14 is too mature for a Wii [Mobile/Archive]

foltzie

03-28-2007, 03:52 PM

“We don’t feel like the Wii customer and the Xbox customer are the same thing. We think that as soon as the Wii customer turns 14 they want something else.” - John Rodman, Xbox, Product Manager

We I think I would put that at 12 or 13, but yes he is probably correct, once you hit that pre-teen age the Wii isnt cool enough since it wont let you swear online the way XBL can.

Which is fine, when the Xbox customer matures at 18-20ish he'll get tired and revert back to just playing whatever is fun. That may be the Wii or it may be some other game. Until then Nintendo will be happy selling to the new audiences they have captured with Wii Sports and other silly games.

Snake2715

03-28-2007, 04:08 PM

We I think I would put that at 12 or 13, but yes he is probably correct, once you hit that pre-teen age the Wii isnt cool enough since it wont let you swear online the way XBL can.

Which is fine, when the Xbox customer matures at 18-20ish he'll get tired and revert back to just playing whatever is fun. That may be the Wii or it may be some other game. Until then Nintendo will be happy selling to the new audiences they have captured with Wii Sports and other silly games.

Soo... Does silly = fun or not?

Sir_Fragalot

03-28-2007, 04:09 PM

“We don’t feel like the Wii customer and the Xbox customer are the same thing. We think that as soon as the Wii customer turns 14 they want something else.” - John Rodman, Xbox, Product Manager

link (http://www.dailytech.com/Microsoft+Wii+Gamers+Will+Look+to+Bigger+And+Bette r+Things+When+They+Grow+Up/article6675c.htm)

I have a x-box 360 at home, now granted it is at home I had a whole spring break to touch it and I never did once (although it is not on XBL, I still have good games for it, such as fear and dead rising). I did though put some time into DKC though, so just by that point alone his reason failed.

foltzie

03-28-2007, 04:09 PM

dang, I have to get rid of the Wii now because I'm too awesome (and old) for it.

I guess I'll get what I can for it. Anyone want a brand new Wii for $6?

I accept, shall I Paypal the monies?

johnnypark

03-28-2007, 04:14 PM

dang, I have to get rid of the Wii now because I'm too awesome (and old) for it.

I guess I'll get what I can for it. Anyone want a brand new Wii for $6?

Dude, I'm like...almost twice that age, you'd have to pay me to take the Wii. Tell ya what, paypal me $10 and I'll give you my address where to send it.

Strell

03-28-2007, 04:16 PM

The more I see these kinds of comments, the more I wonder how long it's going to take for Microsoft and Sony to cannibalize each other, since neither of them is able to say anything particularly original.

"Its got bad graphics and is fo' kids, yo."

I think you guys should try a bit harder. Maybe compare the Wii to a chipmunk's balls, and you are a mighty wolverine or something.

Spades22

03-28-2007, 04:17 PM

hahaha I like that statement xD. Well, at about 14 I actually did get bored of Nintendo (but didn't buy another console other than nintendo till 17) and now I have a 360...so I guess that mold fits me well lol. I kept it though cause I actually like the games and features more...

"We think as soon as the Wii customer turns 14 they'll want something else"...kinda true a bit to be honest, I remember getting bored of regular games around that age... but I still do play Nintendo. I don't think he's saying 14 is too "mature", just that they'll want something ELSE as well. He shoulda worded it better, lol.

squirrel007

03-28-2007, 04:19 PM

Im 14 and I enjoy my wii...

AHAHAH enjoy my wii.. GET IT?

no but really I do :D

Puffa469

03-28-2007, 04:28 PM

Last time I played Halo 2 online everyone sounded like they were 13... at least mentally.

GoofyPenguin

03-28-2007, 04:46 PM

“We don’t feel like the Wii customer and the Xbox customer are the same thing. We think that as soon as the Wii customer turns 14 they want something else.” - John Rodman, Xbox, Product Manager

link (http://www.dailytech.com/Microsoft+Wii+Gamers+Will+Look+to+Bigger+And+Bette r+Things+When+They+Grow+Up/article6675c.htm)

ha ha. this dude's implying that everyone has as short of an attention span as himself. booooooooo john rodman!

MarioColbert

03-28-2007, 05:31 PM

I think you guys should try a bit harder. Maybe compare the Wii to a chipmunk's balls, and you are a mighty wolverine or something.

Strell... It's not about the Wii. It's about making already fragile puberty-stricken kids feel even MORE insecure about their childishness. It's great marketing, because not-too-grown-up gaming media (who act like fresh-out-of-High-School assholes) jizz over each and every statement like that, celebrating it until each and every 14 year old is reminded that what he enjoys is immature and he best man up, otherwise nobody will have sex with him.

I can't wait for that advertisement: fuckin' XBOX LIVE WILL GET YOU POON TANG LIKE P.DIDDY YOU CAN PISS ON ANYONE!

