What is a Social Game?
Like the software industry that spawned it, Games tend to like to follow trends, running down a new path in search of success long after any genuine creativity has disappeared. But even as we breathlessly reach the end of the road in one direction, a new way is revealed in another direction.
And so it is with Social Gaming.
It’s hot, it’s new, it’s the trend that’s somehow managing to garner precious venture dollars during a time of economic collapse, and to create genuine excitement… But what is it exactly that makes a game “social”?
Yes, it’s about other people. But there’s got to be more to it than just “connectivity”, or “multiplayer”. We’ve had those things for years, and while they’ve been great, it’s hardly spawned a revolution.
Or maybe like “Web 2.0″ we don’t actually need a definition. We’ll just know what it is when we see the investment money start rolling in…
But let’s take a shot at it anyway:
A Social Game is one where other people are an in-game resource for the player.
To be a true social game it needs to be more than just a way to connect people. There has to be a way to use them in your gaming experience so that you’ll actively go out and recruit other people to play with you. It’s viral, because if it isn’t the game wouldn’t be as good.
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