As I look at titles like WiiPlay, Cooking Mama and ChickenShoot and the other Flash based games that are making jumps to console, thanks to Nintendo's low production value requirments and the fact developing on Wii is so cheap.
I can't help but see WiiWare as the answer to the hardcore casual divide. Hardcore gamers are upset that the market is being flooded with casual games while the casual market is exited to be getting all the attention. However WiiWare could change that!
Firstly a casual gamer doesn't want to spend much money and a small developer like many of the ones making casual games or budget games like (ChickenHunt) have a difficult time finding publishers and getting their products to shelves. The developers end up getting bad deals for their sofware and by the time the software hits store shelves they are spending a fortune on manufacturing and shipping costs. But those small casual studios can now produce a game with little over head and publish it themselves on WiiWare. With Nintendo doing the only only distributing they cut all of the middle men out of the equasion making it much easier to get a game to the consumer.
Secondly casual games are often priced at 39.99$ or a cheaper 29.99$ or as in WiiPlays case really only 10$ after the controller price is subtracted. Casual gamers are exactly that, casual they don't want to spend that much money on software. However through WiiWare developers can afford to produce and distribute there titles for a much cheaper 10$-15$. This means more casual gamers can afford more games.
Thirdly the market on WiiWare is going to be much more stable and give these casual titles a much better chance at competing. When I go into a game store I see 30-copies of MarioGalaxy, 10-copies of Spyro and Crash I see tons of MarioParty and SSX:Blur and Sims. But in the corner or in the pile of games at the bottom of the shelf sits ChickeShoot or CookingMama often getting over looked. On WiiWare no stock issues to deal with and the titles will get equal representation. Giving these casual games a real fighting chance at getting picked up.
Lastly games like WiiPlay and Cooking Mama aren't the largest files I doubt. I'm not sure but if a beatiful looking game like FinalFantasy Chrystal Chronicles is going to make a debut on WiiWare I can't see how developers can't make their casual game readily availible and looking sharp on WiiWare. Most of the casual games are 2-Dimensional any ways (CookingMama,BrainAge..etc..etc..)!
Could WiiWare be the answer for the casual gamer? and the casual games industry?
-JC7
"In God We Trust - In Games We Play " - Joel Reimer
