Fancy a pink DS Lite?

If your favourite colour is pink then this has been your lucky week. After yesterday's announcement that Sony would be launching both it's PSP and Playstation 2 in a new pink colour, Nintendo has reacted by saying a pink DS Lite will be released in Europe on October 27th.

The product has already been launched in Japan and follows on from last year's hugely successful marketing ploy, where Nintendo bundled a pink, original DS with Nintendogs. The two pink power-players will go head to head this Christmas, almost certainly with one eye on targeting the lucrative female market.

Coincidentally, today saw the release of analysis done by Strange Agency, who attempt to work out gaming trends and marketing strategies. It claims its research will show companies how to increase the amount of girl gamers from 40% of teenage girls nearer to the 90% mark of teenage boys. Surprisingly though, this may not mean a change in the style of games released:

'Our research shows that, far from traditional male oriented games being unsuitable for a female audience, a large number of the games already on offer would also be attractive to female hardcore gamers if publishers' marketing strategies were suitably adapted. This is contrary to what the industry has believed for some time.'

You can find more about the article on how to get girls into gaming over on their site. Which do you think will attract girls into gaming more; in depth strategical marketing schemes, or a cute pink DS Lite? Let us know in the forums.