The origin of "casual/hardcore gamers" and other industry bullshit.

[kabamarutr]

KungKras said:

kabamarutr said:
Let's add some more...

Perhaps, this will make seem a little mean towards ninty, but what the heck, we're having a discussion here.

I'd like you to consider what was Nintendo's move after the Wii. Seeing "the rise of tablets" (who would have missed it?) they tried to merge the two worlds. They created a tablet-joypad to appeal to tablet lovers and embedded the innovation of dual screen gameplay. A sound strategy, if I've ever seen any. So they rushed to get to that ground first. Be the first to grasp that market. They didn't need a strong machine for that! So they set upon the conquest of a new gaming trend.

Yet, it didn't work out (so far at least), as the essence that drew gamers to tablet gaming was not the tablet itself. It was the nature of its games. Connect three gems in a line and here the rewarding "bling", accompanied with flashes and colours and topped with a counter that changes its dials with speed like the old-time cash counters. Bringing, in this manner, the feelings of success, rewarding, glamour, glory and...profit with a few, nearly mindless moves. Rewarding that they didn't find in family life, job or otherwise. Success, that does not come easily, despite the full hours of every day hard work and the toll they take. Glory, that is so praised on movies and shows and so coveted. Money, which is as real in their pockets, as the numbers on the counter.

It's pure psychology.

Just to make things clear. Even from the get-go, Nintendo positioned the Wii as being for EVERYONE. They showed Wii Sports along with Zelda TP and Metroid Prime, as well as a trailer for Mario Galaxy during the Wii reveal. Nintendo's aim was disruptive innovation, IE serve the low-end market, and then with technology advances of their disruptive innovation, they would be able to get to the high tier, pushing their competitors higher and higher up until they are forced out of the market. Also, during their 2008 peak, the Wii alone sold twice the software of the PS3 or 360.

I'm not trying to defend the Wii U. It didn't continue the disruptive trend in the way it was supposed to. But what you cannot say about it was that it was only marketed for "teh cazualz". Again. Look at the games Nintendo are publishing for it. There is a great deal of variety.

The thing is, that when the Wii hit the world. The game industry had been busy for decades optimizing the userbase of young males, and thus alienating all other markets. So they reacted very hostile to the Wii, because the Wii also catered to markets that went against their user base optimization. Sure, they tried to change later by making the spin off "for casualz" kinect and move, but look how that turned out. They never tried to expand gaming, they just released a pink "for girls" chocolate bar.

Well, yes. Each and every manufacturer declares his product suitable for everyone. No one sale can be afforder to be lost. But to "get aboard" my train of thought forget for a while the term "casual".

Manufacturers need the most sales they can achieve. They anticipate market trends, gaming trends, likes and dislikes... Then they calculate the group with the most people in it and target it during development. Whether they are casuals or hardcore is a matter of philosophical debate. I estimate that the WiiU hardware design targeted console gamers that are also intrigued by tablets, simultaneously satisfying loyals and touch-controlled games lovers.

History will show how that decision fairs.