Eidos Interactive recently announced a newly established label, SoGoPlay, that is geared towards capitalizing on the popularity of casual games like Puzzle Quest and Lumines. I’ll admit, I was initially excited at the announcement, since I have long since been a fan of casual games. However, upon reviewing their website, and reading that one of their next big titles was fucking Merry-Go-Round Dreams, my growing curiosity popped like a balloon.
Nevertheless, Eidos has made some pretty bold statements about their fledgling company. The goal is to become “THE flagship casual brand” for “not just PC games,” but “also console and mobile games.” In addition, they hope that SoGoPlay will become “synonymous with compelling gameplay, immediate playability and mass market appeal at an affordable price.” Whether or not these are attainable goals, well, I suppose only time will tell. Personally, I think that its universal appeal will depend largely on their ability to appeal to all audiences, and not just prepubescent girls.
One thing is certain, however, and that is the growing appeal for casual games that allows companies like SoGoPlay to become viable market options. 2005 is when the numbers really exploded, as the total revenues for casual games just in the US alone was $314 million, and by 2008, the niche market is expected to become a billion dollar industry. And for those of us with extremely busy lives, casual games are the perfect outlets, so long as we’re not inundated with trite product. You know, like silly games involving merry-go-rounds and dreams, those kinds of games.
Wait . . . shit.
-Bedlam-