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XBox (Games)

Viva Piñata Apparently 'For Girls' 145

Posted by Zonk from the do-i-look-anything-like-a-girl-to-you-bill dept.
An anonymous reader writes "Bill Gates has demonstrated his unique public speaking skillset again, this time by further ostracizing gamers who grew to love one of the best Xbox 360 titles of last year - Viva Piñata. Comments made by Mr. Gates during an interview on the Charlie Rose show include the choice comment 'We have a thing called Viva Piñata that's for young girls, where you're tending a garden and these animals come along...'. His comment are carried by Eurogamer, who also provide a link to the YouTube video of the interview. For gamers who really appreciated this under-marketed and lovably quirky title, this is just another low blow."
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Viva Piñata Apparently 'For Girls' More

Viva Piñata Apparently 'For Girls'

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  • Hey Microsoft! (Score:4, Interesting)

    by Zonk ( 12082 ) * on Tuesday February 06, 2007 @12:13PM (#17906586) Homepage Journal
    Look ... Microsoft is good at a number of things. Your hardware is great. You make terrific peripherals. You made wise decisions in getting the Bungie and Epic guys to do their thing exclusively for your console. I would point out, though, that your stated goal for the 360 was to reach out to both non-gamers, and gamers that traditionally didn't play titles on the Xbox. This kind of crap, right here, with Gates calling Viva Piñata a 'little girls' game? It's what is making sure that you're not expanding the market. I really like my 360, but Sony and Nintendo are going to eat your lunch if you don't get with the program. Remember that Psychonauts thing you strung along and then dumped at the finish line? Games like that and Viva Piñata would go a long way towards getting to those 'Moms' you were talking about back in 2005. My name is Michael Zenke, and I'm a proud Dragonache owner. And, apparently, somewhat outside the 'intended audience' for a really, really great game.

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by rwven ( 663186 )
      I think the vast majority of people playing V.P. are guys (Myself included). It definitely appeals to girls more than MOST games but that probably is just used as more of an excuse for husbands to spend money on the game..."Honey, but you can play the game too!"

      V.P. is a sims-esque, highly addictive game. Once you get over the kiddified intro movie/K-5 tutorial section and re-convince yourself that you're still manly/not too old to play the game...it's really quite fun.

      • Re: (Score:2)

        by dan828 ( 753380 )
        Why would it even be an issue if it was made for young girls? Seriously, would you feel less manly if the developers had set out to make the game for young girls, and you were just part of the "crossover" crowd? It's not like you're playing "My Little Pony" or some such.

      • Re: (Score:2)

        by sqlrob ( 173498 )
        It definitely appeals to girls more than MOST games but that probably is just used as more of an excuse for husbands to spend money on the game.

        And the game my wife is currently most looking forward to...

        God of War 2.

        Yeah, I really need an excuse for any games.
    • This is one of the biggest problems with the games industry expanding beyond it's current core demographic of 18-34 males. Pretty much anything that does not feature gritty blood and guts is immediately labeled as kiddy or for girls (see the Sims, Animal Crossing, Psychonauts, hell even Wind Waker has been labeled as kiddy despite being part of one of the best franchises out there). It's a perception that extends beyond gamers into the outside world's perception of the medium and is reflected in Gates' c

      • Re:Hey Microsoft! (Score:5, Funny)

        by Who235 ( 959706 ) <secretagentx9@ c i a . com> on Tuesday February 06, 2007 @12:34PM (#17907016)

        Imagine what the movie industry would be like if Hollywood only made blockbuster action flicks.
        Umm. . .

        • Imagine what the movie industry would be like if Hollywood only made blockbuster action flicks.
          Umm. . .
          Wait a second here. My wife just made me see Dreamgirls [imdb.com]. I had to watch 48 Hrs. [imdb.com] for a week just to get Eddie Murphy singing in a musical out of my head.

        • Re: (Score:1)

          by kfg ( 145172 )
          Ice Princess
          The Princess Diaries
          The Princess Diaries 2

          Those are the obvious ones, but there were some others that Hollywood at least made, but had little confidence in so slipped them out direct to video with little fanfare, such as Barbie as the Princess and the Pauper.

