Criminal Case (video game)

Pretty Simple was founded in 2010 by partners Bastien Cazenave and Corentin Raux and was backed by Idinvest Partners.{{Cite press release|url=https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/explosive-growth-for-pretty-simples-social-game-criminal-case-eight-digit-revenue-forecast-in-only-2-months-188339551.html|title=Explosive Growth for Pretty Simple's Social Game: Criminal Case; Eight-Digit Revenue Forecast in Only 2 Months|last=Simple|first=Pretty|website=www.prnewswire.com|language=en|access-date=April 22, 2018}} Idenvest originally put up €300,000 in seed capital, which was followed by another €2.5 million after the game achieved a level of early modest success.{{Cite news|url=https://www.thelocal.fr/20131210/french-game-criminal-case-wins-facebook-award|title=Made in France 'Criminal Case' conquers Facebook|date=December 10, 2013|access-date=April 22, 2018|language=en|archive-date=March 31, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190331184332/https://www.thelocal.fr/20131210/french-game-criminal-case-wins-facebook-award|url-status=live}} The murder investigation theme was chosen first by the developers, who decided to make the game in the hidden object genre due to it making both business and personal sense.{{Cite news|url=https://www.gamedeveloper.com/business/criminal-case-our-path-to-4m-daus|title=Criminal Case: our path to 4M DAUs|access-date=April 22, 2018|language=en|archive-date=April 22, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180422202812/https://www.gamasutra.com/blogs/SergeVersille/20130415/190523/Criminal_Case_our_path_to_4M_DAUs.php|url-status=live}} Just two months after the games launched, it had one million daily active users.

As of mid-2013, Criminal Case attracted more than ten million monthly average users and became highly competitive with Candy Crush Saga, the most popular game on Facebook with over 46 million average monthly users at that time.{{cite needed|date=April 2018}} The developers explained in late 2013: "To put out an investigation each week, there are almost 30 people working on it. We have writers and artists who just really work hard to put out this content."{{Cite news|url=http://www.adweek.com/digital/pretty-simple-games-announces-criminal-case-for-ios/|title=Pretty Simple Games announces Criminal Case for iOS|access-date=April 22, 2018|language=en-US|archive-date=April 22, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180422210117/http://www.adweek.com/digital/pretty-simple-games-announces-criminal-case-for-ios/|url-status=live}} On December 4, 2013, the game achieved over 100 million users.{{Cite news|url=https://www.gamedeveloper.com/business/facebook-games-on-the-decline-no-one-told-that-to-pretty-simple-games|title=Facebook games on the decline? No one told that to Pretty Simple Games|last=Ligman|first=Kris|access-date=April 22, 2018|language=en|archive-date=April 22, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180422202704/https://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/206182/Facebook_games_on_the_decline_No_one_told_that_to_Pretty_Simple_Games.php|url-status=live}}

Five days later, Criminal Case won the Facebook Game of the Year 2013 award.{{cite web|url=https://developers.facebook.com/blog/post/2013/12/09/facebook-games-of-the-year-2013/|title=Facebook Games of the Year 2013|last=Glasser|first=AJ|date=December 9, 2013|work=Facebook|accessdate=February 23, 2014|archive-date=April 10, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210410092203/https://developers.facebook.com/blog/post/2013/12/09/facebook-games-of-the-year-2013/|url-status=live}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.polygon.com/2013/12/9/5193044/criminal-case-facebook-top-game-2013|title=Facebook crowns Criminal Case the top game of 2013|work=Polygon|access-date=April 22, 2018|archive-date=December 12, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131212083442/https://www.polygon.com/2013/12/9/5193044/criminal-case-facebook-top-game-2013|url-status=live}}{{Cite web|url=https://developers.facebook.com/docs/showcase/criminalcase/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140308042701/https://developers.facebook.com/docs/showcase/criminalcase/|url-status=dead|archive-date=March 8, 2014|title=Criminal Case|date=March 8, 2014|access-date=April 22, 2018}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.cnet.com/news/facebook-selects-criminal-case-not-candy-crush-as-game-of-the-year/|title=Facebook selects Criminal Case (not Candy Crush) as game of the year|date=December 9, 2013|work=CNET|access-date=April 22, 2018|language=en|archive-date=April 22, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180422202710/https://www.cnet.com/news/facebook-selects-criminal-case-not-candy-crush-as-game-of-the-year/|url-status=live}} By this time, the cases had been translated into nine languages,{{Cite news|url=https://lexpansion.lexpress.fr/high-tech/le-jeu-francais-criminal-case-elu-meilleur-jeu-sur-facebook-en-2013_1333907.html#xtor=AL-189|title=Le jeu français "Criminal Case" élu meilleur jeu sur Facebook en 2013|date=December 9, 2013|work=LExpansion.com|access-date=April 22, 2018|language=fr|archive-date=April 23, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180423033427/https://lexpansion.lexpress.fr/high-tech/le-jeu-francais-criminal-case-elu-meilleur-jeu-sur-facebook-en-2013_1333907.html#xtor=AL-189|url-status=live}} and they were making an eight digit sum of revenue.{{Cite news|url=http://www.rudebaguette.com/2013/11/26/criminal-case-reaches-100-million-players-just-in-time-for-its-first-birthday/|title=Criminal Case: 1 year later & 100 Million players|date=November 26, 2013|work=Rude Baguette|access-date=April 22, 2018|language=en-US|archive-date=April 22, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180422202827/http://www.rudebaguette.com/2013/11/26/criminal-case-reaches-100-million-players-just-in-time-for-its-first-birthday/|url-status=live}}

