Casual gamers don't care about bad reviews

Author: Joe Martin
Published: 7th December 2007
Comments (13) Stumble
BeSpelled is worth hanging up the phone for. Hell, BeSpelled is good enough to kill for!

BeSpelled is worth hanging up the phone for. Hell, BeSpelled is good enough to kill for!

Casual games tend not to get very good reviews from many of the big-hitters - that's a pretty well established fact. However, casual games also sell really well (much better than critically acclaimed classics like Beyond Good and Evil). Can you see the conundrum developing here?

Apparently, EA has the answer. President of Casual Games Kathy Vrabeck told Next-Gen just why she doesn't really care about game reviews anymore. Gee, thanks Kathy.

"I get less concerned about game reviews because the casual gamers don't read any of those things...It's a little bit amusing, in that it's people reviewing games against measures that are important to core gamers yet are not important to casual gamers," said Kathy.

So, pray tell, what type of review scale should we critics use to rate casual games with? Thankfully, EA has a few ideas about that too.

"The measurement [of a game's appeal] for women aged 25 to 34 would more likely be whether or not they'd hang up on their girlfriend to play this game," EA Casual Marketing VP Russell Arons told Next-Gen. "'Would you hang up a phone conversation for this game?' That'd probably be a truer measure for that target audience."

So, just to be clear for all you casual gamers, Peggle is worth putting the phone down for only if you're speaking to your mother-in-law or a particularly hated sibling. BeSpelled meanwhile is worth hanging up on Jesus for - it's that addictive.

Personally I don't see it taking off, but what do you think? How should games be rated and how do our reviews influence your purchases? Let us know in the forums.
Quote Zurechial 7th December 2007, 13:03
I wish all casual games were free, not because I want them (couldn't be bothered with most) but because it'd prevent these 'casual gamers' from influencing the direction and aims of the big companies with their consumer-money.

The market is already watered-down with enough half-arsed dross as it is, a shift in priorities will only make that worse and discourage publishers further still from funding innovative, intelligent hardcore-gaming experiences (like System Shock 2) for those of us who see gaming as a serious hobby and something with artistic merit.

(I swear I'll mention that game at least once in every rant about the state of the games market. :p)
Quote CardJoe 7th December 2007, 13:16
Quote:
Originally Posted by Zurechial
(I swear I'll mention that game at least once in every rant about the state of the games market. )

True, but thats why I love ye! ;)
Quote Angleus 7th December 2007, 13:19
Quote:
Originally Posted by Zurechial
I wish all casual games were free, not because I want them (couldn't be bothered with most) but because it'd prevent these 'casual gamers' from influencing the direction and aims of the big companies with their consumer-money.

The market is already watered-down with enough half-arsed dross as it is, a shift in priorities will only make that worse and discourage publishers further still from funding innovative, intelligent hardcore-gaming experiences (like System Shock 2) for those of us who see gaming as a serious hobby and something with artistic merit.

(I swear I'll mention that game at least once in every rant about the state of the games market. :p)

This is truth.
I think we as PC gamers are going to end up relying on more and more indie developers to give us some sort of credible gaming experience, since the industry is getting more and more preoccupied with sales figures and 'target markets', as in ignore 'hardcore' gamers for 'casual' gamers buy games which are cheaper and easier to produce
Quote cjoyce1980 7th December 2007, 13:35
I can't say that I'm a hardcore gamer, but I'm not casual either. I do enjoy reading reviews about games that I think I might enjoy playing, like bioshock, assassins creed, etc..... which are amazing games!

But when it come to my annual purchase of a football game, it's either FIFA or Pro Evo, that's never based on reviews I always try before I buy.

Reviews are more important to games that have not established themselves. Franchises are more of the same with extra bits added on, and so reviews are less important, it more about the costumers preference, if you use my FIFA and Pro Evo example.
Quote Zurechial 7th December 2007, 14:01
Quote:
Originally Posted by CardJoe
True, but thats why I love ye! ;)

Aww shucks! :o
Quote aggies11 7th December 2007, 17:01
Agree wholeheartedly.

If Peggle hadn't came out, Crysis would have been loads better!

...

Aggies
Quote 8igdave 7th December 2007, 17:13
the link goes to a differnt story for me...
Quote boiled_elephant 7th December 2007, 17:15
Quote:
Originally Posted by Angleus

I think we as PC gamers are going to end up relying on more and more indie developers to give us some sort of credible gaming experience, since the industry is getting more and more preoccupied with sales figures and 'target markets'

QFT. Look at Darwinia for an example, and the history of Portal. And has anyone here played Platypus? That **** is fantastic. Beats F.E.A.R. for enjoyment value any day.
Quote ssj12 7th December 2007, 17:41
maybe its because most casual gamers dont know what IGN or 1up is...
Quote wolff000 7th December 2007, 20:29
I read reviews on sites i trust but that doesn't keep me from playing a game myself. People have different tastes and just because a reviewer I usually agree with doesn't like it doesn't automatically mean I won't like it. That's why I love renting games so I can at least try before I buy, for my console games anyway. I wish you could do that with pc games as well. I know it wouldn't work for pc games because of piracy but it would be nice.
Quote salesman 7th December 2007, 23:47
Quote:
Originally Posted by Angleus
Quote:
Originally Posted by Zurechial
I wish all casual games were free, not because I want them (couldn't be bothered with most) but because it'd prevent these 'casual gamers' from influencing the direction and aims of the big companies with their consumer-money.

The market is already watered-down with enough half-arsed dross as it is, a shift in priorities will only make that worse and discourage publishers further still from funding innovative, intelligent hardcore-gaming experiences (like System Shock 2) for those of us who see gaming as a serious hobby and something with artistic merit.

(I swear I'll mention that game at least once in every rant about the state of the games market. :p)

This is truth.
I think we as PC gamers are going to end up relying on more and more indie developers to give us some sort of credible gaming experience, since the industry is getting more and more preoccupied with sales figures and 'target markets', as in ignore 'hardcore' gamers for 'casual' gamers buy games which are cheaper and easier to produce


I agree completely. ive also found that pulling out old classics like morrowind (god that only came out less than a decade ago) and popping it in for a whirl quite satisfying, which sounds like an analogy to an audiophile talking about how much better vinyls are to cds. So i guess i could be that guy, if i don't accept where the gaming market is shifting, but then again if its about the money all i have to do to change the market is reach into my pocket pull out my plastic and play hard to get... not hard to do with great games like morrowind out there already.
Quote Kurayamino 8th December 2007, 00:05
You mean they just fall for the flashy tv adverts, i'd say that was stupidity.
Quote AcidJiles 8th December 2007, 09:21
Quote:
Originally Posted by Kurayamino
You mean they just fall for the flashy tv adverts, i'd say that was stupidity.

most people are stupid
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