Nintendo's Desire for More Gamers is Anything But 'Casual'

LOS ANGELES -- Katsuya Eguchi might have the toughest job at Nintendo. As the head of the Kyoto game maker's Software Development Group No. 2, Eguchi (pictured right) produces the company's flagship "expanded audience" titles like Wii Sports, the pick-up-and-play experiences that are bringing new gamers in by the truckload to Nintendo's fold. The Wii's unprecedented success -- well over 25 million units sold in less than two years -- is in great part down to the killer apps produced by Eguchi's team. At Nintendo's E3 media briefing last Tuesday, it eschewed discussion of hard-core games like Super Mario to focus on a trio of new casual games -- Wii Music, Wii Sports Resort, and Animal Crossing. While the audience of longtime gamers roundly panned the conference, Nintendo was actually sending a strong message to would-be... [read full story]