Can't attract teenage boys (to your games)? Try Oprah.

It sort of makes sense if you figure that many Oprah watching moms have kids that might already have a DS/GBA.

The idea is probably to pitch them a game that rouses their interest in a device they've previously given little thought to.

My girlfriend's 65 year old mom instantly took to MarioKart, WarioWare, and Nintendogs...and she's *65*!!

Smart, and the more soccer moms playing video games, the less soccer moms complaining about what video games are doing to their children.
Go Nintendo (now gimmie Super Mario Bros. DS...)

Yes, PERHAPS Reggie is right when he says that young males interest in videogames is declining...But I also think there´s something missing in that sentence and that´s a word called NINTENDO:

"gaming's current main audience of young males (whose "interest in NINTENDO games is declining").

Most teenage boys are more interested in girls, physique, money, and getting into a good college. Videogames help NONE of those ambitions.

The whole Oprah thing is to get women to get interested in software like the Brain Training series that's targetted toward adults. Adult males don't watch any particular show the same way women watch Oprah, so that's how Nintendo approaches a partnership with Oprah.

What? Does this sound like a plan from a company that fully expects to win the next gen console wars? It sounds desperate and sadly complacent. I mean Sony and Microsoft both try and compete to out do one other and come up with the best product they can. But the big N? "Idunno, Oprah...she's popular...uh Judge Alec too..."

Yes yes Nintendo fans I know I know.... complete Nin. library+ cheaper system with revolutionary gameplay, yes I agree. Good stuff. I just question how motivated Nintendo really is to try and win this thing.

Laughing Man, use your brain. If you've been following Nintendos strategy for the last year or so then you'll soon realize that they aren't just interested in people like you. They hope to expand the market, and targeting the audience that watches Oprah is part of that plan. The decision to zero in on Oprah isn't as haphazard as you depict it to be.

A year ago everyone was laughing at Nintendo for being "out of touch" with gamers with their "puppy game" and now, the DS is owning the PSP. The audience that helped to lead the charge was girls and Nintendo saw boatloads of money pour in as well.

There is still going to be plenty of males buying Rev's and DS's by the ton, but Nintendo just might have women of many ages deciding they'll join in too. That is something Sony and Microsoft won't have.

"Most teenage boys are more interested in girls, physique, money, and getting into a good college. Videogames help NONE of those ambitions."

Dude, where the fuck are you coming from?

I've yet to meet a teenage boy who hasn't played a videogame. Teenage girls on the other hand, well, none of them play video games.

Also, people rant on and on about how much money this will mean for Nintendo. Who gives a shit? I still want good games, Nintendo can go to hell for all I care. If Nintendo is making billions of dollars, is that still in my best interests if they're making really really really really really really shitty games. No, no it isn't.

If all we see from good ol' N is puppy dog games then I'm pretty disapointed. We need more games that aren't age specific, like Mario. Something that truly, anyone in the family can relatively enjoy.

#7 why are you so angry and strung out on angst? I didn't say that teenage boys DON'T play videogames. I said that teenage boys are spending less and less time with videogames as there are other activities competing for their time. Furthermore, there aren't as many teenage boys to cater to right now, so Nintendo has to take that into consideration. And I hate to break it to you, but all companies are focused entirely on profit. No one's gonna make a game just for your satisfaction while their revenues take a nose dive.

Ultimately, the industry can no longer rely solely on teenage boys to drive revenue because their tastes are changing and their numbers are currently shrinking. It would be silly of Nintendo to base a strategy around that demographic, especially when Sony and Microsoft are both trying to squeeze some profit out of the same group of consumers.

Actually the whole teenage boys losing interest in games is true. Once you hit the middle of high school you slowly start to lose interest.

When I got a girlfriend, and more of a social life I didn't really have time to play games even though I really really wanted to.

Whenever I would want to play a game something would always get in my way, school, girlfriend, high school drama, drawings, being on the internet, or watching TV.

On top of that I haven't been spending money to buy games because I have to many other things to buy that are of more importance such Art Supplies, things for my career, books, food. etc So now I mostly get games off the internet through other means and things like that.

Nintendo is very right that teenage males are losing interest and it is smart of them to go after a different age, and gender group.

Watch out Rev fanboys. Nintendo is dumbing down or rather simplifying their games so much to appeal to non-gamers like Oprah watchers that real gamers will be extremely disappointed. Hopefully 3rd parties will pick up the slack and release some meaty games for you to play.

11: That's just stupid.

So Nintendo's trying to advertise to new people?

OMG THEY'RE BETRAYING US!!!!11

>_>

And I don't know about you, but I LIKE simple games.

I'm guessing 11 is being sarcastic.

