Author Topic: Bloomberg reveals that 56 percent of Wii users over 18 (Read 4573 times)

Kairon · « **on:** June 08, 2007, 01:34:08 PM »

Oddly enough, this article focuses on Microsoft.

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During Wii's first six months on the market, Nintendo sold almost 44 percent of its games and machines to people younger than 18, said researcher NPD Group Inc. in Port Washington, New York. NPD says 27 percent of Xbox 360 buyers in its first six months were in that age group.

So... are we mature yet?

The article also reveals that Nintendo was completely ignored when MS was planning this gen's strategy... a mistake I'm afraid they're not likely to repeat.

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Eight months before Nintendo's first demonstration of the Wii in September 2005, Xbox executives conducted three days of ``war games'' at a Bellevue, Washington, hotel. Sony was the simulated competitor.

KDR_11k · « **Reply #1 on:** June 08, 2007, 07:52:12 PM »

What "mature" game makers really want to know is the number of 14-20 year olds in the demographic. Over 18 can mean many things and older people probably aren't interested in "mature" games.

Dirk Temporo · « **Reply #2 on:** June 09, 2007, 07:31:33 AM »

What's the average age people live to in the US? Let's say eighty, for a nice round number. If 44 percent of your users are under eighteen, that means that almost half of your users are in a quarter of the age brackets. Looking at it that way, it's easy to see where people get the "k!ddy" image from.

Galford · « **Reply #3 on:** June 09, 2007, 07:58:13 AM »

How many of those Wii users are hardcore gamers?
That's what I want to know.

I like Peter Moore's comments.
Unlike many execs in the industry he knows what the hell he is doing.

BigJim · « **Reply #4 on:** June 09, 2007, 10:52:01 AM »

Didn't George Harrison say at one E3 conference (2003?) how half of GameCube owners were over 18 also?

Doesn't sound like ages are any more diverse yet.

UERD · « **Reply #5 on:** June 10, 2007, 08:57:23 AM »

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Over 18 can mean many things and older people probably aren't interested in "mature" games.

So does that make Wii the geriatric's console now?

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Eight months before Nintendo's first demonstration of the Wii in September 2005, Xbox executives conducted three days of ``war games'' at a Bellevue, Washington, hotel. Sony was the simulated competitor.

Maybe if they had been trying to diversify their game lineup instead of playing Starcraft: Capitalism Wars, they could have produced a console capable of sustaining the brand in the long-term. It sucks being outsold in Japan by unpopular 6-year-old consoles.

mantidor · « **Reply #6 on:** June 10, 2007, 10:08:56 AM »

I really doubt any console has the majority of its fanbase with ages over 20 y/o. Maybe the wii, but not by much.

GoldenPhoenix · « **Reply #7 on:** June 10, 2007, 10:11:07 AM »

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Originally posted by: mantidor
I really doubt any console has the majority of its fanbase with ages over 20 y/o. Maybe the wii, but not by much.

Um don't statistics show this is the case? I swear I have read the average age of a game player is in the mid 20s, even Microsoft has told me that.

WuTangTurtle · « **Reply #8 on:** June 10, 2007, 10:36:37 AM »

last i heard the average age of gamers is somewhere between 25-30, I think it was stated on GamePolitics.com although im too lazy to provide a link...

that Baby guy · « **Reply #9 on:** June 10, 2007, 10:38:29 AM »

All gamers are lonely 40-year-old women playing Everquest. Look it up. It's on the internet. We're just a whole bunch of posers who claim we play games.

Smoke39 · « **Reply #10 on:** June 10, 2007, 10:40:05 AM »

The thing you have to keep in mind with stats like those is how they define "gamer." For example, my mom plays Zuma, but that's about it. Does that make her a gamer?

mantidor · « **Reply #11 on:** June 10, 2007, 10:41:38 AM »

yeah and those statistics include people who play solitarie once a year, at least the only one with some sort of documented info that I saw once, it would be good to see some proof of this, but honestly I haven't saw it, its like one of those myths that everyone believes in so it it passes as truth. Not even my anecdotal experience has show me this, I'm the only person over 20 I know who plays traditional games.

