BloodyPuppy
Look, Ma! Two Heads!
Alright, so Nintendo is appealing to the downmarket. I don't mind playing those "downstream" genres with the exception of the last one on that list. The problem is, that those sorts of games are what Nintendo seems to be primarily focusing on. I like puzzle games a lot and I love side-scrolling platformers, but I haven't seen that sort of fare from Nintendo recently.
The guy who writes the article also has a bit on the complexity of Wii sports pointing out the physics. A physics engine is very much a very standard element of game design, and I wouldn't call much of Wii sports particularly deep. Sure, it was a cool demonstration of the Wii's motion controls but that's about it. I haven't touched my copy of Wii sports in ages.
So fine, Nintendo has a successful strategy that's making money. Unfortunately that strategy almost entirely consists of them releasing games that are meant for people who don't typically play games. And it isn't just the games themselves that indicate this, it's the marketing. Have you seen the recent commercials for DS and Wii games? Usually a couple of very normal people playing one of those "downstream" games? Not to say that gamers are typically abnormal in appearance but Nintendo really seems to be pushing this whole gaming for everyone thing which is fine if I didn't think it would contribute to a more worrying trend which is evidenced by Fallout 3.
Recently it seems like a lot of titles are being dumbed down or unoriginal games are being released simply to appeal to the widest possible audience, most of them already gamers. What happens when that audience is further expanded to people less and less willing to put any sort of significant commitment into learning a game? More dumbing down? It isn't so much marketing to non-gamers that worries me, but further widening the fanbase major developers are marketing to.
Of course maybe I'm just being a paranoid elitist who needs some sense knocked into him, but this is just my opinion.
The guy who writes the article also has a bit on the complexity of Wii sports pointing out the physics. A physics engine is very much a very standard element of game design, and I wouldn't call much of Wii sports particularly deep. Sure, it was a cool demonstration of the Wii's motion controls but that's about it. I haven't touched my copy of Wii sports in ages.
So fine, Nintendo has a successful strategy that's making money. Unfortunately that strategy almost entirely consists of them releasing games that are meant for people who don't typically play games. And it isn't just the games themselves that indicate this, it's the marketing. Have you seen the recent commercials for DS and Wii games? Usually a couple of very normal people playing one of those "downstream" games? Not to say that gamers are typically abnormal in appearance but Nintendo really seems to be pushing this whole gaming for everyone thing which is fine if I didn't think it would contribute to a more worrying trend which is evidenced by Fallout 3.
Recently it seems like a lot of titles are being dumbed down or unoriginal games are being released simply to appeal to the widest possible audience, most of them already gamers. What happens when that audience is further expanded to people less and less willing to put any sort of significant commitment into learning a game? More dumbing down? It isn't so much marketing to non-gamers that worries me, but further widening the fanbase major developers are marketing to.
Of course maybe I'm just being a paranoid elitist who needs some sense knocked into him, but this is just my opinion.
^^ I want to watch Tropic Thunder now.
