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Kojima: Casual games are a trend, "worldwide phenomenon"

Hideo Kojima had this to say when speaking about casual games:

"Casual games have become mainstream in the industry. It's not just a Japanese phenomenon but also something that's happening worldwide. There are new markets and possibilities opening up thanks to the trend, which is great. But on the other hand, we shouldn't forget about the hardcore gamers whose lives are about videogames. The gamers who consider video games a subculture, and enjoy taking their time to sit down and play games that gives them energy and courage. I wanted to remind those gamers about the fun of video games. I know that we're going against the trend, but we've been working hard for the past four years so that the fire [of non-casual games] won't blow out." - Hideo Kojima of the MGS series
Valay - contributor
Published: 589 days 22 hours ago | News | PlayStation 3 | Xbox 360 | Wii | Gaming | Industry News
 
 

Showing: 1 - 17 of 17 Comments
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Tmac - 589 days 22 hours ago
1 -
I agree to a point, take for example a casual console. The Wii, I don't believe it's momentum will last forever, however there is no denying the games and the system its self are a casual experience.
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Voiceofreason - 589 days 21 hours ago
1.1 -
Didnt stop the casual PS2 from selling.. The hundreds of shovel ware titles didnt hurt gaming either. It is funny to see little kids with no history in gaming thinking the Wii is the first console to have casual games and its some how going to destroy the industry we know.. However if you are over th age of 12 you know there is nothing to worry about. he console leader always has the most casual titles. Always been that way always will. Some people are just upset that it isnt Sony this gen getting all the attention. If the PS1 and PS2 didnt kill the industry, the top console simple not being theirs isnt going to hurt it either.
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fenderputty - 589 days 20 hours ago
1.2 - ^^^
That's why the Wii might not have the long legs that it wants this gen. You said it yourself. The PS2 is a casual gaming console. It has been for years now. That wasn't always the case though. The PS3 and 360 will fall into price ranges that the casual gamer will want in the next couple of year. Then the Wii will have competition for its casual gaming audience.

Both the 360 and the PS3 have titles geared towards the casual gamer. Rock band, Guitar Hero, Singstar, R&C, Banjo, LBP (even casuals love GTA)etc etc etc. It's just that these consoles haven't fallen into a price range that the casual gamer would consider yet.

Still ... with the Wii's success its become rather apparent that causal gaming is a huge market.
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Fishy Fingers - 589 days 22 hours ago
2 -
I just think it's his way of saying MGS is still for the HardCore.
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kewlkat007 - 589 days 21 hours ago
2.1 - Yeah
pretty much..
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Keowrath - 589 days 21 hours ago
2.2 -
Gutted... No wait!
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fenderputty - 589 days 20 hours ago
2.3 - I just think it's his way of saying MGS is still for the HardCore.
And that he made it with love for us hardcores. lol
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PirateThom - 589 days 21 hours ago
3 -
Kojima knows.
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avacadosnorkel - 589 days 20 hours ago
4 - sooner or later
people playing casual games will want something hardcore.

when they get the skills
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G1L - 589 days 20 hours ago
5 - Hardcore gaming
I'm happily joining the cause by buying that game...hummm....what's it....oh! I remember Metal Gear Solid 4 Guns of the Patriots ;)
Go hardcore gamers go go go !
LoL
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Stapler - 589 days 20 hours ago
6 - I think...
It's the first time I've seen a picture of Kojima smiling :D
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Mr_Showtime1 - 589 days 20 hours ago
7 - OK
I have a bone to pick.

I would like someone to really tell me what is hardcore gaming, what makes someone a hardcore gamer? is it someone who reads n4g everyday? someone who completes all thier games on every difficulty or is it someone who knows what framerate thier game is at every second its on thier TV?