GoldenPhoenix · « **Reply #12 on:** June 10, 2007, 11:13:51 AM »

40% are under 18 the rest are over

mantidor · « **Reply #13 on:** June 10, 2007, 11:50:43 AM »

you know just reading the first fact casts doubt into this.

"Sixty-nine percent of American heads of households play computer and video games."

really? I don't live there, but this means that 2 out of 3 heads of household play games, can your personal experience confirm this? pick your neighbors and 2 out of 3 must play games, right? It seems way too high, since I'm basing this only from TV and movies I'm more than likely mistaken, but if gaming was so popular I'm sure at least we could see it a lot more in the media, in TV and movies portraits of videogame usage are nowhere near 70%.

then add the 38% females gamers (what!?) and it seems like more proof to me this is including solitarie and minesweeper. Not to mention this:

"Who Plays Games Online?
Fifty-eight of online game players are male.
Forty-two percent of online game players are female."

WTF?!?

you know what would be a really great poll? the demographics of games like manhunt of GTA.

S-U-P-E-R · « **Reply #14 on:** June 10, 2007, 03:09:37 PM »

How exactly is this data gathered?

UncleBob · « **Reply #15 on:** June 10, 2007, 03:25:34 PM »

Chimps with cigars.

SixthAngel · « **Reply #16 on:** June 10, 2007, 04:39:07 PM »

I am pretty sure that the numbers are so high because they count games like solitaire, hearts, minesweeper, and mahjong. These aren't people who actually buy any games, they just happen to have these free games on their computers. They are also usually computerized versions of games they already know.

GoldenPhoenix · « **Reply #17 on:** June 10, 2007, 05:37:53 PM »

I trust MS's and others numbers when it comes to userbase (well mainly because those are the numbers they rely on when it comes to marketing!) over anecdotal evidence.

Smash_Brother · « **Reply #18 on:** June 10, 2007, 05:40:49 PM »

Quote
Originally posted by: thatguy
All gamers are lonely 40-year-old women playing Everquest. Look it up. It's on the internet. We're just a whole bunch of posers who claim we play games.

We fired my accountant because she became addicted to EQ, ignored her job, and cost our business thousands of dollars.

True story.

mantidor · « **Reply #19 on:** June 10, 2007, 06:59:38 PM »

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Originally posted by: GoldenPhoenix
I trust MS's and others numbers when it comes to userbase (well mainly because those are the numbers they rely on when it comes to marketing!) over anecdotal evidence.

I agree completly, but also remember that a huge part of the marketing of ms and sony was (and is) that nintendo is "teh k!ddie" and they were the grown ups, which at least should give us some caution with these numbers.

GoldenPhoenix · « **Reply #20 on:** June 10, 2007, 08:35:49 PM »

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Originally posted by: mantidor
Quote
Originally posted by: GoldenPhoenix
I trust MS's and others numbers when it comes to userbase (well mainly because those are the numbers they rely on when it comes to marketing!) over anecdotal evidence.

I agree completly, but also remember that a huge part of the marketing of ms and sony was (and is) that nintendo is "teh k!ddie" and they were the grown ups, which at least should give us some caution with these numbers.

That is a fair argument, though from my experience I don't really question it. I know many people around my age and older who own consoles and play them, so it isn't that surprising. Now you did bring up a good question though, what is the average age of gamers who own games like GTA!

Deguello · « **Reply #21 on:** June 11, 2007, 11:24:09 AM »

I'd hate for them to get their data from the people who buy videogames in stores.

You'd never get an entry from a child under seven.

"Excuse me mister, could I get Supuh Mawio?"
"You can't even reach the counter, son."

News:

Author Topic: Bloomberg reveals that 56 percent of Wii users over 18 (Read 4573 times)