Casual Gamers, Wiis biggest enemy?

[Shiftfallout]

I think your video proves they are a quirky and imaginative race which is why I believe they like Nintendo.

lol believe what you will, but I have been around japanese and their way of life since I was 10. I studied it, listen to lectures about it from famous japanese professors (they agree with me, my argument is their argument). They know what their market is like, and while it is simple in nature, its also complex in that there is a lot of markets to be had. Target audiences are easier to reach in japan because they are very sterotypical in nature. Again this is not bad, but different. Japan has one of the biggest economies in the world, marketing is a way of life over there and the people always fall into a catagory that is easily reached and manipulated.

 

[BapFap]

Im done with my new thread its called: The Wii is NOT "kiddie"!

 

[Rolex]

...like I said I agree that few utilise the potential value of the PSP. If you pack too much technology into a console people it can put some people off.

Also it isnt just in Japan that the DS is kicking ass. The trend is repeated (if not to such a large extent across the world).

This about sums up the whole situation at the minute re: PSP and DS - I am a gadgeteer, have been for a long time - and I would attempt to use all the capabilities of all the crap I have bought over the year; there's been a lot of crap; but seeing the demos of the PSP / PS3 connectivity with streaming media over intra and internet then it obviously does have something very very cool to offer. So far so goody.

This herein lies my perception of the PS range at the minute - good for anything apart from gaming. Sony seem to want to appeal to people who have this inherent desire to manipulate media with consoles which are just acting with convergence as standard. Nintendo and especially the DS [as homebrew is quite promient and easy to get to] don't muddy the waters with bells and whistles, not everyone - even hardcore gamers, want convergence.

Or at least that is what the trend globally with the Nintendo brand would seem to indicate. Give them something different but usable per se.

I have noticed that PSP reviews mainly go downhill off the bat if the graphics aren't PS2 standard [I am being very very generalised here of course] or the loading takes forever then the reviewer tapers off. A more technical review of you like.

With DS reviews we don't have a loading issue but the graphics, even if of a high standard, aren't the dominant ingredient - it's the fun and fun with the controls that reigns supreme - can you see the point I am making here. Sony don't seem to carry that x factor so highly.

More technical doesn't mean better but simpler doesn't make it more fun - there is a balance that needs to exist and at the minute people are voting with their dollars. I am not siding with Nintendo but just highlighting my pov.

Japans approach to Nintendo may be one of love but it may be one of satisfaction as well, maybe Sony have overshot the market with the multi media functionality of PS - maybe not and Sony will maybe dominate [which I still believe that the PS3 will take some names and kick some ass] over the lifespan of this gen. Not because it's the better machine - it's bigger and more powerful but purely because of the convergence factor, people may eventually want Blue Ray and streaming media en mass and Nintendo at the minute aren't heading there [but who knows] and MS just make too many peripherals for anyone to give a ****!

 

[Masaman]

It makes me chuckle how things come full circle sometimes. I remember when I thought of myself as a hardcore gamer when I held off the ps1 for an N64 when all my mates were buying them. I remember articles about how Sony had captured the imagination of the post pub generation or casual gamer (remember Sony advertising their joypad in night clubs?).
And while all my mates were enjoying gaming on a purely casual level with wipeout and v-rally I felt I was part of the elite mastering games like SM64, OOT and 007 (even though there were richer experiences available on the ps like FF7 - which I discovered way too late!)

And now in 2007 it seems like PS3 owners seem to be viewed as the hardcore gamers and Nintendo are running away with the "fun" and "casual" monikers.

I can't ever see myself buying a PS3 as I only really use my Wii with friends at parties and haven't played a Wii game solo in months. (although I'm quite enjoying the VC downloads for nostalgia) I wouldn't consider myself a gamer anymore - but for some reason I bought a Wii and will no doubt purchase software over the coming months.

How many casual gamers (or people who had never even played games before) did the PS1 turn into hardcore gamers? I don't think you can underestimate the power of an installed user base of the casual gamer because while it has it downsides (the quick $ theory of sloppy games and such) all it takes is a few killer games to turn what could be seen as a fad into something genuinely industry changing.

Or maybe we'll just play after the pub for a year or two before the dust settles! Either way the casual gamer (like me) wins.