Ditch this bullshit and don't bite the bait of these "marketing schemes." Because, really, these "news" don't deserve a HOT TOPIC.

I'm so ironic!

Strell

03-28-2007, 05:53 PM

Mario Col-burt (with a hard t), surely even you can be more creative in this.

XBOX LIVE IS GONNA SODOMIZE YO' GRAMMA WITH A CHAINSAW WHILE SINGING FREEBIRD AND CHUGGING THREE BEERS AND A DEPTHCHARGE WHILE DRIVING A MACK TRUCK THROUGH YOUR NON-EXISTENT EX GIRLFRIEND'S BEDROOM WINDOW AND JUMP THROUGH 14 HOOPS OF FIRE THIS SUNDAY, SUNDAY, SUNDAY

the3rdkey

03-28-2007, 05:54 PM

Rodman sounds like he posts on GameFAQs more than I do.

Reality's Fringe

03-28-2007, 06:10 PM

Timeline of wii jabs:

Unveiling: LOL It'S LIKE REMOTE CONTROL! LOL, IT'S NAMED AFTER PEE-PEE. LOL IT'S A GIMMICKY FAD. LOL, NINTENDO IS FOR KIDS.

Release- LOL, THE GRAPHICS ARE SO GAY.

Intermediate period- LOL, IT'S GOING TO STOP SELLING SOON

Now- LOL. IT'S A GIMMICKY FAD. LOL IT'S FOR KIDS.

I think we're coming full-circle. Pretty soon the jokes about its name will start up again.

Dead of Knight

03-28-2007, 06:16 PM

Rodman sounds like he posts on GameFAQs more than I do.
Thread over.

Though I also agree with Reality's Fringe post. This guy sounds like he's 14 more than any executive I've heard in a while, even more than the idiots at Sony. This quote is just flamebait. Sony's execs act like morons, but they're not blatantly attacking other companies just to be assholes like this guy is.

David85

03-28-2007, 06:25 PM

Thread over.

Though I also agree with Reality's Fringe post. This guy sounds like he's 14 more than any executive I've heard in a while, even more than the idiots at Sony. This quote is just flamebait. Sony's execs act like morons, but they're not blatantly attacking other companies just to be assholes like this guy is.

Ummm... are we listening to the same Sony people. :)

Sofa King Kool

03-28-2007, 09:31 PM

“We don’t feel like the Wii customer and the Xbox customer are the same thing. We think that as soon as the Wii customer turns 14 they want something else.” - John Rodman, Xbox, Product Manager
John Rodman is an idiot. Every time I listen to his "logic" I feel like I'm listening to a child. I'm 17 and I'd take Wii over the 360 anyday. Hell, the only reason I own a 360 is because I got it for free. I never would have even considered buying one myself. The Wii on the other hand, I was up at 3 a.m. to get in line.

daroga

03-28-2007, 09:49 PM

I think we're coming full-circle. Pretty soon the jokes about its name will start up again.
Did you know when you play Nintendo you're playing with power? Potty Power!!!1 LOL!

FriskyTanuki

03-28-2007, 10:09 PM

If MS said it, it must be true.

*sells Wii*

:-(

magiic

03-28-2007, 10:15 PM

I'm 17. I have a Wii, 360, PS2, Gamecube and a DS. I think they're all great.

jlseal

03-28-2007, 10:29 PM

My license says I'm 25, but school says I'm 11. Woo hoo! I'm in the clear!

RollingSkull

03-28-2007, 10:34 PM

XBOX LIVE IS GONNA SODOMIZE YO' GRAMMA WITH A CHAINSAW WHILE SINGING FREEBIRD

SINGING Free Bird? Excuse me?

T16skyhopp

03-28-2007, 11:10 PM

oh noes, i gots a DS for my 23rd birthday. dang i should got a PSP instead huh?

lemme go sell my wii too and i can get that black 360 cause black is the new white which was the new black.

jollydwarf

03-29-2007, 12:07 AM

I'm 13.

"No, that's not true..." (http://www.starwarsdotcom.com/star_wars/gallery/characters/pics/luke/esb_luke71.jpg)

"THAT'S IMPOSSSSSIBBLLLLE!!!" (http://www.starwarsdotcom.com/star_wars/gallery/characters/pics/luke/esb_luke72.jpg)

MarkMark

03-29-2007, 12:11 AM

Realitysfringe hit it on the money. The guy sounds like a middleschool jock trying to look cool.

Strell

03-29-2007, 12:28 AM

SINGING Free Bird? Excuse me?

I'm afraid I do not understand what I said wrong.

Does one cupcake Freebird? Is that a verb these days?

foltzie

03-29-2007, 01:27 AM

I'm afraid I do not understand what I said wrong.

Does one cupcake Freebird? Is that a verb these days?

I'll verb your cupcake, all while playing Freebird.

RollingSkull

03-29-2007, 01:38 AM

I'm afraid I do not understand what I said wrong.

Does one cupcake Freebird? Is that a verb these days?

