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Windows Games, Nintendo, Xbox and PsP => Windows 10, 8.1, 7 |PC Games => Topic started by: javajolt on December 24, 2015, 01:57:11 AM
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Earlier in December, Microsoft’s casual games development team put its next Windows 10 game up for a public vote.
Windows blog readers had the choice of voting for Hearts, Bubble, Chess, Word and Casino, each offering something new to the Microsoft Store, yet familiar to those keen on their casual fun.
The vote closed last week, and now the results are in. Cue long pause to raise the drama.
Among the contenders, Chess, Hearts and Casino are pretty self-explanatory titles, while Bubble offers a Match-3 style diversion, but the winner, in an apparently close vote, was Microsoft Ultimate Word Games.
No doubt lots of Scrabble players voted for this, but since Microsoft doesn’t have the license, Ultimate Word Games it is.
And, let’s face it there are plenty of chess and card games already on the store, so we welcome a more cerebral title.
No word yet on what the package will offer exactly, but pick your favorites from the many free to play word games across the many app stores out there and you probably won’t be far off.
Presumably the other titles will still get released, just later down the line. With millions of fans, it might be easy to dismiss these games, but they have their place on any operating system, and refining them for Windows 10 can only make them more popular.
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Casual Games Are Serious Business
To keep casual players involved in the process, Microsoft is opening up a Casual Inner Circle (http://microsoftstudios.com/microsoftcasualgames/join-the-inner-circle/).
Members can provide their opinions and feedback on early game features and designs, while getting to play beta builds. Additional benefits will include:
• Get early access to exclusive builds.
• Help choose the next features we work on.
• Get behind the scenes information on our games.
• Collaborate on the development process.
• Help shape the future of our games.
We expect that the ad-sponsored nature [since Windows 8] and in-app purchases of these games will continue to annoy some players. However, these titles are only going with the market, and it is good to see Microsoft adding more fun elements to Windows 10.
The casual titles, including Solitaire, Mah Jongg and others are largely benign and add some fun for people not into hardcore games like Star Wars and GTA.
They can also play on any PC, with no need for overclocking, monster graphics cards or RAM, and despite their modest status, they appeal to a huge range of users.
Hit the MSN Zone
Microsoft’s MSN Zone (http://zone.msn.com/en-us/home) has long been a home for casual PC gamers.
It offers a huge number of browser titles and downloadable free games, not too dissimilar to these Windows 10 casual titles that people play in huge numbers.
With thousands of people playing the likes of Bejeweled, Mah Jongg, Jigsaws and word games like Text Twist and JustWords, these will probably act as the inspiration for Microsoft’s new Windows 10 casual titles.
While many users will never stray far from Solitaire and Minesweeper, it is a positive thing to see Microsoft keeping producing new titles for the Windows Store and makes for an easy supply of mobile releases.
We wouldn’t be surprised if there was another vote early in 2016, so keep an eye out.
Of course, many businesses are against finding surprise games on their systems, so they can easily be removed from office PC installations.
That helps reduce the temptation to fill some idle time with a little fun. Presumably that’s a feature highlighted in one of Microsoft’s IT presentations when it highlights Windows 10’s improved control over user systems.