Thursday, January 28, 2010

Let People Play the Games

Game demo kiosks have long been a fixture in videogame, but they have never been utilized to anywhere near their fullest potential.  Video games are the only consumer market where the public is expected to pay $50 for something unseen.  I can thumb through books at the bookstore.  I can play with the iPods and Macbooks at the Apple Store.  I can watch movies in the theatre before they arrive on DVD.

There used to be an outlet for trying out new games: the video arcades.  Why not use the modern equivalent?  When I visit Best Buy at the Mall of America, I see a few game kiosks scattered about, and it's no surprise the best-selling titles - Wii Sports Resort, Super Mario Bros, Madden - are the ones running on these stations.

There should be a dozen kiosks at the store, all lined up just like the old video arcades.  People will want to buy the games if they are allowed to try it out first.  Let people play the games.  Nintendo should supply retailers with more kiosks immediately; it's the smartest move they could make to support third-party publishers.

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