Hot Summer in the City: 2011 Casual Game Outlook
As most of the United States struggles with record heat waves, the summer of 2011 may also be recorded as one of the hottest in the brief history of casual games. As the mercury continues to reach its highest heights, so are the valuations on casual games companies—witness Zygna's upcoming $1 billion IPO and EA's $750 million+ purchase of PopCap. Yet, Nintendo's staggering loss of approximately $300 million in Q1 shows a marketplace struggling with balance. Overheated, interglacial or ice age? Where is casual gaming going? An examination of key indicators provides some insights to this changing climate.