Update: The numbers do seem to be shifting over time. Scroll down to see the average for just the last ten votes…
As regular readers of Dead Hobo Society may be aware, for the past several years Nintendo has been scheming on a plan to make ordinary, non-geeky people become addicted to videogames. Their first step in slow unfolding of this plan was the Nintendo DS, a handheld system which, for no apparent reason, has two screens. While the DS was initially mocked by hardcore gamers everywhere, over time its extensive library of hit games like Mario Kart DS and New Super Mario Bros. allowed it to crush its rival the Sony PlayStation Portable (PSP) in sales.
However, it was not Nintendo’s aim to merely defeat Sony on the merits of their appeal to existing gamers. Instead, they attempted to reach out to non-gamers by employing the DS’s touch screen and microphone to create a new kind of gaming experience, in which the traditional skills of gamers would be of no use. One example of this new kind of game is Nintendogs, a non-game in which one plays with a CG puppy by patting its head on the screen and giving it voice commands with the microphone such as “sit” and “shake.” Another example of Nintendo’s new strategy is Brain Age: Train Your Brain in Minutes a Day!, a game with the outrageous marketing claim that by regularly playing the game (and thus keeping one’s brain active), one can stave off age related dementia. Also along these lines is Animal Crossing: Wild World, a remake of an existing GameCube game in which one lives in a virtual town and spends time decorating one’s house and buying new outfits. All three games became huge hits in Japan, creating a strong demand for DSes that persists to this day1, 2. To a large extent, this success at bringing in new gamers was made possible by reaching out to girl gamers (or to use a term less indicative of the stereotypical age of gamers, female gamers) without pandering. Each of these games can be just as interesting to male gamers, yet unlike traditional skill based games, they don’t demand the mastery of complex but meaningless tasks that seems to appeal most to adolescent males.
In late November of 2006, Nintendo launched its Wii console, which like the DS broke new ground by featuring a radically new system of input. The Wii is controlled by what looks like an ordinary remote control, which houses motion detecting sensors that allow it to detect its position in space. Using these capabilities, the remote can be swung like a tennis racket or pointed at a TV screen like a laser pointer. (There is also a so-called “nunchuck” attachment to allow for more traditional means of moving onscreen characters.) Packed in with every American Wii is a copy of Wii Sports, a game meant to show non-gamers that the stereotypical image of the overweigh, sedentary gamer will no longer be Nintendo’s focus by allowing users to play tennis, bowl, bat, and golf by physically moving the Wii remote control. Again, the aim of the game (and the system) is to reach out to old and female gamers without pandering to them.
The Wii also has the capability to display several virtual “channels” meant to remind non-gamers of traditional (non-threatening) television channels while also acclimating them to the use of the Wii remote. Since the release of the Wii, Nintendo has been slowly adding new channels. Among the current channels are a global weather channel (so you know if it’s raining in Shanghai), a photo channel (so you can show off your cats on the Wii), and a news channel (because using a TV to read the news rather than watch it totally makes sense?). One of the core Wii channels is the “Mii channel,” which besides being a cute pun, is centered around creating stylized caricatures of oneself, one’s friends, and one’s friends for use in Wii Sports and other games.
Recently, Nintendo launched a channel called “the Everybody Votes channel.” This channel is truly bizarre.
(Above: This question reveals something about people you might otherwise never know.)
The channel works by presenting you with a series of questions with two responses. Each national poll lasts for six days, and three national polls and one international poll are conducted at overlapping times. You select your choice in the poll by clicking on your Mii avatar and dragging it on to either a red or green platform then you predict the outcome for the poll by the same means. After the poll concludes, Nintendo tells you whether you predicted correctly and what percentage of people chose each response.
At first, it’s not entirely clear why this channel exists. Among other questions, the most pertinent seems to be, “Why should we want to use our videogame machine to participate in online polls?” Before the channel was launched, there were rumors among the hardcore gamers of a Demo channel that would allow one to try DS games before buying them. After the channel’s release, a collective cry of “WTF?” could be heard around the ‘net.
(Above: Ackbar’s track record is terrble, because he always predicts that it’s a trap.)
When I first downloaded it, I too was really confused about it. I mean, I know Nintendo is known for being quirky, but this is just odd, you know? What possible purpose could there be in a Wii polling application? Once I played a little with it though, I began to see the genius behind it. By spacing out the polls to one every other day or so, Nintendo ensures that the user plays with the Wii every couple days to check out what the new poll question and to see what one’s results were for predicting the outcome. Each Mii is ranked by its predicting accuracy and told about its “distance from public opinion” and so forth via a snazzy interface. The point is that once Nintendo has users checking the Wii every couple days in order to try the new poll question, see tomorrow’s weather, and read a couple headlines from the AP, users are more likely to think, “Hmm, I guess I should go ahead and get a new game for this thing, since I’m always just fiddling with the channels anyway.”
This is to say nothing of the sheer treasure trove of demographic data Nintendo is getting out of this. Think of it: reportedly, Nintendo has shipped 6 million Wiis world wide. If even 10% of those users voted on the first poll, Nintendo collected 600,000 votes. (Update: Nintendo reports more than 500,000 voters in the first poll.) As time passes from the launch of the channel, a lot of people will stop using it, and it will probably go down to around 1% or less of total Wii owners, but that’s still 60,000 people. In comparison, usually you can get a truly significant poll with a random group of 1,000 people. Of course, Everybody Votes players are not a randomly selected sample, but with 60,000 results, if you ask, “Who do you like better, Mario or Luigi?” the result effectively will predict whether Mario 128 will outsell Luigi’s Mansion 2, non-random sample be damned. Nintendo have come up with an awesome but strange window into the hearts of their demographic.
