Games Industry: Struggling with Nintendo Wii Owners?

Everyone knows that the great success, everyone understands that led to a new audience to play (or at least until game consoles - handheld platforms and casual online gaming are pulling in families, the elderly and women in middle age for the year), but there still seems a bit confused about what and how you Wii is a powerful software market for Nintendo's oddity.

The New York Times ran a piece yesterday about how Wii gamers do not buy that many games. Sure, hardly groundbreaking stuff - we know that the console is essentially survives on his extensive in-house titles, and we know that third party devs have had trouble producing compelling games (see here for the last article on the subject).

However, the author points out that even the big-Hitters are not to attract the numbers. Super Smash Brothers, shifted 1.4 million copies in its first week in the States, but sales fell 90% over the next month. Zack & Wiki and No More Heroes have also failed to make much of a dent in the charts.

Partly this is about 'casual' gamers with the same urgency to buying games. Lazard Capital analyst, Colin Sebastian, told the NYT:

"You do not see many of the titles that may reach 30 to 40 percent of the installed base. My in-laws in Texas have a Wii sitting on their living room floor next to the TV, which to me is kind of amazing. They have Wii Sports, a game Brain Age, Wii Play. That's about it. "

But pundits are also placing some of the blame on poorly targeted marketing:

" Game creators have yet to embrace unconventional advertising methods that can reach this broader audience. Nintendo did it by promoting its memory Brain Age game on the radio. "

It's funny, but now that the gaming industry has made contact with this strange alien race of non-hardcore gamers, they do not really know how to speak. Not everyone can afford to hire Nicole Kidman to pretend to enjoy their games at prime time slots TV - indeed, this approach may be advanced for a large part of the new user.

I mean, why is it always assumed that you must go super chic to take over a non-specialist audience? As a freelancer, I accidentally watch a lot of daytime TV, even during ad breaks, I rarely see Wii games touting for business amidst the flow of debt consolidation shysters. Why not? Not all Wii owners read Vogue.

Of course, it's debatable whether it is filling the airwaves with ads would be much difference - the underlying problem, Wii owners simply do not buy that many games, and probably never will. I liked what Mike CAPPS, president of Epic Games, has recently said about the popularity of the console. He referred to it as a viral phenomenon:

"It is a virus which you buy and you play with your friends. So you stop playing after two months, but they buy them and stop playing after two months, but they showed it to someone else who then go out and buy it and so on. "

This reminds me of what Brian Hastings of Insomniac said about Wii in his polemical blog, Ten reasons why PS3 will win this generation:

" Your friend Reggie invites you over a Wii party. It is awesome. You and your friends participate, in whatever beverages are legally appropriate for your age. The next day everyone who went to the party rushes out and buys a Wii. A week later Reggie hosts another Wii Party. This time only half of the group. It is still fun, but there is not so much shoving to get at the Wiimote. "

" The next week Reggie hosts another Wii Party. You tell him you have bird flu. "

Of course, both Brian and Mike are the American school of gritty hardcore shooters, and Brian insist that Wii was a fad is now looking very dated. They have a point about the console of the transitional appeal - plus, their ambivalence speaks volumes about how the industry is confused and factions and its relationship to the machine.

Almost everyone wants love Wii, they just do not know how. And this is not addressed to the love for complicated cases - at least not in the west, where the development of infrastructure are highly attuned to the direction of work in the field of advanced 3D engine and then operate with several boys own adventures.

I may be biased, but I treasure mobile developers will rise up and steal the Wii third-party market. They are used to treat a completely unpredictable audience, they are used to create the kind of bizarre lifestyle / puzzle franchises casual gamers who gulp in their millions, and mobile advertising industries do not hesitate in 'low brow & # 39; Places like the back of magazines, in addition to adult chat lines (heck, most of them write adult games).

That is my prediction. And that's probably the reason why I am not a highly paid marketing analyst, dishing out stat-packed reports on the nature of Wii.

New Wii Games Find a Big Audience

Nintendo is atop the home video game market. The Wii, although less technologically advanced than Microsoft's Xbox 360 or Sony's PlayStation 3, still outsell those machines and is now in more than 20 million households.

So why are retailers with so much effort to sell Wii games?

Take Super Smash Bros. Brawl. It was one of the most hotly anticipated video games of the year, he sold more than 1.4 million copies in the first week of its release, in early March, and broke records for Nintendo of America.

"We have a built-in fan base for the Smash, " said Denise Kaigler, Nintendo of America's vice president of Corporate Affairs. "I'm hoping that we can continue to generate success and the reputation of the game."

