Viva Piņata is for girls - Gates

By Tom Bramwell Published 6 February, 2007

Behind the shed. 5pm. No blades.

Mincing mega geek Bill Gates has committed the ultimate faux pas - he's told Charlie Rose that Viva Piņata is for girls.

Discussing new genres, he said: "We have a thing called Viva Piņata that's for young girls, where you're tending a garden and these animals come along..."

He then goes on to waffle about how Xbox 360's power and connectivity allow you to "conceptualise" game ideas better than ever before.

So anyway, Gates clearly doesn't know much about Viva Piņata (or he probably wouldn't have cited a game that doesn't use the hard disk and doesn't need an Xbox Live Gold subscription to make his point).

Fortunately, we do! Because Viva Piņata is ace. A stimulating blend of creativity and management, it's also one of the funniest games on Xbox 360, and my dragonache (Flammie) has better things to do than watch CEOs bluff their way through dark interviews when he could be walking gaily through my optimally fertilised oak-laden forests of joy.

Picture of Tom.

About Tom Bramwell

Tom is Operations director of Eurogamer Network and Editor-at-Large of Eurogamer.net. He joined the company in February 2000. Follow him on Twitter.

Read more articles from Tom by visiting the Tom Bramwell archive page.

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Comments (42) Latest comment 5 years ago

Comments for this article are now closed, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • cyacomini #1 5 years ago

    Viva Pinata is ACE - I'm no lass...

  • Der_tolle_Emil #2 5 years ago

    Among the best 360 titles released last year, no doubt. It's a shame it's struggling to sell but with the established 360 fanbase it is not that surprising - too bad statements like Gates' don't help at all.

  • MrFlintBlackman #3 5 years ago

    I suppose it's better than saying it's not for girls....

  • Dizzy #4 5 years ago

    Well I guess I can tell the gf that I am in touch with my feminine side now.

  • Inflatable #5 5 years ago

    I agree it's a fun game for girls (and kids), but that doesn't mean it's not a game for guys aswell.. Xbox 360 could use more of those type of games..

  • DangerM0use #6 5 years ago

    I'm a bloke too, and think it's brill - managed to finish EVERYTHING last night!

    My wife wasn't impressed with it much though...

  • Artemis_Matsas #7 5 years ago

    Why you great big poofters!!!



    /joking of course!

  • Carpathian #8 5 years ago

    I'm yet to dip my male toes into the river running by the banks of Viva.

    I've not resisted due to non-conforming gender/game equations but more that I'm nervous it's going to get far too busy and difficult later through. Always have that trouble with titles like that. I start off fine and loving it but later it gets a bit stressful and stuff happens that I can't keep up with. Is that the case ?

    [bad impression + irony]

    ...or is it cos I's male ?

    [/]

  • Eldritch #9 5 years ago

    My wife thinks it's a waste of time, but my brother, a mate and myself are constantly sending emails like: "I set fire to that stupid bee yesterday and..." Tons of fun to be had!

    And as for Bill, well, I'm sure he's pissed off, because he just doesn't get VP himself.

  • ArcMonkey #10 5 years ago

    its like saying Ouendan is for Japanese people

  • Fab4 #11 5 years ago

    I'm getting it tomorrow, because many of my friends (grown men) waxed lyrical about it.

  • siro #12 5 years ago

    Well Ouendan IS for japanese people.

    And who all who liked Viva Pinata should give Barbie's camping adventure a try. Great fun for the x-chromosomeless under us.

  • thefilthandthefury #13 5 years ago

    I suppose he has a point though. Viva Pinata is one of the few games my girlfriend sits up and takes notice of. I'm sure she'd love to actually try it, but the controller confuses her no end.

    Still, Viva Pinata is easily one of the best games on the 360 for anyone of any sex and age.

  • Redeye #14 5 years ago

    *reads 'VP is for girls' as 'girls, try VP, you'll like it'*

    Guess Bill's aiming to expand his market share, even when he's apparently making a bit of a cock-up.


  • septimus #15 5 years ago

    My wife loves the game. Still haven't managed to give it a go myself yet, but it's one of those games that can be quite enjoyable to watch.

  • jonsaan #16 5 years ago

    Gates. I'll set my Cocodile on you, make you sick and not call the doctor and watch happily as that death dude smashes you open.

