Casual games 2.0: The social network kind-of-game

Man has been playing games for, well…more or less for ever (games have probably been around longer than the wheel)। The industrial and technological revolutions brought a whole new way to play games. Video games started appearing in the late 4th decade of the 20th century. The game industry growing from niche markets to mainstream took in about USD$9.5 billion in 2007 in the US alone (ESA annual report). Games have become more graphic, more real and more complex! Watch out 20+ old people, casual 2.0 in your way.

The new era has introduced us to both the "web 2.0" and the return of casual games. Casual games usually programmed in Flash or Java, are typically distinguished by their simple rules and lack of commitment required in contrast to more complex hardcore games. Although some gamers may argue that casual games are ruining gaming, others including myself enjoy the fun of simple, fun games that can even be played between engagements.
So, the "Web 2.0"- what does it mean? There are many answers to that question and you will probably get a different one each time you ask, but I'd like to think of it as the social web - the manifestation of the World Wide Web. Social networks are all around us these days, for mass audiences' varying in age, gender, interest and more.
Today we set forward to check some of the social networks out there involving casual games:

Newgrounds
NewGrounds(NG) must be one of the oldest networks around, founded by Tom Fulp in 1995!
NG is mainly a website for people who make Flash items: Flash games and Flash movies (and less for those of us playing the game). High scores won't be saved and you will not earn achievements through playing the game. However, voting on games and movies and reviewing them will be rewarded. It also offers resources for artistic collaborations such as an Audio Portal where musicians can submit their music to be used freely in games and movies.
It is also probably the only casual gaming website (along with K's Hentai section) including adult features: adult games, adult toons, Britney& Paris Hilton parodies, dating sims etc.
Kongregate
Kongregate is a social web games website, described by its founders as "the YouTube of videogames". The site was created in June 2006 by a sister and a brother, Emily and Jim Greer. The Kongregate website itself was designed by Happy Cog Studios.
As of July 2008, Kongregate has raised around $9 million in capital from investments by Reid Hoffman (best known as the founder of LinkedIn), Jeff Clavier, Jeff Bezos (the American founder, president, chief executive officer and chairman of the board of Amazon.com), and Greylock Partners (one of the oldest venture capital firms).
Although, featuring personal profiles and forums it is still hard to define Kongregate as a social network। Its social interface is basic and the main feature appears to be the live chat which opens up in the game window (usually).

Gaming is good for….gamers?!?!

According to a research held by Boston University, gaming can improve surgical skills, junior high students' abilities, and the scientific thinking of real sports players. The bad news? Violent games can make you….violent!

In the American yearly psychology conference, researchers displayed their series of gaming researches, showing that a computer based game, can improve learning abilities and has a real influence over the gamer.


7 grade students had better processing and planning ahead abilities after playing 20 minutes in a video/computer base game they've never seen before. Medical teams were operating better surgical maneuvers as being (after hours…;-)) gamers.


"If you want to find a great doctor, ask him for his gaming history" said the psychologist Duglass Gentiel from Aiwa University. "Instead of – what are my chances, ask your doctor are you a gamer".


World of Warcraft is getting (you) better!!


Studies shows that playing World of Warcraft online multi player role game can really make you think better and calculate more parameters then the next person.


Another research shows that students, who used to play in violent games, were comfortable with real life violence.

The truth about online gaming industry

There are many gaming industry resource and studies but there's nothing like one person accumulated knowledge to revile the truth about the online gaming industry

Myth: Making money from developing Flash games is hard!
Truth: It's not। Making money from Flash games developing is all about your marketing skills – do your homework, check out sponsorships, in-game advertisement, 'pay per intro' methods and 'pay per intro ads click' methods. Don't forget to submit your game into as many game development contests as you can integrate into your game, they'll make your game exposed and might win some amazing amounts for you.

Myth: Getting my game sponsored is easy!
Truth: It's not. The price of sponsorships went from $200-$1500 for the average Flash game, to $1000-$3000 still it is harder to get the sponsor to spend these amount on your game. There are many 'let's make sponsors and game developers come together sites' (like my own blog –

Flash games money making), but your game must be a potential hit to hit the Jackpot।

Myth: Great games are only made by developing teams!
Truth: They're not। Developing teams can make amazing games, but that doesn't mean you can't…If you'll write down everything, you'll make a better game: 1. The name. 2. The feel. 3. The Sounds. 4. The Main character. 5. The intro. 6. The ending. 7. The scoring. As you can see, developing teams succeed for their good developing management, that's it.

Myth: There are only 3 ways to make money from Flash games – Ads, Sponsorships and getting prepaid.
Truth: There are more – Game developing contests; Google Adsense along the side of your personal games portal; In-game advertising; Revenue sharing programs with social gaming networks and more.

Developing game with microsoft Silverlight

Silverlight is microsofts 'new' technology for designing great and dynamic visual content for sites. As flash by Adobe, developers are creating great games with the silverlight technology and making money from developing great flash/silverlight games. This is the basics, for developing Silverlight online game:

1. You'll need Silverlight - Not the developing platform (or it's little sister - Popfly, the mini Silverlight developing platform), you'll need the player. Remember the first time you were trying to run Flash and the browser asked you to approve the Flash download? Well, SL is the same - go to one of microsoft official sites and download it.

2. Check out some great online games written in Silverlight.

3. Get inspired with some samples.

4. Get sponsorship and intro ads for your game.

5. Market your game.