Free Realms News & Events & Guides

The LA Times has profiled game designer John Smedley, who worked on the pioneering MMORPG EverQuest back when he was a wet-behind-the-ears computer nerd with a penchant for level grinding and monster slashing. But Smedley has grown up. He got married and started a family, and his latest creation, Free Realms, is meant to be the kind of games his kids would enjoy without making parents like himself worry about what they’re playing.

It’s a phenomenon we see repeated across a wide variety of media. Think of Eddie Murphy how Eddie Murphy used to be known for his raunchy stand-up comedy than his bland starring roles in kid-friendly fluff films. Sure, there’s something to be said for the work-to-money ratio in your average cartoon voiceover job, but it’s silly to think artists who have children wouldn’t want to create material specifically for Free Realms Coins.

Makes you wonder if the rise of casual gaming has more to do with shifts in the gaming audience or the interests of game designers.