One of the common things that occurred with old game consoles was that the side or back of the boxes had information about the games. It would show a screenshot or two and may be a little description. Obviously, the console maker wants us to buy games. And we, the console buyer, would love to buy games we are interested in.
One of my favorite features included in the NES box, that no one talks about today, was the poster of games. Perhaps an image will rekindle your memory:
I loved this poster back in the 80s. I think I even hung it up somewhere. While it may be the console maker advertising the games, it was actually useful for the consumer. It told me these games existed. Now that I bought this game console, I can go and buy and play them. Yay.
Even in the marketing of a game console, the game library was also marketed. Check out this Genesis ad:
Game console makers say, ?People don?t buy the hardware. They only buy the hardware to get to the software.? Then stop marketing the hardware or the ?hardware experience? with a game. Market the library.
One common problem is when I go to a Gaming Message Forum, I ALWAYS see a thread titled: ?I just bought X game console. What games does this have? What should I get??
This shouldn?t occur. The information about the game library needs to be given to the console owner. That NES poster, while crude, served that purpose. Nintendo Power magazines served that purpose.
Today, the Game Industry relies on game media sites like IGN or Gamespot to deliver this news. But who goes to these websites except NERD-BOYS?
What I want from a game console is, upon purchasing it, to be given information about its game library and when these games are released (or already available).
Why do I have to go through all these hoops just to find out information about games that are coming out on YOUR console?
Nintendo says in a huffy tone: ?We have an email service that tells what games are coming out.? I currently get this service and it sucks. First of all, it smells like advertising because it is. It needs to smell like you are trying to assist me in trying to find a game that is right for me.
Early video game consoles, like the NES, divided games into the Action Series, the Adventure Series, the Sports Series, and so on. This was actually useful in its time. If I liked sports games, I went toward the sports series. But it was Nintendo Power that delivered the information about which new games were coming out and game me considerable information on how the games played. I made many purchasing decisions based on this information. Games that looked like they had value in them, I bought.
I understand many portray Nintendo Power as a type of Machiavellian service, but the magazine was truly useful in highlighting some amazing games I would have missed. In the very first issue of Nintendo Power, Howard Phillips was having an orgasm over Mega Man 2 and it showed through the text. That passion came through. I played Mega Man, wasn?t too exciting, but I had to check out this Mega Man 2. Boy oh boy! The game was incredible!
I want to know when every game, for the game console, is being released. It should be an accessible area like at the webpage of the manufacturer.
I also need information about the games, both available and coming out, so I buy games that are more in line with my tastes.
When I go to Wii.com, they do show some of the games available. But it is very frustrating. They send me to some official site, so many links to go through. And I feel I learn nothing from these pages. It just feels like a bland advertisement.
?What would you do differently?? I would like more detailed information instead of some bullet points and a trailer. How does the game play? For example, with Diablo 3, there is all this information about how the game plays on Blizzard?s website. I can even play with the talent trees and all. Nintendo Power showed that game information sells the games. I need the game information, not marketing information.
Like for a new 2d Mario game, I would show maps of some of the early levels and its secrets. This would portray the depth of the game and would inform the consumer of its value.
?But that would ruin the surprise.? This is a video game, not a jack-in-the-box. Consumers want informed purchases (which is why they prefer sequels because it removes much risk from the purchase). A good game is one that doesn?t rely on surprise. Super Mario Brothers or Zelda or Metroid didn?t become popular because of ?surprise?. I knew everything about those games before I played them. Well, with Zelda and Metroid I think.
The console purchaser should never ask, ?What games does this thing have?? or ?When do the new games come out?? This should be primary information the game console maker wants to get to the consumer.
But beware marketers, this is information, not a chance for you to slip in your marketing tentacles. Gamers will recoil anything that comes across as ?advertisement? like. They just want information, not commercials.
You guys want us to buy your games. And we want to have information on which are the best games for us to buy to maximize our experience with your console. Since we want the same thing, why can?t you help us?
What I think is the problem is that the console maker goes neutral with its game library and flatly says, ?Buy ALL my games.? That?s not realistic, for one, and it actually makes a bad experience. Not all games are equal. Console makers need to stop being neutral and start being pro-gaming experience. If a good game comes out for your system, highlight it and tell us. Xenoblade should not be placed at the same level as a mediocre party game. The old Nintendo would have Xenoblade on the cover of Nintendo Power and expressing the joy the game can give while ignoring the crappy party games.
The consumer experience is paramount over the third party experience. It is why Nintendo made the lock-out chip in the first place, isn?t it?
It is a shame I have these game consoles but the console maker doesn?t wish to tell me what games are coming out for it or the library of games of which would be the best fit for me.
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