Social Games Earn a High Score for Friendly Fun

Playing games is always more fun when it’s done with friends. Nowhere is this proving truer than in the world of casual online games. From the online communities which exist around the games, to casual games with integrated social elements, players have come to expect that gaming is no longer a solitary pursuit. With so many opportunities for interaction, many are now referring to them as “social games”.

In many ways, online casual gaming is inherently social. Much as a card game in the old days was really about getting together with friends, today’s online casual games provide a new means for staying connected.

For starters, communities have sprung up around online games – often with the encouragement of game developers which have launched their own social networks. Slingo, Inc., a leader in the casual games industry, is among the companies at the forefront of this trend. In 2006, the company launched the first online social networking community geared towards women at Slingo.com, which enables users to connect with their friends and family, search for new friends with common interests, and get more involved with people who enjoy games as much as they do.

Casual games are also making connections and gaining viral distribution via their positioning on leading social networks, such as MySpace and Facebook – and mobile platforms. These games are even connecting users via cross-social-network developer platforms, blurring the lines that indicate where one online community ends and another begins. As the Web continues to become more open and shared, it’s only natural that casual gaming will continue to explore new territory when it comes to interactivity. The only thing that never seems to change is that everything is better when friends are together.

Whether it’s from the relaxation of a quick game break or the positive feelings associated with a shared challenge, casual gaming unites people around a common interest and results in the creation of many life-long friendships. And, while niche social networks continue to enjoy great popularity with players, social interaction is no longer taking place solely in the communities around the games. The newest generation of casual games offers enhanced in-game interaction.

Communicating with and competing against your friends is now often a core component of the game itself. Players are attracted by both the thrill of the game and the fun of being part of an active community. Through online interaction, plus in-game chat and messaging, casual game players can build meaningful relationships with people they might have never met otherwise.

Players form such authentic connections with each other in the casual games sphere that many are willing to take those relationships beyond the online world. For instance, Slingo reports that the members of its online community frequently organize social events on their own. A classic example of this phenomenon comes from Memorial Day 2009, when a passionate pair of Slingo players known as Philly1900 and Phillysgirl86 opened up their home in Syracuse, New York to their fellow players for a day of food and fun conversation. “We were very comfortable with each other, it wasn’t like it was our first time meeting in person, it was like we’ve known each other for years. They welcomed us into their home as if we were family,” recalls Slingo player Babs51162. “This is because of Slingo Millennium New York, where we play, where we met, where we act like our silly selves and became friends. Each of us behaves in person the same way we are in the game, laughing (sometimes to the point of crying from laughing so hard), being ourselves, being comfortable with each other without ever having met before.”

While today’s online games provide players with a fun way to pass the time, it’s the social elements that really keep them coming back for more. People are now able to connect with each other and build meaningful relationships in ways that were never before possible. For game makers, the benefit of these strong bonds is that they translate into long-term, fully engaged players, offering an added value to advertisers beyond that offered by other game formats.

About R.L. Fielding

R.L. Fielding has been a freelance writer for 10 years, offering her expertise and skills to a variety of major organizations in the education, pharmaceuticals and healthcare, financial services, and manufacturing industries. She lives in New Jersey with her dog and two cats and enjoys rock climbing and playing online games.

About Slingo

Slingo.com is a leading online destination for people who love to play games, win prizes and have fun. In fact, 1 out of every 20 people in the U.S. has played Slingo online. The Slingo website offers free, original online games, downloadable games, and contests with cash prizes, as well as a social-networking community for game players. For more information, please visit http://www.slingo.com/.