Nintendo Attempts to Reach Young Children & New Gamers with Nintendo 2DS

This Saturday, Nintendo will venture into a market they have often been accused of targeting – young children. The upcoming launch of the Nintendo 2DS could be an incredibly smart move for the company, or it could be something no one will understand.

Not only does the device’s existence make it seem as if Nintendo has given up, at least to some degree, on the third-dimension, but it also seems strange that they abandoned their clamshell design that has been popular over the past several years. Sure, this device is geared toward young children, who may break the hinge of a traditional Nintendo DS or 3DS, but you also have buttons and screens that are more susceptible to damage.

As the old saying goes, the proof of the pudding is in the eating. So, while many may not understand this move, just as they did not understand the Wii Mini, only time will tell if it pays off for the “Big N.” The Nintendo 2DS will launch at an MSRP of $129.99 alongside Pokemon X and Pokemon Y, which could help its sales.

Find out more in the press release below.

Nintendo Reaches out to First-Time Gamers with New Nintendo 2DS Portable System

New System Launches Alongside Pokémon X and Pokémon Y on Oct. 12 for $129.99 MSRP

REDMOND, Wash.–(BUSINESS WIRE)– The Nintendo 3DS family is about to get a fun new addition. Launching on Oct. 12 at a suggested retail price of $129.99, the Nintendo 2DS system is designed specifically as an accessible entry point into the exciting world of Nintendo hand-held video games. The Nintendo 2DS system maintains many of the same hardware features as Nintendo 3DS, like touch-screen controls, StreetPass, online multiplayer functionality and the ability to download games.

The Nintendo 2DS system is comfortable and fits easily in the hands of people of all ages. Without any hinges, the durable Nintendo 2DS is an especially perfect first-time system for kids. Available in red and blue, Nintendo 2DS plays all Nintendo 3DS games in 2D, including recent hits like Animal Crossing: New Leaf and Mario & Luigi: Dream Team, as well as upcoming games The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds and Mario Party: Island Tour (both launching Nov. 22). In addition, Nintendo 2DS is backward compatible and can play the huge existing library of Nintendo DS games. Two sturdy and soft carrying cases in either red or blue will also be available at launch for a suggested retail price of $12.99 each.

Nintendo 2DS launches on the same day as Pokémon X and Pokémon Y, the next installments in the world-famous Pokémon series, ensuring that Oct. 12 will be one of the most talked-about video game days of the year.

“The Nintendo 2DS system expands the Nintendo 3DS family,” said Scott Moffitt, Nintendo of America’s executive vice president of Sales & Marketing. “At such an attractive price, and with such a huge library of games, it’s a great gift, no matter who you’re shopping for this holiday season.”

Remember that Nintendo 2DS features parental controls that let adults manage the content their children can access. For more information about this and other features, visit http://www.nintendo.com/3ds/2ds/.

About Nintendo: The worldwide pioneer in the creation of interactive entertainment, Nintendo Co., Ltd., of Kyoto, Japan, manufactures and markets hardware and software for its Wii U™ and Wii™ home consoles, and Nintendo 3DS™ and Nintendo DS™ families of portable systems. Since 1983, when it launched the Nintendo Entertainment System™, Nintendo has sold more than 4.1 billion video games and more than 655 million hardware units globally, including the current-generation Wii U, Nintendo 3DS and Nintendo 3DS XL, as well as the Game Boy™, Game Boy Advance, Nintendo DS, Nintendo DSi™ and Nintendo DSi XL™, Super NES™, Nintendo 64™, Nintendo GameCube™ and Wii systems. It has also created industry icons that have become well-known, household names such as Mario™, Donkey Kong™, Metroid™, Zelda™ and Pokémon™. A wholly owned subsidiary, Nintendo of America Inc., based in Redmond, Wash., serves as headquarters for Nintendo’s operations in the Western Hemisphere. For more information about Nintendo, please visit the company’s website at http://www.nintendo.com.