          The shining hidden gem though is unquestionably My Little Pony: The Princess Promenade. Don't believe me? Just check out the reviews at IMDB.

          Just do a title search on "princess" and you'll find a virtual treasure trove of little dramatic jew

      • Re:Hey Microsoft! (Score:5, Funny)

        by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday February 06, 2007 @12:46PM (#17907278)
        Whoa, whoa, whoa. Animal Crossing may have looked kiddy, but it's really a very difficult and adult game representing the struggle of the common class against the entrenched mercantile-industrial complex and ineffective government leadership. Everything you do is part of the struggle against the oppressor, from the leaving of revolutionary literature on the town message board, to establishing a strong underground community amongst the populace and trying to instigate open revolt against Tom Nook's shadow regime.

        It's just really hard...I can get my fellow town members to gather near Nookington's carrying axes and wearing my "Down With Nook" shirts, but I can't get them to actually torch the place yet.
        • That's my point. Viva Pinata is the same way. It's an incredibly deep game. But how many people overlook these games simply because they have a cartoony appearance to them? I know the commenter above was joking about the movie industry just making action flicks, but it's really a different scenario. Take pretty much any Pixar movie for example. When Cars came out millions of people went to see it. They didn't car that it was a cartoon, they knew it would be a good movie. That just doesn't happen wit

        • Re:Hey Microsoft! (Score:4, Funny)

          by secolactico ( 519805 ) on Tuesday February 06, 2007 @01:10PM (#17907714) Journal
          Boy, are you missing big time... Nook and Tortimer are just puppets. The man behind the curtain is Mr. Resetti.

        • Re: (Score:2)

          by Dorceon ( 928997 )
          Now I feel bad about voting for Tom Nook's inclusion in SSBB.
          Wait, you'd get to beat him up! Okay, scratch that, I feel really good about voting for him.

      • Imagine what the movie industry would be like if Hollywood only made blockbuster action flicks

  • What a nasty man (Score:2, Insightful)

    by Anonymous Coward
    What's next, will he say MS Paint is a drawing program for 'children', insulting its wide and varied adult userbase?

  • Not to defend El Gates... (Score:4, Insightful)

    by Pojut ( 1027544 ) on Tuesday February 06, 2007 @12:14PM (#17906620) Homepage
    ...but did anyone stop to think for a second maybe that was their original intention was to market the game towards girls?

    Hell, my fiance LOVES playing Dead or Alive Xtreme 2, hardly the target demographic for that game.

    • Re: (Score:1, Insightful)

      by Anonymous Coward

      Exactly. Next thing you know, some childish gamer will get up in arms about how somebody mentioned that Pokemon was for kids. How dare they!

      I mean Christ, the game's got purple ponies and shit prancing about. So some grown men like it. That doesn't mean it's not a little girls' game.

      • Re: (Score:2)

        by Pojut ( 1027544 )
        Same goes for Katamari Damacy and We Heart Katamari...'cept for the purple ponies part...though I wouldn't be shocked if that were hidden in there somewhere...

      • Re: (Score:2)

        by szembek ( 948327 )
        This is exactly what I think also. They made a game for little girls, and a bunch of dorks on slashdot like it so they get mad, and mod you down for calling them little girls.

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by Zonk ( 12082 ) *
      Of course it was marketed for girls. Good lord, the packaging alone is enough to send a diabetic into coma. The point is more that he and the rest of the company completely fumbled advertising this to ... everyone else. While I'm sure young women *can* enjoy it, this is a deep strategy title that can be enjoyed by everyone, and it's darn cute to boot. I am far from the only person to think so [1up.com], and I think it's a disservice to the game to pigeonhole it the way Gates has here.

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by HTH NE1 ( 675604 )
      ...but did anyone stop to think for a second maybe that was their original intention was to market the game towards girls?

      Then why was it rated E for Everyone?

      They could have pushed for eC (Early Childhood).

