Video Games Save Advertising, Bring Families Together, Create Doctors…

We reported a while back how video games have been enjoying increased sales despite (even because of) the recession. And with the upswing in sales now comes a burgeoning respectability.

For years they’ve been the preserve of teenage nerds, criticised for being antisocial, violent and even dangerous. But a study reported this week found that British sales of computer games could easily outstrip that of music and DVDs this year. Google are acknowledging the demand, with the addition of gaming themes to iGoogle, so you can customise your homepage to reflect whatever colossal waste of time you happen to be obsessed with. Incidentally, the stating the obvious comment of the year goes to Google’s VP of search products, Marissa Mayer when discussing the launch: “The iGoogle engineers, all of them are gamers.”

Games could provide a lifeline to the blighted advertising market too. After Obama’s hopeful visage was plastered across EA Games like Burnout and Madden 09, there’s news that in-game adverts are “stickier” than those on telly – people will take in the messages more, so the advertising is more valuable, so a greater premium can be charged.

Scientists trying to look cool periodically come along and say how great games are, and there’s been another one this week, saying that video games improve 3D spatial awareness and are helping to breed the next generation of doctors and engineers. This reminded us of this story from last year, where doctors who played video games were found to make better keyhole surgeons. “Left, left, now jump over that aorta…oh you missed. Game over.”

Nintendo Wii sales in particular are soaring – the Japanese manufacturer said it sold nearly three million during 2008 in this country alone. The increased sales reflect a change in attitude: a seperate survey earlier this month found that parents consider video games a great social experience, while more than half believe gaming brings their family closer together. They must all be thinking of the Nintendo Wii then, because I’m pretty sure watching your husband/boyfriend/son/brother shoot zombies doesn’t count as quality time.

The company best known for the Mario Brothers franchise have certainly repositioned itself to fit into the everyday person’s life – with party-type games featuring simplified characters and graphics. You can even learn life skills like maths, cookery and, er, walking, with the Wii Personal Trainer series, though unfortunately there’s no “Find A Girlfriend And Move Out Of The Basement” title as yet. And there’s also that very effective celebrity-driven ad campaign – the Redknapps look like they’re having so much fun!

The Wii has clearly been a pretty shrewd business move for Nintendo – apparently even the Queen is a fan - but is understandably viewed by hardcore gamers as having sold out. Choice rants from reviewers include descriptions of Wii games as “crushingly lightweight” and calls for the company to “redeem itself” after the “horror” of a 2008 gaming conference.  

But the hardcore are not the only ones unhappy with the effects of mass market gaming: a recent campaign from the Department of Health pictures a boy playing video games next to the words “Risk an early death, just do nothing”. Unfortunately, the boy in question is holding a controller closely resembling that of the Sony Playstation – the games company is considering suing. Get that kid a copy of Wii Fit – problem solved! Right?

Posted by Ruth Stokes in Creative Economy | March 26, 2009 12:46PM |