German Site Interviews Jim Merrick on Revolution

Source: revolutionreport

In a recent interview with German site Faz.net, Nintendo of Europe’s Senior Director of Marketing Jim Merrick discussed various aspects of the Revolution, including the console’s price, multimedia functionality, and appeal to the “average person.” Provided below are the article’s key points (Note: rough quotational translations).

According to Merrick, Nintendo’s “approach lies in opening up to new users – not new technology.” The marketing director continued by stating that “Nintendo is an entertainment company. [It doesn’t] own any film studios and [it is] no hardware company either. The Revolution is capable to play DVD films – but that isn’t an important function to [Nintendo]. But that’s not a question of the hardware or power. This is all irrelevant. It’s all about the games.”

Furthermore, “an average person today can’t make head or tails of a video game,” Merrick said. “When thinking about a gamer today, you picture a pale tennager, drinking cola and eating chips. This shouldn’t be. In Japan, more than a half of the registered Nintendogs gamers is female. Additionally the age spread is much greater,” Merrick noted. The article also mentioned that Nintendo sold through 50,000 Nintendogs games in Germany during the first eight days following release.

While discussing Nintendo’s target market, Merrick stated that “the youngest gamers are four to five years old,” and that Nintendo “won’t give up [their] position for this group”; however, the company also wants “to score with older people.” Citing sales success in Japan once again, Merrick said that the “brain training games are strong with gamers who are 35 years or older,” and that they “are not the people that are traditionally referred to as video gamers.”

On the topic of price, Merrick affirmed that Nintendo is “very aware of the price sensitivity of the gaming market, especially when going for the mass market,” and held firm “that the Revolution will be cheaper than the 400 Euros of the Xbox 360.”

As for Nintendo’s online plans, the European marketing director restated that “Nintendo is…going to establish an online community,” but that they “don’t want to make the mistake of monetarizing the service first and put in value for the customers only later.” Merrick went on to discuss Mario Kart DS and the game’s free online play, but noted that “with the Nintendo Revolution, not all online games will be free for the users.”

Concerning the looming launch of the Xbox 360, Merrick said that Nintendo isn’t “worried too much about Xbox 360.” As for why, he stated that “the supply will be limited and the types of games offered won’t appeal to all target groups.” According to Merrick, “there won’t be an impact on the mass market – at least not until they see what is offered to them by Sony and Nintendo next year.” He remained stout on this point, stating that “when [Nintendo’s] strategy of expanding on the customer base works out, [the company] has a very good chance to achieve world leadership by late 2007.”

Revolution Report will have more from Nintendo’s vocal leadership as the next generation approaches.

Source: revolutionreport

In a recent interview with German site Faz.net, Nintendo of Europe’s Senior Director of Marketing Jim Merrick discussed various aspects of the Revolution, including the console’s price, multimedia functionality, and appeal to the “average person.” Provided below are the article’s key points (Note: rough quotational translations).

According to Merrick, Nintendo’s “approach lies in opening up to new users – not new technology.” The marketing director continued by stating that “Nintendo is an entertainment company. [It doesn’t] own any film studios and [it is] no hardware company either. The Revolution is capable to play DVD films – but that isn’t an important function to [Nintendo]. But that’s not a question of the hardware or power. This is all irrelevant. It’s all about the games.”

Furthermore, “an average person today can’t make head or tails of a video game,” Merrick said. “When thinking about a gamer today, you picture a pale tennager, drinking cola and eating chips. This shouldn’t be. In Japan, more than a half of the registered Nintendogs gamers is female. Additionally the age spread is much greater,” Merrick noted. The article also mentioned that Nintendo sold through 50,000 Nintendogs games in Germany during the first eight days following release.

While discussing Nintendo’s target market, Merrick stated that “the youngest gamers are four to five years old,” and that Nintendo “won’t give up [their] position for this group”; however, the company also wants “to score with older people.” Citing sales success in Japan once again, Merrick said that the “brain training games are strong with gamers who are 35 years or older,” and that they “are not the people that are traditionally referred to as video gamers.”

On the topic of price, Merrick affirmed that Nintendo is “very aware of the price sensitivity of the gaming market, especially when going for the mass market,” and held firm “that the Revolution will be cheaper than the 400 Euros of the Xbox 360.”

As for Nintendo’s online plans, the European marketing director restated that “Nintendo is…going to establish an online community,” but that they “don’t want to make the mistake of monetarizing the service first and put in value for the customers only later.” Merrick went on to discuss Mario Kart DS and the game’s free online play, but noted that “with the Nintendo Revolution, not all online games will be free for the users.”

Concerning the looming launch of the Xbox 360, Merrick said that Nintendo isn’t “worried too much about Xbox 360.” As for why, he stated that “the supply will be limited and the types of games offered won’t appeal to all target groups.” According to Merrick, “there won’t be an impact on the mass market – at least not until they see what is offered to them by Sony and Nintendo next year.” He remained stout on this point, stating that “when [Nintendo’s] strategy of expanding on the customer base works out, [the company] has a very good chance to achieve world leadership by late 2007.”

Revolution Report will have more from Nintendo’s vocal leadership as the next generation approaches.