      • Re: (Score:2)

        by Pojut ( 1027544 )
        It is rated E for everyone because the controls and conepts are a bit advanced for a child under the age of 6...

        http://www.esrb.org/ratings/ratings_guide.jsp [esrb.org]

        • Re: (Score:3, Funny)

          by Pojut ( 1027544 )
          Apparently, the proper spelling of "concepts" is too advanced for me despite the fact that I am 22.

          • Re: (Score:2)

            by HTH NE1 ( 675604 )
            And you missed the critical joke: the rating system doesn't include a system for rating games as unsuitable for adults. At least the retired K-A rating (Kids to Adults) could be read as stopping at adulthood.

            Even "Early Childhood" is for age 3 and older, though is the only one besides T for Teens that on its face would suggest a non-adult age group.

            (I guess I need to cite my sources [wikipedia.org] to avoid people citing them in rebuttal.)

            • Re: (Score:2)

              by Pojut ( 1027544 )

              And you missed the critical joke: the rating system doesn't include a system for rating games as unsuitable for adults.
              Unsuitable for adults, or boring for adults?

              There is a difference.
    • Hell, my fiance LOVES playing Dead or Alive Xtreme 2, hardly the target demographic for that game.

      Yeah, but what is the game essentially? It's running around shopping for clothes, jewelry, and make-up for girls with some volleyball and fan service tossed in and next to no macho aggression. Oh sure, there's girls in bikinis, but modern culture has inured women to seeing scantily clad women in ads for women -- just open up a Cosmo sometime. There's far more to attract women to the game than men once you sc

      • Re: (Score:2)

        by Pojut ( 1027544 )
        Never said women couldn't enjoy it just as much as men, I said my fiance didn't fit the target demographic.

        Download the japanese TV trailer on xbox live, and then come back here and tell me if you think the game is MARKETED towards males or females.

    • If it's your fiance, I'd say probably he is in their target demographic. If it's your fiancée, I'd say no, she probably is not.

      This is why spelling is sometimes very, very important.

    • my fiance LOVES playing Dead or Alive Xtreme 2, hardly the target demographic for that game.

      You sure about that? ;)

      fiancé
      n.

      A man to whom one is engaged to be married.

      ---

      fiancée
      n.

      A woman to whom one is engaged to be married.

  • Don't put too much into it. (Score:2, Funny)

    by Anonymous Coward
    Bill Gates runs like a girl [youtube.com].

  • the real problem here (Score:5, Insightful)

    by poor_boi ( 548340 ) on Tuesday February 06, 2007 @12:15PM (#17906640)
    The real problem here is not Gates' comment, but the public perception that a game which is targeted at girls somehow insults the game. Come on. This is 2007. Girls' games can be fun too.

    • Re:the real problem here (Score:5, Insightful)

      by Klowner ( 145731 ) on Tuesday February 06, 2007 @12:22PM (#17906756) Homepage
      Maybe if the games marketed towards girls weren't so insultingly bad, then this wouldn't be quite so insulting, but that isn't the case.

      Who'd have thought Bill Gates could emasculate a bunch of male gamers so easily? ;)
    • You sir, have given one of the most intelligent responses I have seen for this thread.

    • Re: (Score:3, Insightful)

      by Khuffie ( 818093 )
      Actually, the real problem here is not Gates' comment, but the fact that it was Gates who said it. If it was Jobs, Miyamoto, Will Wright, etc, we'd be hearing about how great they are for creating games that target the female demographic.

      • Re:the real problem here (Score:4, Insightful)

        by Aladrin ( 926209 ) on Tuesday February 06, 2007 @01:20PM (#17907844)
        You obviously are -not- in touch with the Viva Pinata community, then. It wouldn't matter if God said it was a girl game, he'd get nothing but flames back.

        This is a cutesy, kiddie-looking game that has a very loyal following among non-kids, myself included. It's an amazing game. Every time someone calls it a 'kiddie game' or a 'girl game', it is a chance for everyone who hasn't played it to write is off as 'childish'. Fans of anything are alike in 1 way: They want everyone else to try the thing they love so much.

        So it's not that it's a personal insult, but rather that it's damaging to the thing we love.

        Nothing can take away the game as it is, of course, so damage to the game's image doesn't mean much yet. But when it comes time to create VP2 or another game along the same lines, any damage to the original game matters a lot.

