Pokemon age target

[Berlin]

I've seen Pokemon anime for the first time when I was 10, and now I am 20. I played the games ever since and while watching the anime today from the first season onwards I really wonder what's the real target of this stuff -

Green Zubat said in one of the topics: "How strange, although the polls show that the majority of the fandom lies in the 15-20 range the franchise is supposed to be aimed at younger gamers. Of course, this poll only has like a thousand votes so its not exactly representative of the whole fandom..."

What do you think makes Pokemon such a nuisance that the anime made for youngsters is watched by "adult" People? And the games aimed at younger gamers seems to be popular among "older teenagers"?

What makes it "multi-generational" and, well, I don't know about the new seasons yet, but what do you people think about the beginnings of the series which sometimes are clearly for "kids", and sometimes are very-very serious? It's confusing, cause some episodes actually annoy me as hell, and some are fascinating in this easy-going-nostalgic-childhood way. Some also have deeper meanings and are thought-provoking, while others are just... well, put an appropriate word here yourself

 

[Falconwing]

Well, a lot of use played them as kids and we never stopped. We're the fans that held on.

Frankly though, I think the games are a bit misaimed, considering the amount of strategy and hidden features involved with the games.

 

[PlatinumDude]

Well, a lot of use played them as kids and we never stopped. We're the fans that held on.

Frankly though, I think the games are a bit misaimed, considering the amount of strategy and hidden features involved with the games.

This, big time. I think the reason why most people think Pokemon is for kids is the anime.

 

[derian]

I think a lot of it is that the people that frequent pokémon forums and vote in polls are more likely to be older, even though there might be a significantly larger majority of younger pokémon fans. Though I'll definitely agree a lot of the older fans are likely people that grew up with it, myself included. After all, pokémon was immensely huge and had tooons of fans, so it makes sense a decent percentage of them would stay into it.

 

[Berlin]

Isn't it somehow inappropriate for people aged 18 and above to watch/play Pokemon?

 

[Neltharion S. Deathwing]

Isn't it somehow inappropriate for people aged 18 and above to watch/play Pokemon?

Unless they have nothing better to do.

 

[Kavidun]

I think it's for all. Like one game could last ages. Take HG/SS for example:

5-9 years old: Battle, Battle, Battle, ask Mom where suicune would be.
9-11 years old: Battle, Ruins of Alph Puzzles, Pokéathlon
11-15: Ev-Iv training and natures
15-21: All of this plus breeding for egg moves.
21 +: Everthing as well as the amazing stratagy.

NOT SAYING I DON'T HAVE STRATAGY AS AN 11 YEAR OLD XD

 

[Joshawott]

The real target audience for Pokémon is "People who will buy the games."

That said, even looking at the UK HG/SS adverts, it shows that Nintendo's targeting Pokémon at children aged 7-12. The reason most of us still play it, is that we grew up with Pokémon when we were around that age (I was 7 when Pokémon first launched in the UK).

However, I feel that the Video Game Championships and TCG Organised Play aspects are targeted at a more older audience, such as the 15-18 range. To be fair, no little kid will even be able to register for such events without a parent/guardian handling the technical side of it, and competition will be far too fierce for kids that age.

 

[derian]

I think it's for all. Like one game could last ages. Take HG/SS for example:

5-9 years old: Battle, Battle, Battle, ask Mom where suicune would be.
9-11 years old: Battle, Ruins of Alph Puzzles, Pokéathlon
11-15: Ev-Iv training and natures
15-21: All of this plus breeding for egg moves.
21 +: Everthing as well as the amazing stratagy.

NOT SAYING I DON'T HAVE STRATAGY AS AN 11 YEAR OLD XD

that's pretty good deduction for an 11 year old xD so I don't think your strategy is in question. yeah it's probably somewhere along those lines.
plus, fun games are just fun.

 

[Kavidun]

why thank you I love stratagy and puzzles, and I love battling with people that have these stratagys, to see if I'm good enough.

 

[Iteru]

That said, even looking at the UK HG/SS adverts, it shows that Nintendo's targeting Pokémon at children aged 7-12.

The more recent ones do, however that one with the 17-21 year old girl going on about Blissey was clearly trying to rake in the teens/young adult crowd.

 

[Green Zubat]

I think they're orientated towards the younger gamers because not only will they create a large child fanbase but a significant percentage of that fanbase is likely to continue buying future games as they age. If they aimed it at adults & teens they'd risk alienating that fanbase so its really like a long term investment.

The more recent ones do, however that one with the 17-21 year old girl going on about Blissey was clearly trying to rake in the teens/young adult crowd.

I know, I felt so bad when I saw that ad, her demeanour & emotions were so faked. Its like Nintendo put a gun to her back and told her to act like she loved pokémon. I was embarassed just watching it. They could've at least go someone famous to do it, like when they had Beyoncé in that Rhythm paradise advert.

 

[Joshawott]

The more recent ones do, however that one with the 17-21 year old girl going on about Blissey was clearly trying to rake in the teens/young adult crowd.

I actually haven't seen that one...I just see that annoying one with the little kids. That little girl says she never runs away...she'll want to run from Red and his Charizard's Flare Blitz!

 

[Kavidun]

I've seen the blissey one. It mentions the original gold and silver.

 

[Joshawott]

I've seen the blissey one. It mentions the original gold and silver.

Wait what? Something mentioning the ORIGINALS?! I know with FR/LG it was everywhere, but with HGSS, it seems they've decided to try and promote them more as new games.

 

[Iteru]

Wait what? Something mentioning the ORIGINALS?! I know with FR/LG it was everywhere, but with HGSS, it seems they've decided to try and promote them more as new games.

Yep. The girl goes on about how she had a Blissey in GS and she can now do it all again with HGSS.

 

[Kavidun]

It was mentioning that the girl loved the originals and wants to play the re-make.

 

[empoleon dynamite]

Yeah, and she was like 18.

Obviously the online Pokemon community is much older, but I think that we're outnumbered by the younger fans who the games are targeted at. Considering very few kids are even allowed to go on forums - any data is gunna be unrepresentative :\

 

[Grave-E]

From a marketing perspective, pokemon is most obviously aimed at the younger set, which is understandable. Figures, cards, toys, cheesy anime, most kids eat that stuff up.

I don't believe Gamefreak build the games themselves with the mind-set 'lets make this for kids!', so much as they go in with the aim of 'lets make this game enjoyable!'. I don't think there is a 'target audience' in that sense, just like how Mario or other 'cartoony' series aren't specifically built or considered to be primarally for entertaining a younger demographic. First and foremost, they're supposed to be fun video games that anyone can get into. The only difference is that pokemon has been milked for all it's worth and cemented itself with the stigma that it's only something kids can appreciate. Not even counting all the EV/IV stuff that 'net nerds read into, there's plenty of reasons older folk who like games can find enjoyment in it. Hell, just raising some monsters and exploring the world is enough for me.

 

[pikachu200]

No it's not like after being 18 years of age u have to play games like world of warcraft or something