 

[Rolex]

Some good points - Sony in nightclubs :lol:

I went the other way - when everyone was buying Sony I went for Sega! What a fantastic set of machines they produced, either hardcore or causal games: Virtua Cop anyone?

Either way as you say it's cyclic and maybe it's just higher profile due to the money involved.

Wii gives you new and old games to recapture that gaming spirit again. Watch out, saving your pocket money for games may just creep up on you again...

 

[Gabbiani]

I have to say I genuinely do believe casual gamers are more likely to buy wii play and be quite happy to play that and Wii sports and never buy anything else.

I am a Wii owner, of both Wii Sports and Twilight Princess.

I am a Wii owner and I do not endorse this Quote.

How many casual gamers (or people who had never even played games before) did the PS1 turn into hardcore gamers? I don't think you can underestimate the power of an installed user base of the casual gamer because while it has it downsides (the quick $ theory of sloppy games and such) all it takes is a few killer games to turn what could be seen as a fad into something genuinely industry changing.

FFVII & PS1 anybody? Is this mic on? Check 1, 1, 2, check?

 

[Masaman]

FF7 remains my favourite game of all time - purley for the experience it gave me the first time I played it through. I played 8 and 9 and loved them but they never quite recaptured the magic of the first run through of 7.
This is why I believe the hardware issues around the wii become less significant when you consider what could be done (i.e ff7) on little power and a little artistic direction and creativity - third parties might use the wii as a cash horse for a while but if keeps selling sooner or later someone is going to exploit the market with some great games just as they did on the original playstaion.

 

[IcedEarth81]

Here's the deal with the Wii.

It covers the broad spectrum of gamers. Its owners include (previously)non-gamers, casual gamers, Nintendo fanboys, old school gamers, and hardcore gamers. Does it have more hardcore gamers than PS3 or 360? No. Why? Because those systems were created specifically with the hardcore crowd in mind and the majority of games are too. The Wii on the other hand is trying to get people from every walk of life on board. It's a smart move too.

The Wii version of games, like Madden and Fifa, are going to include side mini-games. Why? Because there are some Wii owners that aren't typically going to buy those types of games but like multiplayer minigames and party games. EA is trying to branch out to take advantage of that and make more money. There's nothing wrong with that, it's just smart business.

Does the existence of those games make the Wii kiddie because they have a cartoonish look? Absolutely not. Again, you have to see what the company is going for there. The core gameplay is still the same. The look is meant not to overwhelm the casual and non-gamers.

Some classify the Wii as kiddie. That couldn't be further from the truth. Just because every game made for it isn't hardcore, doesn't involve shooting and blood, and isn't rated M doesn't make it kiddie. The look of some games doesn't make it kiddie. The fact remains that the Wii has a great variety of games, and that is one of the keys to its success. It doesn't exclude any type of gamer out there, but rather tries to get a piece from every pie. You have games like WarioWare and Mario Party 8 and you have games like Godfather, RE4, Scarface, and the first true AO game ever in Manhunt 2. No More Heroes is coming soon and that will also be very violent. In Scarface you can get a chainsaw and saw off people's body parts with blood splattering everywhere. In Manhunt 2 you can rip off a person's genitals with a pair of pliars. In No More Heroes you can cut someone in half with your laser sword. Is that kiddie?

The extra parts to Fifa and Madden cost you nothing extra. The game is still $50. I know with Madden they didn't just cheap their way out either, they did make an effort to improve the visuals, so the extra didn't come at a cost to the regular gameplay. The company, in this case EA, ponied up the cash to add these features in the hopes of broadening their buyer base and involving more people in the game. Why is the inclusion of these mini-games such a problem?

 

[madbeanman]

I am a Wii owner, of both Wii Sports and Twilight Princess.

What are you trying to say.
I dont think you understand my point. Firstly I am asuming you are not a casual gamer, and secondly did you buy Wii Sports?

 

[TacosTacos]

Personally, I dont care which unit sells more. For me its what can a unit do, and what does it do for gaming. The psp is rock awsome, but the toy beats the technological device because of how its percieved.

And you are a movie producer? Good luck with that.

I mean, shooting with a really nice expensive camera doesn't ensure that you are going to make a blockbuster movie. You need to captivate your audience.

