Wii U Is the Wii U is more for casual gaming?

[gamerboy]

Hi guys

Something that I have been thinking about lately is which market the WII U appeals to. I was thinking to myself that maybe the console is struggling because it appeals to a more younger audience and lately video gaming has been moving to a more mature audience that likes more hardcore games like Call of Duty, Titanfall and such.

Who would you say the WII U appeals more to? Is it the hardcore gaming audience or is it he casual gamers
?

 

[mischief]

I'd say that it does appeal for more casual gamers due to the lineup of games: Splatoon, Wii Sports, etc. I don't see that many games that would appeal to more hardcore gamers (like LoZ or Zombie U).

 

[gamerboy]

Yeah I am thinking if we get some more hardcore games unto the console then maybe we would be able to catchup to the Xbox and the PS.

 

[Rama]

Just look at the commercials. It's obviously aimed at a broad range of casual gamers and family. It even targets old people to an extent. They're trying to target such a broad audience it's actually working a bit. Hardcore gamers would target Pc, Xbox, and PS3. If I was a 40 year old mother looking for a console for my 10 year old son, I would choose the Wii U.

 

[GamerGirl]

I think you're confusing 'hardcore' with 'loads of men shooting each other in the face'.

For me a hardcore game is one you're going to notch up 50 hours on, not notice, and still be finding new things or refining your technique. Pokemon is most definitely hardcore. A hardcore gamer is one who'll buy a system just to get their hands on a particular game, like Mario Kart, or Smash Bros, or Zelda.

What I like about Nintendo systems is that they provide a good amount of games which are suitable for everybody without being so easy they're boring. You don't need to have prostitutes or bad language to have a great game.

 

[JessiFox]

I do agree here...there is a distinction between "mature" (just a lot of violence or sexuality) and hardcore. I do think that the Wii U appeals to casual gamers more than some of the other consoles, but not necessarily for the reasoning that you mentioned OP.

 

[GamerPerson]

Honestly, I don't think it's different from it's roots. Think about it: When Nintendo was first putting out games it was for everyone. You could be into LoZ, Mario, the racing, the cutesy games, rpg games. It really didn't' matter.

I don't think it's marketed JUST to casual gamers, thus making it a casual/family system. I think it's marketed towards everyone.

When you have titles like LoZ or Mario, you already have a fan base since they've been around for ages. Now, when it's a new game that they want to push out and get people to buy, they're more than likely going to use the ads and show those games over and over again, since, like I said, they ALREADY have the old school players in the bank.

All you gotta do is slip them ONE little piece of trailer or news once in a while and it'll stay hot on their minds. Of course, the same can't be said about casual or family gamers because they have so much they need done in their day to day lives. That's why you see more ads toward them than anything.

So, like I said, no. I don't think it's more so casual gaming for the Wii U. It's everyone gaming.

 

[aboleth_lich]

I with GamerPerson, generally.

Compared to the libraries of Microsoft's XBOX and (to a lesser extent) Sony's PlayStation consoles, Nintendo seems to be sticking with their traditional, broader variety of genres that are also generally more family friendly and have kinder learner curves (but without necessarily being only for children or coddling gamers by not presenting a challenge). Certainly, one could say that the Wii U is thus more welcoming for the casual gamer than the other consoles, but such a statement belies that it also retains its appeal for the more dedicated, rapid gamer whose interests extend beyond the latest clones of Gears of War and Grand Theft Auto.

 

[LitoLawless]

I would say that the Wii U is the one (out of the three) that is made to appeal to the casual gamer most of all. They have a lot of titles that have really simple mechanics, which anyone can get into. Even the WiiMote style control was made to be as simple as possible with the option to add a little more complex things if need be.

 

[Bradinator Smith]

I think it is a casual gaming system, it's basically a larger 2DS, Nintendo should continue making games for the Wii because the Wii U doesn't really replace to well. It doesn't require physically activity, which was one f the major components in the Wii.

 

[Damien Lee]

I hate that hardcore gaming is equated with the fps shooters and any game that looks super realistic with a grey / brown palette. The Wii U is a pretty damn hardcore console in my opinion, it's got Bayonetta 2 as an exclusive title for crowing out loud. Casual gamers are playing on their smart phones and tablets, many who won't even touch a console or PC. However, Nintendo have always targeted a wider age demographic when compared to their competitors.

 

[Hyrule Chicken]

But if someone plays Candy Crush for 10 hours straight, wouldn't that be by definition a hardcore gamer? It's a mobile game, aimed at casual gaming but some people still go crazy with it. I guess it all depends on what defines a hardcore gamer versus a casual one. Personally, I'd say my girlfriend is a casual gamer. She'll play Plants vs. Zombies, or go on the Neopets website, and sometimes we'll play Left 4 Dead 2 or Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe together but generally she's not gaming that much.

Me, on the other gamer, I'm gaming pretty much every single day in some shape or form.