Free Bird is not a song to be sung good sir. One does not sing a guitar solo.

CosmosTheMouse

03-29-2007, 01:42 AM

One does not sing a guitar solo.

You apparently have not yet witnessed the glory that is my mouth guitar style.

Dr Mario Kart

03-29-2007, 01:42 AM

I say we should encourage as many Wii sales as we can, on the grounds that we are encouraging FUTURE 360 sales.

Strell

03-29-2007, 01:49 AM

Free Bird is not a song to be sung good sir. One does not sing a guitar solo.

Ok what's another overrated song that is annoying but there's always a majority of people who swear it's awesome, so it's always being played on the jukebox?

Oh. Satisfaction. There we go.

You apparently have not yet witnessed the glory that is my mouth guitar style.

Nope, but your mom has!

Weedly weedly weedly weedly wiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii CHUGGA CHUG CHUG weeeeeeeeeee auuuuuuuughhhhhhhhhhh DUNNNA DUNNA wiiiiiiiiiiiiii

Kawnhr

03-29-2007, 02:22 AM

One does not sing a guitar solo.

I think Jack Black may have at one point.

zionoverfire

03-29-2007, 02:23 AM

I think Microsoft is taking it's cues from Sony's PR department, first the $480 supreme 360 and now this, sad.

RollingSkull

03-29-2007, 05:47 AM

Ok what's another overrated song that is annoying but there's always a majority of people who swear it's awesome, so it's always being played on the jukebox?

Oh. Satisfaction. There we go.

I think we can shake hands on this one.

Still, they need to just cut the first half out of Free Bird.

03-29-2007, 06:16 AM

I guess I just don't understand the goal of statements like this. Shaming older people into selling their Wii and getting a 360? Attempting to corner the coveted 14-18 demographic (lots of loose change there)?

I'm pushing being as old as 3 14 year-olds put together. I guess I better get rid of my Wii ASAP and buy, like, 3 360's :lol:.

jer7583

03-29-2007, 06:20 AM

And Exactly at what age do kids quit posting flamebait threads on messageboards without any real content besides a PR mouth spitting out company line shit?

Obviously, scrubking has not passed this age yet. Good luck with him on graduating middle school, by the way. Those geometry classes are KILLER.

Brak

03-29-2007, 06:36 AM

I guess I'll get what I can for it. Anyone want a brand new Wii for $6?
No.

TehMuff1nM4n

03-29-2007, 07:29 AM

What he said is true to an extent. I am 16 and most of my friends have no interest in a Wii. Part of the reason is just because it is from Nintendo and another reason is because they are just casual gamers. Now myself, I own a 360, would eventually get a Wii when I could find one and probably enjoy quite a few of the games.

Nirvanaguy777

03-29-2007, 07:54 AM

I love my Wii, fuck that corporate sharecropper.

botticus

03-29-2007, 08:30 AM

I'm pushing being as old as 3 14 year-olds put together. I guess I better get rid of my Wii ASAP and buy, like, 3 360's :lol:.I guess I need two then (I hope people didn't think I was seriously 13 :lol:).

Rasen

03-29-2007, 09:23 AM

I'm pushing being as old as 3 14 year-olds put together. I guess I better get rid of my Wii ASAP and buy, like, 3 360's :lol:.

Three 14 year-olds duct-taped together, perhaps?

Puffa469

03-29-2007, 10:04 AM

Snake2715

03-29-2007, 10:07 AM

Little kids just want to be kids.

Tweens and teens just want to be adults already.

Young adults are happy they way they are, cos they are adults, but still young.

Once you get into your 30's+ you just want to be a kid again.

Circle of life. ;)

It may even start a bit before the 30's!

Otherwise I agree fully.. Oh to have summer vacation again (that lasts for months! and no worries)

UncleBob

03-29-2007, 10:29 AM

John who?

ZForce

03-29-2007, 10:31 AM

I'll be 28 this year and I love the Wii (barring the fact that right now I'm kinda stuck in the software drought) Once you hit a certain age (usually somewhere in your mid 20's, maybe a little earlier) you realize it's best to just do what you like and not give a fuck if you are considered "cool" or not.

rlse9

03-29-2007, 01:39 PM

So, did Microsoft hire this guy from Sony? Cuz this sounds like a dumb statement they'd make...

michiyoyoshiku

03-29-2007, 01:42 PM

What isn't know was after saying that Wii fanboy and Microsoft employee Peter Moore beat him to death with a Wiimote and then fired him.

rendil

03-29-2007, 02:17 PM

Interestingly enough, I wouldn't be surprised if he's somewhat right. Up until the age of 14, you play a game because it's fun - not because it's 'cool' or has lots of blood and violence. After that point, kids seem to be much more image focused.

Billy just got the new Blood Sport 3 FPS, where you can slice a hooker's jugular, drench yourself in blood and steal your money back! And you get an achievement for doing it! It's the coolest thing ever! You won't hear Billy talking about puzzles, thought provoking titles, or games that are fun despite their lack of violence.

