According to Yoshinori Kitase, we're all manchildren.

[Cat Rage Room]

“I actually think that it’s a very natural thing for players to grow out of the Final Fantasy series.In terms of the age group we target with each new game, it remains the teens to 20-somethings. (...) I think it’s better that we keep the focus on the young generation rather than ageing the series’ appeal. If players choose to stick around and continue playing the games as they grow older then that’s great, but hopefully new generations will find the appeal, grow up with the series and then pass that down to the next generation as they themselves grow older”.

Thoughts?

 

[Cat Rage Room]

wow guys, really?

 

[Raquelborn]

I agree with his marketing strategy.

Do you not?

 

[Cat Rage Room]

Not really, no. At least not how he put it.

 

[Raquelborn]

Not really, no. At least not how he put it.

What's bothering you about it?

 

[Cat Rage Room]

What's bothering you about it?

I guess I don't like being called a manchild who still plays with his Army Men???? Why do you agree with his strat?

 

[Strangelove]

You're still in their target audience (teens to 20-somethings), though.

 

[Raquelborn]

I guess I don't like being called a manchild who still plays with his Army Men???? Why do you agree with his strat?

You're still in his age bracket of teens to 20-something, so he's not calling you a manchild.

I agree with his strategy because beyond the age of mid-twenties to thirty most people have stopped playing video games as they get more seriously into their careers, settling down and generally being the boring and typical "adult". SE are going to find more buyers in younger people with more time on their hands, less responsibilities but who are still able to enjoy the fantastical story lines and imagery.

And if not, it would seem it's at least that way in Japan. He wouldn't decide to market the game to the particular demographic without considering market research first.

 

[Cat Rage Room]

I suppose. I admit, I guess I'm feeling a little insecure, guys.

Gamefaqs strikes again. I was reading through that topic and before long it degenerated into "I'VE OUTGROWN FINAL FANTASY/JRPGS AND YOU SHOULD TOO WHEN WILL YOU MOVE OUT OF YOUR PARENTS BASEMENT AND BE AN ADULT IT'S PATHETIC".

I will admit that the stereotypical JRPG can be childish nonsense, but I really want to hold on to the hope that upcoming games have the wide audience appeal presentation and storylines that adults can cherish and love that games like the Final Fantasy series (most of them, anyway), Chrono Cross, Xenogears, Suikoden, etc etc and not devolve into kids stuff.

 

[Raquelborn]

Gamefaqs strikes again. I was reading through that topic and before long it degenerated into "I'VE OUTGROWN FINAL FANTASY/JRPGS AND YOU SHOULD TOO WHEN WILL YOU MOVE OUT OF YOUR PARENTS BASEMENT AND BE AN ADULT IT'S PATHETIC".

I find that amusing considering they're posting on a gaming forum. Are these the types that think playing war games and nothing else somehow makes them more adult than those who play other genres?

I really want to hold on to the hope that upcoming games have the wide audience appeal presentation and storylines that adults can cherish and love that games like the Final Fantasy series (most of them, anyway), Chrono Cross, Xenogears, Suikoden, etc etc and not devolve into kids stuff.

Sure, but that doesn't mean SE should focus on more mature adults. They will come anyway if the games happen to attract them. Teens and younger adults are still the biggest contributes to their sales.

 

[LicoriceAllsorts]

From the Entertainment Software Association (whoever they are)

"...The research also reveals other interesting demographic facts about today's gamers and the games they play, including:

The average gamer is 35 years old and has been playing for 12 years.
Forty percent of all players are women and women over 18 years of age are one of the industry's fastest growing demographics. Today, adult women represent a greater portion of the game-playing population (34 percent) than boys age 17 or younger (18 percent).
Twenty-five percent of game players are over the age of 50, an increase from nine percent in 1999. This figure is sure to rise in coming years with nursing homes and senior centers across the nation now incorporating video games into their activities."

I realise this refers to gaming generally and not just RPGs.
But I find so much wrong with Yoshinori's viewpoint. Just for starters, the suggestion that there is something juvenile in role-playing games which has to be 'outgrown' (in favour of what? DIY? Gardening? Not that there's anything wrong with these, and I'm sure lots of people combine a passion for DIY with a passion for Final Fantasy.) The suggestion that adults don't, or shouldn't, find anything worth their time in these games. I haven't 'grown out of' the books I loved as a child and teen, and I don't see any difference between re-reading and re-playing. How can you grow out of something that helped form your personality?

I'm somewhat older than most of the members of this forum. I only recently discovered RPGs through my kids, and frankly I don't give a shit if anyone think I'm crazy to be playing them, because I really enjoy them. I look forward to many, many decades of Final Fantasy fun to come, and I'll definitely be taking my PS3 (or maybe it'll be a PS10 by then?) into the nursing home with me. It's closer for me than for a lot of you, though still pretty far away, thank God.

Last thought: maybe Yoshinori doesn't know his demographic as well as he thinks he does. I'd put money on their being plenty of mothers and fathers just like me fighting their kids for a turn at the controls.

 

[Dashell]

I see nothing wrong with what he said... he said if players choose to keep playing FF, that's fine. Where are you getting that he said we're manchildren?

 

[Ghost X]

Teeny-boppers are easy to please. Take a look at the music charts, and all the shitty manufactured music that exists there. Teeny-boppers lap it up, which is the only reason why its successful. Its too difficult to create a decent game for adults to enjoy, just as it is to make decent music.