View the original article here

The Speed Gamers return with another 72-hour marathon for charity

by Jordan Mallory on Dec 6th 2012 3:00AM

Texas-based marathon-gaming group The Speed Gamers is preparing for its annual winter charity drive once again, this year raising funds for the Make-A-Wish Foundation through extensive exposure to Mario and his various exploits.

Starting at 7 p.m. Eastern on December 14, the group's non-stop 72-hour gaming session will work its way through a respectable block of Mario games, spanning the vastness of the plumber's body of work, both new and old. The whole event will be streamed live on the group's official website, where viewers can donate to not only help a worthy cause, but to also win prizes and play practical jokes on the marathoners.

So far this year, The Speed Gamers has already raised $59,324.36 for charity, thanks to its insane 168-hour Pokemon marathon last June. In total, the organization has accumulated $369,304.15 for various causes since it was founded in 2008.

View the original article here

The AbleGamers Charity Launches New Service for Gamers with Disabilities

PRESS RELEASE

International Charity Sets New Milestone Opening First Physical Laboratory for Gamers with Special Needs

The AbleGamers Charity Launches New Service for Gamers with Disabilities

Harper’s Ferry, WV – Sept 11, 2013 – The AbleGamers Charity is thrilled to announce the opening of the first AbleGamers Lab for gamers with special needs. Located in the headquarters of the AbleGamers Charity just outside of Washington DC, the AbleGamers laboratory features all of the top-end gaming devices and cutting-edge assistive technology set up specifically to enable those with disabilities to play video games.

“This day has been nearly a decade in the making,” said Mark Barlet, Founder and Director of the AbleGamers Charity. “And up until this point, the AbleGamers lab has only been a dream.”

“But I’m proud to announce that this dream has become a reality,” he continued. “We already have our first appointment scheduled and will continue consulting with special needs gamers as quickly as we can. It is, has been, and will always be our primary goal to empower and enable any gamer with disabilities to play video games.”

“It’s all thanks to the community,” said Steve Spohn, Chief Operations Officer and Outreach Chair for the AbleGamers video game charity. “We have had a tremendous outpouring of generosity from the videogame industry and community over the last year. These amazing donors have enabled us to begin consulting with gamers one-on-one to figure out the exact equipment each individual needs to get back into the game.”

Consultation is free, but by appointment only. Each appointment lasts approximately 1-2 hours, but can sometimes take longer depending on the individual’s particular needs. For more information, gamers with disabilities and/or caretakers can email lab@ablegamers.com to schedule an appointment with one of our assistive technology specialists.

About AbleGamers

The AbleGamers Charity is a 501(c)(3) public charity that runs AbleGamers.com, which provides news and reviews on the accessibility of mainstream video game titles, as well as consultation on assistive technology. As an alternative to Serious Gaming, mainstream video games supply many disabled individuals and veterans with rehabilitation as well as social stimulation in situations where they may be otherwise shut out of society’s idea of normal everyday life.

[PR Email]

View the original article here

[Wii U, 3DS] Sakurai goes into hiding; makes gamers wait for Smash Bros Wii U

[Wii U, 3DS] Sakurai goes into hiding; makes gamers wait for Smash Bros Wii U
Its hard to forget that there is a new Super Smash Bros. on the horizon, the very notion that fans have been speculating like mad already. A new column written by Masahiro Sakurai published in the latest Famitsu reveals the developer's decision to step out of the spotlight.

“To put it succinctly, I’ll need to have you guys wait a while longer. I hardly ever write anything on Twitter any longer, and that’s because I think right now is the time to stop tweeting and start putting in a real effort here. If I could put it a really harsh way, I think it’d be better if I could be forgotten by gamers for a while," writes Sakurai.

We didn't write about it, but Sakurai has taken on a Twitter hiatus to halt needless speculation over every small thing he writes.

“I don’t like it when a tweet or whatever leads to needless speculation getting spread around.

“For example, when I tweet about playing some game, some people immediately get the idea that that character is in the new Smash Bros. Then people fan the flames on it, people start to think it’s really true, people get angry about it. Nobody benefits.

“Instead of talking about what Smash Bros. will be like, I’m just going to say ‘I’m making you wait for it!’ and keep going along. I want to put my all into a full-on launch that really makes that wait worth it.”

