Playing It Forward

The Gamewright Experience.

- Matt Thrower

Let’s admit to a truth, because it’s a happy truth and not an elephant in the room that’s squashing us. “Casual games” often equates to “family games.” That almost anyone anywhere can and will play small, engaging titles is a key part of their appeal. Yet it feels like a market that’s more limited than it ought to be. Regular folks choose well-known games while gamers tend to opt for things from specialists. So it was a delight to see publisher Gamewright’s mission statement pitched squarely in the middle: create the highest quality family games with outstanding play-value.

I asked Jason Schneider, Gamewright’s Vice President of Product Development, why the publisher focused on family titles. “It’s well reported that families don’t spend enough quality time together,” he replied. “Both parents and kids have so many distractions in this frantic-paced modern world. Games, and in particular, non-screen focused games, are wonderful catalysts for face-to-face family time. I always say that families who play together, stay together.”

However, these are well-worn truths. They don’t justify the genre needing a dedicated publisher. To Jason, it’s a matter of marketing, and of trust. “When you buy a Gamewright game, our hope is that adults will find that it’s full of rich content that will appeal to both parents and kids,” he explained. “While, at the same time, not talking down to young gamers at the exclusion of their parents.”