That isn't to say that there aren't good violent games, but Nintendo isn't the one making them, and the Xbox 360 probably does a better job at blood splatter than the Wii. Obviously this is an overgeneralization and won't be true in all cases, but it's the perception that counts.

Strell

03-29-2007, 02:25 PM

Interestingly enough, I wouldn't be surprised if he's somewhat right. Up until the age of 14, you play a game because it's fun - not because it's 'cool' or has lots of blood and violence. After that point, kids seem to be much more image focused.

I can't tell if you are saying that either no one over 14 can play a game without taking their "image" into play, or if it's some set period of time someone might ultimately get out of.

At no point in my gaming life have I ever thought to play games for image purposes over fun purposes, but I guess I can't speak for people who are not myself.

jollydwarf

03-29-2007, 02:25 PM

Interestingly enough, I wouldn't be surprised if he's somewhat right. Up until the age of 14, you play a game because it's fun - not because it's 'cool' or has lots of blood and violence. After that point, kids seem to be much more image focused.

Gee, I got the impression that (in a geezer voice) "these days", this sort of posturing begins at roughly half that age. Someone correct me if I'm way wrong, please.

Qslugs

03-29-2007, 02:57 PM

You will never see a group of thrtysomethings flailing their arms around like idots (and loving it) gatherd around a 360 or a ps3.

I've gone to two parties where a bunch of were playing wii sports and rayman. Nobody in their 30's has time to play 30 hour games (or at least they shouldnt; kids, jobs, lives). People dont want to memorize buttons or controls either, They want to pick up and play games without thinking about it. That explains all my friends wives wanting to play. Including my own.

So do you think he used a wii remote to put the spin on his pr? Or was it the Nunchuck?

trq

03-29-2007, 03:10 PM

“We don’t feel like the Wii customer and the Xbox customer are the same thing. We think that as soon as the Wii customer turns 14 they want something else.” - John Rodman, Xbox, Product Manager

Based on the vast majority of games I've played on LIVE, apparently they want to find an outlet where they can call people names without being choked to death for it. Then they realize Gears of War gets you no more sex than Pokemon, and they cry and cry and cry.

Reality's Fringe

03-29-2007, 03:22 PM

Based on the vast majority of games I've played on LIVE, apparently they want to find an outlet where they can call people names without being choked to death for it. Then they realize Gears of War gets you no more sex than Pokemon, and they cry and cry and cry.

Girls are totally into my Spellsword Breton in Oblivion! They're all like "Oooh, you're Illusion skill is so high you can cast a 120 sec Invisibility Spell AND you are a Master in Heavy Armor?! You TANK, you!"

My mom can vouch for how handsome I am.

trq

03-29-2007, 03:34 PM

Girls are totally into my Spellsword Breton in Oblivion! They're all like "Oooh, you're Illusion skill is so high you can cast a 120 sec Invisibility Spell AND you are a Master in Heavy Armor?! You TANK, you!"

My mom can vouch for how handsome I am.

Word.

I was on a date the other night, and when this girl asked what kinds of plans I had for the future, I said, "Chainsawing n00bs, mostly. But definitely NOT making cute monsters fight. That shit's ghey."

Then we had sex right there on the floor of the Arby's.

Lizard Axe

03-29-2007, 03:40 PM

Strell... It's not about the Wii. It's about making already fragile puberty-stricken kids feel even MORE insecure about their childishness. It's great marketing, because not-too-grown-up gaming media (who act like fresh-out-of-High-School assholes) jizz over each and every statement like that, celebrating it until each and every 14 year old is reminded that what he enjoys is immature and he best man up, otherwise nobody will have sex with him.

I can't wait for that advertisement: fuckin' XBOX LIVE WILL GET YOU POON TANG LIKE P.DIDDY YOU CAN PISS ON ANYONE!

Ditch this bullshit and don't bite the bait of these "marketing schemes." Because, really, these "news" don't deserve a HOT TOPIC.

I'm so ironic!

Well said!

foltzie

03-29-2007, 04:53 PM

Hmm... I suppose this does explain the rather odd facination with "humping" your kills in Halo.

Rasen

03-29-2007, 05:16 PM

Hmm... I suppose this does explain the rather odd facination with "humping" your kills in Halo.

Teabagging.

Snake2715

03-29-2007, 06:03 PM

Teabagging.

They dont allow snowballing anymore?

kenbo506

03-29-2007, 07:31 PM

I can't tell if you are saying that either no one over 14 can play a game without taking their "image" into play, or if it's some set period of time someone might ultimately get out of.

At no point in my gaming life have I ever thought to play games for image purposes over fun purposes, but I guess I can't speak for people who are not myself.
I totally agree with what rendil said. Once you turn 14 (ie. you go to high school), image becomes a big part of your life. For some more than others, unfortunately. You are judged by who you hang out with, what you wear, the activities you participate in, etc. For some, there is just a pressure to conform.

