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EVERYBODY OUGHT TO READ THIS
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yamata no orochi
184
yamata no orochi
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CloseThe article is "Birdmen and the Casual Fallacy" by Sean Malstrom. It is extremely long and has a lot of issues style-wise but does an incredibly good job explaining Nintendo's Blue Ocean strategy.
http://malstrom.50webs.com/birdman.html
If this turns out to be accurate than Sony and Microsoft may really be in trouble, and so might the game industry. Any thoughts?
EDIT: Actually there's an entire webpage of stuff here.
http://malstrom.50webs.com/
The more I read of this guy's work the more I wonder if
a--he is a little insane and not especially credible
b--he is incredibly rational and all of this is probably true
Or
c--Everybody knows this already and this is nothing new whatsoever
I'm confused...
http://malstrom.50webs.com/birdman.html
If this turns out to be accurate than Sony and Microsoft may really be in trouble, and so might the game industry. Any thoughts?
EDIT: Actually there's an entire webpage of stuff here.
http://malstrom.50webs.com/
The more I read of this guy's work the more I wonder if
a--he is a little insane and not especially credible
b--he is incredibly rational and all of this is probably true
Or
c--Everybody knows this already and this is nothing new whatsoever
I'm confused...
Man I must be really out of the videogame loop because I don't know the (relative) significance of this. Someone care to fill me in?
ZPE
1562
The guy that's running that site obviously is just upset at Nintendo's success. I don't really care where video games go tbh. I've realised that they won't be the same as before since the Wii came out.
Why are there artistic impressions of the end of the world there? Doesn't make any sense. Video games don't run the world.
If you could explain to me what Malstrom is saying in one paragraph then go ahead.
Also, selectbutton sucks. xD
Why are there artistic impressions of the end of the world there? Doesn't make any sense. Video games don't run the world.
If you could explain to me what Malstrom is saying in one paragraph then go ahead.
Also, selectbutton sucks. xD
yamata no orochi
184
I think it's something like this:
Once Nintendo conquers the downmarket (if it hasn't already) it will be free to work its way into the upmarket. Without a solid base in the downmarket Sony and Microsoft will have few options to draw new recruits to their platforms and will begin to starve.
None of this particularily bothers me, because I have a Wii! But I do think that it's a clever strategy that's worth understanding and may have larger ramifications for the future of videogames.
You are correct.
- The games industry is currently divided into "downmarket" and "upmarket" games, "downmarket" being casual games like Wii Sports and "upmarket" being hardcore games like Final Fantasy Tactics or Call of Duty 4.
- "Upmarket" games have become so sophisticated that games like Super Mario Bros. have essentially became casual games.
- Casual games are maligned by upmarket video game developers and video-game snobs--they are about as fun and much less complex.
- People who did not grow up with videogames enjoy downmarket games but see no reason to spend money on more expensive upmarket games.
- Nintendo's Blue Ocean strategy is to dominate the downmarket with top-tier casual games and then rise up, providing upmarket games to consumers who want them.
- Meanwhile, Microsoft and Sony are fighting to dominate the upmarket.
- Rivals of Nintendo are mistakenly trying to defeat it by producing lots and lots of generally mediocre casual games instead of putting genuine effort into creating something new downmarket.
Once Nintendo conquers the downmarket (if it hasn't already) it will be free to work its way into the upmarket. Without a solid base in the downmarket Sony and Microsoft will have few options to draw new recruits to their platforms and will begin to starve.
None of this particularily bothers me, because I have a Wii! But I do think that it's a clever strategy that's worth understanding and may have larger ramifications for the future of videogames.
author=ZPE link=topic=2886.msg55876#msg55876 date=1231871677
Video games don't run the world.
You are correct.
ZPE
1562
So how often do you play your Wii? I hardly play it myself (yes I got SSBB, MKWii, Twilight Princess etc). PS2's been my most-played console to date because it's just fun and that fun lasts for hours where as the Wii feels like a one-night-stand (metaphorically speaking).
Thanks for summing up what he has to say though, I really don't see how Nintendo ruling the vid game industry is a bad thing but if there's no competition then Nintendo might start getting slack (if they aren't already).
Do you think having multiple platforms is a good thing?
Thanks for summing up what he has to say though, I really don't see how Nintendo ruling the vid game industry is a bad thing but if there's no competition then Nintendo might start getting slack (if they aren't already).
Do you think having multiple platforms is a good thing?
I play my Wii more than my PS3. SSBB, Megaman 9, SMB3, SMB2, Bomberman Blast, WiiSports, WiiPlay, DQ Swords, Dokamon Kingdom vs. Rock Band, SingStar, DQVIII, FFXII, Force Unleashed, Burnout Paradise.
...looking at it now, its way cheaper to have a good time on the Wii. PS3 + Rock Band alone is $700!
Yeah, Nintendo's strategy to start downmarket and work up is excellent. It worked for them back in 1983 (when they saved the console market singlehandedly) and it's working for them now. Good for them.
EDIT:
back in '83 they basically marketed the NES as a toy and targetted a younger audience. Their success and popularity in this strategy resulted in the lasting stigma that videogames are "for kids".
...looking at it now, its way cheaper to have a good time on the Wii. PS3 + Rock Band alone is $700!
Yeah, Nintendo's strategy to start downmarket and work up is excellent. It worked for them back in 1983 (when they saved the console market singlehandedly) and it's working for them now. Good for them.
EDIT:
back in '83 they basically marketed the NES as a toy and targetted a younger audience. Their success and popularity in this strategy resulted in the lasting stigma that videogames are "for kids".
Shinan
4314
I read this article yesterday (found it through Twenty Sided) I found it to be a highly interesting analysis of things. I agree with a lot of it too and it's sort of amazing that I really hadn't thought of it in that way before.
iishenron
1105
His blog and his site are both interesting reads. But this guy also predicted McCain would destroy Obama in a landslide, so ???
I think so far he's gotten the DS and Wii mixed up. The DS, at least in Japan, and along with the PSP, have actually disrupted console gaming there. In America? The DS and Wii are both blue ocean devices, IMO. I don't think the Wii has, or will, disrupt the Western gaming market. Western third parties have refused to support the Wii with anything except shovelware and they're doing quite well on the PS360.
I think so far he's gotten the DS and Wii mixed up. The DS, at least in Japan, and along with the PSP, have actually disrupted console gaming there. In America? The DS and Wii are both blue ocean devices, IMO. I don't think the Wii has, or will, disrupt the Western gaming market. Western third parties have refused to support the Wii with anything except shovelware and they're doing quite well on the PS360.
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