In recent times, however, you may have noticed that we have, ahh, not released very many new games.  But the good news is, after making you wait an unusually long time, for us, we are on the verge of releasing a deluge of new, great games. And when I say “great,” it’s not because I am being paid to say it. I am not actually paid to love our games. Granted, I probably wouldn’t write a treatise on why one of our games sucked, because, well, that would just be stupid and probably career-limiting, and I have a kid in college. Still, in two years I’ve never been pressured to come out and go “YAY THIS GAME IS AWESOME!” either.  So when I tell you I’ve played four of our upcoming games, and seen two others, and am thrilled with what I’ve played and seen, I’d like to think you can at least sort of trust me. You’ve all been very patient with us, especially regarding Plants vs. Zombies 2, but, to paraphrase cultural giants Hans and Franz, listen to me now and believe me later when I tell you there is good stuff awaiting you.

In case you’re wondering, the reason I’m in Xtreme Cheerleader Mode for PopCap today is that for the first time in a little while I have now found myself unreasonably addicted  to one of our own games: Solitaire Blitz for iOS. I played this game for a bit on Facebook, and always liked it, but it wasn’t until its recent conversion to iOS that I truly found the love. Because playing Solitaire Blitz on the iPad just feels like the way it was meant to be played. The problem now, as was the problem I had in that Peggle column from 5 years ago, is that I simply cannot stop playing. Every spare moment I get – including in the middle of conversations with my wife when it’s her turn to talk – is spent trying to increase my high score for the week. I play at night in bed until my eyes close and the iPad hits my forehead. (And then when that wakes me up I play a few more rounds.) I’m dreaming of the game, too, counting up and down the stacks of cards while otherwise occupied with other dream activities, like flying over my neighborhood or sitting in class in my underwear with no term paper to turn in. The point is, while I’m not required to love our games, I am now, completely accidentally, utterly hooked. It feels good. It’s a reminder of why I came here in the first place. It’s a reminder that PopCap is not done making great games. There is so much good stuff on the way. But right now, if you haven’t picked it up yet, go get Solitaire Blitz on iOS. You won’t be sorry – unless you have a life to live.

I try not to judge. I mean, who am I? Just another monkey with a keyboard. But, really, I just feel kind of bad for those people. It’s like seeing people still drinking instant coffee. It’s 2012, people! We have better options now! We don’t have to drink that instant brown water, nor do we have to play the same game that our great grandfathers played way back when Keith Richards was only on his third set of lungs.

I’m not knocking Solitaire itself. Awesome game. Love the whole alternating colors thing. My problem is that I think some people don’t know that they have other choices. They’ve been playing Solitaire endlessly, mindlessly, with every device they own, simply because it’s the only digital game they know. In my dreams I see long lines of downtrodden, weary people — like those old photos of Russian bread lines — morosely playing Solitaire, waiting, perhaps hoping, for someone to put them out of their misery, for the end to come.

It does not have to be this way. Together, we can educate those less fortunate. We can tell these poor souls about such wonderful games as, say, PopCap’s own Solitaire Blitz, which takes that age-old game and puts a shiny new coat of awesome on it, along with a cute talking worm.

We can also teach them about Peggle. And Zuma. And other wonderful PopCap games, available online or at stores near you. Or, heck, we can be really wacky and tell them about non-PopCap games! Because, really, anything would be a step up from Windows Solitaire. It’s the white bread of computer games. The lukewarm tap water. The According to Jim. And it’s had its day.

So next time you see someone on a plane playing Solitaire, do me this favor: Grab the laptop out of their hands and fling it away. Tell ‘em Jeff Green sent you. Sure the sky marshal may haul you away, and you may find yourself in a lawsuit or with a police record. But your actions will be remembered in glory by me, and all gamers everywhere.

I thank you for your sacrifice.