video game: Windows 2000 Bejeweled

PopCap Games, founded in 2000 by the trio of John Vechey, Brian Fiete and Jason Kapalk, released their first game in 2001. Originally entitled Diamond Mine, the game used the same mechanics pioneered in Shariki, but utilized multi-colored gems instead of balls. The gem format also allowed for different shapes, to make it even easier for players to distinguish between pieces. The title changed when Microsoft, with whom PopCap was working to host the game, noted that a game from the 1980s called “Diamond Mines” already existed and might cause branding issues, so Bejeweled was agreed upon instead.

Bejeweled initially debuted as an Internet-based Flash game hosted on multiple ad-supported gaming sites, including Microsoft Zone (now MSN Games), and later on Facebook. PopCap also released a full download version of the game for $20, entitled Bejeweled Deluxe. But the game truly took off with the advent of smartphones. In 2004, PopCap signed a licensing deal with Motorola to make Bejeweled a built-in game with the Razr cellphone, which became the highest-selling portable phone of the era. In 2007, it became one of the launch games available on the Apple App Store for the first iPhone. Its popularity became so great that Electronic Arts purchased PopCap for $1.3 billion in 2011.

In 2008, Entertainment Weekly called Bejeweled “the Gone With the Wind of the casual-game world—the most commercially successful and influential puzzle program in the genre’s short history.” Players enjoyed the relaxing music and the almost hypnotic motions of matching the colorful gems. Moves that resulted in chains of successful matches prompted a now-iconic deep voice to lavish praise such as “Well Done!” and “Excellent!” The game’s popularity led to two direct sequels, Bejeweled 2 (2004) and Bejeweled 3 (2010), and several spin-offs, including Bejeweled Twist (2008), Bejeweled Blitz (2008), and Bejeweled Stars (2016). Games from the franchise have appeared on Microsoft Windows, the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Nintendo DS, and of course iOS and Android devices. It also directly influenced future match three games, including the incredibly successful Candy Crush Saga (2012).

Developers estimate Bejeweled has been downloaded more than 500 million times, with players devoting over 10 billion hours to the game.