        • So, rather than receiving praise for creating a game that fills so many roles, and appeals to so many different types of gamers......

        • Re:the real problem here (Score:4, Insightful)

          by Khuffie ( 818093 ) on Tuesday February 06, 2007 @02:14PM (#17908800) Homepage
          You obviously are *not* in touch with reality.

          From Microsoft's standpoint, they were creating a game that would appeal to girls (something that say, Gears of War doesn't). Note that that statement does *not* imply that girls can't play and enjoy Gears of War, or that men can't play and enjoy Viva Pinata. They talked about that game that way when they were developing it, their goal was to create a franchise for kids, along with a children's cartoon show, so get that stick out of your bum and realize the reason this game is in existence, and is so amazing, is because of this desire to create something that appeals to people who don't normally find something like Gears of War appealing. (ala Nintendogs, Brain Age, etc).

        • Re: (Score:2)

          by Stormie ( 708 )

          This is a cutesy, kiddie-looking game that has a very loyal following among non-kids, myself included.
          lol, Aladrin likes a girls' game.
    • The problem is, the last game I saw that was designed and marketed for "little girls" was Barbie Horse Adventure [youtube.com]. The implication these two games share a target market insults Viva Piñata.
    • Exactly. I'm an adult male, and I enjoy anime and manga that's targetted towards boys and girls. What's the big deal?

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by mqduck ( 232646 )
      I must say, I am in a state of semi-shock from reading such a genuinely insightful comment here on Slashdot. I was in the middle of coming up with a coherent explanation for myself to explain the problem I had with the article (well, the summary anyway), and a Slashdot commenter of all people gives it to me already completed.

  • Low Blow? What? (Score:5, Insightful)

    by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday February 06, 2007 @12:16PM (#17906646)
    Why is it such a low blow? There's no possible way that you could like something that was also made for girls? Are you that insecure that you can only like things that are made for men?

    I fail to see the insult Mr. Gates made.
    • There's no possible way that you could like something that was also made for girls? Are you that insecure that you can only like things that are made for men?

      Well, I for one will have nothing to do with anything of the kind. Gaming is all about guns and robots and tanks and violence and stuff, that's proper, hardcore grown-up gaming for manly men.

      (Now, if you'll excuse me for a moment I just need to check on the latest turnip prices...)

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by Goaway ( 82658 )
      It's a low blow because it THREATENS their PENIS, duh.

  • What's wrong with that? (Score:5, Insightful)

    by WombatDeath ( 681651 ) on Tuesday February 06, 2007 @12:18PM (#17906688)
    Who gives a damn what something is 'for'? So bingo is for geriatrics and Harry Potter's for kids; doesn't stop me enjoying either of them.

    If you enjoyed Viva Piñata before Gates opened his mouth you have no reason to enjoy it any less afterwards. If you let marketing demographics dictate how you spend your leisure time you deserve to be miserable.

    • Re: (Score:3, Funny)

      by grammar fascist ( 239789 )

      If you enjoyed Viva Piñata before Gates opened his mouth you have no reason to enjoy it any less afterwards.
      No, but it might mean you're gay. Not that there's anything wrong with that.

      • Re: (Score:1, Offtopic)

        by UbuntuDupe ( 970646 ) *
        No, but it might mean you're gay. Not that there's anything wrong with that.

        There isn't anything wrong with it. (There is, of course, something wrong with liking bingo in between the ages of 8 and 65.)

        *please mod informative, please mod informative*
    • The problem is that while there are many people who will enjoy it regardless, myself included, there are a great many morons out there with cash to spend that will shy away from games like this as long as there is a stigma attached to them. Until the industry can move beyond retarded stereotypes then those morons will have tremendous influence over the decisions publishers make in terms of what games they chose to bankroll. As a result, don't expect to see anything like a Viva Pinata 2 any time soon.
    • You're giving Microsoft too much credit for understanding what their market "wants". Sure, Office and Windows are pretty user friendly, as long as you don't need to move off the beaten path. But anywhere else? It's like they just stagger around doing things and when something takes off, they don't really understand why.