But sales fell more than 90 percent in the first four weeks, according to estimates by VG Chartz, a team of analysts who study video-game sales.

A number of large retail chains--"including Wal-Mart and Toys "R" Us -- have begun to join the Smash Bros. game with Wii machines for online sales, a sign that the basis of hard-core gamers who went looking for the game has been exhausted.

Retailers confirm the sharp decline. "We sold a few thousand copies in the first week, " said Xavier Pervez, an assistant manager at a GameStop in Fairfield, Conn. "It's down considerably now, maybe 100 in each of the last few weeks."

Toys "R" Us has its sales staff to warn customers that some Wiis can not read, the Smash Bros. disc, and refuse to exchange the game if the customer later claim is defective. Some parents who are warning that just as happy to buy another game. But Nintendo Wiis some claims are subject to interference, and Toys "R" Us sales staff said few customers are discouraged from buying or holding of the game.

"The number we got back to the return was relatively low, " a saleswoman, Christina Giori, said. "Maybe eight copies of the 500. It's something Nintendo's really trying to act on."

A number of games that get critical acclaim in recent months, particularly the cartoonish action-adventure game Zack & Wiki and the off - kilter action-adventure No More Heroes, have yielded disappointing sales.

During the first three months of the year, but three other Wii titles broke the list of the top 10 best selling games compiled by the NPD Group, a research firm: Super Mario Galaxy, Guitar Hero III and Wii Play, a sports game that comes with the purchase of a much-needed additional game controller. The Wii can not be behind the success of all those titles, though, Guitar Hero, for example, sold 2.2 million copies for the Wii, but 2.8 million copies for the Xbox 360 and almost 5 million euros for the two versions of the PlayStation.

The problem is that in marketing the Wii, Nintendo cast a wide net and caught more than the big fish. The Wii's innovative motion-sensitive controller and a lower price than the rival machines appeal to a wider audience than the traditional market of young male hard-core gamers. Younger children, women and older consumers, who traditionally have not been requested by the video game industry, have discovered video games via the Wii --simply not that many of them.

This new gamers are satisfied with the games they have frequently go no further than the Wii Sports game in the machine. They don't buy new games with the fervor of a traditional gamer who is constantly looking for new inspiration.

The average Wii owner buys only 3.7 games per year, compared with 4.7 for the Xbox 360 owners and 4.6 for the PlayStation 3 owners, said a Wedbush Morgan analyst Michael Lessee. "It reflects the broadening of the demographic, " he said. "Nintendo's market doesn't feel the same sense of urgency to buy every game that's coming out."

"You don't see a lot of titles that may reach 30 and 40 percent of the installed base," Lazard Capital said one analyst, Colin Sebastian. "My in-laws in Texas have a Wii sitting on their living room floor next to the TV, which to me is kind of amazing. They have Wii Sports, a game Brain Age, Wii Play. That's about it."

Part of the problem, analysts say, is that other game makers have yet to embrace unconventional advertising methods that can reach this broader audience. Nintendo did it by promoting its memory Brain Age game on the radio.

"Advertising on GameInformer and 1up.com just isn't achieve this target, " said Mr. Lessee. "When you have a game like Zack & Wiki or Boogie, which the hard core and doesn't reach of the masses, then you're trouble."

yet increasingly, not all third-party publishers have found the Wii market difficult to crack. Multi games like Ubisoft's Rayman: Raving Rabbids, a cartoon action-adventure, have found receptive audience.

Hudson Soft has success with titles such as Sudoku, jigsaw puzzles, jigsaw puzzles and fishing games.

"The nature of the person who buys a Wii is not the same kind of person that buys a PS3 or Xbox, " said John Greiner, the chief executive of Hudson Entertainment, the North American branch of Hudson Soft. "You need to be very specific if you have a game design and target not only the gameplay mechanics for that user, but also markets for that kind of a product launch."

Hudson has also benefited from a particularly close relationship with Nintendo. Hudson developed Mario Party 8, consistently one of the Wii's top sellers, and is one of the biggest beneficiaries of the Wii Virtual Console, which costs users to play classic video games.

Nintendo itself seems primarily focused on expanding this casual audience, while continuing to deliver to prosecute its most beloved franchises such as Mario Kart Wii, the latest incarnation of the popular driving simulator, which will be released next week .

Ms. Kaigler, the spokesman for Nintendo, says the company hopes Mario Kart will serve as a "bridge title" between core gamers and casual fans, with the help of a steering device in which a Wii controller can adapt.