And, coincidentally Nintendo seems to have give us a window into it, too. When the final results are given for each poll, first the total percentage of users that chose the red option and green option are shown, but by clicking the icons in the corner, the user can get more detailed information about the results of the poll. For the weekly international poll, one can see which what percentage of people in which countries chose what response, and for all the polls one can see a breakdown of choices by gender.
Now, by applying a little elementary algebra, we can say that the Total percentage, T, is equal to the percentage of boys (oops, another age specific stereotype! I mean, males!) involved in the poll, Pm, times the Result for the males, Rm, plus the percentage times result for females, Pf x Rf. Now, since we know that Pf is equal to 1 - Pm (since Nintendo only allows two genders, so the percentage must add up to 100%), we can algebraically rearrange the formula to get: Pm = (T - Rf) ÷ (Rm - Rf). Next we throw all this into Excel, make a table, then convert that to Wiki format:
Poll Topic
Overall
Male
Female
Users
Red Green Red Green Red Green
Male
Female
Valentine’s 26.9% 73.1% 27.1% 72.9% 26.3% 73.7% 75.0% 25.0%
Location 36.9% 63.1% 38.7% 61.3% 30.8% 69.2% 77.2% 22.8%
Century 20.6% 79.4% 17.8% 82.2% 29.9% 70.1% 76.9% 23.1%
Color 32.4% 67.6% 30.5% 69.5% 38.4% 61.6% 75.9% 24.1%
Pets* 63.7% 36.3% 64.8% 35.2% 60.2% 39.8% 76.1% 23.9%
Fan mail 20.3% 79.7% 18.2% 81.8% 26.9% 73.1% 75.9% 24.1%
Sports 61.1% 38.9% 62.0% 38.0% 58.0% 42.0% 77.5% 22.5%
Teeth 40.3% 59.7% 39.3% 60.7% 43.6% 56.4% 76.7% 23.3%
Lateness* 25.1% 74.9% 24.0% 76.0% 28.3% 71.7% 74.4% 25.6%
Temp 44.6% 55.4% 42.3% 57.7% 52.0% 48.0% 76.3% 23.7%
Idol 35.1% 64.9% 38.4% 61.6% 25.5% 74.5% 74.4% 25.6%
Height 51.9% 48.1% 52.3% 47.7% 51.0% 49.0% 69.2% 30.8%
Stink 70.8% 29.2% 70.0% 30.0% 73.1% 26.9% 74.2% 25.8%
Fame 40.4% 59.6% 36.5% 63.5% 52.3% 47.7% 75.3% 24.7%
Fan club† 16.5% 83.5% 16.6% 83.4% 16.4% 83.6% 50.0% 50.0%
Well off 79.1% 20.9% 78.9% 21.1% 79.7% 20.3% 75.0% 25.0%
Name* 83.1% 16.9% 84.5% 15.5% 79.4% 20.6% 72.5% 27.5%
Pets II 70.5% 29.5% 69.6% 30.4% 73.0% 27.0% 73.5% 26.5%
Preference 64.3% 35.7% 61.6% 38.4% 72.1% 27.9% 74.3% 25.7%
Before bed 73.2% 26.8% 74.8% 25.2% 68.5% 31.5% 74.6% 25.4%
1K Winner? 10.2% 89.8% 10.3% 89.7% 9.8% 90.2% 80.0% 20.0%
Music maker 63.2% 36.8% 63.9% 36.1% 61.5% 38.5% 70.8% 29.2%
Fame 42.8% 57.2% 44.5% 55.5% 37.4% 62.6% 76.1% 23.9%
The Future* 58.9% 41.1% 57.6% 42.4% 62.1% 37.9% 71.1% 28.9%
Einstein 66.2% 33.8% 66.7% 33.3% 64.7% 35.3% 75.0% 25.0%
Airplanes 21.0% 79.0% 20.4% 79.6% 22.9% 77.1% 76.0% 24.0%
Movies types 38.0% 62.0% 42.5% 57.5% 25.5% 74.5% 73.5% 26.5%
TV shows 60.3% 39.7% 67.5% 32.5% 39.2% 60.8% 74.6% 25.4%
Snapping 88.5% 11.5% 88.6% 11.4% 88.1% 11.9% 80.0% 20.0%
Compact car 70.7% 29.3% 74.6% 25.4% 40.5% 59.5% 88.6% 11.4%
