Congratulations, English! There’s now a thing called “entertainment snacking.”

• Super-popular Angry Birds is just one of the “casual games” now dominating the digital marketplace. These games are accessible to nearly everyone because they’re rooted in basic physics concepts and extremely easy to understand.
• A study showed that casual gaming actually reduced stress and improved mood in players, most of whom report that they play while waiting for appointments. One of the characteristics of Angry Birds is that it doesn’t punish players for failing – its feedback mechanism is reward-only.
• Simple games aren’t new, but they’ve always been popular – just look at Tetris or Bejeweled. Alas, eventually all games run out of levels, so developers will have to keep innovating to feed the time-killing needs of their audience.

Facts & Figures

• Angry Birds has sold more than 12 million copies since last year
• The average session of casual gaming lasts less than 15 minutes
• Famous Angry Birds addicts: David Cameron (the UK Prime Minister), Salman Rushdie, Conan O’Brien

Best Quote

“[I'm] something of a master at Angry Birds.” – Salman Rushdie, Booker Prize-Winning Novelist