Argument147 求修改，必回~

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TOPIC: ARGUMENT147 - The following appeared in an editorial in a business magazine.

"Although the sales of Whirlwind video games have declined over the past two years, a recent survey of video-game players suggests that this sales trend is about to be reversed. The survey asked video-game players what features they thought were most important in a video game. According to the survey, players prefer games that provide lifelike graphics, which require the most up-to-date computers. Whirlwind has just introduced several such games with an extensive advertising campaign directed at people 10 to 25 years old, the age-group most likely to play video games. It follows, then, that the sales of Whirlwind video games are likely to increase dramatically in the next few months."
WORDS: 462
TIME: 00:39:26
DATE: 2010/2/4 13:53:07

In this argument, the author bases his conclusion that Whirlwind video games stand a good chance to promote its sales just on the survey which indicates players' preference to the games with lifelike graphics. He also believes the advertising campaign would be effective. However, the unproved causal relationship between lifelike graphics and mounting sales and the unwarranted effect of the campaign render the final conclusion unconvincing.

To begin with, the preference of lifelike graphics among video-games players may not indicate that they would pay money for it. On the contrary, the most up-to-date computers required by such games would undermine the players enthusiastic to purchase it. When a consumer want to buy a video-games, a lot of aspect would be taken into consideration, like price, playfulness, and requirement for computer system. It is entirely possible that because of the high demand for computer, players would postpone their plan of buying, or even reject the new games. Or they may turn to other video-games which can be run on their computer in hands. If so, the publishing of new games requiring high computer performance would not sold well.

In addition, the effect of the extensive advertising campaign aiming people at 12 to 25 may not be guaranteed. Although the teenagers in these ages constitute the majority of the games-players, the author miss the possibility that they may not be the main-force in buying games due to their unstable economic foundation and restraint from their parents, It is entirely possible that they would not buy these new games which entitled with high prize, because they are not capable to afford the money. Or restricted by their parents or teachers, the games they usually play are educational ones rather than this lifelike graphics one, let alone the purchase on them.

Even if accepting the validity of the above evidences, the mounting sales of Whirlwind video games may not happen in the next few months. Many other factors may contribute to whether this company’s video game would enjoy high sales, such as the competition from other video games’ company’s, the declining demand for video games in the market and so on. Perhaps the competitors release the similar kind of video games at the same time, which would share the market with Whirlwind. Without ruling out such possibilities, the author cannot guarantee the increasing of the company’s games.

In conclusion, this argument is ill-founded as it stands. To better evaluate his conclusion, the author is suggested to provide more information involving the players’ eagerness to buy the game which contain the feature they prefer; and author should offer further evidence to illustrate that the people 10 to 25 are the main part for buying games which could demonstrate the effectiveness of the advertising campaign.