Been abroad?* 67.4% 32.6% 67.7% 32.3% 66.5% 33.5% 75.0% 25.0%
Coffee or Tea? 52.4% 47.6% 53.4% 46.6% 49.8% 50.2% 72.2% 27.8%
Robot-vac 81.2% 18.8% 79.9% 20.1% 85.0% 15.0% 74.5% 25.5%
Sanjaya
! 59.2% 40.8% 56.7% 43.3% 65.6% 34.4% 71.9% 28.1%
Chinese food 65.8% 34.2% 65.4% 34.6% 67.0% 33.0% 75.0% 25.0%
Cologne 51.5% 48.5% 46.6% 53.4% 64.4% 35.6% 72.5% 27.5%
Under a tree 36.5% 63.5% 37.5% 62.5% 33.7% 66.3% 73.7% 26.3%
Chicken v. egg 57.1% 42.9% 56.5% 43.5% 58.8% 41.2% 73.9% 26.1%
Hot v. cold* 51.1% 48.9% 53.0% 47.0% 46.5% 53.5% 70.8% 29.2%
Comb v. Brush 43.2% 56.8% 52.6% 47.4% 19.1% 80.9% 71.9% 28.1%
No aliens 48.2% 51.8% 49.6% 50.4% 44.4% 55.6% 73.1% 26.9%
Doppleganger 32.1% 67.9% 30.5% 69.5% 36.4% 63.6% 72.9% 27.1%
Ride the bus 21.8% 78.2% 22.5% 77.5% 20.0% 80.0% 72.0% 28.0%
Downloadables 57.8% 42.2% 59.3% 40.7% 51.9% 48.1% 79.7% 20.3%
Elephants rule 72.3% 27.7% 72.5% 27.5% 71.9% 28.1% 66.7% 33.3%
Siblings: Yes* 87.2% 12.8% 86.8% 13.2% 87.9% 12.1% 63.6% 36.4%
Weight 58.4% 41.6% 56.5% 43.5% 63.6% 36.4% 73.2% 26.8%
Invincibility 42.6% 57.4% 39.3% 60.7% 51.9% 48.1% 73.8% 26.2%
Psychic cookie 48.4% 51.6% 50.6% 49.4% 42.2% 57.8% 73.8% 26.2%
Heads v. tails 56.7% 43.3% 55.7% 44.3% 59.3% 40.7% 72.2% 27.8%
Celeb photo 15.9% 84.1% 16.6% 83.4% 13.9% 86.1% 74.1% 25.9%
Oprah Buffett 58.9% 41.1% 53.7% 46.3% 72.5% 27.5% 72.3% 27.7%
Genie wealth 45.6% 54.4% 43.1% 56.9% 52.4% 47.6% 73.1% 26.9%
Talking dog 87.4% 12.6% 88.0% 12.0% 85.6% 14.4% 75.0% 25.0%
Double Dare 46.6% 53.4% 49.3% 50.7% 39.4% 60.6% 72.7% 27.3%
Idea “theft” 47.4% 52.6% 47.3% 52.7% 47.7% 52.3% 75.0% 25.0%
Cell’s dead 63.6% 36.4% 66.8% 33.2% 55.0% 45.0% 72.9% 27.1%
Color dreams† 91.1% 8.9% 91.1% 8.9% 91.1% 8.9% 50.0% 50.0%
Fourth element 45.4% 54.6% 47.6% 52.4% 39.5% 60.5% 72.8% 27.2%
Dinner memory* 58.7% 41.3% 57.2% 42.8% 61.9% 38.1% 68.1% 31.9%
Gift peeking 46.4% 53.6% 45.7% 54.3% 48.1% 51.9% 70.8% 29.2%
Drivers wanted 41.3% 58.7% 37.0% 63.0% 52.6% 47.4% 72.4% 27.6%
M-m-monsters
!† 66.5% 33.5% 66.5% 33.5% 66.6% 33.4% 100.0% 0.0%
World problems 49.5% 50.5% 49.9% 50.1% 48.5% 51.5% 71.4% 28.6%
Future dreams* 80.3% 19.7% 80.4% 19.6% 80.1% 19.9% 66.7% 33.3%
Hi and thanks 28.9% 71.1% 30.5% 69.5% 24.7% 75.3% 72.4% 27.6%
Learn Japanese 29.5% 70.5% 27.0% 73.0% 36.0% 64.0% 72.2% 27.8%
Momz restaurant 48.4% 51.6% 47.2% 52.8% 51.3% 48.7% 70.7% 29.3%
Sing in the car 29.3% 70.7% 31.3% 68.7% 24.5% 75.5% 70.6% 29.4%
Gretsky 74.1% 25.9% 74.2% 25.8% 73.7% 26.3% 80.0% 20.0%
Game shows 43.7% 56.3% 40.4% 59.6% 52.5% 47.5% 72.7% 27.3%
Use your brain* 69.9% 30.1% 70.1% 29.9% 68.6% 31.4% 86.7% 13.3%
Back breaking 53.7% 46.3% 52.3% 47.7% 57.3% 42.7% 72.0% 28.0%
Body-mind 37.0% 63.0% 36.5% 63.5% 38.3% 61.7% 72.2% 27.8%
Scary snakes 50.6% 49.4% 50.8% 49.2% 50.3% 49.7% 60.0% 40.0%
Wannabe Al Gore 66.4% 33.6% 66.2% 33.8% 66.8% 33.2% 66.7% 33.3%