So, what do you think? The decision is completely understandable, but I can see why some fans would be disappointed. I suppose they don't have to stop speculating, this just means they won't have any shreds from Sakurai to blow out of proportion.

All we know is that Namco Bandai are involved in the development process and that the game will be releasing on Wii U & 3DS.

Thanks for the heads up, VG247

Written by: Kyran Morrison

(This post was last modified: 12-14-2012 06:28 AM by LemonManX.)

User(s) browsing this thread: 2 Guest(s)

View the original article here

NPD: Number of US mobile gamers surpasses core, totals down

THE U.S. EXPERIENCES DECLINE IN TOTAL NUMBER OF GAMERS

Mobile Gamers Now Represent the Largest Gamer Segment

Port Washington, NY, September 5, 2012 – According to Gamer Segmentation 2012: The New Faces of Gamers, the latest report from leading market research company, The NPD Group, there are an estimated 211.5 million gamers in the U.S. that play video games, a 5 percent decline, or loss of close to 12 million gamers, when compared to 2011.

Of the six gamer segments in the report, only Mobile Gamers and Digital Gamers saw increases in the number of gamers when compared to 2011, with Mobile Gamers up 9 percentage points to 22 percent and Digital Gamers up 4 percentage points to 16 percent. All other gamer segments, which include Core Gamers, Family+Kid Gamers, Light PC Gamers, and Avid PC Gamers, experienced declines, with Family+Kid gamers experiencing the most significant decline of an estimated 17.4 million gamers.

"Given the long lifecycles of the current consoles and the increasing installed base of smartphones and tablets, it's not surprising to see a slight decline in the Core Gamer segment," said Anita Frazier, industry analyst, The NPD Group. "It's the revenue contribution of the Core Gamer segment that continues to outpace all other segments, and remains vital to the future of the industry."

The size of key gamer segments are shifting, with Mobile Gamers now representing the largest gamer segment, edging out Core Gamers, which was the largest segment in 2011.

"While this study segments the gaming audience based on a number of key variables and attributes, looking across the total gaming audience we see a tremendous impact from mobile gaming, particularly on smartphones and tablets," said Frazier. "Because of this, our next study, which will be released later this month, takes a deeper look into the area of mobile gaming."

Money Spent
Game purchasers reported spending an average of $48 on physical games and $16 on digital games-PC/console/portable in the past three months. Core Gamers spent $65 on physical games over the same time period; this is more than any other gamer segment.

Close to 14 percent of total gamers report that they purchased microtransactions/additional game content in the past three months versus 11 percent during the same time period in 2011, with Core Gamers and Digital Gamers being the largest consumers of these types of purchases at 27 percent and 23 percent, respectively.

Methodology
An online survey was fielded in March 2012 to members of NPD's online panel. Responses for kids under age 13, as well as some kids in the 13-15 age range, were captured through surrogate reporting (where the parent answers on behalf of the child). The data is weighted and representative of the US population ages 2 and older. The study is based on 8,488 completed surveys.

About The NPD Group, Inc.

The NPD Group is the leading provider of reliable and comprehensive consumer and retail information for a wide range of industries. Today, more than 2,000 manufacturers, retailers, and service companies rely on NPD to help them drive critical business decisions at the global, national, and local market levels. NPD helps our clients to identify new business opportunities and guide product development, marketing, sales, merchandising, and other functions. Information is available for the following industry sectors: automotive, beauty, entertainment, fashion, food, home and office, sports, technology, toys, video games, and wireless. For more information, contact us, visit http://www.npd.com/, or follow us Twitter at https://twitter.com/npdgroup.

View the original article here

Ubisoft profits in 2012, 'core gamers' drive rise in sales

by Jessica Conditt on May 15th 2012 2:00PM

Ubisoft ended the 2012 financial year on the up, reporting a gross profit of €718 million ($917 million) and sales up 2.1 percent to €1 billion ($1.4 billion) year-over-year, according to its financial results for 2011-2012.

Ubisoft ended fiscal 2011-12 with net income of €37.3 million ($47.6 million), up from a net loss of €52.1 million ($66.5 million) in the 2011 fiscal year.

