Word to your Mother

Microsoft is aiming for your sister’s, wives, and your mother’s.

When they launch the XBox 360, they want to target females, to try and take some of Sony’s lead in the gaming console market, by promoting a more family-friendly image for the new Xbox. From an article in the International Herald Tribune,

In 2001, when Microsoft introduced the first Xbox, it focused heavily on hard-core gamers, typically males age 17 to 24 , who wanted a high-end machine with more sophisticated graphics and more complex game functions. The PlayStation and the Nintendo GameCube, meanwhile, put more emphasis on reaching the mainstream market, analysts said.

This time, Microsoft is planning a wider attack. Brochures going out to major retailers like Best Buy prominently describe the 360’s ability to double as a DVD player, play music from an MP3 player through a television’s speakers and even display digital photos on a TV. Its game functions, while impressive, are now only part of the message.

The point, said Bill Nielsen, who oversees marketing for the Xbox 360, is to help a game player convince the women in the family that “this is for you, too,” The brochure even says, “Here are some things you might want to tell your wife this thing does.” Over Labor Day weekend, Microsoft and Pepsi began a radio promotion to give away 9,000 Xbox 360s by Nov. 22. Nielsen said those ads were meant not just to reach hard-core gamers, but their mothers.

From Realtechnews,

In an eye-opening study (at the time) women who raise kids were found to use Gameboys more than any other demographic including their kids. And the merging of entertainment and TV makes the female of the species worth trying to land in a serious way and not with pink Barbie and hairstyling games.

So, this makes a lot of sense, my wife has been a big gamer in the past, but she’s not dedicated, she’ll play a game that catches her fancy for awhile, we had some killer fights when Mortal Kombat first came out, and then not play them for years. Nowadays, she mainly plays some of those online games like any of the numerous bejweled clones, text twist and others. They are a huge market, all you have to do is create the right games and you could definately make some money promoting the Xbox to females.

2 Comments »

1. My name is Alice Hill and I run the website http://www.realtechnews.com.
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   Comment by Alice — October 12, 2005 @ 12:00 am

2. If there was a game that would catch women’s attention would be one that teaches
   them some easy way to handle household economics. Tips on how to handle children
   different life stages. Bible Quotes for inspiration !! an all will bring about
   results to all concerned as well as profits to some !

   Just an idea !!!

   Comment by Raquel — October 16, 2005 @ 5:57 am

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