Go out bald man 86.1% 13.9% 83.0% 17.0% 94.0% 6.0% 71.8% 28.2%
Altering states 54.0% 46.0% 54.2% 45.8% 53.7% 46.3% 60.0% 40.0%
50% Off poll 60.1% 39.9% 59.5% 40.5% 61.6% 38.4% 71.4% 28.6%
4-eye’d poll* 40.8% 59.2% 39.5% 60.5% 43.5% 56.5% 67.5% 32.5%
Dead Presidentz 39.0% 61.0% 37.3% 62.7% 43.5% 56.5% 72.6% 27.4%
Closed windows 30.4% 69.6% 30.9% 69.1% 29.3% 70.7% 68.7% 31.3%
Pyramids rule 42.0% 58.0% 43.5% 56.5% 38.1% 61.9% 72.2% 27.8%
So smile 50.6% 49.4% 49.0% 51.0% 54.6% 45.4% 71.4% 28.6%
Send a postcard 54.7% 45.3% 51.3% 48.7% 63.5% 36.5% 72.1% 27.9%
Sticks & stones 60.2% 39.8% 64.6% 35.4% 48.7% 51.3% 72.3% 27.7%
Big TV or not* 48.8% 51.2% 47.3% 52.7% 52.0% 48.0% 68.1% 31.9%
Love or money 79.1% 20.9% 76.3% 23.7% 86.1% 13.9% 71.4% 28.6%
Liar pants 50.8% 49.2% 48.6% 51.4% 56.6% 43.4% 72.5% 27.5%
Soda not pop 24.9% 75.1% 24.3% 75.7% 26.6% 73.4% 73.9% 26.1%
Homecookin’ 72.7% 27.3% 72.0% 28.0% 74.4% 25.6% 70.8% 29.2%
Film lovers 54.0% 46.0% 57.0% 43.0% 46.4% 53.6% 71.7% 28.3%
Careful there 33.1% 66.9% 33.5% 66.5% 32.0% 68.0% 73.3% 26.7%
Birthday wishes 33.7% 66.3% 33.3% 66.7% 34.7% 65.3% 71.4% 28.6%
Light sleeper* 42.8% 57.2% 41.0% 59.0% 46.8% 53.2% 69.0% 31.0%
Public speaker 48.0% 52.0% 45.6% 54.4% 54.1% 45.9% 71.8% 28.2%
Rocket man 29.0% 71.0% 32.0% 68.0% 21.1% 78.9% 72.5% 27.5%
Mumblers abound 79.6% 20.4% 78.2% 21.8% 83.3% 16.7% 72.5% 27.5%
Lucky 7 75.3% 24.7% 75.8% 24.2% 74.1% 25.9% 70.6% 29.4%
Forget the past 60.9% 39.1% 62.1% 37.9% 57.7% 42.3% 72.7% 27.3%
Air travel 61.0% 39.0% 61.1% 38.9% 60.7% 39.3% 75.0% 25.0%
Introverts 54.2% 45.8% 55.3% 44.7% 51.6% 48.4% 70.3% 29.7%
Right-handed* 85.8% 14.2% 84.7% 15.3% 88.0% 12.0% 66.7% 33.3%
Ignorance kills 73.7% 26.3% 75.3% 24.7% 69.7% 30.3% 71.4% 28.6%
Organic market 17.9% 82.1% 16.9% 83.1% 20.1% 79.9% 68.8% 31.2%
Theater Home 54.7% 45.3% 57.3% 42.7% 48.4% 51.6% 70.8% 29.2%
Brainy courage† 57.0% 43.0% 57.1% 42.9% 56.9% 43.1% 50.0% 50.0%
Remote control 62.6% 37.4% 65.0% 35.0% 56.5% 43.5% 71.8% 28.2%
Zebras? 21.8% 78.2% 21.6% 78.4% 22.2% 77.8% 66.7% 33.3%
Fortunetellers* 30.1% 69.9% 24.6% 75.4% 41.9% 58.1% 68.2% 31.8%
Chewing/snoring 42.9% 57.1% 42.0% 58.0% 45.1% 54.9% 71.0% 29.0%
Stupid question 80.5% 19.5% 81.2% 18.8% 78.9% 21.1% 69.6% 30.4%
Internet v. TV 53.8% 46.2% 56.5% 43.5% 47.3% 52.7% 70.7% 29.3%
Rain plan 67.1% 32.9% 67.2% 32.8% 66.9% 33.1% 66.7% 33.3%
Martian time 23.9% 76.1% 23.7% 76.3% 24.6% 75.4% 77.8% 22.2%
Clumsy store 56.6% 43.4% 54.9% 45.1% 61.2% 38.8% 73.0% 27.0%
Smile and nod 30.4% 69.6% 31.9% 68.1% 26.3% 73.7% 73.2% 26.8%
Seek direction 59.8% 40.2% 54.3% 45.7% 73.9% 26.1% 71.9% 28.1%
Time traveling* 57.9% 42.1% 59.3% 40.7% 54.5% 45.5% 70.8% 29.2%
Back of the bus 39.0% 61.0% 35.4% 64.6% 47.9% 52.1% 71.2% 28.8%
Unlucky stuff 45.4% 54.6% 47.0% 53.0% 41.4% 58.6% 71.4% 28.6%
TV Dinner 67.8% 32.2% 67.7% 32.3% 68.2% 31.8% 80.0% 20.0%
Late sleeper 49.0% 51.0% 48.5% 51.5% 50.1% 49.9% 68.8% 31.2%
