Topic: Nintendo Looks to Get More Kids, Girls on 3DS

[Kairon]

Reggie mentioned these important demographics in an E3 analysts meeting.

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/news/37775/nintendo-looks-to-get-more-kids-girls-on-3ds

Nintendo is looking to get a lot of future 3DS sales from kids, and also to get a lot of girls of all ages playing as well. This was the intention that NOA President Reggie Fils-Aime divulged to analysts at an E3 briefing.

Nintendo's intention to target younger demographics became clear with the release last year of the 2DS version of the hardware, a less expensive version that lacked the 3D effect and any associated health concerns for younger eyes.

It also isn't new for Nintendo to target female players. The company has several specific franchises, like the Style Savvy games ("Wagamama Fashion: Girls Mode" in Japan), or the Animal Crossing series, that have seen a lot of adoption outside the stereotyped idea of only the young and only the men being the only ones who enjoy videogames.

Nintendo's 3DS family of systems has already moved more than 43 million units worldwide, so it remains to be seen how the gaming company angles its upcoming lineup of software and promotions to achieve its stated objectives.

[Sundoulos]

Nintendo has their work cut out for them.  I have three children now, and my two oldest are six and three.  I've found that for some reason, they seem intimidated by a lot of the games I've played on the Wii, Wii U and 3DS...it mostly seems to be because of the buttons.   They'll sit and play Plants vs. Zombies all day, though. 

[Triforce Hermit]

I always thought girl gamers would be easier for Nintendo to attract because Nintendo doesn't offer a lot of online games. Whereas on XBL or PSN all females are hit on by nerds.

Most children first experience gaming through mobile games or Call of Duty nowadays (mostly mobile). I think Nintendo has done all they can to try and get kids on handhelds. They have Pokemon/Mario and they have a cheap handheld to play it. Kids don't go most other major titles aside from Pokemon and Mario because that is all they expect from Nintendo (if I play Fire Emblem Awakening around kids, all they ask is if I have Mario on it).

[nickmitch]

Good thing they're bringing in games with strong, female protagonists.

[Ian Sane]

If Pokemon won't do it, nothing will.

I really like the 3DS and the target market for a dedicated handheld videogame system these days is hardcore gamers that are not content with cellphone games.  Having more DS-style universal appeal is just not going to happen.  Nintendo pretty much spent last gen preparing a market for Apple.

Though I suppose female gamers that want more than what cellphone games provide is something they could try to target though that audience probably wouldn't be interested in Style Savvy.  I think the better way to attract females is to offer more unisex games that are not so obviously targetted at males.  Nintendo is not that bad at that actually but any game where every female character is dressed like a slut is pretty clearly targetted at males-only.  Of course Nintendo did have a strong female character in Samus until they decided to make her a sniveling wimp infactuated with an abusive male superior and gave her high heels.