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Editorials   The Kiddy Image: Is it bad for Nintendo?
- By Ryan Eid

Over the past few weeks you've no doubt heard about companies dismissing the GameCube (GCN) as a system for the younger demographic; one not worthy of "mature" titles such as Silent Hill and Kessen. And you can't blame them for having that initial impression. The N64 and GBC were certainly marketed at the 5-15 year old bracket of gamers, with the plethora of Pokemon titles and wild colors. And then looking at the GameCube, one may see the same thing; a purple, box-shaped "toy" that looks like it came right from the Fisher Price factory.

"The machine will probably be good, but the demographic will be largely younger gamers initially. That doesn't really fit in with our market for the Silent Hill series" stated Akihiro Imamura, producer of the survival horror game Silent Hill 2, when recently asked by IGN if the game could wind up on the GCN. "We'd rather make a new game better suited to the specific abilities and market of the machine. We'd consider that."

Konami doesn't seem to be alone on this stance, either. Koei, developer of Winback (N64, PS2) and Kessen (PS2) stated similar sediments. In a recent interview with Gamespot, Koei's Erikawa said that the company does not have any current projects in development for the console, but the company would like to develop games on the console that will appeal to a younger audience.

So there is an obvious stigma attached to Nintendo's new machine, whether it's a fair one or not. But is it necessarily a bad thing for Nintendo? No. You may have heard Sony often say that 50% of the gaming population is over the age of 20. Well, that means that 50% of the gaming population is younger then that; and is Nintendo's target audience. This could prove to be Nintendo's big break, depending on how they handle it.

Sony and Microsoft are obviously after the same age demographic. The 20-somethings who want the set top boxes to appear in their home console units. But what they have forgotten are the little guys. The children. Not many 8-13 year olds will be getting the PS2 this Christmas, mainly because there really are no games for their demographic. Most don't really care too much about a DVD player or hard drive, either. The PS2 and Xbox also have another severe problem with the younger ones: price point. While a working guy in his 20s or 30s can afford $300-400 systems, parents will not spend that much when the holidays come around.

Enter Nintendo, with their goofy looking purple box (with handle), Mario and Pokemon games, and the appealing price point of only $199.99. Parents realize Nintendo is all about clean, family fun (Conker not withstanding), and their kids realize Mario's next big thing is coming and will be great. It's a perfect match.

Another demographic seemingly forgotten by Sony and Microsoft are girls. A recent study has shown that more then 1/4 of all gamers today are female, and most of them under the age of twenty. Now, if there is one demographic Nintendo can completely capitalize on, it's this one. The GameCube is cute, purple, and carryable; almost like an accessory. Many of the games will be in the same vein, with vibrant colors and loveable characters. I'm not trying to stereotype all women (some would surely rather shoot down some baddies in MGS2) but many of the features of the GameCube and its games are appealing to females.

So where does that leave you, the Nintendo fan who wants to play the next Mario and Zelda, but also wants to have Metal Gear Solid 2 and Onimusha at your disposal? Well, thankfully Nintendo has grown over the past five years, and has realized there is also a mature audience out there as well. Five years ago, a developer like Silicon Knights would never have the opportunity to create a game such as Eternal Darkness for the N64. But now, Nintendo has loosened its mature-themed policy, as Conker is definite proof of that. At or around the first months of the GameCube you will see games such as Too Human, Eternal Darkness, Perfect Dark 2, Metroid, and Resident Evil Zero, among other titles with darker themes, which are sure to please the older gamers. And if these titles sell well, who knows, Konami, Koei, SEGA, and others may change their views of Nintendo's GameCube.

But for now, Nintendo is where they want to be. While Sony and Microsoft are battling over the same demographic, Nintendo will swoop in and take hold of the younger audience, possibly even retaking the console market share lead. And with this, you must also consider the Gameboy Advance's involvement in the success of the GCN, which also is targeted at the younger gamers. So while Nintendo isn't exactly trying to serve two masters (young and old), it's good to know they haven't forgotten one altogether, unlike Sony or Microsoft.