Yes, as several have mentioned sales lost to piracy can be a hard thing to estimate. It is doubtful that all those pirate downloads would result in game sales if piracy would suddenly stop. One of my more favorite pc games, world of goo, has no piracy protection, due to the company's philosophy, ie "paying customers shouldn't be treated like criminals." That game has a 90% piracy rate. However, they note that the director of marketing at reflexive, estimates that preventing 1000 piracy attempts would only result in 1 additional sale.

So from an ecenomic standpoint the effect of piracy is hard to estimate, though personally from a moral/artistic rights perspective I find the practice reprehensible.

They also sell them on Amazon, imported from Japan. I would be careful though, many of the ebay Chinese ones are knock offs; a good indication of the real Macoy is if the box is included; most of the knock-offs seem to include something to the effect "fresh from the factory-not boxed."

[QUOTE="GabuEx"]

I think that it's a fairly decent assessment, really, although I would certainly contest the idea (which is stated almost verbatim in the video) that the Wii is not a system for the serious gamer... but I suppose it depends on what one even means by "serious gamer", too. Gamers who won't play anything that doesn't have blood and an M rating? Well, yes, if that's what one means.

clicketyclick

I suppose it does come down to what one consideres a "serious game." Certainly titles like wii fit and wii music wouldn't fit into that realm; but are titles like Mario Kart and Mario Galaxy, which appeals to many "seriuous gamers" here and casuals, serious games? While they may have a child friendly presentation, they can still have some good gameplay that appeals to myself and many friends who have been gameing for years. So how is a "serious game" defined, by blood and gore or where you kill people (wich is certainly lacking on the wii) or by core gameplay (which one could argue is either present or absent in many wii titles). I personally am of the persuasion that the wii has many titles that can keep "serious" gamers happy. I have no problem with the statment that the wii appeals to, or even chiefly appeals to, families and kids, one look through a electronics store's game aisle will tell you that. However, the statment that it is "not for the serious gamer" is what I have my issue with. Perhaps I am interpreating the statment wrong, but the way I take it is that the wii is a step up from the leapfrog, if you're a serious gamer this system is not for you, you cannot possibly enjoy yourself on the system.

From what I have heard from most gamers with multiple consoles, with the Wii's top selling games, the highest selling Wii games, and popular high quality Wii games being released, I would say that that statement is likely true. Most Wii's are likely used primarily for family, younger kids, and people new to gaming. With the amount of Wiis and casual games sold and the small amount of good core game sales (Madworld, Deadspace Extracton, No More Heroes, etc) it is very likely that most are mainly used by casual gamers. Primarily doesn't mean always

And as Jason has said, Nintendo meant to target the casual audience. Yes, there is some thought given to the core gamers but Nintendo targeted casual fans and that seems to be the audience that is enjoying the Wii the most.

Legolas_Katarn

While I can agree that most likely casual gamers, "families and kids," are the main wii buyers I disagree with the statment that the wii "is not for the serious gamer." If I were to draw an analogy, let's consider amusement parks, and the extreme family friendly amusement park: Disney World. The main patrons of such placed are indeed young families with children; but is that to say that adults, the "mature audience," cannot have a good time at Disney world, going on the rides and seeing some of the attractions? A friend of mine in his 30s is traveling about 900 miles to go there because he enjoys it. So likewise, whiel the wii may sell mostly to casuals that does not necessairly prevent "serious gamers" from also enjoying the console. Perhaps I am not a "core gamer" but the games that you listed (Madworld, Deadspace Extracton, No More Heroes) are not really ones to my liking, with some exceptions I personally do not like shooters and slashem'ups, no offense to those that do. I guess what question I have is what makes a game "core" a M rateing? I grew up with the SNES and still enjoy playing mario games, they all have an E rateing but some are extreemly even insanely difficult, not for kids, is that not core?

[QUOTE="Madmangamer364"]

Is it just me, or is anyone else having trouble finding that "Wii is not for serious gamers" part in the link?

Jaysonguy

It doesn't say it anywhere, that's why it's missing

I'm glad someone besides me read the page

Yes I suppose I should have explained that better, it is in the video on that page, not in the text, namely at 1:10

"The wii is primarily a fun system for families and kids, not the serious gamer"

This is a fiarly new video, as new supe mario bros wii is featured.

What is a serious gamer anyway? All I know is that I sure wouldn't want to be one of those. Games are supposed to be fun. If I want to be serious about something, there's a bunch of other things worth being serious about.

Boomarley

lol, true enough, I play games to relax, not to be all serious and uptight.

1. Yes, the whole point of the Wii was to have a system that was focused on the young and new gamers, that's what Nintendo has always done

2. That's not an insult, it's a company line that has proved very successful for Nintendo for over 2 decades

3. If you'd like to talk about the other consoles (which you've already done here) take it to System Wars please

Jaysonguy

1. I doubt that the whole point of the wii was to attract new and young gamers, I'm sure that somewhere in there Nintendo intended to keep the players that they have already attracted. I was under the impression that the wii was a system that focused more on new gameplay, though the interface is more intuitive so it is more condusive to new gamers.

2. I think that in essence saying "If you are serious about playing videogames than don't waste your time with the wii" to be an insult to the console.

3. I was only taking about the 360 and PS3 and the library they have as a response to their comment; why I as a self proclaimed "serious gamer" do not particularily care for them, the point was not to compare consoles but to form a rebuttal to their statment. But for you I will edit out the lines mentioning them.

4. From your response I seem to get the impression that you do not particularily like my topic, if this is the case than please feel free to ignore it instead of coming on to post a list of why it is stupid.

Link

I'm tired of this kind of bologna. Before that statment they say in the video that it is primarilly a system for families and kids. Exactly what are they basing this on? To be sure the wii is more accessable to audiences than most other consoles past and present, but how does that make the system "not for a serious gamer?"

Viedo games are probably my main form of recreation and the wii is my favorite colsole that I had. The wii is full of titles to my liking, mario (NSMBW has been fairly difficult and I would not ****fy it as a "kiddy" game), pikmin (yes it is a GC game but I like the NPC), smash bros, trauma center, and LKS (not a kiddy game when you consider the dialogue and the fact that you are a polygimous king) just to name afew. I like unique playing expierences, not a regurgitation of the same old game with new sprites, as some other gamers seem to prefer.

I don't know, maybe I'm just a "casual gamer" who playes alot, but these kind of comments upset me, especially when it comes from a somewhat authoritative source like consumer reports; it would be like CNN coming out and saying "the wii is for kids"

Edit:

While it is likeley that I am too late, and this topic is well on it's way to it's eventual death, it has come to my attention that I did not mention that the statment I mentioned is actually in the video on that page, not in the text. GabuEx has kindly provided a transcript of the video on page 3 if you wish ito read it.

[QUOTE="J_Ford"]

I can see these games making more sense then Metroid Prime Trilogy since they're years old,

bob_newman

:roll:

Do people not understand the definition of a collector's edition?

Apparently Nintendo usually doesn't lest I forget that "Limited (Collectors if you will) Edition" Platinum gamecube that they made until the wii launched.

Sorry for the old post resurection; but it looks like gamestop just had a $10 price drop; now its $30. Just FYI