00:29:03,960 Speaker 1: games versus hardcore games is subject matter. I think a 500 00:29:03,960 --> 00:29:05,800 Speaker 1: lot of people assume that if it's a casual game, 501 00:29:05,840 --> 00:29:09,880 Speaker 1: the subject matter is kind of light and and inconsequential. 502 00:29:09,920 --> 00:29:12,560 Speaker 1: I mean, Fruit Ninja good example, Right, you're just hacking 503 00:29:12,600 --> 00:29:14,720 Speaker 1: fruit a part, yeah, Whereas if you're talking about a 504 00:29:14,720 --> 00:29:16,520 Speaker 1: hardcore game, you might be talking about someone like Grand 505 00:29:16,520 --> 00:29:18,840 Speaker 1: Theft Auto, where you're talking about some adult themes and 506 00:29:18,920 --> 00:29:26,160 Speaker 1: some pretty intense um scenes in the game, but moral issues. Yeah, 507 00:29:26,200 --> 00:29:30,160 Speaker 1: but that's you know, really that that's content, and content 508 00:29:30,360 --> 00:29:34,040 Speaker 1: is sort of agnostic when it comes to casual versus hardcore. 509 00:29:34,480 --> 00:29:37,120 Speaker 1: You could have a casual game that has some pretty 510 00:29:37,560 --> 00:29:41,480 Speaker 1: heavy concepts in it and it's nothing, you know, there's 511 00:29:41,480 --> 00:29:45,560 Speaker 1: nothing stopping that. So that's one thing I wanted to address. Um, 512 00:29:45,680 --> 00:29:48,480 Speaker 1: that's pretty much all I have about casual games right now. 513 00:29:48,520 --> 00:29:52,560 Speaker 1: I mean, it's it'll be interesting to see in maybe 514 00:29:52,600 --> 00:29:56,440 Speaker 1: five years if casual games like you know, which ones 515 00:29:56,520 --> 00:29:59,040 Speaker 1: are still popular or are there? Is it just a 516 00:29:59,080 --> 00:30:02,200 Speaker 1: totally new batch of casual games that are popular or 517 00:30:02,240 --> 00:30:05,120 Speaker 1: are people just satisfied with buying angry Birds and playing 518 00:30:05,120 --> 00:30:08,640 Speaker 1: that for the rest of their lives. Well, the question 519 00:30:08,720 --> 00:30:12,240 Speaker 1: for me is to that is whether people will make 520 00:30:12,280 --> 00:30:15,959 Speaker 1: the distinction between hardcore and casual games anymore and just 521 00:30:16,000 --> 00:30:21,400 Speaker 1: start calling them games and then from there break it down. Um, 522 00:30:22,400 --> 00:30:25,040 Speaker 1: it seems that we're still sort of in uh living 523 00:30:25,040 --> 00:30:28,080 Speaker 1: in and us versus them world, although less maybe than 524 00:30:28,160 --> 00:30:31,400 Speaker 1: a couple of years ago. Um, it's all because them 525 00:30:31,520 --> 00:30:37,680 Speaker 1: stupid apparently. Yeah, all right, spoken like one of them anyway. 526 00:30:38,000 --> 00:30:41,120 Speaker 1: So I guess that wraps up our discussion on casual games. 527 00:30:41,160 --> 00:30:43,280 Speaker 1: If you guys have any topics you would like us 528 00:30:43,360 --> 00:30:46,880 Speaker 1: to tackle, whether it's a technology, uh, if it's a 529 00:30:46,920 --> 00:30:50,719 Speaker 1: trend in technology, if it's an innovator, if there's an 530 00:30:50,760 --> 00:30:53,520 Speaker 1: interview you want us to do. Remember we're going to 531 00:30:53,600 --> 00:30:55,920 Speaker 1: try and do more of those this year too. Send 532 00:30:55,960 --> 00:30:58,480 Speaker 1: us a message. You can email us at text up 533 00:30:58,640 --> 00:31:01,560 Speaker 1: at Discovery dut com, or you can send us a 534 00:31:01,640 --> 00:31:04,800 Speaker 1: message via Facebook or Twitter. Are handle at both of 535 00:31:04,840 --> 00:31:08,400 Speaker 1: those is text stuff, hs W and Chris and I 536 00:31:08,440 --> 00:31:11,920 Speaker 1: will talk to you again really soon. It's time to 537 00:31:11,960 --> 00:31:15,640 Speaker 1: harvest my corners. Be sure to check out our new 538 00:31:15,720 --> 00:31:19,080 Speaker 1: video podcast Stuff from the Future. Join House to Work 539 00:31:19,120 --> 00:31:22,680 Speaker 1: staff as we explore the most promising and perplexing possibilities 540 00:31:22,720 --> 00:31:27,160 Speaker 1: of tomorrow. The househu Works iPhone app has arrived. Download 541 00:31:27,160 --> 00:31:34,520 Speaker 1: it today on iTunes. Brought to you by the reinvented 542 00:31:34,520 --> 00:31:37,240 Speaker 1: two thousand twelve camera. It's ready, are you