5th Gen Who was Black and White aimed at?

[Ho-Oh]

While Pokemon is a kids game, in Black and White we've had more grown up themes such as N, freeing Pokemon and so on, as well as characters that are perceived to be older while on the other hand we've had gameplay made a lot easier for beginners, a lot more explanation, and so on...

So who do you think the games were aimed at? Discuss in both terms of age group / why you think so, and whether you think they were mostly aimed at beginners, or to get people back into the games.

 

[Aquacorde]

I've not really thought about it before but... I think B/W was was aimed at maybe young teens who haven't played Pokémon much before. Say maybe 12-16. The kids who grew up with DPPt and HGSS instead of RBY and GSC. The ones who never really got into Pokémon as its popularity waned. They're the ones that would be drawn into this fresh start. Since everything's new they wouldn't feel like they were missing out by not playing previous games. The story's one for a more worldly generation; this one where everyone has an iPhone by age seven. It's more mature in feel but more explanatory and linear in gameplay- this is something for the age of short attention spans and less of an exploratory nature. The gameplay forces you to be doing something all the time and sets you back on track easily- that's so this newbie player doesn't get distracted and subsequently bored with the game. There is always a trainer to beat, a Plasma Grunt to talk to, a Pokémon to catch.

Black and White were made to grab the attention of a new generation, because we're all getting old.

 

[Hikamaru]

I've not really thought about it before but... I think B/W was was aimed at maybe young teens who haven't played Pokémon much before. Say maybe 12-16. The kids who grew up with DPPt and HGSS instead of RBY and GSC. The ones who never really got into Pokémon as its popularity waned. They're the ones that would be drawn into this fresh start. Since everything's new they wouldn't feel like they were missing out by not playing previous games. The story's one for a more worldly generation; this one where everyone has an iPhone by age seven. It's more mature in feel but more explanatory and linear in gameplay- this is something for the age of short attention spans and less of an exploratory nature. The gameplay forces you to be doing something all the time and sets you back on track easily- that's so this newbie player doesn't get distracted and subsequently bored with the game. There is always a trainer to beat, a Plasma Grunt to talk to, a Pokémon to catch.

Black and White were made to grab the attention of a new generation, because we're all getting old.

I agree with her, I guess they were trying to appeal towards the older fans like myself.

Remember that Hilbert and Hilda are shown to be teens as opposed to the 10/11-year-old protagonists we had in previous games.

The slogan for these games was "Start from a new beginning" and it really was the selling point. It was to get older fans who enjoyed the 1st and 2nd Generations who stopped playing when 3rd and 4th Generations came to start playing again. The story and characters definitely have an impact on the older fans.

I guess it was the early to mid teens they were trying to target.

 

[PlatinumDude]

I think that B/W were not only aimed at younger players, but also towards older ones because of the older looks of Hilbert and Hilda, as well as the somewhat darker elements introduced in the story (like Team Plasma petitioning to release Pokemon).

 

[Rivvon]

Masuda has stated in some interviews that all Pokemon games do not have a set demographic. While special consideration is taken to make sure children can enjoy the games just as much as teens and adults, there really is no set demographic on any game.
In BW, special care was taken to make sure the games appealed just as much to older players as it did to younger players; the biggest evidence of this (besides interviews) is in Hilda and Hilbert's age and the more detailed and emotional storyline.

 

[Cyclone]

I think that B/W were not only aimed at younger players, but also towards older ones because of the older looks of Hilbert and Hilda, as well as the somewhat darker elements introduced in the story (like Team Plasma petitioning to release Pokemon).

To whom are you referring here as Hilbert and Hilda? I know not these names.

Cyclone

 

[Rivvon]

To whom are you referring here as Hilbert and Hilda? I know not these names.

Cyclone

Hilbert and Hilda are the male and female player characters, respectively. In the Battle Subway, they appear under those names.

 

[Cyclone]

Hilbert and Hilda are the male and female player characters, respectively. In the Battle Subway, they appear under those names.

Oh, I get it. For some reason, I always think of the male as Ash. Darn anime.

Cyclone

 

[Satoshi Ookami]

Oh, I get it. For some reason, I always think of the male as Ash. Darn anime.

Ash never was in games.

And I also think BW were aimed at older fans therefore they were released pretty quickly.
But on the other hand I believe the goods were aimed at new fans (as usual).

 

[Railgun]

Wait isn't the being 10 yr olds thing only in the anime? I don't remember it being said your 10 in the games. I always thought the characters were 13/14 and BW people were a bit older like going into adulthood.. But yeah I do think BW was aimed at older people

 

[Cyclone]

Ash never was in games.

Actually, Ash is the first name option in Red/Blue/Yellow. And with Pikachu, the only starter, following you around in Yellow, that better be Ash being depicted.

Whether he's 10 I have no idea, but in the anime, he just turned 10 at the start.

Cyclone

 

[Satoshi Ookami]

Actually, Ash is the first name option in Red/Blue/Yellow. And with Pikachu, the only starter, following you around in Yellow, that better be Ash being depicted.

Whether he's 10 I have no idea, but in the anime, he just turned 10 at the start.

Cyclone

Well... GF just wanted to use the popularity of anime in that time.
Red is Red ;)

 

[Ho-Oh]

Hey guys just going to remind you that we're discussing who Black and White was aimed at, rather than who was what age/who Red was in generation one. So if we can get back to that that'd be great. :)

But yeah for me I think it's way too easy, like everything is kinda explained from the start whereas in other games you just kinda discovered it which makes me think that they're trying to hook a new generation. This new generation would obviously stay with the games as they grow to the ages of the protagonists, so about 3 or so years, because the general age I think it around 12 or so, or something, so that they can still relate to the games as they grow older. Also that Pokemon won't be seen "as bad", possibly.