There is nothing casual about how formally the casual games industry is kicking ass, and the Casual Games Association has preliminary finding to back that up. A sneak preview of their Casual Games Report 2007 (coming this fall) indicates that the casual games market is booming as more and more people realize that you don't need multi-million dollar budgets and 40+ hours of game play to have a good time. While women continue to be the biggest purchasers of casual games online, making up 74% of all paying customers, research indicates a shift towards casual games across all game-playing demographics.

Online games portals have seen the number of game submissions double over the past few years, and with the strong casual focus on Xbox Live Arcade and the ever-growing mobile gaming market, the growth of casual gaming shows no signs of slowing.

"The casual games industry has been a sleeping giant, but now it's becoming part of every household and a favorite pastime for both young and old, individuals and families," said Jessica Tams, managing director of the CGA. "We are witnessing a resurgence of something very basic: fun. Gamers have gravitated to casual games because they offer a different and engaging side of gaming that is fun, inexpensive, and mentally stimulating."

If you ask me it is all about time. While epic adventures are great for those with the time for it, as gaming gains popularity with the masses there is a newer, busier group of people out there who want to play but don't have the hours to invest. Casual games offer quick fixes for those busy people. Call it gaming's drive-thru window.

Casual Gaming Still Dominated By Woman Says Report [Gamasutra]

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