Move and Kinect Attract New Consumers, Says GameStop

A representative of the specialist retail chain GameStop has said that the launch of the PlayStation Move from Sony and the Kinect from Microsoft is bringing in new customers into the game stores and is creating a new segment of players that are more interested in social and family games than in blockbuster shooters with competitive multiplayer modes.

Bob McKenzie, who is a senior vice president of merchandising at GameStop, has told Gamasutra that, “We're seeing great activity. Both of those motion-based gaming forms are bringing in a new consumer.”

He added, “A lot of what they're getting out there now, the platformers or sports titles -- that's what's really engaging for the family, and that's making them much more aware of gaming.”

He compared the current wave of interest in motion tracking and the gaming experiences that use it with the interest seen when Nintendo put out the Wii home console and introduced a whole new segment of the public to gaming through titles like Wii Sports, Wii Fit or New Super Mario Bros.

Move was launched in the middle of September and Sony claims that the new device has sold more than 1 million units in North America and about 50 percent more in Europe.

Kinect came out last week in North America and retailers are saying that the device is sold out in a lot of stores, with reports coming in that Microsoft is increasing the manufacturing capacity linked to the motion tracking device.

Both Sony and Microsoft need to sell as many of their new devices as possible before the end of the year, building a player base that can then absorb video games designed to take advantage of the unique nature of motion tracking.

One of the biggest test for the new concepts will be whether more hardcore players will be interested in getting Kinect or Move and whether developers of shooter and role playing game will decide to support them.