I think that anybody could go out, pick up MGS4 and complete it, but that doesnt mean thier hardcore (or that MGS4 is easy.)

on the flipped side what makes someone a casual gamer? is it someone who isnt good enough to complete MGS4 or someone who plays a Wii a few nights every week?

my point is, the words casual gamers and hardcore gamers and pointless and doesnt reflect anything, I can understand its being used when refering to a market, but even then it still doesnt seem right.
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nightmareluffy1 - 589 days 19 hours ago
7.1 - true
preach on brother.
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clintos59 - 589 days 14 hours ago
7.2 - Let me explain to u what a hardcore gamer is compared to a casual gamer......
Hardcore gamers in my mind are the type gamers that love games for the beauty and difficulty and story telling which love games that usually are overlooked by many casual gamers and loved by the hardcore. Hardcore gamers are more of the type fans that wont jump the band wagon and always will appreciate games like mgs which are overlooked by casual gamers. For example what kojima means by casual gamers, there the ones who would go for any other type game as long as it is fun. They dont really care for the deep story telling and the difficulty in a game, they just want a simple game that u can pickup and have fun playing, most of those gamers are the reason why the wii is a big success. I mean just look at the games selling well on the wii, I can guarantee u that there is no game on there with a storyline as deep as mgs4, no game that will have the difficulty of a ninja gaiden 2. Nintendo keeps it simple and fun and casual gamers will buy it no matter what. Another example is wii fit. Look at the reviews for that game, and it aint even nothing about story telling or diffivulty but does that stop people from buying it? No those are casual gamers. I believe I am a mix of casual gamer and hardcore gamer but I am more of a hardcore gamer because I do appreciate games like MGS4 which alot of casual gamers call it boring, when really that isnt even the main point of the game, the games strengths starts with the amazing story, and from there lures u in soo much from the amazing story, it makes u want to play through the game, from there u start to learn the gameplay and it all falls into place and when the game is done, u always seem to be just amazed at how deep kojima is story telling is that it is something u really only get to expirience in an mgs game. That is my opinion of a hardcore gamer and a casual gamer but I will value other opinions, since this is just an opinion of one gamer such as myself. :)

PS: Sorry for not putting things in paragraphs was just caught up trying to explain the difference of both gamers and totally forgot, lol. My bad. :)
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snakeater3 - 589 days 13 hours ago
7.3 -
I think there are 3 types of gamers ....
1. The Casual gamer plays mainstream games (fifa, madden, gta, EA games etc) for the fun of the moment.Gaming is not an integral part of their life.
2. The Hardcore gamer plays only a limited set of genres (FPS or sports titles) for days on end. He usually plays for a lot of hours, suffers from OCD, and probably owns a 360.
3. The Gamer is another breed of player. He breathes and lives games....he enjoys games as art and respects their flaws....he randomly spews out one liners from various games with his friends ...and he doesnt give a sh!t if it means shelling out $1000 dollars for an lcd and a dolby 5.1 to get the best audio visual experience a game can offer. Games in a Gamer's repertoire may include classic overlooked gems such as ico, colossus, odin sphere, killer7, chrono cross etc...

i wish i could consider myself a true Gamer. I have all the appreciation for games as art but i lack the dosh, experience and time to have a respectable library of intergenerational games.
this is only my humble opinion. feel free to disagree.
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Jim Crowslaw - 589 days 19 hours ago
8 - @Mr. Showtime
i agree wit u mostly....whatchu say is kinda true. I feel the same way as to defining the who's a hardcore/casual gamer when not talkin about a particular market. It is a very dim grey area, but i guess the only ppl who know are the ones who ask themselves what kind of gamer they are. Cuz seriously speakin i myself am a hardcore gamer cuz i do browse forums, do research, complete most games on harder difficulties, but my friends'll consider themselves HC gamers too eventhough they dont do nearly as much as i. I guess first u catergorize urself.....then u percentage it. Ergo my gamer persona'll be something like Hardcore: 91%, while my friends'll be more like Harcore: 56%.
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