      You know that this comment is an outgrowth of some marketing discussion where they're trying to figure out why the game did so well, and they're completely missing the lesson about "quality"
    • The quote is still demeaning to people who liked the game. Not because it stereotypes them as female (which doesn't matter - at least not to me), but because of the maturity level in which Gates groups such people. If it was geared toward "women" or "females", whatever; but "girl" has connotations of being for a less mature group with unrefined tastes (think "Barbie Horse Adventures"). Part of being a mature, discerning gamer is appreciating games that fall outside the boundaries of the typical "things t

      • If it was geared toward "women" or "females", whatever; but "girl" has connotations of being for a less mature group with unrefined tastes (think "Barbie Horse Adventures").
        At 25 I am still called a "girl", yet I don't freak out and tell everyone that I'm a mature adult who hates Barbie Horse Adventures. Having your games labeled girl games can't be that offensive.

  • Zonk? Girl? (Score:5, Funny)

    by FishWithAHammer ( 957772 ) on Tuesday February 06, 2007 @12:20PM (#17906722)
    from the do-i-look-anything-like-a-girl-to-you-bill dept.

    Manboobs.
  • Bill Gates is no gamer. Hell, I'm impressed Bill even knew about Viva Pinata in the first place. If I was completely unfamiliar with the content of the game and spent about 10 seconds watching the game/show, I'd figure it was a 'My Little Pony' for modern times, too.
  • This game does seem to be marketed to young girls. I don't see a problem with this. I think the submitters comment that this is a "low blow" is ludicrous!
  • Why is this a low blow? Is there something fundamentally wrong with young girls or their games? Is there something wrong with me if a young girl happens to like the same TV show as I do?

    Or is the problem that old men who like this game are now seen as old men who pretend to be young girls?

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by k_187 ( 61692 )
      I'd imagine that because the largest group of fans of the game are not young girls, they object to being called young girls.
      • The problem isn't what Gates said, it's that people personalize what he's said. If one of the Slashdot editors says "Slashdot is marketed to guys who live in their parents' basements" (man, I have GOT to get out of here) then many slashdotters would take offense even if they live comfortably above ground in their own homes. Unfortunately, this seems to be a response that exists in a large portion of the population - or at least the Internet posting population. :)

        • Re: (Score:2)

          by k_187 ( 61692 )
          well yeah. If they say that group X is what the product is attempting to attract, and you've been attracted, what does that say about you?

          • If they say that group X is what the product is attempting to attract, and you've been attracted, what does that say about you?

            I don't know...something sinister?

            I like the TV shows Desperate Housewives and Men In Trees. Does that make me a 30-something soccer mom (I'm a 30-something single guy, BTW) because those shows are probably aimed at that demographic? Or, maybe it makes me gay (I'm pretty certain I'm straight)?

            I also like playing GTA and watching Battlestar Galactica and Homicide: Life on the S

  • The real culprit (Score:2, Insightful)

    by EvilGoodGuy ( 811015 )
    I think the real culprit in this article is the anonymous person who managed to sneak this blatent anti-microsoft garbage onto slashdot.

    The game was designed for little girls. If you feel ostrisized because you're a grown man playing a little girls game. Then there are two cases here:

    1.) You should feel ostrisized anyways

    2.) The game turned out a hell of a lot better than they thought it would.
    • Ostrisize, v. - to stretch to the height of an ostrich. Ostrisize, adj. - as tall as an ostrich. And thus ostriches join the pantheon of familiar objects used as describe the dimensions of unfamiliar objects, e.g. VW Beetles used as a unit of volume.
    • Except it's not designed to be a "little girl's game." It's designed to be the next Pokemon phenomenon. Thus the associated cartoon. Whether it makes that goal or not, who knows, but it's a damned good game anyway.
  • Corporate America needs to seriously redefine, or possibly even abandon, the whole concept of 'demographics'. The whole idea is fundamentally flawed. It assumes that certain types of games/tv shows/movies only appeal to certain age groups and genders. It is based solely on stereotypes. Not only is it insulting to the consumer and puts crap entertainments on the market, but it is also costing the corporations money, not only in the cost of the demographics 'research' but also in lost potential profits.