Nintendo carries the infamous "console for kids" reputation. Well, no "cool" 14 year old in high school plays Nintendo, right? They all play games where you can blow stuff up and see body parts flying. So while some may not abandon Nintendo, they also may not admit that they play it either.

On the other hand, if someone from the "in-crowd" professes their love for all things Nintendo, then Nintendo is all of a sudden something cool that you can display as part of your "image".

03-29-2007, 07:43 PM

I totally agree with what rendil said. Once you turn 14 (ie. you go to high school), image becomes a big part of your life. For some more than others, unfortunately. You are judged by who you hang out with, what you wear, the activities you participate in, etc. For some, there is just a pressure to conform.

Nintendo carries the infamous "console for kids" reputation. Well, no "cool" 14 year old in high school plays Nintendo, right? They all play games where you can blow stuff up and see body parts flying. So while some may not abandon Nintendo, they also may not admit that they play it either.

On the other hand, if someone from the "in-crowd" professes their love for all things Nintendo, then Nintendo is all of a sudden something cool that you can display as part of your "image".

Hehe, interesting perspective there, and something I don't really think about as I'm about as far from that demo as I can be. Not in pure age, mind you, but in the fact that I have kids who are just under this age group yet I am well above it. My interaction with 14 year-olds (and teenagers in general) is VERY VERY limited (the comment about 3 14 year-olds duct taped together was very funny but I won't go any further with that for fear of having the FBI on my case ;)).

Funny thing is when I was in high school, you were a nerd/geek if you played ANY video games or did ANYTHING on a computer - yes, even writing papers on it (the cool kids hand wrote or used typewriters). So it seems wierd to me that particular types of gaming are "in". But, of course, it makes sense.

Strell

03-29-2007, 07:46 PM

I totally agree with what rendil said. Once you turn 14 (ie. you go to high school), image becomes a big part of your life. For some more than others, unfortunately. You are judged by who you hang out with, what you wear, the activities you participate in, etc. For some, there is just a pressure to conform.

Nintendo carries the infamous "console for kids" reputation. Well, no "cool" 14 year old in high school plays Nintendo, right? They all play games where you can blow stuff up and see body parts flying. So while some may not abandon Nintendo, they also may not admit that they play it either.

On the other hand, if someone from the "in-crowd" professes their love for all things Nintendo, then Nintendo is all of a sudden something cool that you can display as part of your "image".

I don't know many 14 year old kids who buy 50 dollar games and 400 dollar systems, but maybe I just have never met any.

I'm not debating about image, and I'm not sure, but you seemed to have missed the question I asked rendil. Of course image plays into it at 14, but I want to know do MS and Sony suddenly think "ok that's it, they won't play Mario anymore" for the rest of their lives?

What a sad state of affairs.

Beyond that, I would think that if what you say is true, then MS and Sony might be in trouble. If the Wii ended up being the most mainstream of the systems, then their targeted hardcore image might be diminished.

But there's no way to tell whether or not that's going to happen of course.

kenbo506

03-29-2007, 08:13 PM

I don't know many 14 year old kids who buy 50 dollar games and 400 dollar systems, but maybe I just have never met any.

I'm not debating about image, and I'm not sure, but you seemed to have missed the question I asked rendil. Of course image plays into it at 14, but I want to know do MS and Sony suddenly think "ok that's it, they won't play Mario anymore" for the rest of their lives?

What a sad state of affairs.

Beyond that, I would think that if what you say is true, then MS and Sony might be in trouble. If the Wii ended up being the most mainstream of the systems, then their targeted hardcore image might be diminished.

But there's no way to tell whether or not that's going to happen of course. I don't know any 14 yr. old kids who buy $50 games and $400 systems either but I am confident there are parents out there who do buy these things for their kids.

I did miss that question you pointed out but I will answer it now. I don't think Sony and MS think that 14 year olds won't play Mario anymore just because they have hit that age. I think what Rodman said can be seen as MS acknowledging the fact that 14 year olds are impressionable and will try to conform so they don't hurt their image.

We've all seen the tv shows where teenagers are pressured into drinking, doing drugs or having sex just to fit in. Obviously those examples are extreme in relation to video games but the underlying point is that kids are image conscious and the pressures to fit in or be ridiculed are prevalent.

Actually in this case, I would say the pressure is on to avoid being ridiculed, more than to fit in. Video games aren't for everyone so if someone doesn't play, then there shouldn't be any reason for someone to start playing just to fit in. But if someone does play and they play Nintendo, others who have the "Nintendo is for kids" mentality will surely be quick to make comments and judge.

Thedarkhorse

03-29-2007, 08:26 PM

What isn't know was after saying that Wii fanboy and Microsoft employee Peter Moore beat him to death with a Wiimote and then fired him.

say whaaa!

