Ubisoft: Wii is, like, totally driven by girls

by Jason Dobson { Jan 15th 2009 at 1:30AM }

Nintendo's crusade to wrap casual and non-gamers alike into the gaming fold has drawn the attention of the Sooner State, with the Tulsa World reporting that the Wii's unstoppable sales have much to do with the gaming habits of the fairer sex. Specifically, Ubisoft's senior brand manager Ann Hamilton tells the newspaper that "what's driving the Wii sales is the use of Wii by women, girls and families."

It's a sentiment that's shared among other organizations, including Tulsa-based developer Tornado Studios (Medal of Honor: Allied Assault), which notes that since the debut of the Wii and DS the company has seen "a much higher influx of female gamers." Even so, while we applaud efforts to put controllers -- any controllers -- in the hands of the women, we just wish the industry wouldn't continue to vomit shovelware into the market under the guise of good intentions.

[Via Endsights]

Tags: family, girls, nintendo, tornado-studios, ubisoft, women

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)

Kevin @ Jan 15th 2009 1:50AM

Wow, I totally wasn't expecting that!

Just don't let that be an excuse for publishers pushing out shovelware, please.

samfish @ Jan 15th 2009 9:44AM

They need an excuse now?

Bleu @ Jan 15th 2009 10:12AM

LOL yea I agree with you fish...do they really...asshole publishers, why do they do this?

Superstar90 @ Jan 15th 2009 1:56AM

So we're making "Wii cheer 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6!".

Gehodra @ Jan 15th 2009 1:58AM

I thought it would be Wii cheer 2,4,6,8.

ryan @ Jan 15th 2009 2:04AM

Who do we apprecia-8?

Markez (Anti-Panda Death Murder Squadron) @ Jan 15th 2009 1:59AM

Man, the dude on the far right has a real 'corky' look.

Shagittarius @ Jan 15th 2009 11:38AM

I'd hit it.

Covarr @ Jan 15th 2009 2:02AM

What's wrong with catering to girls? After all, they are a "broad" audience.

*dodges tomatoes*

(The Award-Winning) dark_inchworm @ Jan 15th 2009 9:01AM

"'Broads don't belong in broadcasting'? Is that the kind of professional courtesy you teach your news department?"

Ordeith @ Jan 15th 2009 12:08PM

I don't know how many time I've told those boys, never call chicks broads.

Olicon @ Jan 15th 2009 2:04AM

The way I read this is that no self respecting gamer are jumping onto the Wii bandwagon, but rather the rather-late-trendy bunch. Oh well, whatever. As long as there are some good games out there for me to play, then I'm happy.
I definitely don't mind hanging out with a girl and using their Wii as an excuse either.

Markez (Anti-Panda Death Murder Squadron) @ Jan 15th 2009 2:07AM

Weird, usually you'd use your own Wii instead of the 'gals' Wii...

HIYO!!!

Olicon @ Jan 15th 2009 2:15AM

You'd be surprised what some people find to be fun *wink wink.
Anyway, I don't have a Wii (as in the console). I kind of want to just go and buy it off my friends for ultra-cheap, because they haven't touched it since the day they bought it. But that would probably just make them hate me.
At least where I live though (Thailand), Wii is definitely not driven by girls.

RiccochetJ @ Jan 15th 2009 2:14AM

Fairer sex. FAIRER SEX?!?!?!?

Can they do this?

Helicopter... Helicopter... Helicopter!!!

...

What?

Paulmichael @ Jan 15th 2009 2:47AM

Haha Foxworthy? I haven't heard/seen his routines in a couple of years...Guess he's too busy with that damn 5th Grader show.

Alien Lord @ Jan 15th 2009 2:24AM

"Even so, while we applaud efforts to put controllers -- any controllers -- in the hands of the women, we just wish the industry wouldn't continue to vomit shovelware into the market under the guise of good intentions." My thoughts exactly!

TONY @ Jan 15th 2009 2:25AM

i'd agree with that statement. i cant think of one guy i have talked to that really wants a wii

Sami @ Jan 15th 2009 2:33AM

The last sentence cracks me up! Joystiq aren't even trying anymore.

bigbagofthings @ Jan 15th 2009 2:36AM

I disagree with you completely, Ubisoft. However, if you feel that way, why don't YOU do something about it instead of pumping out MySims and We Fap games?

ikiryou @ Jan 15th 2009 2:36AM

I think that putting your Wii in their hands is the best thing to do. Vomitting is optional.

Jeramy @ Jan 15th 2009 3:37AM

jobtaxi.com is ALWAYS a bad thing

ThornedVenom (Harley Quinn Defense Force) @ Jan 15th 2009 4:27AM

Of course girls love wiis. But for some reason, they won't play with mine.

xGeneral DEATHx @ Jan 15th 2009 8:56AM

Could be the warts.

t_m @ Jan 15th 2009 6:23AM

Can anyone hoestly claim that when they started gaming they instantly knew which games were good and which sucked?

I remember back in the 286-486 days I used to mostly buy games based on the pictures on the back of the box.
I saved up for months to buy Hired Guns because it looked awesome.. but then it sucked.

Shovelware isn't a problem for new gamers, its a learning process. They'll happily enjoy some games we might never look at, and they'll slowly learn whats good and whats not.

The problem is that nerdcore gamers don't take into account how outsiders think. We're so used to knowing all the gossip and dirt behind the games that we forget that there are people out there who just want to have fun.
When not worrying about comparing games with the best, its possible to have a great time with a perfectly average game.
Yet hardcore gamers would rather rip into a game because it doesn't have quite as nice grapics as GoW... rather than just enjoy it..

