SEGA has just announced that it will be moving its focus away from ‘mature’ over-18 certified Wii games in the future. This decision comes after the slow sales of its mature Wii games such as Madworld and The Conduit games.
SEGA used the release of its Dead Space Extraction game last September as a guide to see if there was a market for adult Wii games. Unfortunately, the game couldn’t climb above 10k in sales for the first month, and SEGA has decided to look towards other markets.
The Struggle of Mature Games on the Wii
The Wii console, known for its family-friendly image and innovative motion controls, has always been a challenging platform for mature games. Titles like Madworld and The Conduit, despite their unique gameplay and critical acclaim, struggled to find a substantial audience. The Wii’s primary demographic tends to lean towards younger players and families, making it difficult for mature games to gain traction.
Madworld, with its distinctive black-and-white art style and over-the-top violence, was a bold experiment. However, its niche appeal did not translate into strong sales. Similarly, The Conduit, a first-person shooter with a robust multiplayer mode, failed to capture the attention of the broader Wii audience. These games, while innovative, were perhaps too far removed from what the typical Wii player was looking for.
SEGA’s Strategic Shift
Constantine Hantzopoulos, SEGA’s US studio director, had the following to say when asked by 1UP about their ‘mature’ games for the Wii:
Are we going to do more mature titles for the Wii? Probably not. I have to say that it was a space that was open and we took a gamble on it. It’s like, ‘Wow, there’s no mature games on the Wii. Is there an audience out there?’ We did some research, it said there was an audience out there.
Hantzopoulos’s statement highlights SEGA’s initial optimism and subsequent disappointment. The company believed there was an untapped market for mature games on the Wii, but the reality proved otherwise. The poor sales of Dead Space Extraction, a game that combined horror elements with the Wii’s motion controls, was the final nail in the coffin. Despite its quality and the popularity of the Dead Space franchise on other platforms, the game failed to resonate with Wii owners.
This shift in strategy is not just about abandoning mature games but also about reallocating resources to more promising ventures. SEGA has a rich history of successful franchises and innovative gameplay, and the company is likely to focus on areas where it has a proven track record. This could mean more family-friendly titles, leveraging the strengths of the Wii’s unique control scheme, or even exploring new genres and platforms.
Is this down to the games or the Wii console market?
The question remains whether the failure of these mature games is due to the games themselves or the Wii console market. It’s likely a combination of both. The Wii’s audience, primarily composed of casual gamers and families, may not have been interested in mature content. Additionally, the games, while innovative, may not have been compelling enough to draw in the more hardcore gaming audience that typically gravitates towards other consoles like the PlayStation or Xbox.
Via Guardian
Latest Geeky Gadgets Deals
Disclosure: Some of our articles include affiliate links. If you buy something through one of these links, Geeky Gadgets may earn an affiliate commission. Learn about our Disclosure Policy.