Japans approach to Nintendo may be one of love but it may be one of satisfaction as well, maybe Sony have overshot the market with the multi media functionality of PS - maybe not and Sony will maybe dominate [which I still believe that the PS3 will take some names and kick some ass] over the lifespan of this gen. Not because it's the better machine - it's bigger and more powerful but purely because of the convergence factor, people may eventually want Blue Ray and streaming media en mass and Nintendo at the minute aren't heading there [but who knows] and MS just make too many peripherals for anyone to give a ****!

I don't think that PS3 sale will increase because people want Blue Ray and streaming media. This technology will become more readily available and become a lot cheaper to make. There will be no need to buy a PS3 in order to have Blue Ray and streaming media. Basically, by the time the technology really catches on, the PS3 will be unnecessary.

 

[Rolex]

And you are a movie producer? Good luck with that.

I mean, shooting with a really nice expensive camera doesn't ensure that you are going to make a blockbuster movie. You need to captivate your audience.

Well said...imagination is the most powerful medium out there...ever!

I don't think that PS3 sale will increase because people want Blue Ray and streaming media. This technology will become more readily available and become a lot cheaper to make. There will be no need to buy a PS3 in order to have Blue Ray and streaming media. Basically, by the time the technology really catches on, the PS3 will be unnecessary.

I know for a fact that Blue Ray is actually getting cheaper as we speak - Sony have just released a $500 player from what I've heard this week; already cheaper than the PS3 - one in the foot for ermmmm Sony :aureola:

The reason I worded it such originally, was to highlight not that I didn't realise the technology would get cheaper but to highlight that Sony are going to have to come to a solution with the PS3 pricing structure realistically. If I were in the market for a B-Ray player and a home multimedia center then this would be the machine I would seriously look into, sometimes it's not the cheapest but the most convenient solutions that sell.

Bear in mind that there just isn't the games out there which show it off to it's true potential, same with Wii of course - XB360 not sure if that's the case after this long - but once the content comes people will buy it, I will eat my hat if Sony doesn't gain significant market share within 18 months. Content always sells - and Sony seem to have built plenty of that in - with this you must agree. People who buy it, I also imagine, will have gamed at some point and therefore won't be a massive percentage of the Wii demographic.

Hardcore or casual gamer - PS3 could conceivably offer something to them.

Does this not sound plausible?

 

[Shiftfallout]

I mean, shooting with a really nice expensive camera doesn't ensure that you are going to make a blockbuster movie. You need to captivate your audience.

lol thats the most retarded thing I have heard you say yet. You really are reaching arnt ya. lol

 

[TacosTacos]

Does this not sound plausible?

Somewhat plausible. The thing is, I kinda feel like the hardcore gamers who have an interest in the PS3 have more than likely already bought it. Maybe there are some out there who were waiting to see how things went, or were saving up, but that is probably a small amount. And those saving up to buy it, aren't who Sony is looking for, because they might not buy too many games after they get the system. And the PS3 doesn't seem to be marketed well enough to where it would be seen as a viable option for someone that is jsut looking for a Blue Ray player, or even a casual gamer. I guess I could see them getting some sales from people who bought a Wii in hopes that it would be good enough for them, but wasn't. I wouldn't be surprised if sales continually drop though, even if they do drop the sale price.

 

[TacosTacos]

lol thats the most retarded thing I have heard you say yet. You really are reaching arnt ya. lol

Please explain your reasoning for saying this is a "retarded" statement.

 

[Rolex]

Somewhat plausible. The thing is, I kinda feel like the hardcore gamers who have an interest in the PS3 have more than likely already bought it. Maybe there are some out there who were waiting to see how things went, or were saving up, but that is probably a small amount. And those saving up to buy it, aren't who Sony is looking for, because they might not buy too many games after they get the system. And the PS3 doesn't seem to be marketed well enough to where it would be seen as a viable option for someone that is jsut looking for a Blue Ray player, or even a casual gamer. I guess I could see them getting some sales from people who bought a Wii in hopes that it would be good enough for them, but wasn't. I wouldn't be surprised if sales continually drop though, even if they do drop the sale price.

I think what best sums it all up will be: "It's a waiting game my friend" :yesnod:

I hope that all the platforms do well in their respective corners. Hopefully Wii will develop with all the controllers potential and the DS keeps kicking arse and taking christian names just to be polite.

As for Sony and MS - good luck to them as well, if I ever need a machine that impresses me slightly less then I will go a huntin'...:wink: