Wii Games and Marketing: Why Third (and First) Parties Fail

[Joelcool7]

SaviorX said:
Don't forget the fact that Europe/Others is no longer allowing most of these "non-casual" games to even hit retail. Retailers are assuming which games will waste retail space and do not order them. This situation is occuring with Muramasa (and the PSP Go) and I wouldn't be surprised if it has happened to dozens of other games.

The PSPGo is not making it to store shelves because retailers don't want it too. I know here in Canada EBGames and BestBuy debated selling it themselves, however Sony pulled some strings and the console made it to the shelves. Why to be honest would EBGames or FutureShop/BestBuy want to sell more PSPGo's?

Every PSPGo sold is one less software sale at least. Retailers don't want download distribution to replace the stores themselves. I think it would be even smarter for all retailers to unanamously refuse to carry PSPGo.

Now back to the topic. Why do third parties fail?

Because the third parties are failing to target the Wii's main user base. I know this is going to be contriversial but the Nintendo user base is not the 20-30 year old male demographic that the other consoles have. Instead its 15-30 year old women and their husbands/boyfriends. Its a mixture of casual with a little hardcore.

So why are the third party titles failing? they are failing to appeal to the casual demographic. If Sega for example sold Conduit to veterns Sci-Fi Fans and women, maybe it would have been more successful. Instead of a TV ad on Spike TV maybe an ad taken in "The Times" or "Macleans" maybe advertise the game during BattleStarGalactica , or advertise it during StarGate SG1. Its all about knowing your market and publishers are failing to target their markets.

Example Deadly Creatures, instead of marketing it in gaming magazines and on Spike. It would have been more efficient to put an ad in National Geographic, or maybe put out ads in exotic pet magazines. Place ads in exotic pet stores and market the game to exotic pet enthusiasts. Same could be said for titles like Jambo Safari, if Sega advertises it in National Geographic or how about putting ads on Discovery channel. This would target the core demographic that would be interested in that game!

Why is the Wii series so popular? Because Nintendo markets it to the right demographic. You hear of ads during womens talk shows and you hear about ads placed in popular womens magazines. I just saw WiiFit advertised at my local SkyTrain station. Or how about Nintendo's biggest advertising asset, the stores themselves. When I walk into Walmart I see a huge NewSuperMarioBros:Wii poster and once I reach the electronics station I see a Wii with a WiiFit video playing. I look around and their are WiiFit ads everywhere.

I walk into my Best Buy and right near the front you see WiiFitPlus and a demo station of the Wii. Nintendo markets its products to the demographic's, third parties fail to do so. Targeting the casuals is of big importance to success on the Wii. Just look at Carnival Games it targeted families and was marketed towards families, where the casual market is, opposed to say MadWorld which was advertised and targeted towards the classic 30 year old male demographic.

Fact is the Wii isn't built on 30-year old males, its built on families , soccer moms and teenagers. As such games need to be adapted or marketed towards those specific demographics!