Xbox VP and ex-Nintendo Europe head David Gosen has warned against "gimmicky" gaming devices like Wii Fit, which he says for the majority of owners won't get played twice.
Microsoft's VP of strategic marketing and Live said that new user interfaces will continue to come, but they're only good if they enhance the gameplay experience. "They are not good if they are gimmicks," he said.
"What Nintendo have done with the Wii is truly fantastic - there is no question about it. But I think sometimes there is a thin line between gimmick and great gameplay," Gosen told Develop magazine.
"We've seen some research that says 60 percent of people who bought a Wii Fit play it once and don't play it again. So we have to get the balance right, because what we are doing is bringing new consumers into the market for the first time in their lives sometimes - and we have to treat them with respect.
"And at the end of the day that comes back down to creativity," he added. "We have to ensure that the peripheral strategy that anyone employs makes sense and delivers a truly game changing experience. Because if it's just 'okay' it will end up in the cupboard under the stairs."
When we asked about Microsoft's own whacky peripherals, such as the upcoming motion-senstivie mic for Karaoke game Lips, Gosen responded:
"If you look at what people don't like about existing karaoke games it's that you've got wired microphones which look like they've come out of a toy shop and a fairly restricted song base.
"When we designed Lips we looked at those two major barriers. We created the wireless mics, which look and feel like real microphones, have motion sensors so you have more opportunity to get fun out of it because you can use it as a percussion instrument and even light up. Then we added in the opportunity to sing along to your own music library, and have PDLC on top of that.
"We think that's a compelling substantially differentiating singing proposition."
Not a massive fan of casual games but I think Ill pick up a copy of Lips so that the Mrs and relatives can have a game when they come round, the fact that you can use any song in your music library is pretty incredible. Imagine if Rock Band or Guitar Hero did that.
Who cares if no-one else uses it once they've bought it, when it's been bought the monies in the bank. As for the lips idea, it's virtually singstar in all but the name with a better mic, im sure singstar will go wireless before the year is out also. It uses some good ideas but it remains to be seen if anyone buys into it as scene-it tanked heavily.
*bought, not brought And yes, they bought it so can do what they want - but I think the point is, how many people who spend £50+ on a piece of crap that they use once and going to look at said piece of crap and say "that was a good buy, I don't feel at all cheated for purchasing that!"?
Answer = Not many - instead they will look at it and say "jeez, I was really pretty stupid to pay money for that piece of crap - what I bought there was marketing and hype".
They will then either kill themselves, for giving nothing to society except idiocy - or just not buy crap like that in the future, thereby cutting Nintendo's 'crappy peripherals' market in two.
I actually saw Nintendo's marketing at work when saw my girlfriend's eyes light up at the WiiFit advert to my dismay. She said "wow I want that".
I then asked her why, when would she use it, does she think that stepping on and off a board or jogging on the spot would be actually that fun, is it better exercise than going to the gym. Her answers were, "because it's a good idea, sometimes, not really, no".
Not Sure how the comment is desperate: Xbox div in the green: Check. $240 million worth of DLC sold: Check. 10+ million Xbox Live users: Check. More Top games coming this year: Check.
So all in all Xbox is doing quite well.
As for unprovoked, Sadly "Welcome to the games industry"
Gosen was an idiot at Nintendo and still hasn't changed his way. Doesn't want stuff to look cheap like toys? Except for the pad, the whole XBox 360 lot of hardware and accessories are cheap. The machine itself, the crappy wireless headset, the camera. All cheap and not worth the price they charge.
M$ are copying what Nintendo do and are such hyporites. "We're hardcore" they used to say and now they're after the "casual" market? They're full of s**t and they're in the same position in terms of they can't shake off their 'shoot em up' image in the same way Nintendo can't shake off their 'kiddy' image.
Irony... So instead of punishing new casual gamers by bringing out an innovative new peripheral that will only get used once, we will gouge them of £40 a year to play a game they have already paid for on a peer-to-peer connection.
Seriously, XBox Live Gold needs to become free or have a significant price cut on this side of the pond to encourage casual gamers to think the online components are worth it.
Irony... So instead of punishing new casual gamers by bringing out an innovative new peripheral that will only get used once, we will gouge them of £40 a year to play a game they have already paid for on a peer-to-peer connection.
Seriously, XBox Live Gold needs to become free or have a significant price cut on this side of the pond to encourage casual gamers to think the online components are worth it.
I agree with the XBL becoming free comment - i'm debating just doing 3 months at a time, because i can see long stretches where i just don't really care enough about multiplayer to bother witht he extra fee.
Irony... So instead of punishing new casual gamers by bringing out an innovative new peripheral that will only get used once, we will gouge them of £40 a year to play a game they have already paid for on a peer-to-peer connection.
Seriously, XBox Live Gold needs to become free or have a significant price cut on this side of the pond to encourage casual gamers to think the online components are worth it.
I paid £23 for 13 months on ebay, I think that's a decent price. The only thing is casual players who may want to play online one or twice a month wouldn't find it good value for money.
Regarding Wii Fit. I'd be surprised if people only played it once. Maybe it's not going to get played much after the first month or two.
