The episode is not only funny, it also makes a very important point about design: Although it is true that it is impossible to please everybody, you can’t expect your users to solve your problems for you. In the end, it is the designer who is doing the choices. Pink Ware is not smart because it enhances sterotypes, prevents exchange and excludes large parts of the audience. Saying that you designed the game with a certain audience in mind does not mean that your picture of the audience was automatically correct or that you did a good job.

In theory, I agree. However, trying to make a game for everyone often results in crap. Game design involves making choices, so we need criteria, and having your “typical player” in mind is one good way to make those decisions. For example, would Endless Ocean be improved by a head-to-head mode in which you ride a shark and try to eat your opponent? That depends on who you want to play it.

Unfortunately, the game itself is rather limited… It is almost a nice game about just swimming around and seeing what’s there, but there isn’t that much to discover. If the world had been more varied and spatially interesting, I’d have played it a lot more.

The problem with Pink Ware is not the color. That’s just a nasty cliché but you are right – it has become a symbol and it works.

The problem with Pink Ware is more the Idea: To create a game which is concentrates so much on such a specific target group. That is just narrow-minded thinking.

About Diving: I didn’t write about the game mechanics of Endless Blue yet and there are some flaws. I might go into details some other time. One of them is that the technical aspects of diving are portrayed very rudimentary. I never dived but I heard that you have to watch the speed at which you re-surface. Well that’s totally missing.

Of course, the way around this would be to have a retail channel for videogames that was “female friendly” – most videogame stores are very male-oriented.

While there’s a practical commercial value to the pink, it will be hard to get rid of it.

PS: this game is a semi-sequel to an earlier diving game by the same company; as a diver myself, although one who hasn’t dived in years, I’m quite excited by the possibilities. Your review gives me some hope.

Best wishes!

Nice to see there are games that break the mould!