Otherwise:
HO NOES THEY'RE GONNA RETITLE "TWILIGHT PRINCESS" AS "LINK'S ADVENTURES IN ALPHABET LAND"!!!111

Shhyeah right, I'm sorry, but I don't forsee the Marios and Zeldas reverting to an-aimed-at-3-year-olds state.

Even if a game is rated "E", it doesn't mean it is any easier than stuff rated "M".
I also don't know too many 5-year olds who crave Sudoku, so if anything, Nintendo's aim at an older age group leaves you feeling alienated and sad. That's okay. You can download Super Metroid on your Revolution and be as hardcore as you want.

You people can't seriously still believe that "OMG, NO GURLZ EVAR PLAY VIDEOGAMES" garbage, can you? There's tons of girls playing games, and they're being more vocal about it nowadays, too. That's why there's openly female game groups like GameGirlAdvance or the PMS Clan. Gaming itself is become more and more accepted, which is why it's in the news so much, you see it casually thrown into movies and commercials the same way TV and chatting online is. You people need to get over the idea that the gamer community is some tight-knit clan comprised only of 14-25 year old males and wise up. The generation of people who grew up with videogames are getting older, and you can't honestly think that the industry would ignore this fact and constantly focus on the young male demographic. Honestly. I'm with Zenprism- get those soccer moms on Nintendogs and Brain Age. Don't worry, you'll still have developers making your Halos, Maddens and GTAs, and Nintendo will keep making Mario games.

Hahahaha. you guys are so wrong its funny. Nintendo is aiming for adifferent market to spend $$$ advertising their because:

a. most gamers know about a game from reviews in magazines internet. example: Electroplankton.

b. reminding your mom & dad the word NINTENDO is a way to get into your house easier since they are they ones with money. Try any normal parent buying the hottest new game, and most bring you the current movie tiein or flashy cover.

Nintendo is being sarcastic calling the hardcore nerds "jaded 14 years olds raised on GTA" which is pretty funny. You can't target that market if you don't offer boobies, blood, street racing and Skateboards, which is Xbox market. you instead try for actual gamers not nerds. I been there. Mortal Kombat anyone. I rather have Street Fighter now than more Mortal Kombat, which was the other way 10 years ago.

"Nintendo is dumbing down or rather simplifying their games so much to appeal to non-gamers like Oprah watchers that real gamers will be extremely disappointed." WHAT!!! give an example of an intelligent game. Just one. Games are that: GAMES. Entertaintment. I have yet to play an intelligent game. You are pretty wrong if you think yu been playing intelligent games. I might understand nice stories but to make you think? isn't that Nintendo's Brain training for? so I guess nintendo isn't making stupid games. Try harder Petey & Company. If you wanna learn try BOOKS. not movie adaptations, BOOKS without pictures.

FINALLY some real advertising done by videogame companies. While the super bowl was on I'm like there has to be a videogame commerical-never happened. Same with the oscars and grammys and every other big show. I have seen videogame commercials on tv but on cable, never network. Oprah is great because the mothers will buy it for the kids.

"And I hate to break it to you, but all companies are focused entirely on profit."

Well, jeez, if you're so focused on the interests of making video game companies profit then gtfo. Seriously, I'm interested in one thing, and that is good games.

Also, the adolescent and young male demographic is the biggest right now. I'm not talking about creating games that are age specific with skateboard music and rock music, but rather creating games which aren't age specific.

These types of games everybody can enjoy, things like solitaire to Super Mario Bros. These are classic examples of a void age target. Also, I'm not saying that Sony should be based around a demographic, but right now, no group has any larger interest in video games than young males.

I'm not saying that females don't play videogames, but most of the girls that I've met, maybe 1 or 2 out of 20 play videogames. Where with males, maybe about 15-17 I've met play games.

"give an example of an intelligent game. Just one"

Civilization, Age Of Empires, any other strategy game and maybe a few RPGs.

It would really suck to have to trade Civilization for Nintendogs. Of course, your part of the EGM prick crowd who refuse PC games as videogames at all.

"#7 why are you so angry and strung out on angst? "

Wah-wah-wah, deal with it, you twat. Also, I have little tolerance for dissent, maybe that's it. I don't know. Plus, if I come out as harsh, that's good because that's my metaphorical slap in the face for all you idiots.

Man, I'm this close to deleting some comments altogether right now. Dissent is perfectly fine, but personal attacks on other posters won't be tolerated. Please keep it civil, guys; the rest of your comments are really insightful, so I'd hate to throw the baby out with the bathwater, so to speak.

Dan, I'm voting for the Delete Button. In general, I don't think it's exercised enough.

A lot of adults were raised on computer gaming... basically any teen today potentially has a parent who played Ataris, Dreamcasts, and even PC games like Doom.

I suspect there's a prevailing PARENTAL OPEN MINDEDNESS toward computer games that the industry has ignored.

So it strikes me as logical to market games to parents, whether it's for parents themselves or their children.

-Pie