f.a.q.Casual Games AssociationCasual GamesWhat are casual games? ConferencesWhen and where are the CGA conferences held? Research Reports How do I get a copy of the CGA research report? MagazineWhat is your magazine's focus and circulation? Local Chapters - MinglesWho should I contact to start a CGA chapter or to network with a members? Casual Games AssociationWhat is the Casual Games Association?The Casual Games Association is an international organization with a paid membership of more than 4,000 gaming executives, publishers and developers. Dedicated to promoting casual games for general consumers and providing educational resources for game development, the association hosts annual conferences in Seattle, Kyiv and Amsterdam, publishes a magazine three times a year, and issues research reports on the industry. The association was founded in 2005 by members of the casual games industry. Casual GamesWhat are casual games?Developed for the general public and families, casual games are video games that are fun and easy to learn and play. The games are platform agnostic, meaning they can be played via the Internet, PC and Macintosh computers, Xbox, PlayStation, Nintendo DS, Wii and even mobile phones and PDA. They’re nonviolent, arcade-style games that involve puzzles, words, board and card games, game show and trivia. Popular games are Mahjong, Tetris, Solitaire, Bejeweled, Cake Mania, Mystery Case Files, and Luxor. What is the size of the casual games industry?More than 200 million people worldwide play casual games via the Internet. In 2007, the world wide connected casual games industry had revenues in excess of $2.25 billion on mobile, PC, Mac and Xbox LIVE Arcade platforms. Who plays Casual Games?Casual games appeal to people of all ages, gender and nationalities. It’s estimated that there are more than 200 million players via the Internet. A majority of those who purchase casual games, however, are over 30 and female. In addition, casual games are usually played for a short period of time, from five minutes to 20 minutes – though it’s common for people to play for hours. What’s the difference between casual games and enthusiast (core) games?Think of Atari and games such as Pacman, Space Invaders, Frogger and Donkey Kong. Casual games have maintained the fun, simplicity, boundless creativity that characterizes arcade-style games. On the other hand, enthusiast games also termed core games, such as Grand Theft Auto, Doom and Mortal Kombat, have been developed using high-end technology that appeals more to younger audiences. Using movies as an analogy, casual games would be Friends or ER and enthusiast games would be Reservoir Dogs or Silence of the Lambs. Where do I find casual games, and do they cost money?Online, casual games can be played or downloaded free at many sites, including Yahoo! Games, Pogo, MSN Games, Big Fish Games, Miniclip and Shockwave. Some websites charge $19.95 per downloaded game others offer unlimited subscriptions for $10.00 a month and others supply advertising supported games. Casual games found online can also be purchased at retail stores as well as Wii, DS and PSP versions. How many casual game titles are there?Over 500 casual games are developed and launched on major web portals each year. Typically, the Top 20 games each year generate the majority of the revenue. Who are the largest publishers (creators) of casual games?Casual game industry publishers typically provide funding, development guidance and distribution for casual games for online, retail and mobile platforms. According to the CGA's 2007 Market Report, the largest casual game publishers are:
Who are the largest distributors and retailers of casual games?Casual game industry online, retail and mobile distributors typically provide aggregation services for retail distributors. Some online distributors provide tools and services for online retailers to assist them in interfacing with consumers. According to the CGA's 2007 Market Report, the largest casual game distributors and retailers of casual games are: Online Distributors How much does it cost to develop a casual game?Budgets for casual games downloaded on the internet typically range from 100,000 - 500,000 USD. Casual games can be updated to include other distribution platforms. According to the CGA's 2007 Market Report updating an online casual game for: iPod, mobile & PDA versions cost 20,000 USD, hotel room versions cost 10,000 USD, XBLA versions cost 230,000 USD and handheld versions cost 300,000 USD. ConferencesPlease note: The CGA launched its conference series under the name of Casuality, but due to feedback from our members, have changed the name to Casual Connect.Seattle - SummerThe hub of the Pacific Northwest, Seattle is known for beautiful summers, evergreen landscapes – and enough technology to go around. The city is also ground zero for the casual games industry and home to RealNetworks, Sandlot Games, Microsoft Casual Games, Big Fish Games, Oberon Media and PopCap Games. More casual game consumers purchase games from publishers and distributors in the Seattle Area than any other city in the world. In fact, over 60% of the Top 10 Games in 2006 were developed or published by Seattle companies. Nearly 1,000 developers, publishers, distributors and portals came to Seattle in 2006 for the Casual Games Association’s Seattle Events. Kyiv - FallKyiv, in the Ukraine, is a modern historical city located between Eastern and Western Europe. Eastern Europe is known for excellent school systems that emphasize math and sciences, while fostering creative thinking. Travel to the Ukraine does not require a VISA for EU and USA citizens. About 30% of the Top 10 Games in 2006, including Tetris, were developed in Eastern Europe. More than 300 delegates came to Kyiv in November 2006 for the CGA conference. Amsterdam - WinterWinter is the prime time to visit Amsterdam to see the city’s shimmering lights and when tourists are scarce. It’s when travel is easy and fairly inexpensive. For example, roundtrip airfare from the West Coast of the United States cost about $600 USD and a conference hotel room cost roughly $120 a night. More than 550 delegates came to Amsterdam in February 2006 for the CGA conference. What are the attendee demographics of the conferences?Companies with an average of 100 employees. Here’s a breakdown of attendees by their respective industry:
About 90% of the 306 attendees of the 2006 conference in Kyiv were new to CGA and did not attend the Amsterdam 2007 or the Seattle 2006 conferences. The attendance growth from one conference to the next is 50 - 70%. About 1,200 attendees are estimated to attend the Seattle conference in 2007. Research Reports
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