Thedarkhorse

03-29-2007, 09:00 PM

I do think that the problem is that when you get to that age most just try to fit in and are afriad what friends or peers will say if they go in a certain direction. A 14 year old friend of my little brother said in response to his mothers question of " why dont you want the wii?" a thing that i found ridiculous. He said "because you cant shoot anyone in the face". Its a good thing i wasn't drinking a hot beverage or juggleing chainsaws at the time because my surprise would have resulted in my serious injury.

I think the MS rep said this satement because of fear, his competitors product in one year less shelf life has already sold half as much as his company's. that would cause anyone some uneasyness. no matter how many times Microsoft or Nintendo say they are not in competition with each other everyone will still compare the system sales, this oviously causes worry and makes statment like this.

Strell

03-29-2007, 09:09 PM

stuff

You're missing the point again.

I don't doubt that 14 year olds have image issues.

What I'm saying is does that stigma last forever, at least according to MS and Sony? And I'm pretty sure the answer is no.

It's one thing to say 14 year olds want to play GTA, but it's another to say "anyone 14 or older doesn't want to play Mario ever again." Which is saying all the adults, old people, whatever suddenly don't care for those games.

This is what I think is a ludicrous statement. I know plenty of people over 14 who still play these types of games and always will, primarily because about 2 seconds after you get out of high school, you generally stop giving a shit about your "image" in other people's eyes.

I'd venture to say that if you are still playing that kind of shit when you are in college, you have serious self image issues.

Your whole argument - and, to an extent, MS and Sony's - is "blood and gore is popular now and always will be." Which is a curious thing to say - what happens if, suddenly, the Wii became number one riding the tails of Mario games and other such "E for everyone" titles? If all you're relying on is the popular opinion of things, then there's nothing that says those games might take over and be en vogue.

If people get bored of one thing and move onto another, then that sort of shuts down the entire discussion to begin with.

Now, do I think this will happen? No. But I'm willing to gamble on it.

insent

03-29-2007, 09:09 PM

Honestly I think this is more Microsoft spreading garbage again, I'm not sure what some of your childhoods were like, but if I wanted to play games, I played games. If my friends weren't interested they didn't play with me but at the same time we did stuff we enjoyed together.

I'm played 14 year olds on live and some of them are idiots, some of them are good people to, just like some of the 20 year olds or older who are more "mature".

If Microsoft sees their target audience as getting new 14 year olds to put down their wii and come to the microsoft side, good for them, they have a target audience and go after it. Ultimately it's up to the consumer.

Most of what they said is designed to create this sort of stir and at the end of the day I don't think they really care who plays their system as long as someone is playing.

David85

03-29-2007, 09:26 PM

I don't know many 14 year old kids who buy 50 dollar games and 400 dollar systems, but maybe I just have never met any.

They don't buy them, their parents do.

MarkMark

03-30-2007, 12:11 AM

http://www.cnn.com/2007/TECH/fun.games/03/23/wii.retirees.reut/index.html

Maybe he is in bizarro world

kenbo506

03-30-2007, 02:10 AM

You're missing the point again.

I don't doubt that 14 year olds have image issues.

What I'm saying is does that stigma last forever, at least according to MS and Sony? And I'm pretty sure the answer is no.

It's one thing to say 14 year olds want to play GTA, but it's another to say "anyone 14 or older doesn't want to play Mario ever again." Which is saying all the adults, old people, whatever suddenly don't care for those games.

This is what I think is a ludicrous statement. I know plenty of people over 14 who still play these types of games and always will, primarily because about 2 seconds after you get out of high school, you generally stop giving a shit about your "image" in other people's eyes.

I'd venture to say that if you are still playing that kind of shit when you are in college, you have serious self image issues.

Your whole argument - and, to an extent, MS and Sony's - is "blood and gore is popular now and always will be." Which is a curious thing to say - what happens if, suddenly, the Wii became number one riding the tails of Mario games and other such "E for everyone" titles? If all you're relying on is the popular opinion of things, then there's nothing that says those games might take over and be en vogue.

If people get bored of one thing and move onto another, then that sort of shuts down the entire discussion to begin with.

Now, do I think this will happen? No. But I'm willing to gamble on it. I'm not trying to make any argument or prove you wrong. I am also not trying to side with, or defend, Sony and MS. Believe it or not, I do agree with you but I think we are talking about two different things. All I'm trying to do is explain that I think Rodman's statement is aimed at those young, impressionable minds and why they have singled out that demographic.

jollydwarf

03-30-2007, 02:16 AM

I'll say it again, even if that means I'll just get ignored again: isn't 14 a little late relative to when today's "youts" (nod to Joe Pesci) start caring about being 'hard' or 'gangsta'? I get the distinct impression that boys wanting to reflexively distance themselves from 'kiddie shit' starts well before adolescence now, however ridiculous it may be. This would largely be due to the lethal combination of horrendous parenting and said parents being only a fraction as Internet-savvy as their obnoxious children.

I don't think a statement setting the supposed parameters for 'being cool' is even necessary for teens. They've made up their minds about that long ago.

