Report: Casual game market topping $2.25 billion

Trade group for casual gaming publishes study of booming industry, touts 20 percent annual growth rate.

The Casual Games Association (CGA) today announced the publication of its hardcore annual look into the casual market. Using data culled directly from game creators and vendors, as well as Pearl Research and Screen Digest, the CGA found that the casual market brings in $2.25 billion a year, and is currently growing at a clip of 20 percent annually.

The group also found that the online audience for casual games is more than 200 million people strong, nearly evenly split along gender lines, with 48 percent of casual players male and 52 percent female. However, the men are a bit thriftier, given that women make up 74 percent of paying casual players. The most popular casual games available were Solitaire, Tetris, Bejeweled, Diner Dash, the QQ Games Collection, and Mystery Case Files.

The report is currently available for $1,500, or $500 for new CGA members. For more on the CGA, check out the group's Web site.

24 Comments

  • DeathIsARight

    Posted Oct 30, 2007 9:24 pm PT

    I don't buy it, a few months ago this site said around 740 million. Whatever casual games bring in its double for hardcore.

  • YukoAsho

    Posted Oct 30, 2007 2:17 pm PT

    I don't see why people are so hateful. As someone mentioned, "hardcore" gaming still accounts for the vast majority of gaming revenue. This is just another niche. Though I don't much like the term "casual" being attached to puzzle games like Tetris. Puzzle games can be every bit as hardcore as FPS/RPG/whatever if done right.

  • Humorguy_basic

    Posted Oct 30, 2007 7:40 am PT

    The growth in casual/retro/independent gaming, especially on PC, is a pure result of gamers turning away from the ever more shallow, ever shorter gameplay (meaning more expensive) and less and less content of modern games. High on graphic splendour and low on gameplay, many modern games are barely more than what expansions would have been in the past, with in many cases less than a dozen hours of gameplay, and even then, with insipid, shallow story-telling, unbelievable or two dimensional characters and gameworlds that appear clones of what has come before many times.

    No wonder gamers are turning to 10 year old games and casual/independent gaming! If you believe no other signs, believe this one. The growth in casual gaming is a direct result on the sales decline in modern gaming.

  • Humorguy_basic

    Posted Oct 30, 2007 7:40 am PT

    duplicate post

  • Humorguy_basic

    Posted Oct 30, 2007 7:32 am PT

    The growth in casual/retro/independent gaming, especially on PC, is an indictment on where modern gaming has taken us over the last 3-4 years. More and more buggy releases, more and more shallow shooters, shorter and shorter games with less and less content and gameplay, with no lowering in the RRP, with the disappearance of so many genres and the juvenile, industry supporting gaming media we have modern gaming will continue to suffer. Where the PC format declines now, so the consoles will soon, unless something changes.

  • KamuiFei

    Posted Oct 30, 2007 6:33 am PT

    I'd rather have the occasional really good game I can spend playing for about 2 months. However, I like some casual games, they keep my gf happy when she comes over to my place. And all guys can agree...if your girl is happy...then you'll be happy too.

  • dorohala

    Posted Oct 30, 2007 5:57 am PT

    Not many males have time to play on their PS3 or xbox 360, for example jobs and making a living!!!

  • kavadias1981

    Posted Oct 30, 2007 12:16 am PT

    People dont have the time for lengthy, complex games these days.

  • Flame_Co

    Posted Oct 29, 2007 8:24 pm PT

    Ummm, Yay?

  • MasterChief725

    Posted Oct 29, 2007 8:08 pm PT

    sweeettt!!

  • lamprey263

    Posted Oct 29, 2007 7:51 pm PT

    So does this mean we'll get more of those gaming cell phones, like the Japanese have, here in North America?

  • Chief_Kuuni

    Posted Oct 29, 2007 7:42 pm PT

    hmm

  • casshern

    Posted Oct 29, 2007 7:00 pm PT

    I think its great to have casual games as long as they are enjoyable and worth the money. This industry needs to grow and it won*t do that with just hardcore games (which i love by the way).

  • hiphops_savior

    Posted Oct 29, 2007 6:20 pm PT

    Nintendo really did their research, and they're raking in more dough then Bill Gates, and he had a monopoly over the OS market. Risks do pay off.

  • ZOnikJJ

    Posted Oct 29, 2007 6:15 pm PT

    zomg... that's a lot.

  • SaintRasmus

    Posted Oct 29, 2007 5:36 pm PT

    Big numbers , but it all so means more bad games.

  • flex49

    Posted Oct 29, 2007 5:34 pm PT

    Casual gamers account for 2.5 billion and hardcore gamers account for 11.5 billion of the 14 billion dollar videogame industry.*

    Why are they catering to the minority when they should be doing the opposite? Hey, a casual game will NEVER make 170 million in one day

  • reactionsok

    Posted Oct 29, 2007 5:34 pm PT

    OBJECTION SANDROS909!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    i love casual games! I DONT HAVE TIME TO GEEK OUT AND SPEND HOURS X DAYS ON GAMES!

    GIVE me a game that i just need to play for 20 minutes!

    I AM THE POSTER BOY FOR THE FUTURE GENTLEMAN!

    I HOPE I RUIN THE FUTURE OF GAMES FOR YOU!

    GUess WHat?! i DONT HAVE TIME FOR THIS SH

  • Sandro909

    Posted Oct 29, 2007 5:08 pm PT

    God damn it! Stop making casual games!

  • the-very-best

    Posted Oct 29, 2007 4:54 pm PT

    It's gonna keep on growing too.

  • clawboy

    Posted Oct 29, 2007 4:50 pm PT

    Gamers whether casual or hardcore spend money on games. This is a surprise to people?

  • digitalpro

    Posted Oct 29, 2007 4:44 pm PT

    Game companies are looking for ways to increase profits. So, they throw out a lot of casual games. If the profits from those game help fund the big hardcore games it kool. But if not it will be a sad day in videogames.

  • Tenjikuronin

    Posted Oct 29, 2007 4:23 pm PT

    20% is pretty big.

    Casual games are where the most money can be made.

  • Jaysonguy

    Posted Oct 29, 2007 4:17 pm PT

    Great.
    People are going to have to understand that gaming is not exclusive and anyone can join the ranks. Hopefully this is another step towards ending the bigotry towards novice users.

  • aaron6581230

    Posted Oct 29, 2007 4:06 pm PT

    As long as hardcore games are still being made, then this is great news

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