With casual games such as “Bejeweled” (pictured), the game industry is finding a highly profitable way to reach an untapped demographic, namely women.
The cost of casual games games is low enough to allow sponsors to offer free games that are tinged with their branding throughout. Tyson Foods, for example, offered a version of “Bejeweled” in which the game’s standard jewel icons were replaced with poultry-themed graphics.
In the casual game “Zuma,” players try to unlock the mysteries of Zuma’s hidden temples.
Bill Detwiler is the Editor for Technical Content and Ecosystem at Celonis. He is the former Editor in Chief of TechRepublic and previous host of TechRepublic's Dynamic Developer podcast and Cracking Open, CNET and TechRepublic's popular online show. Previously, Bill was an IT manager in the social research and energy industries. He has bachelor's and master's degrees from the University of Louisville, where he has also lectured on computer crime and crime prevention.
