Comments on: Cats: The Game

By: Bruce

Bruce — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 03:11:19 +0000

Putting a brand name onto a product is a legitimate marketing strategy. It’s also something that many people respond favorably to. Of course, we know they are all dumb ……..

By: Alan Au

Alan Au — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 05:05:01 +0000

So yes, perhaps I’m underestimating the appeal of Cats, but that factors into my assumption that the intersection of Cats fans and game players is limited, even taking the casual market into account. More likely I’m just willfully refusing to admit the appeal of throwing a brand name onto a product. Hmmm, now I’m wondering why nobody has made a MacGyver RPG yet…

By: Scott R. Krol

Scott R. Krol — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 02:42:02 +0000

Good points, Justin and Steve. Hadn’t really thought about Nintendo’s success.

Penny Arcade actually did a comic on this subject today that’s somewhat amusing..

By: steve

steve — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 02:31:01 +0000

None of that explains the success of the Wii, which required people to not only go to the store, but to wait in line again and again to get one of the bloody things. And they also buy the Guitar Hero and Rock Bands of the world, as those games extend well beyond the gamer demographic.

(Those two products are by far the biggest “bridge” games between the casual and the hardcore.)

I’m not sure why games would be different from movies or music or any other consumer good advertised on television. People see a commercial for something that interests them, they buy it at the store.

The key is to stop thinking of EB Games as their destination. They’ll see the Webber game at Wal-Mart and Target.

By: Justin Fletcher

Justin Fletcher — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 02:26:47 +0000

“Would non-gamers though respond to commercials?”

Nintendo is banking on it with their high-wattage DS commercials.

By: Scott R. Krol

Scott R. Krol — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 23:49:31 +0000

Would non-gamers though respond to commercials? It seems to me that the biggest hurdle the market has with getting the non-gamer into gaming is getting them to make the effort. I’m not sure if said Webber loving Soccer Mom watching American Idol would see a commercial for “Sing to Webber” and then either (a) jump online to purchase the downloadable version or (b) drive down to EB Games the next day to pick up a physical copy.

I have a feeling the reason the casual market is so successful is because they tend to market on mainstream sites, and the effort required to seek them out is minimal since Soccer Mom can just click on the ad.