Casual News – Feb. 26, 2009

Gamasutra’s Emily Short offers an in-depth analysis of Chocolatier: Decadence By Design; PlayFirst gets a new CEO; and InstantAction releases a technology that makes it possible to play 3-D games in your web browser. These headlines and more below.

News

• Mari Baker joins PlayFirst as Chief Executive Officer
• Management turns over at casual game publisher PlayFirst
• I-play partners with James Patterson to launch second Women’s Murder Club game
• Gogii Games launches sequel to Nanny Mania
• PopCap Games acquires Gastronaut Studios
• More PopCap classics coming to Nintendo DS
• Peggle Nights now available for Mac
• FreemantleMedia makes Ludia investment
• Casual gaming revenues to top $1 billion by 2013
• InstantAction enables 3-D games in web browsers
• Calling all game startups: Stand up and get noticed at GamesBeat 09
• Nintendo’s next three months are full of surprises
• Majesco Entertainment announces Go Play Circus Star for Wii
• Konami reveals new Magician’s Quest Mysterious Times screenshots and details
• Moshi Monsters breaks 1.5 million players
• Let the W3Games Begin: GSN and WorldWinner kick off first world championship tournament in Solitaire Rush
• Shanda posts higher Q4 profit

Features

• Analysis: Why user-generated virtual chocolate… works?
• iWin launching virtual world for the casual gaming set
• Interview with Lennard Feddersen, Rusty Axe Games
• Interview with Chanon Sajjamanochai, Executive Game Producer of Viqua Games
• Upper Deck hopes to win kids back to collecting cards in the virtual world
• iPod Touch could be "final nail in the PSP’s coffin"
• In-Depth: InstantAction’s browser gaming, Facebook, iPhone plans
• Interview: Handmark Studios

Erin Bell