Nintendo is releasing a new model of its DSi portable game system with design features that will appeal to seniors – a rapidly growing gaming constituency.
The screen size for the DSi XL will be twice the current iteration's, but at the same resolution. It'll also sport better viewing angles, bigger buttons and a larger stylus and come in more moderate shades of Natural White, Deep Brown and Wine Red.
The device will launch in Japan on November 21 as DSi JJ, and in North America and Europe in early 2010.
More Senior Gamers
Though Nintendo has not specifically announced the device is aimed at seniors (its public comments have more specifically mentioned communal gamers), it is impossible that the company overlooked them as it designed the XL.
This older demographic is a solid, if not surprising, fixture in the gaming community. Recent research from the Cable & Telecommunications Association for Marketing (CTAM) found that 47% of online Matures are regularly playing free online games.
Previous studies have also suggested growing numbers of over-65 gamers. A study from the Entertainment Software Association, for example, found that the average game player is 35 years old and the average age of the most frequent game purchaser is 39, reports MarketingCharts.
Even without hard numbers, Nintendo is undoubtedly familiar with the older set. Its Wii has proven remarkably popular in retirement homes and among virtual senior bowlers - a cultural phenomenon that is now the object of a study by Winston-Salem State University.
Gaming Space at Crossroads
Despite this widespread popularity, the Wii is no longer a cash cow for Nintendo, having recently dropped its price by 20%.
The entire gaming space, in fact, is at a crossroads. As vendors experiment with various distribution and payment models, product strategies based on demographics are likely to follow. The trick in maintaining appeal for all users, however, will be in designing products that won't scare off younger users if explicitly labeled as made for older ones.
