I, like aries100, am pretty much through with Fallout discussions. I do however find all this marketing and licensing data fascinating.
Interesting stuff about Beth basically licensing a franchise(3 titles other than MMO) and still having to siphon off any excess profits to Interplay, who- and wherever they are. Thanks for the info, Kharn.
This stuff from NPD is worth a little examination also.
Moriendor quoted this report, (which I have taken liberties with):
Report From The NPD Group Shows 45 Percent Of Heavy Video Gamers Are In The Six - To 17-Year-Old Age Group
According to the report, Heavy Gamers’ demographic/gender parameters also expand beyond 18- to 34-year-old males: 21 percent of this segment is female. The Heavy Gamer segment comprises only 3 percent of the total game playing population, contrary to common assumption that these serious gamers constitute a larger percentage of the game-playing population and retail sales dollars....
snip* market segment analysis blahblahblah*
Methodology
The data in this report was collected via an online survey using NPD’s robust (yes, it has to be robust!)U.S consumer panel. The sample is comprised of 16,670 respondents ages six to 44. Panelists who currently own video game systems (portable and console) were targeted.
This looks like a serious report that will be taken all too seriously, yet what is the real meat?
They surveyed 16 thousand Americans in a 38 year age span who presumably game with consoles/portables. A goodly number, yes, but one wonders what percentage of the total world gaming population (and ensuing "retail sales dollars") that actually represents. We end up with a target market of six+ year olds with consoles and handhelds who are all living in the U.S.
Fortunately for their mental development, only 3% of them are Heavy Gamers.
It's amazing ANYbody is making Fallout3 or any other game more complex than Pacman...(er,
MS Pacman--21% are female after all...)
I'm sure these statistics could be interpreted differently, and I am mostly joking along here, but bear with me. Trends all too often seem to have their birth in what is little more than hot air and then set up their own reality. This is probably the market surveyed and given emphasis because it is perceived as the most affluent (tho most six - 17 year olds might disagree.) They
want these people, preferably for life.
Is this the only successful gaming market? I have my doubts.