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Forums - Gaming Discussion - GameStop goes casual in 2008

As people always say, these places are businesses. They go where the money is. If they don't evolve with the market, they will die off and then where will you guys be? Sorry but catering to the same old exact demographic of young immature guys who only want to shoot things all day long (stereotype added) is not a viable business model.



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Here's another great way to highlight the point I'm making here. I remembered this 1up show in particular:

http://www.gamevideos.com/video/id/13070

As you can see here, Ryan O'Donnel (I actually believe he's the director of the 1up show) specifically mentions that he used to think that he wanted to expand the market, but now that the Wii has taken off he doesn't want that, and he wants the companies to cater specifically to him, and make the genres and games that he likes. 

The quote is at 14:40. He says: "I used to think I did. I used to think I wanted to expand the market, but Nintendo has proved to me that that's not what I want. I want game companies to be making games for me in the genres that I like."

 

People seem to be all for change (Expand the Market! Down with Gamestop!), until they realize that their Moms and Girlfriends won't want to play God of War or Gears of War or Warhawk with them -- they'll want to play Nintendogs and Wii Fit. Then people seem to immediately do a 180, and start insisting that the market is good as is and nothing should change after all.

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a324/Arkives/Disccopy.jpg%5B/IMG%5D">http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a324/Arkives/Disccopy.jpg%5B/IMG%5D">

"You said you wanted a revolution! And now when seeing a true gaming revolution, you guys want to stop it so it doesn’t interfere with ‘the old way’. Hypocrites! All of you! Hypocrites!"-Malstrom



 

Predictions:Sales of Wii Fit will surpass the combined sales of the Grand Theft Auto franchiseLifetime sales of Wii will surpass the combined sales of the entire Playstation family of consoles by 12/31/2015 Wii hardware sales will surpass the total hardware sales of the PS2 by 12/31/2010 Wii will have 50% marketshare or more by the end of 2008 (I was wrong!!  It was a little over 48% only)Wii will surpass 45 Million in lifetime sales by the end of 2008 (I was wrong!!  Nintendo Financials showed it fell slightly short of 45 million shipped by end of 2008)Wii will surpass 80 Million in lifetime sales by the end of 2009 (I was wrong!! Wii didn't even get to 70 Million)

Bodhesatva said:

Here's another great way to highlight the point I'm making here. I remembered this 1up show in particular:

http://www.gamevideos.com/video/id/13070

As you can see here, Ryan O'Donnel (I actually believe he's the director of the 1up show) specifically mentions that he used to think that he wanted to expand the market, but now that the Wii has taken off he doesn't want that, and he wants the companies to cater specifically to him, and make the genres and games that he likes.

The quote is at 14:40. He says: "I used to think I did. I used to think I wanted to expand the market, but Nintendo has proved to me that that's not what I want. I want game companies to be making games for me in the genres that I like."

 

People seem to be all for change (Expand the Market! Down with Gamestop!), until they realize that their Moms and Girlfriends won't want to play God of War or Gears of War or Warhawk with them -- they'll want to play Nintendogs and Wii Fit. Then people seem to immediately do a 180, and start insisting that the market is good as is and nothing should change after all.

 I agree with this.



More exposure/support/advertising for the Wii at Gamestop stores (given the exposure the console already has). Maybe Xbox 360 will be stock at the backend...



Wii Code: 4819-7684-2396-4558

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I don't think most Gamestop employees are assholes. That really depends on what store you go in, and it's unrealistic to judge an entire chain based off just one store. I've never been treated with any sort of distaste in any Gamestop (It has happened to me at a Gamecrazy, but again, doesn't mean EVERY Gamecrazy is like that). As far as reserves go, they HAVE to ask. I've a friend who works at Gamestop. If he doesn't ask, he can get fired. I'm sure some of you will do things at your job that will piss people off but you have to (I hate when I get asked in ANY store, for example, if I need help, but it's their job to do so). You can find rude people in any customer service job. But keep in mind that if someone is being a total ass, it's probably because a lot of people were being an ass to them. What goes around comes around and all that.

