22. The Rise of the Casual games: for the Communication beyond Nostalgia

Title(KR)

• 캐주얼 게임의 부상: 향수를 넘어 소통으로

Title(ENG)

• The Rise of the Casual games: for the Communication beyond Nostalgia

Keywords(KR)

• Casual Game, Nostalgia, Communication, SNS, Retro trend

Keywords(ENG)

• Casual Game, Nostalgia, Communication, SNS, Retro trend

Author

• Kihl, Taesuk

Abstract(ENG)

This study presents the popularization phenomena of casual games in Korean society by analyzing them in terms of 'nostalgia' and 'communication'. Casual games refer games that can be played in steps with least amount of knowledge such as 'Ani-Pang', 'Everyone's Marble' , 'Dragon's Flight' and etc. The games are published through SNS(Social Network Service), and they are also popular to 40 middle-aged class in Korea nowadays. However, these popular games are retro games that utilized original games' elements and characteristics such as 'Bejeweled' and 'Xevious' which was popular in the 80-90s. The reason why common players in 40s play retro games in SNS is to possess happiness formed with nostalgia imagery by public. In addition, the retro games allow people's communication by incorporated into social network as a member through game playing. As a result, popularization of casual games through SNS focused on common players in 40s is related to nostalgia. And the characteristics of nostalgia can be seen not only as a pleasure realization of desire but also as a tendency that shows desire of community recovery and acquisition of identity within the community.

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