MLD Archives #5: Kinect is casual gaming done properly.

Consoles used to be primarily for a core audience, meaning games that couldn't be played by just anybody. These games varied in difficulty, were competitive, and couldn't be mastered easily by someone who doesn't have a gaming backround. Now casual gaming has become increasingly more relevant, with more games every year being developed with the idea of being accessible for just about anybody. All three corporations that make gaming consoles have taken a specific approach with dealing with casuals. Of the three, I will explain how Microsoft is taking the best route that benefits the core gamer the most in the end while still catering to the casual market they desire.

Nintendo I believe made the best and worst decision this gen by going the primarily casual route. It was the best decision because Nintendo tapped into a large market that was previously passed by in previous generations. This resulted in Wii having the success it is known for. It is also the worst in that it alienated many of Nintendo's loyal fans; me included. I personally don't like the idea of playing games with motion control and im sure many felt the same way. The Wii uses motion control as the primary method of controling games, a method that is way more accessible to casuals then a traditional game pad. Also, the core titles on Wii are largely accessible by casuals and even then they are drowned out by Wii titles that were made specifically for the casual gamer. It's a hard truth to accept, but all though the Wii does have many core titles, Nintendo clearly is more focused on keeping the casuals happy. The strategy of primarily going the casual route with standard motion control gaming and majority titles being casual centric, while profitable, isn't most desirable for the majority of core gamers out there.

Sony's route is more acceptable to the core gamer but in the end I feel it isn't the best way to have casual appeal while catering to a primarily core audience. Sony built up the PS3 for many years as a "core gamer first" console. Now while this proved to not be a profitable route as they are last place, I would imagine the dedicated fans are pleased none the less. Sony is now entering the market with PS Move, which is largely like the Wii remote but with improved technology. Now Sony will essentially be supporting traditional PS3 retail games that are meant to be played with the dual shock controller while at the same time releasing PS Move centric games. There is nothing wrong with that. However the problem lies in Sony trying to mix the two together. Many PS Move games are games that are considered "core". I personally have the opinion (you don't have to agree) that core games should be made first and foremost with a traditional game pad controller in mind. When you make a core game with motion control options, it could very well steer the game into a state that may not be fully desirable by the core audience. Keep motion control out of my core games thank you very much.

Now Microsoft with Kinect is the best way to implement casual gaming to a primarily core gaming console. Microsoft has built up the 360 brand as a "core gamer first" console as well. Only now are they entering the casual market with Kinect. What Microsoft is doing right that both Nintendo and Sony failed to realize is that there is a difference between casuals and core gamers. Instead of blending the two together, Microsoft recognizes that it is best to appeal to both seprately. Traditional retail 360 games will continue to have a primarily core focus while the primary focus of Kinect is meant for casuals. I have seen the Kinect launch titles and I can safely say that they don't appeal to me in the slightest......which is exactly the point. Microsoft is making Kinect appeal mostly to the casuals while making the traditional games appeal mostly to the core, which is exactly how I like it. They appeal to both crowds at the same time while giving both crowds their space from each other. I am positive that from a marketing standpoint the 360 will start to have a casual branding, which is expected to attract their new market. But even though the branding is different, we core gamers can still take comfort that our favourite games (for the most part) will still be coming to the 360 and will be playable by a traditional 360 game controller. There are always exceptions ofcourse like Fable 3 (having minimal Kinect support) or Forza in 2011; doesn't change the fact that the strategy is mostly intact.

From a business standpoint, Nintendo made the right call. But we can't deny that it alienated many core fans. Sony is taking a better approach by making motion control gaming take a back seat to its traditional game offerings. However they are dangerously combining core IP's with PS Move, a combination that some core gamers may not like. Microsoft however is taking the most desirable option that benefits core gamers the most. They keep Kinect primarily focused on casuals while keeping traditional games primarily focused on core gamers. The fact that Kinect doesn't use a controller while Nintendo and Sony are also makes me applaud them for going in a different direction. Microsoft recognizes that both markets are different and thus see no reason to truly blend the two together. I thank Microsoft for this approach.

Shouldn't it be 5?
Good job.

edited just now. all minor grammer mistakes should be corrected.

The Price is gonna kill it imo. Casuals always look at the starting price. And the wii is only gonna cost them $199, they more than likely won't go out and spend $100-$200 more on a gaming system. I suspect the wii will nothing to worry about marketshare wise once Move and Kinect release.

great arguments i want to see 7th or shioko counter all of this will out side stepping or nit picking

Its difficult to know if MOVE will be sucsessful or not because it appeals to both casuals and core gamers, lots of PC games will be ported to the PS3 (most of them will be RTS) its better than the wii (some people will notice that) and PS3 games will have better quality. But at the same time the wii is cheaper and most people already own it. So i dun no...

I actually am seeing quite a few semi-hardcore games for Kinect. It's more casual based than move though.

But tbh while I prefer Kinect to Move technically, I'd prefer if it had both casual and hardcore like move.