Telephone poll† 43.9% 56.1% 43.9% 56.1% 43.7% 56.3% 100.0% 0.0%
Ha-Hallowe’en 43.0% 57.0% 46.3% 53.7% 34.9% 65.1% 71.1% 28.9%
Full-ish House* 50.3% 49.7% 49.7% 50.3% 51.7% 48.3% 70.0% 30.0%
Hallowe’enies 57.9% 42.1% 56.5% 43.5% 61.1% 38.9% 69.6% 30.4%
South v. North 62.3% 37.7% 63.7% 36.3% 58.7% 41.3% 72.0% 28.0%
Spaghetti diver 28.1% 71.9% 27.8% 72.2% 28.6% 71.4% 62.5% 37.5%
Water, bottled 22.9% 77.1% 24.3% 75.7% 19.4% 80.6% 71.4% 28.6%
Thunder’s cool 75.6% 24.4% 81.6% 18.4% 61.3% 38.7% 70.4% 29.6%
Invention rules 60.5% 39.5% 64.7% 35.3% 50.3% 49.7% 70.8% 29.2%
E’rybody flies* 81.3% 18.7% 81.0% 19.0% 81.9% 18.1% 66.7% 33.3%
Left watch 64.8% 35.2% 65.1% 34.9% 64.1% 35.9% 70.0% 30.0%
Sunburn’t 42.0% 58.0% 42.7% 57.3% 40.4% 59.6% 69.6% 30.4%
Monday first? 42.5% 57.5% 42.4% 57.6% 42.7% 57.3% 66.7% 33.3%
Get milk? 25.9% 74.1% 25.3% 74.7% 27.4% 72.6% 71.4% 28.6%
Lucky clover 86.4% 13.6% 87.0% 13.0% 85.2% 14.8% 66.7% 33.3%
Poodles suck 34.7% 65.3% 24.2% 75.8% 57.4% 42.6% 68.4% 31.6%
Have a pet?* 64.8% 35.2% 64.2% 35.8% 65.9% 34.1% 64.7% 35.3%
Fake wrestling 17.3% 82.7% 18.0% 82.0% 15.5% 84.5% 72.0% 28.0%
Sushi’s weird 45.3% 54.7% 46.0% 54.0% 43.9% 56.1% 66.7% 33.3%
Tall or thin? 47.9% 52.1% 54.2% 45.8% 33.6% 66.4% 69.4% 30.6%
Hermitic life 42.1% 57.9% 45.0% 55.0% 35.3% 64.7% 70.1% 29.9%
Missed b-day 28.4% 71.6% 29.9% 70.1% 24.8% 75.2% 70.6% 29.4%
G-g-g-hosts
!* 52.5% 47.5% 48.9% 51.1% 59.8% 40.2% 67.0% 33.0%
Smart or thin? 66.0% 34.0% 70.7% 29.3% 55.2% 44.8% 69.7% 30.3%
TV News 47.3% 52.7% 48.9% 51.1% 43.9% 56.1% 68.0% 32.0%
Bubble gum? 65.8% 34.2% 62.2% 37.8% 74.0% 26.0% 69.5% 30.5%
Dad’s Bros. 18.8% 81.2% 18.5% 81.5% 19.7% 80.3% 75.0% 25.0%
Haircut time 42.0% 58.0% 49.6% 50.4% 24.7% 75.3% 69.5% 30.5%
Vitamin taker? 33.1% 66.9% 31.6% 68.4% 36.4% 63.6% 68.7% 31.3%
Got a cell?* 77.7% 22.3% 77.1% 22.9% 78.7% 21.3% 62.5% 37.5%
Sleep much? 55.3% 44.7% 57.1% 42.9% 51.7% 48.3% 66.7% 33.3%
Nutrition check 68.1% 31.9% 71.6% 28.4% 60.9% 39.1% 67.3% 32.7%
Sneezing sight 9.9% 90.1% 10.9% 89.1% 7.9% 92.1% 66.7% 33.3%
Expatriotism* 40.7% 59.3% 40.8% 59.2% 40.5% 59.5% 66.7% 33.3%
DST sucks 33.4% 66.6% 34.2% 65.8% 31.9% 68.1% 65.2% 34.8%
Tounge v. nose 18.8% 81.2% 18.5% 81.5% 19.5% 80.5% 70.0% 30.0%
Dieting sucks 25.2% 74.8% 20.3% 79.7% 35.5% 64.5% 67.8% 32.2%
Bad news first 41.2% 58.8% 41.1% 58.9% 41.6% 58.4% 80.0% 20.0%
Cheesecake 42.2% 57.8% 40.4% 59.6% 45.9% 54.1% 67.3% 32.7%
Cartwheeling 45.7% 54.3% 41.6% 58.4% 53.8% 46.2% 66.4% 33.6%
Turn back time 71.7% 28.3% 74.0% 26.0% 66.9% 33.1% 67.6% 32.4%
Base/foot ball* 45.7% 54.3% 45.9% 54.1% 45.3% 54.7% 66.7% 33.3%
Side sleeper 74.9% 25.1% 72.6% 27.4% 79.7% 20.3% 67.6% 32.4%
MP3s v. CDs 49.4% 50.6% 52.3% 47.7% 43.6% 56.4% 66.7% 33.3%
Pizza v. China 84.2% 15.8% 84.7% 15.3% 83.2% 16.8% 66.7% 33.3%
VHS sucks 35.9% 64.1% 33.7% 66.3% 40.4% 59.6% 67.2% 32.8%