Sales from "core gamers" in Assassin's Creed Revelations, Rayman Origins, Driver San Francisco and free-to-play title The Settlers Online generated €578 million ($738.1 million) in revenue, Ubisoft reported. Casual games brought in €483 million ($616.8 million) in revenue, mainly from Just Dance, Rocksmith and free-to-play title Howrse.

Core and casual titles contributed to a 110.8 percent jump in online and digital sales, bringing that figure to €80 million ($102.1 million), Ubisoft reported.

Ubisoft's net cash position is down from €99.2 million ($126.6 million) in 2011 to €84.6 million ($108 million) in 2012, while current operating income rose 90 percent to €56 million ($71.5 million) year-over-year.

View the original article here

Nintendo Aiming for Casual Gamers with New Marketing

With two major releases this winter season, the Nintendo brand is said to be focusing its 3DS efforts on attracting casual gamers to the fold as the holidays approach. Representatives from Nintendo have recently spoken out on its desire to attract not just core gamers, but also older players and more casual gamers.

The two major Nintendo 3DS games coming out this winter are Mario Kart 7 and Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games. The “Mario” brand alongside the “Sonic” name should be a coop for Nintendo, as they look to use that recognition to bring more interest to the 3DS.  Mario Kart has long been a favorite franchise of casual gamers, while having the Sonic and Mario names together for the other release could also be an attractor for non core gamers.

The good thing about both releases is that they seem to have a heavy amount of focus on upgrades for core gamers, as well as the main attractions to non core gamers. Mario Kart 7 in particular is expected to have a heavily bolstered online community and access. The Mario and Sonic at the Olympic Games release will feature major upgrades for handheld 3D with excellent visuals and mini games.

The United States representative for Nintendo, Reggie Fils-Aime recently spoke to Games Blog by highlighting that these releases will be targeted outside of the regular 3DS audience, as far as marketing goes. He said that this marketing strategy in no way meant that a move away from traditional Nintendo titles would be on the horizon.

Fils-Aime claimed that following the winter period, the 3DS could have a different target as far as games go, with a new showcase of games available for the casual gamer.  The 3DS will certainly be spotlighted this holiday season as it’s struggled since its release.

Nintendo is said to be expanding the digital landscape for the 3DS in the very near future as well. Gaming pieces will soon be available in the form of add on content for both physical and digital games. The eShop will also look to allow video content, as well as the gaming features that are currently desired.

Moving forward, Fils-Aime was adamant in saying that efforts involving 3DS will continue to “push the envelope with new, unique, and different experiences” for the console. Look for new 3DS content to appeal to a large range of people with specific titles that are diverse. Some new games could be targeted for older users, while others could appeal more to women. In the present, Nintendo is likely banking on the success of big brand names such as Mario Kart and the Sonic to help push sales in December.

Written By: NintendoFuse Contributor, Justin Taylor

Tweet

Casual Gamers Play More Than We Thought

Why We Need Casual Games?

Nintendo gets ready for Historic Sales!

Diner Dash for DS?

Hochiminh’s Rant Day 2

View the original article here

“The Nerd Gamers” holding a Metroid Marathon to benefit Children’s Cancer Association on July 7

Hey all you fans of Metroid and helping others. We have some news for you about a group who has brought the two ideas together!

“The Nerd Gamers” will hold a 72-hour Metroid marathon starting on July 7th at 6 PM PDT to Benefit Children’s Cancer Association. All of the donations will go straight to the charity, and they will be streaming Metroid games the whole time. The site we will be streaming at http://thenerdgamers.com/.

About the CCA:
Founded more than 15 years ago by a family who has been there, the Children’s Cancer Association brings JoyRx to seriously ill children and their families, in the hospital and at home. When families need support, CCA is there with award-winning programs and resources, available at no cost to those in need, in Oregon, SW Washington and across the nation.

For more information about CCA, head to http://www.joyrx.org/about-cca/.

