Gaming Signal: Kids Just Don't Care

Kids Just Don't Care

Over on Destructoid, they are running an article railing against the success of licensed games, in this case, the game based on the animated movie Happy Feet. Surprisingly, or not, the game has sold 1.8 million copies, which is roughly 2/3 the number of copies that Gears Of War has sold. Destructoid takes this opportunity to take to task the parents who buy these type of games for their kids, and tries to encourage parents to not buy these type of games, using the always persuavie one-two punch of sarcasm and invective.

Unfortunately, most people aren't gamers at heart, and wouldn't know what a really good game looks like. This includes children. The reason these games are so successful is that they piggy-back on successful media franchises and the kids who want these games just don't care. All they want to is to play the game of their favorite movies. And really, so what? Does this fact really affect the industry negatively? No. If anything, the success of these games brings in money needed for development of the 'good' games that don't sell as well. A necessary evil, perhaps, but then again, these games aren't aimed at us.

Secondly, the hope being that many of the kids who play these games now will outgrow them and move onto something better. Let's face it, many of the really good games aren't aimed at the younger crowd. If you can hook them with the franchised games, then you can persuade them to play something better later on.

These games will always be made, because they make money, so railing against them is fruitless. A better approach would be to say, "If your kids liked Happy Feet, you should have them try Freddy Fish', or some other appropriate good game. Maybe Destructoid is going for humor here, but it struck a bit of a nerve. Their approach certainly won't persuade many parents, not the least because most parents aren't reading Destructoid.

An ironic thought occurs to me here. The above arguments 'in favor' of licensed games are also those that are 'in favor' of media tie-in novels and why they are good for science fiction. Ironic.

Sometimes comedy is just comedy - I think these folks were just trying to be funny.

But in general, I agree JP. Games with tremendous depth and rewarding gameplay isn't what kids want. Let me tell you from watching my 7 year old play - what a kid wants is repitition. You got it - they want the same thing repeated over and over again.

For example, my son got Guitar Hero for a present this past holiday season. He's played a bunch, but on one song - Joan Jett's immortal classic I Love Rock And Roll. To be sure there are a ton of great songs in that game, however for kids variety is NOT the spice of life. Variety is they way they fail a lot. Instead, repeating the same thing over and over is a way for them to have success - they are leaning basic eye-hand coordination or basic strategy skills and as such, have no chance with a game like Baldur's Gate 2 or even God of War.

Well - at least not until they are older - and after all, who do you think is the target for Happy Feet anyway? I'm thinking it is the under 8 crowd.

Posted by Scott on Friday January 12, 2007 at 1:42 PM

I agree Scott since kids really want to feel successful in some way or another. My son loves just one or two songs of DDR since he knows the pattern. The other end of this is that many folks like these games - they liked the movie and therefore like the game since it includes the characters and story from the movie. I believe Gaming Steve also indicated that the reason games like Big Game Hunter (or whatever it is called) sell is that non-gamers are into that sort of stuff. While gaming is a large market, the assumption should not be that it is that large due to games like Gears of War and Baldur's Gate. It is that large due to games like Madden and others of that nature...

Posted by Tim on Friday January 12, 2007 at 2:40 PM