On "casualization": Take a look at the entirety of anyone who buys games. The vast, vast majority are casual gamers. By this knowledge, doesnt it seem most reasonable that a lot of games would cater to a more casual audience? The most successful multiplayer games for instance (cod, bf, etc.) are the "casualized" games you mentioned. Most gamers, myself included, are easily turned off by complicated games with steep learning curves. Thats why these games tend to have smaller but more dedicated player bases. Most gamers just want to turn on a game and have some simple fun without having to do too much thinking. After all, too much thinking is what people want to get away from in games. On economy: Pretty much agree. Games take a lot more time, money, and effort than most people think. Its not just some nerd smashing a keyboard. Also with the shitty economy involved, its even harder to make a good game that will sell. Tldr: casual gamers are a majority companies want to appeal to, and games are expensive to make and the economy doesnt help.