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The old times
I remember back in the old days my parents always played Mario with me. They loved gaming as much as I did. But that was only until games started getting a little bit complex and less interesting for the older gamers.
Games started to have less appeal to them; it was Sony who I personally think created the younger gamer stereo type. Games like Grand Theft Auto, Saint Rows and all the other thug games.
Old people like calm and pleasant games, at there age they dislike all the violence; they tend to want to relax than trying to get a grasp of complicated story lines, that are un-realistic and make no sense. I don't blame them at all; they take games wrongly these days...
The Modern age
Nintendo have thankfully brought the older games back! They have a wide variety of games appealing to all age group of gamers, which even your grand parents can now love!
Games like Brain Age, Mario and even Nintendogs! They always rescue us from the old age. The upcoming WII console is going to be a hit with old people! With games that have a lot more appeal, like the fishing game for instance.
Nintendo's WII controller is more layed out and more inviting to parents and grandparents. With PS2’s and Xbox’s in-inviting controls, parents don't even want to think about playing.
Thank you Nintendo! You have broken through the obsolete stereo type!
The old times
I remember back in the old days my parents always played Mario with me. They loved gaming as much as I did. But that was only until games started getting a little bit complex and less interesting for the older gamers.
Games started to have less appeal to them; it was Sony who I personally think created the younger gamer stereo type. Games like Grand Theft Auto, Saint Rows and all the other thug games.
Old people like calm and pleasant games, at there age they dislike all the violence; they tend to want to relax than trying to get a grasp of complicated story lines, that are un-realistic and make no sense. I don't blame them at all; they take games wrongly these days...
The Modern age
Nintendo have thankfully brought the older games back! They have a wide variety of games appealing to all age group of gamers, which even your grand parents can now love!
Games like Brain Age, Mario and even Nintendogs! They always rescue us from the old age. The upcoming WII console is going to be a hit with old people! With games that have a lot more appeal, like the fishing game for instance.
Nintendo's WII controller is more layed out and more inviting to parents and grandparents. With PS2’s and Xbox’s in-inviting controls, parents don't even want to think about playing.
Thank you Nintendo! You have broken through the obsolete stereo type!
Nintendo, on the other hand, have targeted the non-gamers and casual gamers, rather than the adult gamers. Plus, of course, they have those who were the youth of gaming all those years ago and still love being reminded of those times.
Thing is, the demographic changes as us 'original' gamers get older and don't drop our gaming habits, so gaming is bound to appeal to older people now as they were the ones who grew up with it. Add the current trend for retro gaming, and Nintendo don't have to market to 'older gamers' as the gamers themselves are the ones actively playing the stuff...
> Hang on, there used to be a gaming stereotype of being just for
> kids (not even teens). As the kids got older, they became teens
> and took gaming with them. Sony were probably the first games
> hardware company to actively target the post-teen market.
>
> Nintendo, on the other hand, have targeted the non-gamers and
> casual gamers, rather than the adult gamers. Plus, of course,
> they have those who were the youth of gaming all those years ago
> and still love being reminded of those times.
>
> Thing is, the demographic changes as us 'original' gamers get
> older and don't drop our gaming habits, so gaming is bound to
> appeal to older people now as they were the ones who grew up
> with it. Add the current trend for retro gaming, and Nintendo
> don't have to market to 'older gamers' as the gamers themselves
> are the ones actively playing the stuff...
I don't think so, a lot of teens play GTA, that game is actually targeted at them (teens). And there are hundreds more titles I can think of that teens and kids play, but that would be to long.
Back in the early 80's when gaming became popular it was aimed at kids and not adults and nowadays those kids are in their late 20's at least and will probably still be into gaming so in the present day there are now 2 markets instead of 1 - kids and adults.
In my opinion I think the genre of games that each marker goes for can be identified - kids tend to go for fantasy games while adults prefer "real life" games, for example 10 - 15 years ago my favourite games were the likes of Mario and Mortal Kombat where as nowadays I prefer to play games based on real life - LMA Manager and Cricket games are 2 I play regularly.
Whether I'll be playing them in 10 years time I'm not sure. I assume I'll have kids by then and they'll be into games so if I do lose interest I'll probably get it back when they get into it.
> I don't think so, a lot of teens play GTA, that game is actually
> targeted at them (teens). And there are hundreds more titles I
> can think of that teens and kids play, but that would be to
> long.
Nah, so many adults play GTA, wipeout and the other Sony games. Teens are just part of the adult market. Here in the office there are a broad spectrum of people and many have PS2s or Xboxs. Most love to play sports games, GTA, racing games or fighting games. 20 years ago you just wouldn't have that. These are the people who grew up with games and marketing is reflecting this. Yes, the teen market is being sought too, but the adult market is a growing trend and the companies know it.
Then you have the adult market of non-gamers, who Nintendo is aiming at with the handhelds and the Wii. I know so many women who have got in to gaming through the DS, it's weird. Now my wife has found Animal Crossing and Brain Training I'll never see my DS again!
What?
> Ermmm.... Sony ruined the market for older gamers? ............
> what? .................. more kiddy style?........... what?
>
>
>
> What?
Ninja_Reborn's arguement is that Sony aimed their games at the teenage market, so 'older' gamers (ie gamers in their 30s and over I guess) were possibly embarassed or put off of buying and playing games.
My arguement was that Sony were aiming at the whole adult market and that I knew plenty of adults who enjoyed and actively talked about those games.
But I also agree that Nintendo are encouraging adult gamers, but not deliberately. The 'cute' games appeal to female adult gamers and male gamers alike. And I can see his point that the Teenage gamers would perhaps be put off by the cute games and the older gamers would see past this, or even be encouraged by similar things to the games they remember playing as kids.
Is that a clearer explanation?
For £20 there was one with Golden Axe and Final Fight along with about 10 others which are clearly aimed at 20 - 30 year olds who want to go back to their youth so I think that companies are now targeting games at the older generation.
Either that or they're just churning out compilations to make a bit of cash :D
Hopefully that's a little clearer for you