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Editorials   Lacking Purple Pride
- By Mike Schneider

Unbeknownst to me, Nintendo has opted to make purple – more specifically – violet, its “symbol color” for the next-gen. I know that a color is just a color. But purple? I know that the games will ultimately decide my feelings on the GameCube and Gameboy Advance. But purple? I know that Nintendo hasn’t cared about being the ‘trendy’ company. But purple?

Let’s face it, the small cubic shape of the GameCube does make the console look more like a “child’s toy” than a “gaming entertainment system.” For me, it did take a little time accepting that within my entertainment center, there’d be an item akin to a lunchbox sitting next to all these wondrous, futuristic looking gizmos - in their blacks and grays and silvers and whites. But now, on top of this fact, the GameCube will taint my fine electronic setup with a sissy purple. “Purple sucks butt,” Andrew recently told me. I agree, and it does even more when a purple unit will be hogging space in my entertainment center.

I have often made the fact known that I’m a huge fan of the purple. By “the purple,” I of course mean the Minnesota Vikings. However, despite their nearly annual playoff appearance, I have never associated the color purple with true glory. They’ve never won a super bowl. Now, with purple being Nintendo’s official color, I have to admit, there are some weird thoughts going through my head. Most specifically, I am curious about whether the color purple is an omen. An omen that Nintendo is on its deathbed; an omen that Nintendo will build up a ton of hype, only to disappoint us when it truly matters. I hope this is not some kind of message about the future.

Nintendo is also implying another message with their choice of purple. By using purple, they’re only exemplifying the cries that Nintendo is the gaming choice of kids. It’s very simple. Purple is a kiddy color. When I think of ‘cool’ colors, purple is not one of them, no matter what shade it is. I’m not implying that I only do what is considered ‘cool,’ since that’s hardly the case. But in a staggering market battle, having a hip reputation is often the best way to go about doing things. A trendy product attracts the older buyers, and oftentimes, younger buyers make their purchasing decisions based on what their older peers are playing.

We’ll probably see that it is the hardcore, ‘mature gamers’ – the ones that don’t care what they’re playing as long as it is top notch – will not care that the console is purple. We’ll also see that younger gamers will not be affected by the purpleness. Unfortunately, an important part of the equation – the fad feeding masses – likely will be affected. Sony already has the ‘cool’ appeal; Microsoft is quickly establishing hype with their X-Box; but where does Nintendo fit in? Is the GameCube being subverted to a role of “the loser’s system of choice” by it being purple? This will be an interesting thing to see, since the droves of wannabes and Joe Schmoes often establish the images of things.

Although I wish it wasn’t, image is a dire thing in both life, and business. A kiddy image is what scorched Nintendo in its battle against Sony and Sega. A lack of image within the masses is what has put Sega in its grave, as far as producing consoles goes. With purple Nintendo is forfeiting any chance of creating an attractable image that will allow them to compete to their fullest in the looming console wars. As a company, they were able to survive losing to Sony once. But perhaps, just maybe, a less than stellar performance in this next war will kill them? Many economists predict that the gaming industry in the coming years will be able to support two hardware companies… Presently, there are three: Sony, Microsoft, and Nintendo.

This image factor is all too important. We’ve long heard that a system with the best games that offer the best gameplay will always triumph. But that’s not true. It doesn’t matter if the hardcore recognize something as good, if the masses don’t give it a chance because of the image factor…

Yes, it is true that sometimes “different is good.” Nintendo isn’t in the position to be different in this case though; there are other ways to go about being different. Hopefully something as simple as a color won’t spell the death of a company, but stranger things have happened. As long as we see the ‘normal’ colors also available when the GameCube and Gameboy Advance release in the states, the mute button can be pressed regarding my feelings. Unfortunately, I don’t see this happening, despite reports saying the United States launch will feature multiple colors (the Japanese GameCube launch is exclusively purple). Nintendo has always liked to cash in on “special addition” items. Thus, we’ll probably see a purple launch, and only after-the-fact – if the GameCube doesn’t sell to expectations – Nintendo will release additional colors to try to create more hype and generate more revenue.

I will still buy the next-gen Nintendo systems regardless of their colors. My eyes will learn to adjust, as they should. But what I fear is that this isn’t the case for everybody, and ultimately, Nintendo will suffer.