Salt spilling 24.5% 75.5% 23.3% 76.7% 27.0% 73.0% 67.6% 32.4%
Labor day white 48.7% 51.3% 46.3% 53.7% 53.5% 46.5% 66.7% 33.3%
Recycle much? 69.0% 31.0% 68.3% 31.7% 70.4% 29.6% 66.7% 33.3%
Sweet or salty? 60.2% 39.8% 58.4% 41.6% 63.8% 36.2% 66.7% 33.3%
Spend? Thrift?* 50.2% 49.8% 51.4% 48.6% 47.9% 52.1% 65.7% 34.3%
Car sing star? 69.6% 30.4% 63.2% 36.8% 81.9% 18.1% 65.8% 34.2%
Kick your shoes 81.8% 18.2% 80.5% 19.5% 84.4% 15.6% 66.7% 33.3%
Fast forward 46.2% 53.8% 49.0% 51.0% 40.6% 59.4% 66.7% 33.3%
Sports superfan 40.4% 59.6% 42.3% 57.7% 36.7% 63.3% 66.1% 33.9%
Who you know 42.1% 57.9% 41.8% 58.2% 42.8% 57.2% 70.0% 30.0%
Swimmin’ pool 54.3% 45.7% 53.1% 46.9% 56.6% 43.4% 65.7% 34.3%
People read* 50.1% 49.9% 45.1% 54.9% 59.1% 40.9% 64.3% 35.7%
Carpool? 50.1% 49.9% 49.8% 50.2% 50.9% 49.1% 72.7% 27.3%
Rain v. snow 35.8% 64.2% 33.3% 66.7% 40.9% 59.1% 67.1% 32.9%
Lottery worker? 56.1% 43.9% 56.5% 43.5% 55.3% 44.7% 66.7% 33.3%
Granola Pizza 75.6% 24.4% 77.9% 22.1% 70.9% 29.1% 67.1% 32.9%
Digital sleeper 63.9% 36.1% 64.2% 35.8% 63.4% 36.6% 62.5% 37.5%
Yellow light 20.8% 79.2% 22.2% 77.8% 18.0% 82.0% 66.7% 33.3%
UFO or no?* 19.7% 80.3% 21.3% 78.7% 16.6% 83.4% 66.0% 34.0%
Talk v. sports 65.5% 34.5% 58.5% 41.5% 79.9% 20.1% 67.3% 32.7%
Hot tea or not 46.3% 53.7% 45.1% 54.9% 48.5% 51.5% 64.7% 35.3%
Gym or outside 45.0% 55.0% 45.3% 54.7% 44.3% 55.7% 70.0% 30.0%
Creative logic 54.8% 45.2% 49.5% 50.5% 65.7% 34.3% 67.3% 32.7%
Cake or pie? 60.7% 39.3% 58.7% 41.3% 64.7% 35.3% 66.7% 33.3%
Salsa o queso 58.2% 41.8% 58.7% 41.3% 57.1% 42.9% 68.8% 31.2%
Fashionista?* 54.5% 45.5% 46.5% 53.5% 69.1% 30.9% 64.6% 35.4%
Water or power 45.7% 54.3% 49.5% 50.5% 37.9% 62.1% 67.2% 32.8%
PBJ or PBC 57.7% 42.3% 59.3% 40.7% 54.5% 45.5% 66.7% 33.3%
Instruction man 48.1% 51.9% 46.3% 53.7% 51.8% 48.2% 67.3% 32.7%
1891? 44.6% 55.4% 43.8% 56.2% 46.4% 53.6% 69.2% 30.8%
Top down cruise 56.8% 43.2% 57.7% 42.3% 54.9% 45.1% 67.9% 32.1%
Know b-days?* 54.2% 45.8% 47.9% 52.1% 65.6% 34.4% 64.4% 35.6%
Cereal prize 56.5% 43.5% 56.3% 43.7% 56.9% 43.1% 66.7% 33.3%
Night light 23.4% 76.6% 20.9% 79.1% 28.3% 71.7% 66.2% 33.8%
Brain trainer? 44.8% 55.2% 43.0% 57.0% 48.4% 51.6% 66.7% 33.3%
Break new years 57.2% 42.8% 57.1% 42.9% 57.3% 42.7% 50.0% 50.0%
Changing style 53.1% 46.9% 47.0% 53.0% 65.2% 34.8% 66.5% 33.5%
Mature person? 51.5% 48.5% 52.5% 47.5% 49.4% 50.6% 67.7% 32.3%
Cooking king? 56.3% 43.7% 52.1% 47.9% 64.4% 35.6% 65.9% 34.1%
Picky eater?* 86.8% 13.2% 86.1% 13.9% 88.2% 11.8% 66.7% 33.3%
Front row? 43.7% 56.3% 41.3% 58.7% 48.6% 51.4% 67.1% 32.9%
Nutty cookies 30.3% 69.7% 29.1% 70.9% 32.5% 67.5% 64.7% 35.3%
Pets or people? 52.5% 47.5% 48.7% 51.3% 59.7% 40.3% 65.5% 34.5%
Dict-o-dorks 42.4% 57.6% 42.1% 57.9% 43.0% 57.0% 66.7% 33.3%
Corn dogs 6.7% 93.3% 7.3% 92.7% 5.6% 94.4% 64.7% 35.3%
Ele-cats are no 29.5% 70.5% 29.0% 71.0% 30.6% 69.4% 68.8% 31.2%
