Inflection

“In an effort to fuel growth, two of the biggest companies in the videogame-console business, Microsoft Corp. and Sony Corp., are announcing new games and services that target mainstream users as never before...

“A factor in the moves by Sony and Microsoft is the stunning commercial success of rival Nintendo Co. That game maker turned industry convention on its head over the past two years by going after casual game players with its Wii gaming system from the day the console went on sale. Nintendo did that by emphasizing fun, intuitive Wii games that use the console's motion-sensing controller rather than the pricey, hyper-realistic graphics favored by hard-core players.

“‘We are at an inflection point in our business where we've secured the core and now we're reaching out to mainstream audiences,’ said David Hufford, senior director for Microsoft's Xbox 360 business.

“In the U.S., Microsoft and Nintendo have each sold nearly the same number of their latest generation of consoles, trailed by Sony. Nintendo, though, is significantly outselling its competitors on a monthly basis.”

(“New Videogames Set Their Sights On Mainstream.” Nick Wingfield and Yukari Iwatani Kane. Wall Street Journal: July 15, 2008. pg. D.1)

IT CERTAINLY IS fun and intuitive to turn things upside down. And no doubt, the hard core is indeed a tough nut to crack -- consistenly at least...

Yet the primary questions remain: How do we add real value in the eyes, minds and hearts of our target? And, how do we do that in a way that no one else can?

Aye, there's the nub.
(the kernel)