    • Re: (Score:1)

      by VWJedi ( 972839 )

      Corporate America needs to seriously redefine, or possibly even abandon, the whole concept of 'demographics'. The whole idea is fundamentally flawed.

      So you propose they look at society as a whole and develop everything to be bland and acceptable to everyone? I really think that is what is "insulting to the consumer and puts crap entertainments on the market".

      I think it's a perfectly reasonable approach to say, "This group of people is not buying games. Let's talk to them and figure out what kinds of g

      • So you propose they look at society as a whole and develop everything to be bland and acceptable to everyone?

        Way to completely miss my point and put words in my mouth.

        What I propose is that they make a wide variety of good, solid stories. You are never going to be able to make something that appeals to everyone, but my point is that which people the entertainment is going to appeal to is not defined by age and gender. It is defined by less obvious things like personality traits and subcultures which cross a

    • Re: (Score:3, Insightful)

      by alta ( 1263 )
      Whatever, demographics are very useful.
      It optimizes the purchasing of adspace for the company, keeping them from advertising a product where it is completely useful to do so.

      When's the last time you saw a Viagra ads in a 'boys life' magazine.
      ads for shoes out of Amputee monthly.
      ads Omaha Steaks on a Vegan mag?
      ads for Monster truck shows off of Oxygen/We.
      Ads for tampons on Spike?

      You have demographics to thank for that.

      Sure, 15% of the people who watch Spike might use tampons, but the money is obviously bette
    • Demographics is a useful scientific term, which does not need redefinition, and certainly not from "Corporate America".

      The use of demographics in marketing certainly can use some refinement, and it is also being refined all the time. There is a tendency to overuse demographics because it is so easily measurable. In particular, the use of too rigid demographic boxes can make it difficult to recognize the market radical new products.

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by taustin ( 171655 )
      Demographics is a cold, hard science, based on a century or more of experience. That you like girly stuff is unfortunate - for you - but irrelevant to advertisers.

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by abb3w ( 696381 )

      It is based solely on stereotypes.

      Not quite; it's based on statistics. Of course, the short-hand models used by corporate executives oft omit error bars, nor is the model tested experimentally for validity. Corporate executives also don't usually understand the nature of statistical models — it's not a certain truth, but merely a better bet at it than alternatives — so demographics mainly gets interpreted through the executive's stereotypes. Thus, they assume that because a Thneed primarily

  • Looks like submitters are using digg to filter stories for /. (Hint: "YouTube" video link actually links to digg...)

  • Target your demographic (Score:3, Funny)

    by vga_init ( 589198 ) on Tuesday February 06, 2007 @12:42PM (#17907178) Journal

    We have this product for adolescent males called Windows Vista.--Bill Gates

    You heard it here first.

  • When I look at the boxart I kind of agree with mr gates. http://xbox360.gaming-universe.de/screens/boxart_u s_viava-pinata.jpg [gaming-universe.de]
  • Yes, in our narrow minded world it is a "girl game", just like Katamari Damacy and Sims were labeled "Girl Games" because they were fun and quirky and for some reason drew in the female demographic. I've played all of these titles and thought, "wow, a game thats easy to pick up, but challenging to master, and keeps my interest! I like this, and I bet my girlfriend will too!"
  • How offensive that they would develop a game with a specific demographic in mind and actually state that fact in public. Someone should be ashamed of themselves.

  • We needed Gates to tell us this? (Score:3, Interesting)

    by alta ( 1263 ) on Tuesday February 06, 2007 @01:03PM (#17907594) Homepage Journal
    I have a 4 year old. The first time we saw a commercial for that game, I asked him if he thought that looks like a good game. He said, "Dad, that game's for girls."

    I have no idea the quality of the game, but I wouldn't rip gates a new one for thinking it's a girl game.

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by Aladrin ( 926209 )
      Your 4 year old's company didn't publish the game on its flagship console. We all forgive your son for not knowing the difference.

      Gates is a completely different matter.

      • Re: (Score:2)

        by alta ( 1263 )
        Opps, thought VP was a Wii game. Oh well.
      • Your 4 year old's company didn't publish the game on its flagship console. We all forgive your son for not knowing the difference.