The game has a 40-percent share of Facebook users.{{cite web|url=https://www.thelocal.fr/20131210/french-game-criminal-case-wins-facebook-award|title=Made in France 'Criminal Case' conquers Facebook|last=MacGuill|first=Dan|date=December 10, 2013|work=The Local|accessdate=February 23, 2014|archive-date=March 31, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190331184332/https://www.thelocal.fr/20131210/french-game-criminal-case-wins-facebook-award|url-status=live}} Some reasons cited for the game's success include its graphic crime scenes and meaningful narratives.{{cite web|url=https://developers.facebook.com/showcase/criminalcase/|title=Criminal Case - Facebook Showcase Blog|work=Facebook|accessdate=February 23, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130828171013/https://developers.facebook.com/showcase/criminalcase/|archive-date=August 28, 2013|url-status=dead}} 2017 research by United Worldwide found that 80% of the active players are women aged between 30 and 55.{{Cite news|url=http://creativity-online.com/work/criminal-case-911/51986|title=Criminal Case Targets Female Gamers With a Spot Featuring Kickass Middle-Aged Women|last=Jardine|first=Alexandra|work=Creativity Online|access-date=April 22, 2018|archive-date=April 22, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180422202409/http://creativity-online.com/work/criminal-case-911/51986|url-status=live}}

Seven additional titles, Criminal Case: Pacific Bay, Criminal Case: Save the World!, Criminal Case: Mysteries of the Past, Criminal Case: The Conspiracy, Criminal Case: Travel in Time, Criminal Case: Supernatural Investigations and Criminal Case: City of Romance were launched, the latter being the final game in the franchise.{{Cite news|url=http://www.pocketgamer.biz/the-charticle/67365/are-hidden-object-games-still-finding-success/|title=Are hidden object games still finding success?|work=pocketgamer.biz|access-date=April 22, 2018|archive-date=April 22, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180422202502/http://www.pocketgamer.biz/the-charticle/67365/are-hidden-object-games-still-finding-success/|url-status=live}}

Australian Council on Children and the Media gave the game an amber rating (parental guidance required) due to containing gambling elements.{{Cite web|url=https://childrenandmedia.org.au/app-reviews/apps/criminal-case|title=App review of Criminal Case - Australian Council on Children and the Media|website=childrenandmedia.org.au|access-date=April 22, 2018|archive-date=March 29, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180329111925/https://childrenandmedia.org.au/app-reviews/apps/criminal-case|url-status=live}} Similarly, SaferKid cautioned parents that the title included crude humor and profanity.{{Cite web|url=https://www.saferkid.com/app-reviews-for-parents/criminal-case|title=SaferKid™ App Rating: Criminal Case|website=www.saferkid.com|access-date=April 22, 2018|archive-date=April 23, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180423033433/https://www.saferkid.com/app-reviews-for-parents/criminal-case|url-status=live}} Common Sense Media deemed it "polished" and "interesting".{{Cite news|url=https://www.commonsensemedia.org/game-reviews/criminal-case|title=Criminal Case - Game Review|access-date=April 22, 2018|language=en|archive-date=April 22, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180422202214/https://www.commonsensemedia.org/game-reviews/criminal-case|url-status=live}} AdWeek praised the game's strong story and interesting gameplay.{{Cite news|url=http://www.adweek.com/digital/criminal-case-review/|title=Criminal Case review|access-date=April 22, 2018|language=en-US|archive-date=April 22, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180422203002/http://www.adweek.com/digital/criminal-case-review/|url-status=live}} The Spectrum felt the game was "oddly gruesome" and "whimsical".{{Cite news|url=https://www.thespectrum.com/story/entertainment/2018/02/27/criminal-case-mysteries-past-oddly-gruesome-whimsical/378094002/|title='Criminal Case Mysteries of the Past' oddly gruesome, whimsical|work=The Spectrum & Daily News|access-date=April 22, 2018|language=en}} Funky Games thought it was one of the five best hidden object games for Android or iOS platforms.{{Cite news|url=https://funkygames.de/die-fuenf-besten-wimmelbildspiele/|title=Die fünf besten Wimmelbildspiele für iOS und Android - alle kostenlos!|date=April 14, 2018|work=FunkyGames.de|access-date=April 22, 2018|language=de-DE|archive-date=April 23, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180423033226/https://funkygames.de/die-fuenf-besten-wimmelbildspiele/|url-status=dead}} Kotaku described the game as dark and gritty, though felt that the pay-to-play element of gameplay held them back from progressing.{{Cite news|url=https://www.kotaku.com.au/2012/12/the-dark-and-gritty-criminal-case-could-use-a-little-more-energy/|title=The Dark And Gritty Criminal Case Could Use A Little More Energy|date=December 13, 2012|work=Kotarku Australia|access-date=April 22, 2018|language=en|archive-date=April 22, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180422202228/https://www.kotaku.com.au/2012/12/the-dark-and-gritty-criminal-case-could-use-a-little-more-energy/|url-status=dead}}

{{Reflist|30em|refs=}}

• {{Official website|http://criminalcase.com/}}

Category:2012 video games

Category:Android (operating system) games

Category:Detective video games

Category:Facebook games

Category:Hidden object games

Category:IOS games

Category:Puzzle video games

Category:Video games about police officers

Category:Video games developed in France

Category:Video games set in fictional countries