On topic, I don't really care if they decide to start reaching out to the casual crowd. For the love of God, just a couple of years ago there was no such thing as a divide among Casual and Hardcore gamers. What's wrong with just... you know... being a gamer? I'm not hardcore or casual. I'll play anything and everything I can get my hands on. Sometimes Wii Sports looks good, sometimes Assassin's Creed looks good. One moment I'll play the 360, the next I'll play the Wii.

Although I do think one of the posters made a good point. But I'd put it this way: First gamers hated that video games weren't getting any attention or being put into the mainstream. Now that they ARE in the mainstream there's suddenly a backlash and people want games to suddenly stay out of the mainstream. Does it really matter? As long as you can still get your game is this really going to be a problem for anyone?

As far as the market is concerned, whether people like it or not, the Casual Gamer has to be taken into consideration as well. It's unrealistic (and downright stupid) to think Hardcore gamers don't play casual games either. Perhaps you'll actually find a few hardcore gamers that don't play casual games, but in general that's a pretty unrealistic assumption to make.

In truth I don't see why it's such a bad thing. If I can still walk into the store and find the game I want, you'll get no complaint from me. It doesn't matter to me if I have to go to the back of the store (It's Gamestop for heaven's sake--a store that's smaller than a one bedroom apartment).

But I also agree that perhaps the market should expand. The market has always been expanding. It used to be a market for the kids. Then it expanded to include teenagers and adults. Now look at it this way: Say for instance someone who doesn't play games suddenly gets into them because of the Wii. Consider this gamer might want to expand his/her horizon. Maybe he liked the Wii so much he wants to try the 360 next. There are a huge variety of people out there. And the Younger they are the more likely they are to try new things. If you began gaming at a very young age, chances are you started off on easier, simpler games before you moved on to the likes of games like Grand Theft Auto and Metal Gear Solid. The same thing is true of some of the casual gamers. If it's their first foray into video games you want to start them off with something simple before moving on to something harder. And a store like Gamestop or GameCrazy or something should be there to help gamers who are new to gaming too.

You don't have to like it, but that doesn't mean others who might be interested should have to suffer.



As much as I like VGChartz, I must be honest. I'm not too interested in the community. Most (I'd say a good 70% of the people here) are too caught up in the fanboyism and politics of gaming, and are mostly just people waiting to ravenously insult another user on the forums. I tried participating in the forums but rather than discuss it seems most of you would rather tear other people down. Why is it necessary to insult everyone who thinks differently than you? Also, not everything here is a fanboy conspiracy. I see the word fanboy here than I do on most forums out there. I'm sorry, I don't want to be a part of a community that's so negative towards everyone all the time. I'd rather go to a place where the people of a forum are more willing to discuss and step away from personal attacks any time someone disagrees with them. I just can't take it anymore.

So I ask, respectfully, that you don't add me. I'll more than likely respond to respectful messages but don't count on me being on the forums too much and don't count on me accepting your friend request.

Leo-j needs to buy a Wii.



How is this bad? Does this suddenly mean they won't carry all the hottest games for all of the systems? No. Does this mean all the employees that generally don't know ish anyways will get fired and replaced by soccer mom's who also don't know anything about the latest games? No.

All it means is that they will focus on the highest selling platforms. Which I believe has always been how they operated. Previously that was to the PS systems. Now it will be to the Nintendo systems. No difference really, all stores always do that. It's only a matter of time for the front sections of Targets and Wal-marts to be switched from PS family to Nintendo families as well.



It means it will not be so difficult to find games like Zack and Wiki or Murcury Meltdown at gamestop, which is a good thing. Other games for other platforms will still be there.



Wow, Nintendomination has gamestop all itchy to get a slice.



I don't need your console war.
It feeds the rich while it buries the poor.
You're power hungry, spinnin' stories, and bein' graphics whores.
I don't need your console war.

NO NO, NO NO NO.