 

[Cat Rage Room]

From the Entertainment Software Association (whoever they are)

"...The research also reveals other interesting demographic facts about today's gamers and the games they play, including:

The average gamer is 35 years old and has been playing for 12 years.
Forty percent of all players are women and women over 18 years of age are one of the industry's fastest growing demographics. Today, adult women represent a greater portion of the game-playing population (34 percent) than boys age 17 or younger (18 percent).
Twenty-five percent of game players are over the age of 50, an increase from nine percent in 1999. This figure is sure to rise in coming years with nursing homes and senior centers across the nation now incorporating video games into their activities."

I realise this refers to gaming generally and not just RPGs.
But I find so much wrong with Yoshinori's viewpoint. Just for starters, the suggestion that there is something juvenile in role-playing games which has to be 'outgrown' (in favour of what? DIY? Gardening? Not that there's anything wrong with these, and I'm sure lots of people combine a passion for DIY with a passion for Final Fantasy.) The suggestion that adults don't, or shouldn't, find anything worth their time in these games. I haven't 'grown out of' the books I loved as a child and teen, and I don't see any difference between re-reading and re-playing. How can you grow out of something that helped form your personality?

I'm somewhat older than most of the members of this forum. I only recently discovered RPGs through my kids, and frankly I don't give a shit if anyone think I'm crazy to be playing them, because I really enjoy them. I look forward to many, many decades of Final Fantasy fun to come, and I'll definitely be taking my PS3 (or maybe it'll be a PS10 by then?) into the nursing home with me. It's closer for me than for a lot of you, though still pretty far away, thank God.

Last thought: maybe Yoshinori doesn't know his demographic as well as he thinks he does. I'd put money on their being plenty of mothers and fathers just like me fighting their kids for a turn at the controls.

This is an awesome post.

 

[Ghost X]

That's true also, but don't tell the Australian government that. They like to think that only children play games here, and adult classifications are out of the question.

 

[Dashell]

You guys are blowing this WAY out of proportion. He said if you still play the games that's fine but the demographic is teens to 20s. And that's true, that's the demographic for games these days. I don't understand why so many of you are offended by this. He didn't say "Anyone over 20 who still plays games is a man child" he said "The demographic is teens to 20s and if people older than that love it, that's fine too"

It's called marketing people, holy shit.

 

[Cat Rage Room]

You guys are blowing this WAY out of proportion. He said if you still play the games that's fine but the demographic is teens to 20s. And that's true, that's the demographic for games these days. I don't understand why so many of you are offended by this. He didn't say "Anyone over 20 who still plays games is a man child" he said "The demographic is teens to 20s and if people older than that love it, that's fine too"

It's called marketing people, holy shit.

Keep in mind that the title of this topic was a bit of hyperbole. Let's not get our panties in a knots, Hoss! We just disagree with some of the principles of his marketing, especially since the average age of gamers is getting older and older (like Lic said, 35 as of now?)

 

[Dashell]

Well here's a question, is the average gamer getting older because games are marketing more toward older people or are games targeting older people because gamers are getting older?

 

[Cat Rage Room]

Well here's a question, is the average gamer getting older because games are marketing more toward older people or are games targeting older people because gamers are getting older?

I think there's so many people playing video games nowadays there's enough to go around for EVERYONE's preferences.

 

[Loxetta]

“In terms of the age group we target with each new game, it remains the teens to 20-somethings. (...) I think it’s better that we keep the focus on the young generation rather than ageing the series’ appeal.”.

I get the impression that he is assuming teens and 20-somethings would be uninterested in a complex, mature storyline.

 

[Raquelborn]

I get the impression that he is assuming teens and 20-somethings would be uninterested in a complex, mature storyline.

He is assuming the majority are anyway. I have no idea about that but I will admit that I found FFXII's storyline pretty boring since it blabbed on about politics too much.

Then again I love Ghost in the Shell and that's way more political. I think the difference is that one portrays the politics as interesting while the other simply does not.

 

[Ghost X]

I loved FFXII for its politics . Though yes, GitS is basically god, so no argument there.

 

[Loxetta]

@Raquel

FFXII's storyline was boring because you see more bonus bosses than cutscenes. I've been playing that game for months -- I got my main party members at level 99, the others at around level 60-something, and have no idea what the fuck is going on in the story. I literally don't know right now where I'm supposed to go unless I specifically look at the map because I cannot for the life of me recall the last cutscene or plot-related moment. Never played Ghost in the Shell, but I definitely agree with your last point. It's the difference between doing things poorly and doing them well.

Video games are no longer Pacman, for crying out loud. They are a storytelling medium. It's no fun to play as a character when they have little motivation or their motivation is dumb. The gameplay might be golden, but if the game has a shitty or sloppy story, it's only half-finished and should have never been released.

 

[Ryushikaze]

Yoshi isn't trying to 'aim to miss' older players. He's trying to hook more younger players, so he can ensure the company continues even as the older players dwindle off due to whatever reasons. He's aiming for a young audience, but that doesn't mean he intends to ignore the older audience either.

 

[Cat Rage Room]

The gameplay might be golden, but if the game has a shitty or sloppy story, it's only half-finished and should have never been released.

Final Fantasy V.