Wii Fit, an exercise game due next month, is expected to more marketing dollars than any game in Nintendo's history, Mr Lessee said --and the money is not is spent wooing young men. "Wii Fit is not just aimed at hard-core gamers," said Mr. Lessee. "It's certainly focused on the Oprah crowd. I bet they sell one million units per week for every pound Oprah says that she lost on it."

About Wii Accessories

Since the release of the Nintendo Wii in november 2006, the company sold more than 9 million consoles worldwide, according to the NPD Group. Do you think that the Wii is the second most desired gift on Amazon's wedding registry? His popularity should come as no surprise, given the fact that it is highly interactive, promotes exercise, and welcomes friendly competition (we have thrown a few Wii tournaments here at PC Magazine).

Despite the occasional Wii-related injury (yes, who like Band-Aids handy), the innovative console has managed to transform gaming. Even family night has changed from board games to video games. Just this last Wednesday, Nintendo MyWiiStory.com launched a site where Wii owners can post stories about how the Wii has changed their lives.

It does not look like the Wii rage has been delayed because the reports of shortages and all! And judging by the handful of crazy Wii accessories, we stumbled on lately--"chrome casings, remote retractable cuffs, and more--" There seems no end in sight for any console this rage.

Here are a few of the products can be found in the current 10 Wacky Wii Accessories slideshow:

Retractable Wii Sports cuff
Unless you fat-up to your hand with butter, there really needs a retractable Wii Sports Cuff? Confirm the Wiimote to the adjustable band, sliding it on your wrist, and at any time that you believe that the Wiimote will slip out of your hands, the cord will attract up to 13 inches. It sells for $ 5.99 at HandheldItems.com.

Xcm I-Case for Wii (Chrome)
Admit it: You wish you could cover your Nintendo Wii in chrome. And thanks TotalConsole.com, your wish can come true. The I-Case for Wii ($ 39.99) from xcm is a replacement event that gives your Wii that silvery, shiny "I'm cool" look. Not in chrome? The I-Case is also available in the crystal blue and black.

Now look at the rest of our 10 Wacky Wii Accessories story, including Wii controller Airplane Stand, Cooking Mama Kit, ThinkGeek's WiiHelm, DecalGirl's Wii Skins, Billiards Pole for Wiimote , Wii Combat Pack, Pedometer Step Counter Gauge for Wii Sports, and Handmadefun's Trick or treat Wii Monster.

Battalion Wars 2 Review

Battalion Wars 2 is an RTS action game for the Wii. Like its predecessor, you carry on a handful of units and must take on your enemies and destroy them achieve victory. The story is a continuation of BW1 for the GameCube.

Control is a big part of this game, because it offers a unique experience that I have yet to come across, even on the Wii. Most commands are issued with a combination of the A button and the D-pad, such as attacks, monitoring, wait, etc. The motion sensor can also find and disable what you control unit in the middle of a battle, along with the provision of what I think it is a very accurate crosshair. The only problem I came back with the controls were a number of aircraft that can barrel roll, speed up / down, and do other special maneuvers.

Part of this game, that's not the best graphics. But if you are like me, you can hardly find that, and come to enjoy the graphic style of BW2, because the gameplay is great. The game is in no way the most graphically powerful one of the console, but it's not the worst. It contains detailed, but simplistic environments that recall something of an improved Wind Waker. Although I should also note that every plane, every tank, and any form of infantry unit has its own unique model and varies even with faction.

The game play for BW2 is what I love the most. It also offers an RTS type of game, but they are more action-based, not on the height of buildings that you have. Of course help the buildings, making you faster and with more units reinforcements. With land, air, sea and ground vehicles and infantry there are many ways to each mission. You can strike a bomber plane or use a mortar at long distance. More in close range combat? Try the Flame Veteran and his flame thrower to take note of enemy infantry. Not only are you a variety of units, but each has its own strengths and weaknesses, and to win this game you have to learn to play them all.

Nintendo Wii Review

The good: Revolutionary controller design offers unique motion-sensitive gameplay options; built Wi-Fi for a free online services and the gameplay; Virtual Console has great nostalgia appeal; compatible with all GameCube games and controllers, built-in SD slot for storage and viewing photos, including Wii Sports game; most affordable home game console.

The bad: Controller eats batteries and takes some time to get used to, online gaming and community features hobbled by terrible "friends code"; nunchuk controller sold separately, not on the advanced HD graphics and surround - sound found on the Xbox 360 and PS3; Requires a wired receiver unit placed near the TV with wireless controllers; can not play CDs or DVDs.

The bottom line: It lacks the graphics power and rich media capabilities of the Xbox 360 and PS3, but the Nintendo Wii's unique combination of motion-sensitive controllers and the emphasis on fun gameplay of the ultra - affordable console hard to resist.