5 Things to Learn from Nintendo This Holiday Season

With the release of two new campaign videos on YouTube, Nintendo makes new statements that are worth observing more closely. 



1- Games are clearly not just for kids anymore

We all know that since the invention of the PlayStation and the XBox, gaming stopped being just for kids. The majority of players with real purchasing power are adults, who once were 80's or 90's kids that had the first video games in their hands back then and grew up to become adult players. 

But despite everyone knowing this, commercials about video games were not so openly targeted to these adults. You'd either have commercials where you could actually see the game interface or the new additions to the consoles and how they work, or you would have a mix between settings where kids interact or adults interact.... all these depending on the kind of game or console being pushed. 

This time there's no dissimulation. The first look at the Nintendo Switch Ad does not present a console that is meant for kids to entertain themselves while in the car or after they finish their homework. It is meant for adults to do so. 

As you can see these are all adults playing in the commercial, with no kids group subtly slipped in to make it more diverse. 

2-Pay attention to the ladies playing
For many, many years, the majority of gamers were men. But within the past 5 years, the numbers are getting even. 

Take a look at these stats by istance:

Distribution of computer and video gamers in the United States from 2006 to 2016, by gender

The reasons causing the rise of more female gamers are many, but they are mostly related to the fact that more options are being offered to them, think about the Nintendo Wii's workout options, sports playing options or, my personal faves, the new versions of Mario. Think of all those women who were playing FarmVille and Candy Crush on Facebook and their Mobile phones. 

An article in The Guardian gives them even more predominance: "Cast aside the old stereotype – women are now the majority among games users. But as characters and creators they are still largely absent".

Going back to Nintendo's Switch commercial, the female crowd is clearly being targeted by the brand and that's something that all gaming companies should consider. 

3- It's not about what you play but who you play with, and where

But don't think I'm a "Switch" enthusiast. My first thought when I saw the Nintendo Switch commercial was "these people want you to think that this game is so cool because you can share it and play it with more friends, and take it to all parties. But don't fool me, it still looks like you would be missing out on everything else, because now all you will do is play Nintendo "anywhere, anytime".  

Yeah! I thought all that, and yeah, my boyfriend thought I was very cynical. 

But for some people that works, and that's what they want. Nintendo is giving it to them.

4- Create expectation

This is basic marketing, no need for big explanations. Black Friday is coming, Christmas is coming, but Nintendo is saying "Hey, don't spend all your money there because our game won't be released until next spring". 

So they keep you hooked and on the look, and they'll surely be dropping more commercials like this that we would have to see for 5 more months. 

5- Engage with the Holidays

In case you didn't know, the Pokémon Go app is a huge success around the world, and it's revolutionizing social gaming trends with a very clever use of augmented reality. 

The game, developed by Niantic, keeps surprising those who are paying attention to it. Like me. 

Thanks to my boyfriend, I've been looking closely at everything that has been going on with it. This week, they are having a Pokémon Go Halloween Weekend, meaning that the "spookiest" Pokémon will be available, and they will even go "trick or treating", because the players can collect more candy within this period. 

I know, the video is horrible and I really think Pokémon Go could use a better video maker for these purposes, but the idea is a good example of a well-timed engagement strategy.