San Francisco (CA) – The golden age of hard core gaming has drawn to an abrupt close. According to Rich Hilleman of EA, the industry is experiencing a significant demographic shift, with casual and social gamers outnumbering their hard core counterparts.
Hilleman – who made his remarks at Hot Chips 2009 – explained that platforms such as the iPhone and Wii have contributed to the rise of the casual gamer. Various MMOS’s, including World of Warcraft (WoW) have also impacted the playing field.
Hilleman also noted that casual gamers have little interest in spending huge sums of money on custom rigs and instead choose to purchase netbooks or notebooks.
In addition, Hilleman touted the concept of “gaming ubiquity,” which allows individuals to play the same title over multiple platforms.
Finally, Hilleman emphasized that the industry is moving away from immersive gaming that dominates a player’s life. Instead, studios are choosing to design games that accommodate busy lifestyles.
