Video Game Makers Want to Get Players Off the Couch

Since then, the industry has been overturned by the rise of mobile devices, which allow games to be played on the go.

“Consumer expectations have changed dramatically,” Mr. Piscatella said. “People are no longer just playing on their TVs in their living room. They now want to be able to play games whenever and wherever.”

Zombies, Run! coaches runners to complete hundreds of missions, including one with the author Margaret Atwood, in order to escape the zombie apocalypse while running a 5K. In Pokemon Go, players capture creatures in real-world locations using augmented reality and GPS on their phones.

Hoping to build on that trend, Nintendo in 2017 introduced the Switch, which functions both as a traditional console and a hand-held device. The Switch was the fastest-selling console in the United States that year and has sold more than 52 million units.

“Part of the Switch is an acknowledgment that Nintendo’s main competition is no longer just Microsoft and Sony but Apple and Google, too,” said Philip Tan, creative director of the M.I.T. Game Lab.

He added that Nintendo was drawing on its strength in creating games that bridge the digital and physical world. “Instead of trying to compete with other console makers with better cinematography, they have created an innovative new console,” Mr. Tan said.

The company has focused on games, like Ring Fit Adventure, that use consoles in new ways, said Bill Trinen, a senior director of product marketing at Nintendo.

Article source: https://www.nytimes.com/2020/02/17/business/video-games-exercise-fitness.html?emc=rss&partner=rss