Loose change 66.4% 33.6% 67.1% 32.9% 65.0% 35.0% 66.7% 33.3%
Digital photos 25.5% 74.5% 24.4% 75.6% 27.7% 72.3% 66.7% 33.3%
Global warming* 57.6% 42.4% 55.1% 44.9% 62.1% 37.9% 64.3% 35.7%
Horoscopes 26.0% 74.0% 23.5% 76.5% 30.9% 69.1% 66.2% 33.8%
Healthy eater? 48.5% 51.5% 46.2% 53.8% 52.8% 47.2% 65.2% 34.8%
Swim or run? 47.6% 52.4% 41.8% 58.2% 58.7% 41.3% 65.7% 34.3%
News watcher? 65.9% 34.1% 67.9% 32.1% 62.3% 37.7% 64.3% 35.7%
Clean or dirty? 51.7% 48.3% 53.6% 46.4% 48.1% 51.9% 65.5% 34.5%
Toothbrusher?* 59.5% 40.5% 55.4% 44.6% 66.7% 33.3% 63.7% 36.3%
Digital clock 79.4% 20.6% 79.0% 21.0% 80.2% 19.8% 66.7% 33.3%
Mosquitoes suck 75.7% 24.3% 75.8% 24.2% 75.5% 24.5% 66.7% 33.3%
Bicyclist? 45.6% 54.4% 48.4% 51.6% 40.5% 59.5% 64.6% 35.4%
Smartphoner 77.9% 22.1% 76.3% 23.7% 80.6% 19.4% 62.8% 37.2%
Phonographer 68.7% 31.3% 68.0% 32.0% 70.1% 29.9% 66.7% 33.3%
Pi pi 68.8% 31.2% 64.7% 35.3% 76.4% 23.6% 65.0% 35.0%
Empty or full? 71.1% 28.9% 70.3% 29.7% 72.5% 27.5% 63.6% 36.4%
Lie for a bro? 45.7% 54.3% 47.7% 52.3% 42.1% 57.9% 64.3% 35.7%
Picture = 1k 58.6% 41.4% 57.8% 42.2% 60.0% 40.0% 63.6% 36.4%
Mind or muscle? 55.4% 44.6% 54.0% 46.0% 58.2% 41.8% 66.7% 33.3%
Dull politics 31.8% 68.2% 33.0% 67.0% 29.5% 70.5% 65.7% 34.3%
Best/worst time 51.4% 48.6% 51.4% 48.6% 51.4% 48.6% 50.0% 50.0%
Dogs or cats 2 50.6% 49.4% 53.4% 46.6% 45.4% 54.6% 65.0% 35.0%
Amount-taste* 19.7% 80.3% 22.5% 77.5% 14.8% 85.2% 63.6% 36.4%
Ambidextrous 24.5% 75.5% 25.1% 74.9% 23.2% 76.8% 68.4% 31.6%
Like photos?* 46.7% 53.3% 45.0% 55.0% 49.7% 50.3% 63.8% 36.2%
Optimism or not 79.6% 20.4% 77.7% 22.3% 82.9% 17.1% 63.5% 36.5%
Elevator manner 66.9% 33.1% 67.0% 33.0% 66.8% 33.2% 50.0% 50.0%
Bowl or golf? 40.8% 59.2% 39.3% 60.7% 43.5% 56.5% 64.3% 35.7%
Green much? 48.1% 51.9% 45.0% 55.0% 53.6% 46.4% 64.0% 36.0%
Got phobias? 71.0% 29.0% 66.0% 34.0% 80.0% 20.0% 64.3% 35.7%
Food sharing 18.6% 81.4% 19.8% 80.2% 16.5% 83.5% 63.6% 36.4%
Blog = fad? 62.3% 37.7% 62.2% 37.8% 62.4% 37.6% 50.0% 50.0%
Word or song? 76.7% 23.3% 76.9% 23.1% 76.4% 23.6% 60.0% 40.0%
Braces 33.2% 66.8% 30.9% 69.1% 37.2% 62.8% 63.5% 36.5%
Pol savvy? 53.3% 46.7% 50.9% 49.1% 57.8% 42.2% 65.2% 34.8%
Ocean swimmer* 78.8% 21.2% 78.4% 21.6% 79.6% 20.4% 66.7% 33.3%
Wiivangelical? 49.5% 50.5% 51.9% 48.1% 45.3% 54.7% 63.6% 36.4%
Nick named? 41.2% 58.8% 41.4% 58.6% 40.8% 59.2% 66.7% 33.3%
iPhone/TVphone 69.7% 30.3% 68.2% 31.8% 72.3% 27.7% 63.4% 36.6%
Pencil it in 60.7% 39.3% 57.8% 42.2% 66.0% 34.0% 64.6% 35.4%
Don’t read 51.8% 48.2% 56.0% 44.0% 44.4% 55.6% 63.8% 36.2%
Vacation 38.0% 62.0% 39.3% 60.7% 35.7% 64.3% 63.9% 36.1%
Stupid pet name 46.1% 53.9% 45.9% 54.1% 46.3% 53.7% 50.0% 50.0%
Dog at table 63.5% 36.5% 61.4% 38.6% 67.2% 32.8% 63.8% 36.2%
* International poll results
† On these results, the boys are girls percentages were so close that the ratio is certainly wrong. They were not included when calculating the average.