Tweet

72 Hour Charity Gaming Marathon for victims of Japanese Quake/Tsunami

Zeldathon Team to raise money for Diabetes Research Funds in December

Upcoming Wii release dates, US

Nintendo: Free Metroid for VC

Steve Wiebe to participate in Mario Marathon for Autism Care

View the original article here

NPD report: 'Digital gamers' encroaching on 'Core gamer' turf

by Richard Mitchell on Jun 27th 2011 7:00PM

According to a new report from NPD, digital gaming (i.e. "not retail" gaming) is on the rise, with "digital gamers" gaining headway against "core gamers" in two categories. Specifically, digital gamers spend sixteen hours gaming per week, as compared to the eighteen hours spent by the core. Digital gamers actually purchase more games, pulling in 5.9 games over the last three months, while their core brethren brought home 5.4 in the same period. Meanwhile, both groups are actually hefty acquirers of downloadable games, with downloadable titles accounting for more than a third of overall game purchases.

The question, then, is what exactly separates the two demographics? After all, it looks like they share fairly similar habits, according to the numbers. We turned to NPD's David Riley, who explained that core gamers as defined by NPD are "very engaged across all systems, especially consoles" and have "higher use of Xbox 360 and PS3 than all other segments." When it comes to digital purchases, core gamers are more likely to buy add-on content than full games.

Digital gamers, on the other hand, "are engaged in a variety of gaming, from PC to mobile, console to portable, online and offline." They also have the "highest number of digital games acquired" and particularly enjoy the immediacy of downloadable purchases.

Still, it's clear that there's some crossover between demographics, something that seems to be recognized by NPD itself. Citing the growth of mobile and tablet gaming, NPD's Anita Frazier notes, "what a game is and what it means to be a gamer is evolving, reflecting the rapid nature of change within the industry."
DIGITAL GAMERS CLOSING ON CORE GAMERS
FOR TOP GAMER SEGMENT

Port Washington, NY, June 27, 2011 - According to Gamer Segmentation 2011: The New Faces of Gamers, the latest report from leading market research company The NPD Group, Core Gamers, once considered to be the leading gaming segment within the video game industry, is facing rising competition from Digital Gamers for amount of time spent gaming and number of games acquired.

At 18 hours per week, Core Gamers still spend the most amount of time gaming, but Digital Gamers are heavy gamers as well, spending 16 hours per week. The average number of games acquired by Core Gamers in the past three months is 5.4 games, while Digital Gamers are the heaviest game acquirers, reporting an average of 5.9 games acquired for any system/device over the same time period.

When looking at the number of digital games downloaded among those who acquired at least one game, it is Digital Gamers and Core Gamers who stand out with the highest number of digital games purchased; for both segments, more than one-third of the total games acquired are digital.

According to the report, Core Gamers represent the highest number of gamers (23 percent), followed by Family+Kid Gamers at 22 percent. Avid PC Gamers and Light PC Gamers both represent 15 percent of gamers, with Mobile Gamers and Digital Gamers trailing.

From consoles and portables to smartphones, digital music players to PCs, today's use of systems and electronic devices for gaming is more diverse than ever before. While there are still certain clear-cut system affinities, most of the gamer segments are playing on at least three systems.

The platforms people use to game on have therefore become somewhat less dominant as a segment driver, with other metrics pushed to the forefront such as hours per week spent gaming, likelihood to acquire and purchase games and digital/physical purchasing behavior.

"The name of the game in 2011 seems to be choice. Gamers are increasingly branching out to methods of play other than those that the industry has traditionally expected them to use," said Anita Frazier, industry analyst, The NPD Group. "Fueled by the growth of smartphones and new tablet devices, mobile gaming continues to accelerate, and what a game is and what it means to be a gamer is evolving, reflecting the rapid nature of change within the industry."

Methodology
The data was collected February-March 2011, and is based on a total of 8,214 respondents ages 2+. Responses for kids under age 13, as well as some kids in the 13-15 age range, were captured through surrogate reporting, where the parent answers on behalf of the child. The data is weighted and representative of the US population ages 2 and older.

