PopCap Games acquires game maker Gastronaut Studios

PopCap Games acquires game maker Gastronaut Studios

PopCap Games has acquired Gastronaut Studios for an undisclosed amount to expand its presence in Xbox Live and Xbox 360 markets.

Seattle-based PopCap is one of the most successful developers of casual games — lightweight games that can be played in a short amount of time,… Continue Reading

Amazon sparks controversy over casual games pricing

Amazon sparks controversy over casual games pricing

Amazon.com purchased casual game portal Reflexive back in October. So it came as no surprise when Amazon launched a casual games download service last Tuesday.

Now any of the 88 million yearly Amazon customers can purchase and download casual games for just $9.99 each.

But at the… Continue Reading

PopCap Games’ retail revenues up 85 percent in 2008 as PC game sales dive

PopCap Games’ retail revenues up 85 percent in 2008 as PC game sales dive

PopCap Games said its U.S. retail revenues for PC games were up 85 percent in 2008. The Seattle-based maker of casual games managed to pull that off in a year when U.S. PC retail game market fell 14 percent to $701.4 million (see below).

The private… Continue Reading

Bejeweled, a video game chasing Solitaire, hits 25 million copies sold

Bejeweled, a video game chasing Solitaire, hits 25 million copies sold

It’s not often that video games hit the milestone of 25 million. A handful of titles have gotten there, such as Pokemon, The Sims, Windows Solitaire, and Tetris. Bejeweled is joining those ranks today, according to its developer, PopCap Games.

The Seattle company says it has… Continue Reading

Funtactix launches cross-platform Moondo gaming universe

Funtactix launches cross-platform Moondo gaming universe

Funtactix wants to set itself apart in online games by addressing one of the most annoying problems: the inability for users to take their game characters and achievements from one game to another. With the Moondo cross-gaming universe being unveiled today, you can do just… Continue Reading

PopCap Games takes a stab at games in China

PopCap Games takes a stab at games in China

U.S. video game companies haven’t done well in China. Stymied by piracy and sometimes unable to understand the tastes of Chinese gamers, they’re floundering in one of the fastest-growing game markets.

But Seattle-based PopCap Games, which has pioneered the development of casual games such as “Bejeweled,”… Continue Reading

PopCap Games executive interview: Don’t be stupid, have fun

PopCap Games executive interview: Don’t be stupid, have fun

If there is a hit factory in casual video games, it’s PopCap Games. While other companies drove the industry to increasingly complex and narrowly-focused games, Seattle-based PopCap has broadened the market for games and revived the arcade-like feel of early video games. About 76 percent of… Continue Reading