Nintendo Boss Talks ‘Cosmetics’ Pitch On Wii Market Strategy

Veering away from the PS3 vs Xbox 360 competition, Wii is set to go on a different battle on its own. According to Nintendo Boss Satoru Iwata, they do not intend to compete with the other next-gen consoles. Instead, he describes their challenge as something akin to “trying to sell cosmetics to men.”

In his interview with Bloomberg, he explains that the company’s plan to spread gaming to new demographics will be a particularly tough climb as they would have to contend with mothers who do not want consoles in their living rooms, and to the elderly and to young women.

“If we can do this, the Wii could break all the boundaries in terms of user rates for game consoles. We are not battling Sony or Microsoft. Our enemy is consumer indifference to games.”

What sets Wii apart from the other next-gen consoles is the virtual-reality controller, the Wiimote, which allows players to act out the movement their character is supposed to do. For example, if the game involves fishing, the player can act out with the Wiimote as if he is actually casting the bait and reeling in the catch. This is the kind of interactive play that Nintendo is banking on for the success of the Wii.

Hirokazu Hamamua, president of Famitsu publisher Enterbrain, said that if Nintendo pulls this off, “Wii definitely could become the most popular console of all time.” Well, that doesn’t seem so far off. In fact, targeting the untapped domestic market might just seem to be the big breakthrough that the gaming industry unwittingly needs. By expanding into the female market through entertainment that can be had by both male and female, young and old alike, it sure looks like Nintendo is out to prove that their bright idea brings in the goods.

Veering away from the PS3 vs Xbox 360 competition, Wii is set to go on a different battle on its own. According to Nintendo Boss Satoru Iwata, they do not intend to compete with the other next-gen consoles. Instead, he describes their challenge as something akin to “trying to sell cosmetics to men.”

In his interview with Bloomberg, he explains that the company’s plan to spread gaming to new demographics will be a particularly tough climb as they would have to contend with mothers who do not want consoles in their living rooms, and to the elderly and to young women.

“If we can do this, the Wii could break all the boundaries in terms of user rates for game consoles. We are not battling Sony or Microsoft. Our enemy is consumer indifference to games.”

What sets Wii apart from the other next-gen consoles is the virtual-reality controller, the Wiimote, which allows players to act out the movement their character is supposed to do. For example, if the game involves fishing, the player can act out with the Wiimote as if he is actually casting the bait and reeling in the catch. This is the kind of interactive play that Nintendo is banking on for the success of the Wii.

Hirokazu Hamamua, president of Famitsu publisher Enterbrain, said that if Nintendo pulls this off, “Wii definitely could become the most popular console of all time.” Well, that doesn’t seem so far off. In fact, targeting the untapped domestic market might just seem to be the big breakthrough that the gaming industry unwittingly needs. By expanding into the female market through entertainment that can be had by both male and female, young and old alike, it sure looks like Nintendo is out to prove that their bright idea brings in the goods.