Nintendo put themselves in a tricky position with the peripherals. If you start making games that require an additional purchase, you then cut out part of your audience who don't have the peripheral. You have to make sure there are plenty of decent games to make sure it's worth it.
I still like the idea of Tony Hawk/Skate/1080/ssx etc on the balance board, then I might consider buying one.
Not Sure how the comment is desperate: Xbox div in the green: Check. $240 million worth of DLC sold: Check. 10+ million Xbox Live users: Check. More Top games coming this year: Check.
As for unprovoked, Sadly "Welcome to the games industry"
Well, I didn't really imply that Microsoft are doing badly. I just meant that they're really grasping at anything if they have to research facts like that and then use them in public statements for what seems like no reason.
According to the Nintendo channel on wii, which takes data from the userbases consoles, wii fit has been used for an average of 13.27 hours per user and played an average of 9.59 times.
If 60% of people play it once and never return, then the remaining 40% are playing it an average of 22.475 times. This would suggest that those who play it more than once really, really love wii fit or more likely that Gossen is full of crap and pulled figures from his ass.
As for Lips - the mic lights up - wow, how innovative. Are ms targeting casuals or the ADD market?
Actually Mr Redders, sorry to pick hairs and all, but that would just infer that people who have their machines connected to the internet play that much, after all, the so called casual market gamers who may purchase the Wii Fit on a whim may also not actually connect the machine to the internet. Personally my brother plays on his quite a lot, but that’s not connected to the internet and as such no data could be provided to Nintendo about such frivolities.
Not Sure how the comment is desperate: Xbox div in the green: Check. $240 million worth of DLC sold: Check. 10+ million Xbox Live users: Check. More Top games coming this year: Check.
They've made up the $6 billion debt they racked up?!
Well, I didn't really imply that Microsoft are doing badly. I just meant that they're really grasping at anything if they have to research facts like that and then use them in public statements for what seems like no reason.
"If they have to research facts like that"?
Last I heard, the research was done by an independent Japanese website...
People! You're missing the point, including Microsoft!
Wii Fit is not a true game, it's existence on this planet is because people want to get fit. It serves the same goal as a fitness center, albeit with a supposedly 'fun' twist.
And alas, fitness centers suffer from the same problem as the Wii Fit. About 60 to 80% of all people pay their fitness center fee and never come back. It's called the number of retention in that industry.
So actually, the Wii Fit is more successful in keeping people moving than the average fitness center. If you look at its true purpose (making people fit) it's more successful than most alternatives!
People! You're missing the point, including Microsoft!
And alas, fitness centers suffer from the same problem as the Wii Fit. About 60 to 80% of all people pay their fitness center fee and never come back. It's called the number of retention in that industry.
Problem? People paying to the gym and then not going, what could be better? look at the depth of some hardcore games and 'hardcore' players still give in and stop playing maybe even trade the game in.
Im guessing casual players will give it up after a while and cupboards and/or pre owned shop shelves will be full.
I think he's touched on a vital issue, just worded it badly.
The people who only play once are probably siblings or parents or whatever that just want to have a first go. Its like the dance mat you may have tried because you'd had a few and felt confident enough, or you somehow think you're John Travolta. Or Bill Clinton if you've seen Family Guy...
If my brother, sister or my mother got a Wii Fit board I'd give it a go and probably never go on it again.
Actually Mr Redders, sorry to pick hairs and all, but that would just infer that people who have their machines connected to the internet play that much, after all, the so called casual market gamers who may purchase the Wii Fit on a whim may also not actually connect the machine to the internet. Personally my brother plays on his quite a lot, but that’s not connected to the internet and as such no data could be provided to Nintendo about such frivolities.
I’m off to play softball, farewell.
That was actually my point, that the sample Gossen referred to was every bit as skewed as that of the Nintendo channel, and probably even more so, given that the population questioned was most likely significantly less than the 150,000 plus respondents included in Nintendo's figures.
Actually Mr Redders, sorry to pick hairs and all, but that would just infer that people who have their machines connected to the internet play that much, after all, the so called casual market gamers who may purchase the Wii Fit on a whim may also not actually connect the machine to the internet. Personally my brother plays on his quite a lot, but that’s not connected to the internet and as such no data could be provided to Nintendo about such frivolities.
I’m off to play softball, farewell.
I think you'd be surprised as to just how many people who are technically capable aren't core gamers. Working in high-tech for almost 20 years now, it's surprising as to just how many people in the industry don't play video games.
This whole thing about the peripherals is a joke. Who is Microsoft trying to scare away? The only people who are going to listen to this are the wishful thinkers who are hoping for something, ANYTHING to stop the Wii's momentum (including MS).
As for Microsoft's newly found profits, we'll see. Hopefully, they've weathered the storm fully and will see this year as another profitable one for the Xbox. However, with sales slumping and no big system sellers this year it could be a close call, couldn't it?
I guess with Gears 2 and "Too Human" being published by Microsoft, they'll get some big $$$ from that.
I recently read some research that 60% of Xbox 360 users only use their console once before it has three red rings and it gets sent to somewhere like a Georgian Warzone
basicly before he opens his mouth maybe he should have a console that works properly.
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