Keep in mind, I'm old and apparently more out of touch than Hall or Oates. Heh...sorry. 'Old person' joke there.

03-30-2007, 06:51 AM

^^^^ Hall yes, Oates no ;)

(There was just a Family Guy on Adult Swim the other night featuring a Hall and Oates joke, gotta love it)

Anyway, I'm not so sure jollydwarf. I wouldn't say 7 is the start of this stuff (you said half of 14 in your previous post ;)). It is definitely still closer to 14 (maybe 12-13ish or so though). My oldest (admittedly a girl) is 10 and she and her friends are still little kids in my eyes (and in the way they behave). She's losing interest in general in video games compared to my younger boys, but that's not surprising. But there's probably a transition there between Elementary School and Middle School (5th to 6th grade, or somewhere between 11-13 years old) into wanting to be more "cool" whatever the hell that means these days.

But this is just my little perspective out here in the sticks (in a more rural than suburban area that is nonetheless a 20-30 minute drive from a major metro area). However, we do have gang issues and an undercurrent of meth abuse (which seems particularly high in the NW for some reason) and all that in our little town of 10,000. It is really kind of pathetic, actually.

Now, my oldest son is 7, and he's nowhere near gangsta, and he is, in fact, chomping at the bit to get at Super Paper Mario. However, he also wants me to get an Xbox 360. First thing he wants to do on it - replay Lego Star Wars II (which we completed on the GC)! I've made him aware of achievement points and he wants to help me with that. So where does all that fit in? :rofl: (other than acheivement points being pure marketing genious, of course).

rendil

03-30-2007, 02:33 PM

I don't doubt that 14 year olds have image issues.

What I'm saying is does that stigma last forever, at least according to MS and Sony? And I'm pretty sure the answer is no.

It's one thing to say 14 year olds want to play GTA, but it's another to say "anyone 14 or older doesn't want to play Mario ever again." Which is saying all the adults, old people, whatever suddenly don't care for those games.

I agree with you. I was just focusing on the transition from 'kid' to 'teen' in my analysis, but there's also the transition from 'teen' into 'adult' to consider.

It was a dumb statement to make on microsoft's part, but I suppose the more accurate statement may not sound any better: "Once a person hits 14 and until they mature out of their high school phase, they'll want a gaming machine that gives them the best image in the eyes of their peers." They either alienate the adults (by implying Nintendo is for kids) or the teens (by implying they may be going through a phase) - they chose the adults.

Obviously Nintendo has proven that it can get older demographics. I'll probably be buying Mario games until I'm too old to hold a controller (of course, by then we'll be using mind controls anyways ;).

Strell

03-30-2007, 02:59 PM

Kenbo and rendil:

Booyakasha. Respec.

SaraAB

04-06-2007, 03:19 PM

04-07-2007, 05:40 AM

I find that the "cool" stuff starts around age 8, when a kid turns 8 there is this automatic pressure to own an Ipod (or other similar device) just because you NEED this device to be with the in crowd and to be considered cool, and to have friends. If you do not have this item, then you will be automatically considered an outcast, and that consideration will follow you throughout your grade school at least up until grade 8, thus making your life miserable.

It started with the ipod with my cousin, she now has a Nintendo DS lite (pink of course) thinks pokemon is uncool and for little kids, yet she wants to play games like "bratz" and "hamsterz", and when you ask her what games she wants she will ask for the games based on nintendo properties, anything but pokemon though, because pokemon is for babies and little kids. Really ironic...

From where I see it its all about fitting in, being called cool, and having friends. This starts at age 8+, you do what your friends do, you watch what shows your friends watch on tv, you buy the same games that your friends buy, you wear the same overpriced brand name clothing that your friends wear. In other words you have to be exactly like your peers in order to survive in the school system. Deviate a bit from that, and you will have no friends, and that stigma will follow you throughout your whole grade school life.

Nowadays if you have a kid that wants to take a different path and does not care about being exactly like their friends and liking the exact same things that their friends do just so they can fit in be very very thankful and support that notion, as these types of kids are exceedingly rare nowadays.

Wow... Maybe I'm lucky then with my daughter. She's 10 and I haven't seen any of the stuff you talk about above. She has been less interested in games the last year or two, but some of that is due to her two younger brothers being obsessed with them and her wanting to be different/get away from them ;).

About the only thing she recently insisted on doing was joining a soccer team because her best friend was on it. And she also conviced said best friend to get a DS, though I haven't seen either of them playing with them (my kids' one is kept in my office and it has barely been touched recently). She did pester me for about a day or two to get her the Tamagotchi Corner Shop game because her friend had it. I said I'd get it like I get all other games - when it is available dirt cheap ;). She hasn't mentioned it in a few months now so that craving has passed (but I'll still snag it for her if I ever see it cheap).

She has a cheap-ass MP3 player I got for her at Black Friday in 2005 (an ugly little Sandisk model). But she only uses that in our car and doesn't take it to school.

