Casual Games: Investment, Time and Effort

It appears to be a trend that those who were not bought up in an environment where gaming was popular, if they later approach games, tend to favour so-called 'casual games'. Many, however, shun games entirely, seeing them as nothing more than a waste of time. More interesting is the group who claim they don't have time 'to waste' on 'serious' games, but nonetheless play casual games.


Figure 1. Bejeweled
Source: Wikipedia

Casual games, such as Bejeweled (fig. 1), may be characterised by the following traits:

• They do not require specialist hardware, such as a console.
  
  
• They do not require installing specialist software, frequently making use of Web-based platforms such as Flash.
  
  
• Many are available free of charge on websites, often as an adjunct to the website's main function (for example Social Networking).
  
  
• The learning curves of casual games are both shorter and less steep than those of 'non-casual' games. This means that the skill differential, as well as time-to-mastery of a casual game is significantly lower.
  
  
• Casual games usually have a high ease and imperative of replayability - forming a tight feedback loop - and commonly (although not universally) also a high replay value.

The penultimate point has the implication that within a short period of time and with minimal effort spent playing a casual game, one can easily become 'good at' the game. This is perhaps the most significant factor contributing to the ascribed 'casual' nature of these games. The final point above, however, contends this nature.

Casual games expect, or perhaps even demand, of the player a significant investment of time during each session of gameplay, to the degree that they have been considered some of the most addictive games (K. Veale, personal communication, February 3, 2010). While the instance of gameplay (from start to 'game over' / replay point) of a casual game may be quite short, an entire session of gameplay frequently comprises many such instances. How many of you have simply put a casual game down after the first go, especially after doing badly?

Many 'non-gamers', including those who play casual games but nonetheless do not self-identify as Gamers, are those who claim (or perhaps once claimed) to not have the time to waste on games. Is it the case that these people feel games are only a 'waste of time' when they require an investment of effort¹ (effort being seen as a subversion of play), or that they simply try out casual games in what spare time they do have and become addicted? If the former is true, does it mean that we are becoming too lazy even for play, and if the latter is true, does it mean that non-gamers are more prone to gaming addictions?

1. In the sense of exertion, rather than ergodicity.