GTA4 Stolen / Wii Fit for Purpose

IanFogg | April 29, 2008, 11:33 AM

Want to understand the positioning of the leading consoles? Ignore the talk. Look at actions. There's nothing that highlights the faultline better than console makers' current marketing campaigns:

GTA IV (MS and Sony) vs Wii Fit (Nintendo).

Microsoft and Sony are pushing GTA4 hard. The former with exclusive downloadable content, the latter with a special edition PS3. The GTA series clearly appeals to core gamers: they're applying its teachings to the real world by stealing the game. Piracy is near impossible to stop through force and legal action alone, tactics to counter piracy need to win over hearts and mind, not encourage theft! Read this Jupiter report to understand the aspects of piracy that most impact ISPs in 2008 and their response.

Nintendo continues to invent new markets for games consoles and to differentiate. With Wii Fit they hope to replicate Brain Training's success on the DS and open up the Wii to new audiences. In Europe, early indications are that Nintendo is succeeding and matching its earlier Japanese success (>1.6 million Wii Fits sold).