Last year, Japan recorded its first
population decrease since records began. By 2050, estimates suggest that the country could be home to 28 million less
people than it is today. This means fewer children, and a shrinking market for toy developers. Companies like Tomy
(makers of Transformers) have turned to adults for the solution, manufacturing toys for grownups, like a new doll that
is popular among women over the age of 60.The trend could quickly spread to gaming, where Nintendo has long been known to own the 'under 21' demographic. If the kiddy pool does run dry, should we expect Nintendo to shift to M-rated content? Not necessarily. But it would justify the radical approach Nintendo is taking with Wii, which has the potential to attract adults who are currently intimidated by — or simply not interested in — video game consoles.
[Via Digg]