        Gates is a completely different matter.

        What difference? Microsoft probably published the game with little girls as the target demographic. What's wrong with that? Say a company makes dog food which cats turn out to actually like. Should the company spokeman be flamed for saying that the dog biscuits are targetted at dogs?

        • Re: (Score:2)

          by Aladrin ( 926209 )

          2 things:

          1. He didnt say it was targetted at girls, he said it is for girls. Theres a huge difference.
          2. When your the head of a multi-billion $ company, you learn to watch your words. Risking alienation of every Viva Pinata player is not a wise thing. Most people have very, very sensitive egos. If Gates makes them think that kind of game is for girls then hes killing his profits on further games of the type.
             
          I expect better of him.
  • I tried to get a guy i know to play Donkey Kongo once. i showed him how it worked and he freaked out when i tried to get him to play it. might as well have been trying to get him to wear a care bears t-shirt to a biker rally. for some reason it really offended his sense of masculinity. the face he made was almost involuntary. forget that it was a fun game. shit i'll play barbie's dream mansion if the gameplay is solid. blood and guts or fuzzy bunny rabbits, it's all fun and games anyway.
  • I saw this episode of the Charlie Rose Show as it was aired. While I did notice the comment that is the subject of this article, there was much more disturbing content in the episode.

    Not that Charlie Rose is known as a hard-hitting interviewer, but the soft ball questions he pitched up to Mr. Gates were disappointing, if not somewhat sickening. Mr. Rose let Gates gloss over EU and other anticompetitive issues, the rising pressures open source presents to Microsoft, and much much more.

    Frankly I expected a

  • damnit (Score:3, Funny)

    by nEoN nOoDlE ( 27594 ) on Tuesday February 06, 2007 @01:33PM (#17908080)
    Shit, I just got a Badgesickle to live in my garden and I find out the damn game is for girls! I'm gonna go play some Vegas to feel manly again.
  • Unless you think there's something wrong with being a 'young girl', how is this an insult? So they made it thinking about girls, and then a bunch of weird old guys liked it. It's not like they're calling you a nazi or something like that.. It might be inaccurate, but it's not really offensive.

    I have a bunch of DS games that show a pink screen right after you load them, and I'm not ashamed by it! (I wouldn't be caught dead with the pink DS tho, I have my limits)

  • ...if Gates replaced his PR person recently? Lots of what he said these past weeks are just so tremendeously unbelievable blunders that it's hard to believe there hasn't been some change. Or maybe he fired his ghostwriter and is actually trying to be a public person all by himself?
  • The game has sex [pinataisland.info] (including incest), violence [pinataisland.info], cannibalism [pinataisland.info]... It's pretty brutal... you're basically running a pinata-mill where one of the best ways to make money is to sell the offspring for cash.

    How is this for little girls?

  • Gender issues much? (Score:3, Interesting)

    by Guppy06 ( 410832 ) on Tuesday February 06, 2007 @08:12PM (#17914980)
    "For gamers who really appreciated this under-marketed and lovably quirky title, this is just another low blow."

    Because there's nothing more insulting that having something in common with a young girl, the lowliest of life forms?

    There may or may not be something fundamentally wrong with Gates pigeon-holing the game for a particular demographic, but how is this visceral reaction better? The only way a gamer can be unhappy with being associated with being "girly" is if being "girly" is a negative. And what does this say about your attitude concerning actual, you know, girls?

    Methinks the people complaining are the same ones who didn't get a GameCube because it was too "kiddie." Go play some FPS or something until you feel comfortable with your sexuality, like a grown-up.
  • Surely he must have ralised that casting any sort of stereotyping imagery about was a bad thing.

    Surely he can't be so naive as to think "this is a girl's game, that's a boy's game" ?

    Surely not?

    Sadly, it's increasingly obvious that Bill Gates has no real connection with popular culture or maybe even with culture at all. Comments like this really underline the whole point.

    He could have said "this game appeals to so many people, from five to fifty, and it's got a fun, bright feeling to it," or maybe "this is a

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