The Rise of the Casual Gamer

"Any intelligent fool can make things bigger and more complex....It takes a touch of genius and a lot of courage to go in the opposite direction" - Albert Einstein.

If you haven't noticed, there has been this huge trend in America, that may overshadow our economic woes and be on the verge of reconstructing our entire society. This trend extends from the lowest economic strata to the very heart of the so-called "One Percent".

It strikes fear in the heart of the technology sector, because it threatens to break the stranglehold that industry has on our youth. It causes shudders among the casino owners, because it challenges their ability to extract hard-earned cash from the wallets of would-be gamblers. And it promotes and engages entrepreneurs and business owners, because it promotes local purchase of locally-produced retail products.

What is it that is causing this weather change? How would such a change benefit consumers and the trades alike? Where does this new surge begin, and to what end is it expanding its influence?

Casual games.

Okay, perhaps those beginning paragraphs are a bit dramatic. The elections of next week won't hang on which game products are the best-sellers. Parents won't feel more secure about their children if the newest titles become available at their Friendly Local Game Stores (FLGS). The economy won't spin on a dime just because you bought a copy of the coolest tabletop game you have ever seen.

But I do tell you, there is a change afoot of that grandiose measure. They speak of the "jobless recovery." I see instead a resurgence of a Leisure Economy. People will find more happiness and less pain in playing a few more board games or card games at home than if they spent that same dollar on the latest Hollywood blockbuster. There will be more joy in every heart when they break out the trivia game or Charades. Party games would be far more enjoyable than Party Politics.

We are in the backstretch for 2012, and in this season we all turn toward thoughts of family and friends, far more than what is going on sale when. And even when the thoughts turn to what to buy, remember that if you are buying gifts, buy games. We all need the break from the pattern. Now is the time, here is the place to make the stand.

And if you put it out on the table, there will be people to play. It is in our nature to want to communicate. So open up that game closet, and join the revolution. The Casual Game Revolution.