Now, average the results:
Average Percentage Male Users: 69.3%
Average Percentage Female Users: 30.7%
And just for the last 10 results:
Average Percentage Male Users: 64.4%
Average Percentage Female Users: 35.6%
Now, a grain of salt needs to be taken with these numbers. The percentage male and female breakdowns for the poll are based on the user-selected genders of the Mii characters who vote, but there is no guarantee that this data is accurate. For example, on my own Wii, my fiancée and I have also been allowing the (alas, fictional) Ackbar to vote. Thus, we have been slightly skewing the numbers in the male direction. However, taken as a whole, while not scientifically significant, I think the numbers are roughly accurate. For one thing, Nintendo prevents egregious ballot stuff by limiting each Wii to a maximum of six voting Miis. Additionally, I think that the nature of the Miis as caricatures of people invite users to create and use an accurate approximation of themselves. (My fiancée has in fact criticized my Mii as being too accurate, to the point of being unflattering, but I stand by its resemblance to me.) While it is not uncommon for male gamers to play as female characters in online games, I think that the circumstances that cause this behavior are lacking in this situation. For one thing, none of the female Miis can be made to be particular attractive, so there’s no point for heterosexual male Wii users to use a female Mii as “eye candy.” In addition, there is no true online play involving the Miis yet (not counting the Everybody Votes channel, since the Miis are not shared with strangers), one’s Mii is meant to be used in the social circumstance of a household. In such a situation, a gender accurate self-caricature is called for. It’s more likely that you want to see a cartoon version of yourself bowling on screen than whatever other possibilities.
So, what conclusions can we draw from these numbers? Well, bearing in mind that it is still early in the lifecycle of the console, we can nevertheless say that Nintendo has made some progress but not enough in closing the gender gap. If there are three boys who use the Wii regularly for every girl who does, then Nintendo’s strategy has not yet reached fruition. Nevertheless, we can still commend Nintendo for its admirable goal of expanding gaming to reach “Everybody” — male or female, young and old — without pandering to specific audiences (making the game pink and throwing in ponies) but by producing games that everyone can enjoy.
When the GameCube, Nintendo’s previous console, was new, there was a lot of chatter about how the PlayStation 2 had a DVD drive, but it didn’t. Nintendo’s response was that they weren’t interested in making a “multimedia home center” or some such device, but they wanted to make a true videogame machine since they were a videogame company. Now, this response may have been somewhat self-serving, and one is perfectly justified in asking how the “videogame company” of the last generation has now decided to show its commitment to games by making a console without a DVD drive (still!) but with a dedicated weather channel. Surely since the consumer can already do online polls without the Wii, Nintendo’s time is better spent developing new games than in churning out oddities like Everybody Votes, one may quite fairly ask. However, it is my belief that the Everybody Votes channel is in the spirit of Nintendo’s previous commitments. Everybody Votes is, as the name says, aimed at everybody, and Nintendo’s goal of involving everybody in games. Of course, as a public company, Nintendo’s motives are not pure. Nintendo does have goals besides their oft stated commitment to “fun.” But, in making a system which potentially anyone can find entertaining and interesting, there is a chance that Nintendo will be able to make life more enjoyable for millions of people, and that’s a worthy goal.
I applaud Nintendo’s efforts so far, and I encourage them to keep working until the day when by running the numbers we find that everybody, male and female, votes, 50–50.
[Everybody Votes channel review: ★★ out of ★★]
(PS If anyone can figure out the ratio of countries in the international polls by counting pixels on screen, working out some kind of multivalue algebra, and putting it on the ‘net, more power to them. Also good is to figure out the comparative contributions of US regions by comparing shades of green and pink.)
—earthbound kid
Cross link
Personally, I’m almost more interested in looking at this data in terms of Mii demographics, not player demographics. On our system, our Miis are pretty evenly split male to female, but I know our Mii parade is predominantly male. Is that because we like to make Miis that look like ourselves, and most Wii players are male? Or because male Mii’s look better? True, it’s hard to make a beautiful Mii, but what’s the point if you can’t turn someone you love, someone attractive, into a super-deformed lego figurine?
We also gave a lot of thought into the Channel’s name. At first, it was called the “Questionnaire Channel”, but it sounded like the Channel would be there to just collect and research data. There was also one called “Citizens Votes Channel”, but that sounded a little too square. Eventually, we put the word “Everybody” taken from the concept of how we wanted everybody in the family to have fun to the beginning of the name, and it became the “Everybody Votes Channel”.
According to a recent study commissioned by PopCap Games, one of the most popular casual gaming portals, casual games are being played by three times as many female gamers as male. PopCap’s user base is 76% percent female and 24% male.
Ouch. Nintendo’s numbers are the exact opposite of those. Even worse:
While casual games may be the domain of ladies, male gamers still make up the majority of the entire videogame space. A study commissioned by the Entertainment Software Association in May 2006 reveals that videogame players in general are 62% male and 38% female.
Nintendo’s not even up to the industry average! ☹
I fully expected Everybody Votes to be used for polling that might influence Nintendo’s future Wii Channels releases and the like, but this is the first one that seems to directly point in that direction. Could a large response of “Download” encourage a music download channel? I can’t imagine Nintendo inventing a music store of their own, but iTunes on the Wii is not impossible.
