Microsoft Celebrates 30 Years Of Windows Solitaire By Explaining The Game's Original Purpose

Microsoft is celebrating 30 years since Solitaire was launched on Windows PCs, becoming a staple in classic computer gaming.

The card game dates back hundreds of years, but landed on Windows 3.0 in 1990. And, many of us spent countless hours playing said game after that.

But, the purpose of the game wasn't to waste people's time or help them pretend to work while their boss was looking. It was intended to teach people how to use a computer mouse.

“The game helped people learn how to drag and drop items on their computer screens using a mouse, which was novel at the time," said Paul Jensen, studio head of Microsoft Casual Games.

According to Microsoft, there have been more than half-a-billion players in the past decade alone.

Twitter was surprised to hear about the true purpose of the game.

Today, Solitaire still has huge appeal, with the newer Microsoft Solitaire Collection hosting 35 million players each month, from more than 200 countries and territories.

To mark National Solitaire Day, the tech giant is urging players to help set a record for the most games of Microsoft Solitaire completed in one day. And, I want to know how many people join in!