Casual News – March 20, 2009

Her Interactive launches a redesigned web site for Nancy Drew fans; Big Fish Games’ virtual world Faunasphere goes into closed beta; and Gamezebo goes "behind the game" with Women’s Murder Club: A Death in Scarlet. These headlines and more behind the cut.

News

• Big Fish Games’ virtual world Faunasphere goes into closed beta
• Rebel Monkey enabling fun through its casual, real-time multiplayer gaming platform
• Her Interactive unveils new website design for Nancy Drew fans worldwide
• Enkord releases IncaTomb
• Step up to the plate with Restaurant Empire 2
• EA launches puzzling adventure Henry Hatsworth for Nintendo DS
• EA launches Scrabble on handheld videogame platforms
• Sci Fi launches ventures for new games, online destinations
• Conduit Labs unveils Loudcrowd social music game site
• SwitchGames.com gives developers taste of used-game market
• EA delivers Hasbro Family Game Night to Xbox Live Arcade
• NeoEdge increases revenue by 300 percent over previous quarter

Features

• DRM and casual piracy
• Interview: SPIL Games (Part One)
• 30 million iPhones sold – now that’s a game platform
• Virtual goods on the iPhone could generate big revenues for game firms
• Zeebo launching low-cost game console for developing worlds

Erin Bell