Happy 30th Birthday, Microsoft Solitaire!

Microsoft Solitaire is often remembered both fondly and with anger -- depending on the person. For many consumers, the game came pre-loaded on their computer and provided hours of fun. Unfortunately for some employers, the game had a negative impact on productivity over the years, as workers sometimes played the card game rather than do their jobs. Whether you love or hate Microsoft Solitaire, there is certainly one thing on which everyone can agree -- the game is iconic.

And that brings us to today, where Microsoft Solitaire is celebrating a huge milestone in 2020 -- a 30th Birthday! Yes, the digital card game has now been with us for three decades. To celebrate, the Windows-maker is asking everyone to play the free game today as a show of love for it.

"Today, on National Solitaire Day, we are celebrating the 30th anniversary of the beloved Microsoft Solitaire and saying 'Thank You!' to all the players over the past 30 years! With a worldwide appeal, Microsoft Solitaire Collection, as it is known today, hosts over 35 million players each month, from more than 200+ countries and territories, in 65 different languages. And after 30 years, Microsoft Solitaire is still one of the most played games on the planet every day, with more than 100 million hands played daily around the globe," says Steve Clarke, Windows Blog Writer, Microsoft.

Clarke further says, "Today, at the start of year 31, Microsoft Solitaire is played on computers, laptops, tablets, and phones in every corner of the globe, arguably by one of the most diverse gaming audiences in the world. Its Microsoft Solitaire’s unmatched familiarity and availability that’s contributed to its unending popularity, with more than half a billion players in the past decade alone, which no doubt added to the game being inducted into the Video Game Hall of Fame in 2019."

In addition to asking people to play the game to celebrate the 30th Birthday, Microsoft is also hoping to make a quick buck off the milestone as well. You see, the company is selling limited edition t-shirts and coffee mugs. If you are interested in buying some products that show your love for Microsoft Solitaire, you can buy them here now. Shirts are available in sizes small through 3XL.

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