Recommended reading for the casual game industry?

[Popcorn Boy]

What are some of your favorite books, periodicals, blogs, and websites you would recommend regarding the casual games industy? Thanks!

[Sirrus]

So you finally joined IndieGamer after my recommendation at GDC? ;)

The 2006 Casual/Downloadable games whitepaper is a sure bet...
GameProducer.net gives some good insights...
All of the games portals obviously...
GameZebo offers some good reviews...
GameTunnel and Bytten as well (Not so much DIY Games anymore)...

Haven't followed many books geared towards the industry though (perhaps check out Terin/Joe's Indie Marketing book).

Cheers...

[GBGames]

I don't mean to hype up my own blog, but on it, you'll find links to some of game development blogs I read.

[Coyote]

WWW.QATFISH.COM is a good 'aggregator' of game development blogs - especially indie ones.

Yeah, my own blog (http://www.rampantgames.com/blog/) might have some marginal use to indie developers. Well, hopefull to someone.

The indiegamer forums are of course excellent. But you are already here and should know that.

David R. Michaels has a book out called "The Independent Game Developer's Survival Guide" (okay, maybe I botched the title, if so I apologize). It's probably a good primer.

The indiewiki (http://www.indiewiki.org/) has suffered a little bit of neglect lately, but it's still up and has fairly current links.

I also recommend Joseph Lieberman's book, "The Indie Developer's Guide to Selling Games." His website & blog (www.vgsmart.com) are also useful.

Beyond that, I recommend visiting the casual games portal sites and trying out the top games, and of course the forums specific to whatever tools / engines you are using. And I second everything Alex mentioned above :)

[GBGames]

David R. Michaels has a book out called "The Independent Game Developer's Survival Guide" (okay, maybe I botched the title, if so I apologize). It's probably a good primer.


It depends on which angle you're looking. B-)