The big three (Nintendo, Microsoft, and Sony) need to enter consumer minds, tell us that we need them to have fun, and appeal to our collective attitudes of wanting to belong. It's no secret that one way of entering our minds is through the power of advertising.
While walking through the streets of Shibuya, one of the most frequented districts in Tokyo, I spotted a number of larger than life advertisements; most of them showing off how fun the Wii can be with family and friends.
Before you join with the hordes of pedestrians making their way across the Shibuya intersection, you can look across the street to see this billboard plastered along the side of the largest video rental store in Japan, Tsutaya. The ad is massive. It's imposing, but not in a frightening way. Look at those people. I'm having a terrible day. Hell, I am having trouble just weaving through all of these incredibly awkward walkers. But these people above me, they seem to be having so much fun. They look so powerful. Hmmm, what is this Wii thing?
I might ignore and forget about it. That is, until I make my way farther up the hill. That's where this next ad lies in wait.
Whoa, more people that have got to be having the time of their lives. OK, I need to get more details on this Nintendo Wii. And that is how the Wii appeals to the casual and even non-gamer. Nintendo didn't stop with ads plastered across town. They have strategically placed their ads on trains, on TV, and in stores. Their launch saw gamers line up overnight and systems sell out in minutes. It made international news reports. The Wii is already a household name. Nintendo made the right marketing decisions this time around. They learned from the DS that in order to make major profits, companies need to appeal to a universal market, the everyman. The Wii does just that and the marketing campaign reassures you of it. So Nintendo's only real problem then was marketing to the hard core gaming market. But they already figured out how.
I am one of those that believes that The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess is nothing more than a Gamecube game in disguise. It was in development for years and should have been released a year ago. Talks of tweaking this and improving that were mentioned but I suspect the delay was nothing more than insuring that the Wii had a launch title that appealed to the hardcore gaming community. Mario Galaxy didn't make the deadline, nor did Super Smash Bros. So Nintendo wisely chose to make Zelda its "killer ap." While many argue that it is unfair to compare the next gen. systems with the Wii, I find it somewhat unavoidable. I can forgive graphical downgrades so long as the game is fun. Unfortunately, going from the graphical superiority of Blue Dragon or Gears of War to the graphically inferior Zelda is tough to do. Yes, I called Zelda inferior.
On its own, Zelda looks wonderful and plays fairly well. If I refrain from turning on my Xbox 360 for some time and stick to my Wii, I can enjoy and am sometimes even moved by the director's use of mood and graphics in Zelda. There is no doubt that this game is good. What the game lacks is the feel that it needs to be a Wii title. Did we need a sword that slashes when I swing the Wiimote? Is targeting all that much better with the Wiimote than with a cross hair controlled by an analog stick? I suppose the answers will vary depending on the respondent. However, the play controls are so similar to past 3D Zeldas, I find them counter intuitive. I want a button to act as my sword and many times find myself running into enemies without it drawn.
Zelda plays like no other Wii title. In other words, it feels like it was forced to become one. Had this been a Gamecube title, I would be more willing to overlook some of its graphical flaws and its controls would have been fine, even if unchanged from previous incarnations. The move to make it a Wii title was most likely a ploy to lure hard core fans and gamers than it was the result of wanting to make control enhancements.
Nintendo and its followers will tell you that it's not about the graphics and I agree to a point. The DS doesn't render its graphics as well as the PSP but over here in Japan, it has far outsold it. However, I have to evaluate Zelda on its merits as a game title for the new system. If Nintendo isn't going for cutting edge graphics but instead for "revolutionary" new game play, then I have to rate it accordingly. Zelda is a great Gamecube title, but it lacks that extra punch as a Wii game. It is enjoyable and deserves many of its received kudos but next time, please remind us why it should be on the Wii, otherwise, just let us use our regular controllers.
That said, what Nintendo has done with its console launch this season is marketing genius. They've captured the hardcore gaming market that would be the ones to line up overnight for a Wii, as well as those non-gamers that just want a new piece of hardware to have fun, just like the people in the media blitzkrieg.
Nintendo wasn't the only one out this season fighting for its place in our homes. Microsoft has fought hard and continued to provide Japanese gamers with more of what they want.
Here is the so-called, "Do-Do-Do" campaign, in time for Christmas. Microsoft has ads appearing on TV focusing on its new games, Blue Dragon and Lost Planet. It has noticeable displays spread across electronic stores, with Xbox girls explaining the latest and greatest game titles. Its Lost Planet/Xbox 360 box sets are sold out in many shops. Could this be Microsoft coming back? Blue Dragon created a spike in Xbox sales from 4,053 units sold the week prior to 35,343 units sold in the week following its release. Lost Planet sold about 20,000 copies in its first day. Though gamers have been responsive and some even optimistic, this may not be enough to propel the system forward. The point here is that Microsoft is trying to appeal to the Japanese market. They are definitely making their presence known. Now they need to work on erasing their negative stigma as being an "otaku" vehicle.
So where does this leave Sony? Nintendo has ads stretching throughout the land. Microsoft is fighting hard to stay above water, releasing market focused games and campaigning with strategically placed ads. Sony has the PS3. And...
The name alone is enough. The PS3 is selling like hotcakes. Who needs ads? Sure there was a focused ad campaign when the PS3 launched, but who needs that now? I don't remember one ad that sticks out in my mind regarding the PS3. It's a cultural phenomenon for sure, but why should we own one. Where are the reminders that tell us how fun it is?
The game stores have demos set up for us to play. Let's review what we've got. There's Gundam, a game that should appeal to Japanese gamers except that it is the worst rated title for the new system. That wouldn't be so bad if the rating wasn't below average. Next, we have what is considered the PS3's "killer ap," Resistance: Fall of Man. That might be great if Japanese gamers liked first person shooters. Genji? No, that got poor reviews too. The list continues with either mutli-platform games or games that received mediocre scores. So why rush to own a PS3 now? Why does Sony seem to be narrowing its market while others try to expand theirs?
Did we need Blu-ray in the machine? Wasn't this just another marketing ploy in attempt to ensure Sony's hegemony in the next generation of home entertainment visual mediums? They certainly don't want to repeat what happened with Betamax. So we have games that aren't all that appealing, a system that is beyond many people's price range, that includes technology that is not yet necessary nor thoroughly desired and to top it off, a lack of a real ad or branding presence. Will the Sony name and reputation in gaming be enough to keep them on top? Initial sales were great but will they continue and how will shortages affect the market? Only time will tell.
I'll close this entry with a photo of an ad for a well done manga, now anime. Enjoy and Happy New Year.
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