RE: Wii fit RPG???
-
Jul 18, 2007 15:41
I don' t think many of you understand the true power of hype. Whether it come from the media, or through social networking, hype helps things sell.......a lot.
When the iPod came out, it was well known in tech circles, but it never really took off until the slick advertising campaign that followed the PC version release. All of a sudden everyone NEEDED an iPod. I knew tons of people who barely knew how to use mp3' s, let alone never used them for their computers prior to the iPod, saying how they needed one all of a sudden. Not to mention, mp3 players had been around for long before it, just not with as much storage capacity(though quite a bit cheaper as well). And don' t say it was because it was way easier to use. The iPod interface is nice, but it doesn' t let you sort it(it has to do it itself, for fear of letting people do what they want!) not to mention iTunes itself is a slow, basic media centre.
The same is happening with the Wii. Once you get enough people talking about something, others will think they should have one too. Add in the fact that Nintendo did a great job of making people feel unashamed that they have or play a Wii and the number of people talking about it grows. A lot of people don' t want to admit they play ps3 or 360 when in their offices or at get togethers for fear of sounding " nerdy" even though it is no more so than the Wii.
At work(I' m a chef at an upscale restaraunt), I talk to a lot of people, and so far, I have heard over 15 mentions of the Wii, many from women. Usually the conversation goes a bit like this " I was playing it" or " I heard from a friend" " that it is a lot of fun" . So I ask them what game, and its always Wii Sports. They proceed to say that they would like to have one, and that they might end up getting one. Or when I talk to anyone that isnt a gamer about video games, they always say they' ve heard a lot about the Wii and they would probably get it if they got a console. So you see, even though the Wii is no better a console, lots of people want one because they A) have heard from people its fun, B)it' s not considered a nerdy thing to have, which leads to C) they want to fit in with their social group.
Which leads me to what I have heard from Wii owners. They loved it at first, and still enjoy it from time to time when they have friends over, but have grown tired of Wii sports, and don' t really know what to play. Remember that a lot of people don' t like RPGs so the Wii' s best game(Zelda) is either already owned or off the list. I don' t ever hear this from 360 owners, and rarely hear it from ps3 owners.
I would also like to add that when I mention to these people(whilst sounding like a bit of a nerd) that the Wii is basically a jumped up gamecube, they never have any idea that it was the case. Most think it is nearly as powerful as a 360 or ps3, and when I ask why they don' t think about getting a ps3 or 360, they just mention price, never games, never performance or capabilities.
So, my findings from talking to many people that aren' t " hardcore" gamers, is that they first think of price, then what they have heard from friends/acquaintances, and third, what would seem " cooler" .
So, if you really think price isn' t a factor you are an imbecile. So if you think that hype isn' t a factor, you are ignorant. So if you think that Nintendo' s marketing it as a mainstream machine that isn' t for " nerdy gamers anymore" doesn' t change the way it sells, then you are shortsighted.
I realise this won' t change many fanboys opinions, but oh well.