Grow some balls people (re:core winning in the poll). 

Casual games and simplified ideas, controls and mechanics ARE THE BEST SELLING GAMES, whether its COD, Halo, Mariokart or Wii Sports.

You don't like it, but thats the way it goes.

Here we go again.

Facts are what I said, there is a notable difference on the software which sells on Wii/HD consoles. For the definition, the best I could find was this:

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/core

2 a : a basic, essential, or enduring part (as of an individual, a class, or an entity) <the staff had a core of experts> <the core of her beliefs>

Are you saying that those games aren't essential for Wii? Of course, you can always post your definition with a link rather than resort to a petty ad hominem.

Both Core and Casual demographics are needed in the modern games industry. I think PS3 proves that the core demographic remains a powerful force that must be tapped. Look at the PS3 it was a high end gaming machine that offered nothing to the casual market pretty much every game focused entirely on the hardcore. Origionally the PS3 failed big time and was trampled by the Wii (half casual half Core) and the 360 (Mostly hardcore a few casual). But in the end PS3 has almost caught up with 360 and has sold way more then GameCube or X-Box last gen.

Now if the PS3 can survive without tapping into the casual market it proves that the hardcore is still very much present and needed. Now the Wii is perhaps the greatest proof both hardcore and casual are needed. Nintendo's core franchises (Hardcore) have sold millions upon millions in line with past sales (Ex. Brawl getting 10-mill) while new casual titles like WiiFit sold to both hardcore and casual selling 20-mill .

Fact is a core game targets the hardcore demographic, while a casual game with the right message can target both markets. The future will see Nintendo , Microsoft and Sony all targetting both demographics. Nintendo has already stated the idea of making casual games was to turn more casuals hard core give them something they enjoyed to get them into gaming and expand the hardcore.

So both are needed simultaniously. Both are important.

This depends on what you consider a core gamer.

Nintendo had a hardcore user base back in the days of the NES. I remember an article on N-Sider that placed Nintendo's core user base around 15-20 mill. That user base according to an N-Sider sage (Kezay) was continues from generation to generation. Now you may disbelieve me but it was there, look at software sales for the GameCube. SmashBros Melee sold more copies then the origional did on 64. other titles like Mario didn't sell as high as their 64 counter parts but they still sold over 6-million copies (Kart and Sunshine). Also the GameCube despite having barely any third party support still shifted over 20-million untis. Also note that Nintendo made more profit off the GameCube then Sony did off the PS2 more evidence that the hardcore demographic supported the console with millions of software sales despite the lack of hardware sales.

Where was Sega's hardcore base? It was destroyed by years of neglect. Sega lost alot of their user base by constantly releasing new ad ons like the Sega CD and 32x. Then Sega launched the Saturn with very weak third party support. Then with no notice to publishers or fans alike Sega launched the DreamCast desperate to retake a footing in the market. Sega's fanbase was stretched thin and many were dissapointed in the lack of games and support Sega gave Saturn/CD/32x. However note that even DreamCast sold over 10-million units between 99-01 which was decent considering how much GameCube and X-Box ended up selling over 5-years. Fact is DreamCast probably would have succeeded in the long run had Sega had the money to continue fighting.

So as you can see Nintendo has an instilled loyal core base of about 15-20 million, these fans and gamers will buy Nintendo's console every generation and they will support the console with millions of software sales. Sega had a user base probubly close to 8 million loyal Sega fans.

A Demographic can be anything that you want it to be.  Go look up the definition before telling me that i am wrong about its use.   I/You/the guy working behind the counter at McDonald's - anybody can decide what a certain demographic make up is.  A demographic is a statistical group...  Besides the difference of opinion on what a demographic is, the real question is how any one person defines these groups of "Core" or "casual gamer" or "Hard Core".  Unless the person who starts the thread or the editor's of this site create actual definitions of these terms, we will continue to have these same arguments in every thread as we share our opinions of the data.  If you read this thread, that is the sum of it.  Is it a this or that kind of gamer.  Like any statistical analysis, you have to know the rules before making any real conclusions.  Because this will never happen, we will have to just make our opinions and try our best to explain them without debating the definition of each word - i would hope...

Core. Casual buy 2-3 games and move on, core are there to stay. That said, both are important, but if you only got to choose 1, core any day.

Don't think the big 3 would be happy with LT sales of 3m each, even if their software sales are 60m, ;).

Actually more like 25 million sales for the 360 and PS3 at least (probably more) and more games sold on average per console.

And where do you get these figures from may I ask?

OT- Mix of both. Casual's will all flock to one game, but not get many (Wii Sports Resort, Wii Fit), "Bridge" titles will get a lot (Mario 2D, Wii Party, Mario Kart) and big core games will get many as well (3D Mario, Brawl etc.)

Then there's the 1-2 million sellers as well, such as Epic Mickey, Monster Hunter, Metroid, Kirby, Resident Evil etc. 

With only one, you miss out on the other crowd. They're both as useful as one another.

You don't seem to realize how 'casual' both the HD consoles are already. 25m is far too high. Dedicated gamers altogether probably wouldn't exceed 10m, if that.

Also, even if we assume the ridiculously high 25m that you suggest, MS and Sony would flee from the videogame business if it became such a niche - 100m with 1b software beats 25m with 500m any day, and that's exaggerating the proportion of sales that the cores contribute.