Casual News – Sept. 4, 2009

Nintendo launches new DSi and Wii remote colors; According to Nielsen, casual gamers play less but come back more often; and Adventure Gamers has a wonderful game design column by Aaron Connors, half of the creative force behind Three Cards to Midnight and the Tex Murphy adventure games. These headlines and more behind the cut.

News

• OnLive launches its much-anticipated beta test for video games on demand
• Nintendo unveils Wii Fit launch date and new colors of DSi, Wii Remote
• Iceberg and Microids launch distribution deal
• THQ opens the online gates for gamers to create their very own animals for the soon-to-be-released World of Zoo video game
• Cerebral Vortex Games opens Thorold office
• GAPP Investigation targets browser-based games
• Heyzap announces the $4,000 Heyzap Payments Contest
• Wizard101 partners with top fan site to reward devotees and build Facebook fans

Features

• Introducing Big Sea Games
• Aaron Connors – 2010: A Game Design Odyssey
• Nielsen: Casual gamers play less, come back often
• Casual games even more additive than Warcraft

Erin Bell