[Sughly]

Wow, didn't expect to see 22 replies! Very interesting points being made, though there's some straying into the what adventures should be, 2D 3D arguments, all that jazz and I know it's part of how adventures will evolve, but it's not what I meant to bring up. Besides, those arguments have been made already.

My point is not that adventures are entering the 'mainstream'. What people have said about mainstream audiences and adventures is true - particluarly comments on reviews related to adventures and their not so positive light on them. I'm not too concerned with that, the adventure genre doesn't need to be competing with God of War or Call of Duty to be considered to be rising in popularity (though that being said, I wouldn't protest to high-budget, great looking adventure games trying to innovate the genre appearing in such a manner).

What I think is great is exactly what Jacques commented on, and that's the rising popularity in adventures as well as the increasing number of smaller developers that are creating something exciting and interesting and are getting noticed. Amanita Design have talked about the range of people they get contacting them, from people as young as 4 to those as old as 80. On top of that, people in places you would never consider even try adventures are beginning to discuss titles like Machinarium and Whispered World as 'beautiful', 'interesting' and 'exciting'. Mainstream or not, I think these games are getting a wide appeal, and because they are in digital distribution selling at low costs as someone mentioned they are succeeding quite well considering their size as developers. That's the great thing about digital distribution, is that small developers don't need to compete with the big titles because they are their own thing now.

I'm not suggesting by saying they are on the rise that they are at their most popular point now, I just mean that it's exciting to see that the popularity and attention is growing right now. I hope it does lead to even more great freeware developers like Jacques mentioned so that more original thinkers can be found out and supported. Isn't that how people like Jakub Dvorsky and Dave Gilbert got their beginnings anyway? Heck, I would much prefer to start seeing more and more independent developers and a rise in more Machinarium's and Whispered World's for $20 rather than wandering down to the shop to spend $100 (Australia ) on a Call of Duty 5,6,7...