Nintendo has tapped a vein far broader and deeper than niche enthusiasms for most gaming hardware. It’s opened gaming to a whole new, casual audience. MSNBC has the story.
Nintendo has already sold more than 7 million Wiis in the United States to date — and has sold its concept to everyone from typical geeks and kids to retirement home residents. Now other publishers are scrambling to clone Nintendo’s triumph and carve out their own slice of the casual-gaming market.
In May, Ubisoft expanded its casual games division. In June, Electronic Arts launched EA Casual Entertainment. Two months later, it signed a seven-year pact with Hasbro to create digital versions of its properties, including the likes of Nerf, Monopoly, and Scrabble. Take-Two created casual label 2K Play in September. Last November, Majesco Entertainment announced a new casual studio. Kuju Entertainment’s US branch will focus on casual games. Call it the casual gold rush.
