May Contain Peanuts

Wiikness

I was recently visiting my local electronic gaming store and I found myself amongst citizens other than the usual teenager/college kid/geek I was accustomed to seeing. Rather, those around me were all 40 and 50 year old professionals each with a piece of paper in hand. Ah, the lists! At that moment I recalled making one of those lists myself as a child each Christmas. These lists did not have a single article of clothing, a single book or even a movie. It was all video games (or video game accessories). Of course I would put the really expensive stuff on there, partly as a joke, but they were also there to make the other items more worthy of purchase. Yes, video games also taught strategerie. Anypoop, I found it amusing that now as an adult, I am noticing the continued practice of the video-game-Christmas.

What bothered me during this experience though was seeing how a good majority of these shoppers had absolutely no clue what they were purchasing other than the name written on the list. Honestly, I saw an 80 year old man buy "Left 4 Dead" and "World of Warcraft: Battle Chest". Now if these were movie titles, I doubt Mr. Oldman would have been buying them, but he seemed to have no reservations, even after seeing the mutilated hand on the cover of "Left 4 Dead". Others were asking questions to the sales clerk about different games and "whether they are fun" or "how many people can play this", etc. Would it kill you to take a minute and familiarize yourself with the item you are purchasing for your child, who will no doubt be spending at least 10 or 15 hours sitting zombified in front of it's illuminated display? Shit, I guess that's why they have the ESRB.

Now, I'm sure the kids who will be receiving these games have done their research or at least know why they want the game, so I can't pick a bone with title choice or system preference. However, the whole time I was in this store, the phone was ringing off the hook with people asking if the store had any remaining Nintendo Wiis. The store was sold out (much like every other store in North America), but customers were urged to check back in the morning for a possible new shipment. I have to give respect to the geniuses over at Nintendo, for they have realized one of the greatest cash cows of the past few years. Even with the economic downturn of late, video games; led by the Nintendo Wii and Nintendo DS, are still selling strong. Combine a trusted name, family friendly software, a new control system that promotes 'active movement' (hilarious), a couple new-wave gimmicks, and a relatively low price point; and well, you have yourself a winner. The Wii is probably most popular for it's gimmick of the 'Wii Fit' which is essentially just a balance board and scale that you can stand on, control your system and see how fat you are. It, and the rest of the system, markets itself as an activity alternative and an interactive element that allows you to do more than just sit on the couch. I will say, that yes, this is a great idea in principle, but it is just like drinking a diet coke: you have less calories, but you are still drinking a sugary cola. With the Wii, you are still playing virtual tennis rather than going outside and playing actual tennis. But I'm sure it comforts all the parents out there that their little butterballs are at least moving more than just their eyes and thumbs.

As a further note, of all the people I know who have a Wii, I would say about 95% of them haven't even turned it on in the past month. It is a fad, a moderately expensive fad, and Nintendo is profiting nicely. Sure, the younger kids still play everyday, but like any fad, even that will wear off in time. Overall, I would just like to know how much these parents and giftgivers know about the products they are purchasing and what level of involvement their kids have with them. I often get the feeling that these games are merely babysitters and tranquilizers. Now, there is nothing wrong with that, but I would be responsible enough to fully interview the babysitter and at least try out the tranquilizer myself before leaving my kid alone with it. Video games are great, but like any media, there is still a level of responsibility to uphold.