Cherry Blossoms and Nintendo

Grandma and Grandpa on the video game…never happen.

The OL (Office Lady) hurrying home to play saber tea party…again, an unlikely scenario.

Well nothing lasts forever…cherry blossoms last only about a week, and that is what the Japanese like the most about them. Nothing lasts forever, especially beauty. There must be more to a person’s worth than outside appearance.

Companies change, too…or they should change.

Last year the video-game software and hardware industry brought in about $27 billion.

For the past five years, Nintendo has been asking the question, “Why do people who don’t play video games NOT play them?”

I know the answer -

1. They are too noisy
2. They are too complicated
3. They are too ‘busy’
4. They are too expensive
5. I don’t want to be identified with young boy twirps…
6. They are not interesting
7. They are restrictive in where they can be done…
8. They are…

Okay, I’m off topic.

Nintendo has a game – Nintendogs that it wants to use to lure female gamers…it’s working. Nintendo has a game – Brain Age that is designed for the elderly. 2 million sales says its working, too.

Nintendo is betting the Electroplankton farm that it can do what other hard-core gamers cannot – convert new gamers.

There are two principles at work -

1. Don’t listen to your customer – to find a new audience you need a new approach.
2. Cutting design is more important than cutting technology – easy, sexy, appealing is more important than powerful and decorated with more features.

That’s what Nintendo thinks?

What do you think?