Publisher THQ is looking at 2008 as another great year for casual games, and it shows with decisive moves to partner up with Elephant Entertainment and Oberon Media. Marketing and retail deals have been inked, and they're out to get more and more people into gaming.

Particularly important is the Oberon Media pact. The company is a world leader in cross-platform casual game releases and is considered vital to THQ's strategy. Getting the mass market into the groove is the idea, and Oberon seems suitable for the job.

THQ's charge with Oberon will be led by the release of such IPs as Dream Day. Host platforms have not been announced, but revelations are expected to hit soon.

For its part, Elephant Entertainment is set to come up with 20 new online and casual games in partnership with THQ. Among the titles to be released is best selling author James Patterson's Women's Murder Club: Death in Scarlet.

Casual gaming is having its heyday as of the recent months with the rise of Nintendo's Wii and DS platforms. Today, developers and publishers are hoping to capture some of that success by creating easy to play games which can be appreciated by a wider audience regardless of age and background.