Nintendo of Canada Ltd. is aiming its new video games at young adults to help drive sales of its gaming systems, particularly during the crucial holiday season.
Resident Evil Zero, the prequel to Resident Evil that will be available Nov. 13, is expected to help boost unit sales of Nintendo's GameCube console in Canada to as much as 330,000 by the end of the Christmas shopping season, said Ron Bertram, general manager of Nintendo of Canada.
Less violent games such as Metroid Prime, which will be on retail shelves Nov. 20, will target both children and young adults. The company also expects to sell one million units of Game Boy Advance in Canada in the same period.
"We're expanding our marketing efforts from our traditional base, which is 6 to 14, to young adults because the video market has changed," Mr. Bertram said.
It used to be that only boys played the games, but now the average age of a player is 27 years in North America, he said, adding that 55 per cent of video game buyers were over the age of 18 last year.
"The mature gaming market is becoming important," he said.
The release of the video game Eternal Darkness in June marked Nintendo's foray into the so-called mature gaming market, defined as video game buyers 18 years or older.
Nintendo is planning to spend 50 per cent of its total 2002 marketing dollars over the next 60 days because the holiday period is when the company and other industry rivals, such as Microsoft Corp. and Sony Corp., which sell the Xbox and PlayStation2, respectively, do a huge amount of business, Mr. Bertram said. But he declined to disclose figures and said the marketing efforts for the adult crowd alone "is in the millions."
The company is expected to spend more money marketing Metroid Prime than it has on any other video game it has launched this year, including Super Mario Sunshine, he said.
By the end of the year, about 30 per cent of the 180 games for Nintendo's GameCube console will target the young adult market, he said. Many of the simulation sports games, such as hockey, released in the past month already appeal to this age group, he said.
Nintendo is expected to make about $400-million in Canadian sales over the next 60 days alone, Mr. Bertram said.
"The video game business is very, very vibrant," he said earlier at a news conference demonstrating the company's latest games.
"The economics, believe it or not, are slightly healthier here than in other places around the world," he said.
Mr. Bertram was referring to the fact that, earlier this month, the company's parent, Nintendo Co. Ltd., reduced its earnings target and hardware shipment estimates for the year.