The Whole New World: Nintendos Targeting Choice

Abstract

The case is set at the end of 2006 when Nintendo and Sony were preparing to launch their seventh generation gaming consoles while Microsoft had its console on the market for more than a year. Starting with the fifth generation (when the PlayStation was first introduced), the competition among the three main players in the market was focused mostly at the segment of hard-core gamers young adults spending substantial time playing elaborate games. By 2006 Nintendo was hopelessly losing the competition in this segment. The company had to come up with a bold move to remain relevant in the industry. So, rather than staying within the confines of the familiar segment, Nintendo decided to target its new console to a market that was all but neglected in the previous decade the casual gamers: kids, women, older folks, and families. The case is used as a basis for the discussion of targeting decision process.