Anyways, I've seen very little of the peer pressure/conforming stuff out of her. That's why I assumed it started later. But maybe I'm just lucky.

derder

04-07-2007, 02:26 PM

Rasen

04-07-2007, 05:27 PM

My parents wouldn't let me get a ps1 because of the gory games out so I got a 64 instead.
Never owned a GC but got a ps2 and xbox on their respective launch days.

I think the main point he is making is that the Wii is marketed towards a younger crowd. I do not disagree with that.

Yeah, because those middle-aged men in the Wii commercials are actually 7 years old.

Does the Wii have a more kiddie image? Maybe. But I think the marketing is actually trying to target the traditional non-gamers.

daroga

04-07-2007, 05:51 PM

My parents wouldn't let me get a ps1 because of the gory games out so I got a 64 instead.
Never owned a GC but got a ps2 and xbox on their respective launch days.

I think the main point he is making is that the Wii is marketed towards a younger crowd. I do not disagree with that.You may not disagree, but that makes you both wrong. If anything, the Wii is marketed toward the middle aged and older consumer.

RAMSTORIA

04-07-2007, 05:55 PM

its totally true. the only reason i have a wii is for the 13 year old boys and girls that come over.

SaraAB

04-07-2007, 06:44 PM

Wow... Maybe I'm lucky then with my daughter. She's 10 and I haven't seen any of the stuff you talk about above. She has been less interested in games the last year or two, but some of that is due to her two younger brothers being obsessed with them and her wanting to be different/get away from them ;).

About the only thing she recently insisted on doing was joining a soccer team because her best friend was on it. And she also conviced said best friend to get a DS, though I haven't seen either of them playing with them (my kids' one is kept in my office and it has barely been touched recently). She did pester me for about a day or two to get her the Tamagotchi Corner Shop game because her friend had it. I said I'd get it like I get all other games - when it is available dirt cheap ;). She hasn't mentioned it in a few months now so that craving has passed (but I'll still snag it for her if I ever see it cheap).

She has a cheap-ass MP3 player I got for her at Black Friday in 2005 (an ugly little Sandisk model). But she only uses that in our car and doesn't take it to school.

Anyways, I've seen very little of the peer pressure/conforming stuff out of her. That's why I assumed it started later. But maybe I'm just lucky.

Very lucky, you are very lucky. It just depends on the friends, parenting, etc, lots of factors, and you may see it later because peer pressure is critical throughout high school.

The tamagotchi shop game is really repetitive and very boring after like 10 min, I had it and then I was able to sell it for more than I paid on ebay thankfully. I only paid 19.99 for a complete used copy at gamestop, which is pretty cheap.

Its good that your teaching your kids that they don't have to have every game as soon as it comes out because in the end you will save yourself a lot of wasted money, especially when games are dropping in price after just 2-3 months of being out. Make sure you teach them that if they wait for the prices to drop and save their money it means that they will have more money to spend on games which will equal them getting more games! The only reason I could see a game as a must-buy as soon as it comes out is if its a game that is online and is dependent on a community of people, such as pokemon, if you waited it would take some of the fun out of the game because everyone else would be way ahead of you.

I have a 20$ 256mb flash MP3 player that i snagged off compusa when they had those rocbox players available for 20$, then I found a free shipping code so I got free shipping too. So I paid like 20$ for an mp3 player... which I still cannot find a 256mb player for 20$ so I think I did really well with that deal. It doesn't do that much but it allows me to drop and drag songs and it plays music and really thats all I need it to do since I do not use it that often, I don't see the need for me to have a larger sized mp3 player either.

As they say my momma didn't raise a fool, I've had a bank account since I was like.. 7 or 8 years old and my parents taught me well how to save money and how to shop smart and look for sales and deals.

PleasantOne

04-08-2007, 02:58 AM

“We don’t feel like the Wii customer and the Xbox customer are the same thing. We think that as soon as the Wii customer turns 14 they want something else.” - John Rodman, Xbox, Product Manager

link (http://www.dailytech.com/Microsoft+Wii+Gamers+Will+Look+to+Bigger+And+Bette r+Things+When+They+Grow+Up/article6675c.htm)

I can only assume this guy must *be* about 14... it takes someone really immature to make comments like that.

Has anyone heard Nintendo make any cracks like this, out of curiousity? I've heard them say the stuff about a different audience and such, but never anything along the "heh heh... Sony sucks.... heh heh" lines.

foltzie

04-08-2007, 03:17 AM

I can only assume this guy must *be* about 14... it takes someone really immature to make comments like that.

Has anyone heard Nintendo make any cracks like this, out of curiousity? I've heard them say the stuff about a different audience and such, but never anything along the "heh heh... Sony sucks.... heh heh" lines.

Nothing about their competitors audience, but rather that their audience doesnt have enough HDTVs to justify the costs for HD graphics, or that they wanted to do something different with the controls. Much less about what their opponents are doing and more about what they want to accomplish.