Comments on: What Games Really Sell http://gigaom.com/2006/09/06/what-games-really-sell/ Trusted Insights and Conversations on the Next Wave of Technology Thu, 26 Nov 2009 16:48:41 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 By: Rob Stevens http://gigaom.com/2006/09/06/what-games-really-sell/#comment-64454 Rob Stevens Fri, 08 Sep 2006 17:45:57 +0000 http://gigaom.wordpress.com/2006/09/06/what-games-really-sell/#comment-64454 <p>As I mentioned in my blog post about this (http://superrob.blogspot.com/2006/09/what-are-games-that-really-sell.html), the thing with magazines is that the casual gamers don't read them anyway … so who are you going to tailor them towards? The enthusiasts, of course.</p> <p>To borrow an analogy from the automotive world, games like DOOM are the shiny sportscar you put in the showroom to get people coming in the door, but that basic people-mover over there in the lot (Bejeweled) is what you're going to steer them towards.</p> As I mentioned in my blog post about this (http://superrob.blogspot.com/2006/09/what-are-games-that-really-sell.html), the thing with magazines is that the casual gamers don’t read them anyway … so who are you going to tailor them towards? The enthusiasts, of course.

To borrow an analogy from the automotive world, games like DOOM are the shiny sportscar you put in the showroom to get people coming in the door, but that basic people-mover over there in the lot (Bejeweled) is what you’re going to steer them towards.

]]> By: Jesse Kopelman http://gigaom.com/2006/09/06/what-games-really-sell/#comment-64450 Jesse Kopelman Thu, 07 Sep 2006 20:54:57 +0000 http://gigaom.wordpress.com/2006/09/06/what-games-really-sell/#comment-64450 <p>Zack is right and this behavior by the "industry" press is certainly not uinque. The best selling wines are all well under $20/bottle but how much press do they get in Wine Enthusaist/Spectator? How often do < $30,000 cars make the cover of Car and Driver and Road and Track? The enthuiast market is never the majority of the consumers in a mature industry, but that doesn't mean they aren't a good demographic both to market to and for peripheral items -- like magazines.</p> Zack is right and this behavior by the “industry” press is certainly not uinque. The best selling wines are all well under $20/bottle but how much press do they get in Wine Enthusaist/Spectator? How often do < $30,000 cars make the cover of Car and Driver and Road and Track? The enthuiast market is never the majority of the consumers in a mature industry, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t a good demographic both to market to and for peripheral items — like magazines.

]]> By: Zack http://gigaom.com/2006/09/06/what-games-really-sell/#comment-64445 Zack Thu, 07 Sep 2006 17:44:16 +0000 http://gigaom.wordpress.com/2006/09/06/what-games-really-sell/#comment-64445 <p>Interesting stuff, but the shots at gaming magazines seem strange. After all, the magazines aren't just going after gamers -- they're going after gamers likely to buy gaming magazines. The Doom III enthusiast falls into this category; the Backyard Baseball player does not.</p> Interesting stuff, but the shots at gaming magazines seem strange. After all, the magazines aren’t just going after gamers — they’re going after gamers likely to buy gaming magazines. The Doom III enthusiast falls into this category; the Backyard Baseball player does not.

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