The Argument for Casual Games in the Corporate World

When I have talked about using game-based learning, I have always tried to help people understand that even very short games, what we'd refer to a 'casual games' - can carry the same impacts (while covering smaller slices of content) than big, huge games. Casual games are a huge segment of the game world - think World of Warcraft is impressive with several million subscribers? Try the casual sector with somewhere over 80 million players.

This article from IGDA does a good job of laying out the case for casual games for training for both implementers and developers. For those looking to implement tech-mediated game-based learning, the reasons look like this (heading + excerpt)

Demographics
"Unless your organization had a large workforce in their early twenties, such as large commercial retailers, the coming shift in demographics made little short term sense. Sure, eventually your entire workforce will be video game savvy, but that tipping point is still a long way off. The reality today is that a significant portion of workers needing training are not video game literate. Moving to games modeled on triple-A console titles might not be the most effective way of reaching large groups in need of training."

Play time and structure
"When time is a scarce commodity, casual games are better suited to offering compelling experiences in short play sessions than the more time-commitment heavy console and PC games."

Network delivery
"The type of game experience that casual games provides is not compromised by small code footprints or browser based delivery. Games that try to be like a triple-A titles, on the other hand, may feel compromised if they are stripped down to network delivered size."

Cost structure
"With this new costing model, customers are aware that they must make tradeoffs. They are willing to take 2D graphics over 3D graphics. They can also live with less sophisticated AI models within the game. The scope of the game can be scaled down to a point where it focuses just on the training essentials."

The reasons for developers look like:

• Leverages current skill set
• Additional revenue stream
• Lightweight & local Business Development

While I am heartened to see this article come along and recommend you reading it, I also see additional battles ahead. I mean, if the term "serious games' garners resistance - I can't wait to go forward with 'casual games.'

Comments

[Amnipata.com]

casual gamers with 80 million so odd gamers um that doesnt sound to casual

http://www.amnipata.com