Sales wise and for most gamers Microsoft are doing the right thing but some gamers like me are interested in it and would buy it if it was a bit more hardcore. Though if it's anything like eyetoy, Ill use it once then never again.

Microsoft is completely devoting their motion controller to a market they can't win. They'll be lucky to get a tenth of the market share that Nintendo has. Sony, on the other hand, has been marketing Move towards casuals AND hardcore gamers. Microsoft is leaping into a market they CANNOT succeed in. At least hardcore PS3 gamers will buy and use Move for hardcore applications. It has already been well-received by gamers and journalists alike. I can't say the same for Kinect. We'll have to see where it goes in terms of hardcore applications, but it only can go so far.

TRF wrote:

Microsoft is completely devoting their motion controller to a market they can't win. They'll be lucky to get a tenth of the market share that Nintendo has. Sony, on the other hand, has been marketing Move towards casuals AND hardcore gamers. Microsoft is leaping into a market they CANNOT succeed in. At least hardcore PS3 gamers will buy and use Move for hardcore applications. It has already been well-received by gamers and journalists alike. I can't say the same for Kinect. We'll have to see where it goes in terms of hardcore applications, but it only can go so far.

Who says that they won't capture the Nintendo audience. If they have the software to back it up, I could very well see a large portion of the Wii audience trying something new and buying the Kinect. Move on the other hand actually has no chance with the Wii audience because from a casual gamers perspective, it is exactly the same product as the Wii so there is no incentive for them to buy it.

TRF wrote:

Microsoft is completely devoting their motion controller to a market they can't win. They'll be lucky to get a tenth of the market share that Nintendo has. Sony, on the other hand, has been marketing Move towards casuals AND hardcore gamers. Microsoft is leaping into a market they CANNOT succeed in. At least hardcore PS3 gamers will buy and use Move for hardcore applications. It has already been well-received by gamers and journalists alike. I can't say the same for Kinect. We'll have to see where it goes in terms of hardcore applications, but it only can go so far.

No, they're not completely devoted to Kinect, they already have like 43 million 360 owners to cater to, abandoning them would be stupid both economically reputation wise. And and even a tenth of Nintendo's market is good because that's 7.4 million 360 sales, and maybe like 9 million or so Kinect sales.

TRF wrote:

Microsoft is completely devoting their motion controller to a market they can't win. They'll be lucky to get a tenth of the market share that Nintendo has. Sony, on the other hand, has been marketing Move towards casuals AND hardcore gamers. Microsoft is leaping into a market they CANNOT succeed in. At least hardcore PS3 gamers will buy and use Move for hardcore applications. It has already been well-received by gamers and journalists alike. I can't say the same for Kinect. We'll have to see where it goes in terms of hardcore applications, but it only can go so far.

well theres some things to consider

- Wii sales have drastically declined within the past year. Still great, but not as good as it was

- MS advertising budget...........

- Kinect to the casual market provides something different then wii and move.....controllerless gaming. it will stand out.

GeneralMLD wrote:

- Kinect to the casual market provides something different then wii and move.....controllerless gaming. it will stand out.

Yes, it will stand out, but most casual gamers own a Wii already, and I doubt they'll be willing to get rid of it for a 360 AND Kinect. I could see a few people who already own a 360 buying Kinect, but I can see many more people who already own a PS3 buying Move.

TRF wrote:

GeneralMLD wrote:

- Kinect to the casual market provides something different then wii and move.....controllerless gaming. it will stand out.

Yes, it will stand out, but most casual gamers own a Wii already, and I doubt they'll be willing to get rid of it for a 360 AND Kinect. I could see a few people who already own a 360 buying Kinect, but I can see many more people who already own a PS3 buying Move.

Move is out and it didn't have amazing sales.

The pre-orders for Kinect are through the roof though.

Alan1994 wrote:

TRF wrote:

GeneralMLD wrote:

- Kinect to the casual market provides something different then wii and move.....controllerless gaming. it will stand out.

Yes, it will stand out, but most casual gamers own a Wii already, and I doubt they'll be willing to get rid of it for a 360 AND Kinect. I could see a few people who already own a 360 buying Kinect, but I can see many more people who already own a PS3 buying Move.

Move is out and it didn't have amazing sales.

The pre-orders for Kinect are through the roof though.

I'm betting Move will start picking up speed once some good games come out for it.

Move will die if sony doesnt bundle it before the christmas holidays

TRF wrote:

Alan1994 wrote:

TRF wrote:

GeneralMLD wrote:

- Kinect to the casual market provides something different then wii and move.....controllerless gaming. it will stand out.

Yes, it will stand out, but most casual gamers own a Wii already, and I doubt they'll be willing to get rid of it for a 360 AND Kinect. I could see a few people who already own a 360 buying Kinect, but I can see many more people who already own a PS3 buying Move.

Move is out and it didn't have amazing sales.

The pre-orders for Kinect are through the roof though.

I'm betting Move will start picking up speed once some good games come out for it.

actually the time between now and kinects launch is the best....and only time to gain some adoption.

new products are failures if they dont catch on right away, and I mean right away.