This month, we’ve seen the launch of Pokemon Go, which has become the biggest social gaming trend in years. The game now has more players than Tinder and is expected to see more active daily users than Twitter by the end of the month. While it is the most popular social game at the moment, there were several others that came before it to help shape the digital gaming market, and we thought we’d take a look at these titles.
Pokemon GO
Well, it’s all you can hear about in the news today. Pokemon Go was launched in several countries this week, and it is becoming a huge fad (almost as popular as the Pokemon trading card game that most of us played when we were pre-teens). The aim of the game is to basically catch ‘em all.
You can find Pokemon basically anywhere, and use Pokeballs to capture them. You can train them to battle and become the leader of gyms (usually located at major landmarks), but most players are in it for the collection aspect.
The reason this game has become so popular is that is has reinvented the classic Pokemon brand in a way that appeals to all gamers today. Using GPS and traditional social gaming methods, Pokemon Go has attracted millions of users so far, and we’re sure to millions more within the next few months.
Candy Crush
Candy Crush is the non-gamer’s game. It was one of the first social gaming titles to become popular among the demographics that you wouldn’t normally expect to play video games.
Mums, dads, busy professionals with long commutes and even grandparents have all found themselves to be hooked on this title at some point. This is because the game is easily accessible, simple to play and fun to share.
The game’s developer, King, managed to really tap into what the average person looks for in a gaming distraction and managed to create one of the most popular social games of all time.
Over the years, Candy Crush has spawned many spin offs (Jelly Saga and Soda Saga) and has inspired other developers to create similar games.
Zynga Poker
Zynga Poker was the first majorly popular social casino application. It offered player the chance to play Texas Hold’Em poker with play money online with friends and strangers. The game has inspired all sorts of gaming developers to launch their own play-money poker and casino apps for both mobile and desktop devices.
The developer Zynga is behind many of the most influential social games, including Words with Friends and Farmville. While the company has certainly suffered some financial setbacks in recent years, there is no denying the huge impact that the company has had on today’s online gaming market.
