GTA vs. Mario nKart Wii

[Nebnosneh]

Dianko said:

Nebnosneh said:

Dianko said:

Nebnosneh said:
GTA IV may do better in the first week or two but MKWii will have higher liftime sales.

Mainstream gamers aren't as concered about getting a game the moment it is released.

True, but the amount thats going to be buying GTA4 will be ridiculous. And GTA4 IS a mainstream game. Previous games sold TONS after its initial release. MKWii is not going to sell more than GTA4. Dicounting Wii Play, I doubt there will be a Nintendo game that will sell close to it save Brawl.

I don't think GTA IV is a mainstream game, it's definatley hardcore. Playing Wii Sprts with family members who normally wouldn't touch a video game, that's mainsteam.

Besides, the previous GTA versions caused such a sensation in the last gen because they offered radically new experiances. The new game doesn't really do that (evolution rather than revolution.)

It's arguable both ways. I don't agree with the redefinition of "casual gamer" personally. And GTA was the epitome of the casual game last gen - a game that appealed of large segment of gamers as well as those who were not so invested in it.

Let me ask this question. Playing Wii Sports with family has definitely changed the equation of the gaming business. But how many of those parents do you think actively become consumers? Do you think they actually buy Zelda - not for their kids, but for themselves to play - after Wii Sports and Wii Play? I'd argue that these new gamers aren't really the new casual, they're fringe gamers. They play because it is a family activity that appeals to everyone, but outside of those constrainst, they aren't going to be purchasing anything for themselves. At the end of the day, I still think it's those that fit the definition of last gen's casuals that dictate purchasing.

 I agree with you that the new gamers likely will not go out and buy Zelda. At least not yet :)

But we are not talking about Zelda, we are talking about Mario Kart, with it's Wii wheel, 4-player split screen and gameplay that ensures new players will win the odd race against veterans, whist giving the hardcore features they want too. So it is also a family activity that appeals to everyone, which is why Nintendo calls it a 'bridge' title.