About The NPD Group, Inc.
The NPD Group is the leading provider of reliable and comprehensive consumer and retail information for a wide range of industries. Today, more than 1,800 manufacturers, retailers, and service companies rely on NPD to help them drive critical business decisions at the global, national, and local market levels. NPD helps our clients to identify new business opportunities and guide product development, marketing, sales, merchandising, and other functions. Information is available for the following industry sectors: automotive, beauty, commercial technology, consumer technology, entertainment, fashion, food and beverage, foodservice, home, office supplies, software, sports, toys, and wireless. For more information, contact us, visit http://www.npd.com/, or follow us Twitter at https://twitter.com/npdgroup.

View the original article here

ESA 2011 'Essential Facts' note rise in women, adult gamers

VIDEO GAME PLAY INCREASES AS BREADTH OF GAME CONTENT GROWS
Report Finds More Women, Adults Play Games

June 7, 2011 – Washington, DC – 72 percent of American households play video games and 82 percent of gamers are adults according to new research released today by the Entertainment Software Association (ESA). In a report released at E3, the world's leading video game event, the data presented a consumer base that is increasingly diverse and receiving interactive game content on myriad platforms.

The report, 2011 Essential Facts About the Computer and Video Game Industry, also found 42 percent of gamers are women and that women age 18 or older represent more than one third of the game-playing population. In addition, purchases of digital full games, digital add-on content, mobile apps, subscriptions and social network gaming accounted for 24 percent of game sales in 2010, generating $5.9 billion in revenue.

"Our industry's innovative titles are reaching new consumers in broader, deeper and more-engaging ways," said Michael D. Gallagher, president and CEO of the ESA. "Technological advancements and terrific entertainment experiences in our industry make it possible for people of all ages to enjoy games at home or on the go, and the creativity of our developers and publishers leads to an ever-expanding variety of video games to choose from in both digital and physical formats."

The survey also found that parents remain highly involved in their children's game play and see several benefits of entertainment software. Forty-five percent of parents report playing computer and video games with their children at least weekly and nine out of ten parents pay attention to the content of the games their children play. In addition, 68 percent of parents believe that game play provides mental stimulation or education, 57 percent believe games encourage their family to spend time together, and 54 percent believe that game play helps their children connect with their friends.

Other findings of the survey include:

The average game player is 37 years old, while the average game purchaser is 41 years old;
Sixty-five percent of gamers play games with other gamers in person;
More than half (55 percent) of gamers play games on their phones or handheld devices;
Eighty-six percent of parents are aware of the Entertainment Software Rating Board rating system, and 98 percent of these parents are confident in the accuracy of the ratings;
Parents are present when games are purchased or rented 91 percent of the time; and
Consumers spent $25.1 billion on game content, hardware and accessories in 2010.
The research for the 2011 Essential Facts About the Computer and Video Game Industry was conducted by Ipsos MediaCT and is the most in-depth and targeted survey of its kind, gathering data from almost 1,200 nationally representative households that have been identified as owning either or both a video game console or a personal computer used to run entertainment software.

The Entertainment Software Association is the U.S. association dedicated to serving the business and public affairs needs of companies publishing interactive games for video game consoles, handheld devices, personal computers, and the Internet. The ESA offers services to interactive entertainment software publishers including a global anti-piracy program, hosting the E3 Expo, conducting business and consumer research, representing the video game industry in federal and state government relations, First Amendment and intellectual property protection efforts. For more information, please visit www.theESA.com.

# # #

View the original article here

Gamers Make Better Lovers Video Game Poster Print

REAL IN-GAME CYMBAL SOUND & ACTION; COLOR-CODED FOR CRASH, RIDE OR HI-HAT CONFIGURATIONS; VELOCITY-SENSITIVE FOR PRECISE DRUMMING; HEIGHT ADJUSTABLE; EASY-TO-INSTALL CLAMPS FOR QUICK SETUP; 10 STRIKE ANGLE; IMPROVED CRASH, RIDE, & HI-HAT CYMBALS; CYMBALS REQUIRED FOR ROCK BAND PRO MODE; COMPATIBLE WITH ROCK BAND 2, THE BEATLES: ROCK BAND & ROCK BAND 3

Price:

Click here to buy from Amazon