NoHitHair @ Jan 15th 2009 8:37AM

You argue a point long beaten into the dirt by all other nostalgic gamers. It isn't that they don't listen, it's that they can't even comprehend it. To them, poor graphics and a good game are mutually exclusive.

Often I wonder if they refuse to read novels due to the lack of pictures. Maybe I should invest in pop-up books.

Vcize @ Jan 15th 2009 10:09AM

Wow, way to miss his point entirely NoHitHair.

samfish @ Jan 15th 2009 10:42AM

I don't see how he missed the point...

Vcize @ Jan 15th 2009 10:58AM

T_m was ranting about how casual gamers don't spend as much time researching games and are more likely to impulse buy a game that looks good in the store, and that it's up to more experienced gamers to steer them in the right direction. He also noted that casual gamers are more likely to enjoy these impulse, casual games because their expectations aren't set as high without researching what else is out there, and used graphics as a small anecdote towards that at the end.

NoHitHair decided to use that small anecdote at the end as a vehicle to drive his scthick about how graphics don't matter in games and all these kids just don't understand, which is a totally different discussion entirely.

Mr Khan @ Jan 15th 2009 12:18PM

nah, NoHitHair was using the argument about them simply being too retarded to tell the difference

t_m @ Jan 15th 2009 10:00PM

i wasn't ranting... :-(

-Vexx- @ Jan 15th 2009 7:24AM

Well this explains everything :P

Travis @ Jan 15th 2009 7:28AM

i have a Wii, and I've been known to bash it for it's not-so-greatness...but I will confess:

the Wii is a great system for a few reasons. Yes, girls do seem to enjoy it the most, and for that, I am thankful. I like it when my girlfriend challenges me to Boomblox, or Wii Sports, or Mario Kart. The experience isn't necessarily deep for a gamer, but it's still worth appreciating. Secondly, really young kids dig the system. There is no excuse for shovelware, but I see parents and their kids gaming together on the wii a lot, and that's a good step towards tolerance of the medium. We complain about shovelware, and it exists on the wii more than any other system, but it's up to the regular "know-better" gamers to steer casual gamers away from it, and let them enjoy the wii for what it is.

xFenixKnightx @ Jan 15th 2009 8:17AM

Daaaaaang, you hear that, Khan? They called you a girl! I wouldn't take that crap. :P

I keed, is for fun, yes? :)

Lee @ Jan 15th 2009 8:22AM

I also hear that many women drive cars. I guess I should stop driving now because it's not macho huh huh.

Vcize @ Jan 15th 2009 10:12AM

If they're letting women drive now then yeah, it's probably best to stay off the roads.

Vcize @ Jan 15th 2009 10:13AM

That was a joke, please don't ban me...

WRE @ Jan 15th 2009 12:40PM

That was a joke?

Arturo @ Jan 15th 2009 8:30AM

Last night I was at gamestop and saw 6 college girls walk in to buy that pretend/not really beer pong Wii game...one of them had a big butt which was pretty sweet lol.

xFenixKnightx @ Jan 15th 2009 8:36AM

Nice, I like big butts...and I cannot lie. :D

xGeneral DEATHx @ Jan 15th 2009 8:59AM

Beware the song...about...Big Butts...*gasp*...he plays it while he beats you up! *Cough*

Blazur @ Jan 15th 2009 8:59AM

With that being said, I think the right thing to do would be to release a multiplayer version of Leisure Suit Larry on the Wii.

ScottG13 @ Jan 15th 2009 9:02AM

Nothing wrong with making titles targeted at a specific demographic. As long as the titles are GOOD. Quality is key.

samfish @ Jan 15th 2009 9:52AM

"As long as the titles are GOOD. Quality is key. "

Yes, well, Ubisoft in particular doesn't understand this.

But hey, if they actually tried to make good games on the Wii it would add to the development budget which in turn would mean less of a development budget for PS360 games that they do put effort into.

ScottG13 @ Jan 15th 2009 10:00AM

Yeah, I just hate seeing people NEW to gaming getting hosed and turned off by shovelware. They don't know to check reviews to ascertain quality. Games like Peggle or Rock Band have shown that casuals and traditionals can enjoy quality games at the same time. More of this is what we need. Less Petz, Bratz or Hell's Kitchen.

Vcize @ Jan 15th 2009 11:01AM

But the thing is that they're not getting turned off by the shovelware. They love the shovelware, and it's cheap to make on top of that, which just means more cheap shovelware and more profits for everyone.

It's the same reason we have 100 American Idol and Dancing with the Stars knockoffs on TV while much deeper serial shows are slowly dying off.

samfish @ Jan 15th 2009 11:44AM

Except that with few exceptions, the shovelware isn't selling. Ubisoft was lamenting about how their Petz and Imagine games don't sell a whole lot about a year or so ago and just the other day, we had 2K whining about it, too.

Shovelware is designed to make a profit from having obscenely low production costs. They don't need to sell more than a few thousand copies to make a profit on it. Do like Ubisoft does and swap out the graphics throughout 5 otherwise identical titles and you multiply your sales by that much. The business model has been around for years. There's just no stopping it because an otherwise insignificant number of people will purchase those games for whatever reason.
With FEW exceptions do these low cost games actually sell. It's basically marketing by boxart, which explains Carnival Games and Game Party.

That said, my mom thoroughly enjoyed Game Party, so I can't in full conscience say that new gamers don't LOVE shovelware. They are quite aware, though, of the difference in quality between pump 'n' dump trash like Game Party and Wii Sports or Wii Music.

But when the overwhelming majority of the kind of games you like are garbage and you want to, y'know...actually buy games for you system...what are you gonna do?