Gamertell

It’s no secret that people are cutting back. Unemployment, foreclosure and all sorts of other calamities are befalling families across the US, so it’s no surprise that for many people, entertainment is taking a backseat. Midway and EA are just two of the companies facing some serious losses.

Now is the time when companies have to rethink how they market games. Video game developers and publishers have to rely on casual and multiplayer games. While what TIME says holds true, that is that people will rely on forms of entertainment that will provide the best value during times of economic crisis. The analogy that TIME offers suggests people would be more likely to spend $7 on a movie than $23 or $50 on a baseball game or concert.

It can be easy to take that a step further. People would be more likely to spend $9.99, or perhaps even $29.99 or $49.99, on a game that they can own and replay, perhaps even with friends, than spend $7, $23 or $50 on a one time event.

Here is where casual games first start to look appealing. Most casual games, for the PC or for consoles, cost between $9.99 and $19.99 for a full version. In addition, many casual publishers, like PopCap or Big Fish Games, offer free demos. People can sample the game, determine whether or not it appeals to them, and then take the next step.

More expensive, casual console games can even still sell when people are cutting back. Look at a title like Wii Fit. Seeking Alpha reports it has sold over 5 million copies, and both The Industry Standard and Gamasutra have data showing it was in the top five games of 2008. Despite Wii Fit‘s $89.99 price tag, it still sells. 

This can be attributed to the amount of player commitment involved. Some casual games, like Peggle, Tetris, Solitaire and Cake Mania sell because there is no need to commit to them. You can play the game for three days straight, stop for a week, then return and pick up almost exactly where you left off.

Other casual games, like Wii Fit, The Sims 2, Nintendogs and Animal Crossing, sell for the opposite reason - they require total commitment. Once players begin playing, you need to continue playing on some sort of schedule in order to see results.

The level of commitment, or lack of commitment, also has a direct effect on the replayability of games. Casual games you can play anytime, anywhere, for any period of time can become timeless classics. Each time you play will be different, and so you can play an infinite amount of times. On the other hands, games that require some sort of play schedule end up gradually becoming a part of the player’s life and routine, and then become invaluable.

As mentioned earlier, games with strong multiplayer components are also going to continue to sell. A quick look back at The Industry Standard, Seeking Alpha, Gamasutra suggests this. All three articles at the three sites keep mentioning the same games - Mario Kart Wii, Super Smash Bros. Brawl, Call of Duty (Either Modern Warfare or World at War), and Halo 3. These aren’t inexpensive games - Halo 3 is the cheapest at $39.99 and the Call of Duty games are most expensive, costing as much as $59.99 if you purchase the Xbox 360 or PS3 versions.

A glance at the GameFaqs user forums reinforces the assertion that multiplayer games will continue to sell, no matter what console they’re on or how much they cost. On January 17, 2009, at 12:26pm CST, the DS, PC, PS3, Wii and Xbox 360 forums provided instant information on multiplayer games’ success.

The DS Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection enabled games Pokemon Diamond/Platinum, Animal Crossing: Wild World, Metroid Prime Hunters and Jump Ultimate Stars ‘s forums were all among the top 10. Multiplayer games like World of Warcraft, MapleStory, Team Fortress 2 and Final Fantasy XI were most active in the PC section. Venturing over to the PS3, Wii and Xbox 360 sections shows that forums for multiplayer games like Street Fighter IV, Call of Duty: World at War, Mario Kart Wii, Animal Crossing: City Folk, Rock Band 2, Left 4 Dead and Metal Gear Online are the most active.

Once again, commitment and replayability will be deciding purchasing factors for potential players. Like with casual games, games that require regular commitment and those you can pick up and play anytime will each find success. Animal Crossing: City Folk, World of Warcraft, MapleStory and FFXI are all examples of multiplayer games were a community begins to form. Players will be drawn in and continue to play not only for the game, but also to socialize with other players.

Games like Super Smash Bros. Brawl, Call of Duty, Halo 3 and Street Fighter IV may also build communities, but primarily they are the sort of game where you can come and go, playing at your leisure. You don’t have to be a small part of a larger whole to go online and play against others.

As for replayability, the notion that each play session is unique is revived. Just like with casual games, players approach in each playthrough will be slightly different. Only with multiplayer games, the input of other, human players keeps the experience fresh. You may be playing with different people each time, in some multiplayer games. Or, you could end up always playing with the same people, but tackling different challenges and opponents.

Read [The Industry Standard] Also Read [Seeking Alpha] Also Read [TIME] Also Read [Gamasutra] Site [GameFaqs]