  • SBfistfun #17 5 years ago

    swanny dickhead

  • optimusprym8 #18 5 years ago

    all I can say is http://youtube.com/watch?v=Sckba-EX5MM

  • space_ace #19 5 years ago

    managing international corporations is for little girls :p

  • peterfll #20 5 years ago

    Hurrah! for another exec with his finger on the pulse of video gaming.

  • 360pwnzj00f@ce #21 5 years ago

    What he meant to say was it's a game for little girls and big gays. You really need to print the whole quote, could have avoided all this 'I'm a guy and I play' bullshit.

  • Rambaldi #22 5 years ago

    Any game without guns is for girls, especialy those with cute fluffy animals and gardening ;)

  • sharpfish #23 5 years ago

    Viva is great, Bill should play more of his own system.

  • dirigiblebill #24 5 years ago

    No I think you'll find that's Fight Night Round 3.

  • Markusdragon #25 5 years ago

    Saying Viva Pinata is for girls is like saying The Sims is for girls. An understandable, but completely inaccurate comment.

  • nickthegun #26 5 years ago

    I dont know if its specifically for girls, but I have managed to play it for an hour since I bought it last november, whereas the mrs has got the 50 real time hours achievement. I cant get near the bloody Xbox.

    Her Dragonache is called Jeff Jefferson.

  • SomaticSense #27 5 years ago

    No no no no. Fusion Frenzy is for GIRLS, Mr Gates.

  • Veldaban #28 5 years ago

    I can see what he's saying in terms of the game (and by extension the 360) appealing to those kind of players, although making one game doesn't REALLY count as diversifying your target audience.
    Edited by Veldaban at 06/02/07 @ 14:06

  • Feanor #29 5 years ago

    Girls like beating things to death with a shovel, right?

  • ManicDrunkMonk #30 5 years ago

    After boring myself half to death with the purchase of Harvest Moon in 2005 I no longer believe people who suggest these games are fun.

    They are MMORPGs for people who dont like social interaction (if that makes sense).

  • Rodriguez #31 5 years ago

    I find this game harder than the whole of Gears of War on Insane. Trying to keep control over everything from your workers, to your seed growing and fertilising and trying to keep your favourite pinatas from becoming a meal for a pinata higher up the food chain is bloody difficult work.
    Perhaps Gates has a point though - a woman would possibly find this game easier because science has apparently proven that they can micromanage things better than men. Apart from driving... ;)

  • 360pwnzj00f@ce #32 5 years ago

    "I thought Gears of War was intended for the 360's gay (or closet homo) demographic."

    Are you crazy!? That's like sayin wrestling is for gays LOL! That game kicks so much ass it's untrue! BOOM!!

  • MARKIV #33 5 years ago

    When M$ finally produce a demo on marketplace for this game we'll all be able to make our own minds up. But until then, I agree with old Bill !!

  • #34 5 years ago

    >Discussing new genres, he said: "We have a thing called Viva Piņata that's for young girls, where you're tending a garden and these animals come along..."


    I always said this game was for girlies. You guys just don't listen.

  • enzima #35 5 years ago

    Then i just wish there was plenty of girls-games for my 360..... I loved Gow. That and VP are easily the best games on 360. Both games have been criticized tor their tendencies. Is the 360 a gay console?

  • dahsif #36 5 years ago

    What does "Piņata" mean, anyway?

  • dahsif #37 5 years ago


    "Viva Piņata is for girls": I thought that was a given.



    What does "Piņata" mean, anyway?

  • HunterSeeker #38 5 years ago

    pi·ņa·ta (pēn-yä'tə;) pronunciation
    n.

    A decorated container filled with candy and toys suspended from a height, intended to be broken by blindfolded children with sticks, and used as part of Christmas and birthday celebrations in certain Latin-American countries or at children's parties.

  • MetalDog #39 5 years ago

    Sometime around 2000 I suggested to my then co-workers that we make a game based on a witch's garden, the type of plants you grew attracting different creatures, enabling you to make different spells/potions for the local village depending on the creatures your gardening style attracted.

    I was told it was 'too girly'.

    Damn you guys - look at Viva, LOOK AT IT! Too girly, my arse, we could have beaten them by years!

  • dirigiblebill #40 5 years ago

    'Then i just wish there was plenty of girls-games for my 360...'

    Amen to that. Another few games in the vein of VP and I'd buy a 360.

  • NegativeZero #41 5 years ago

    Gates is just trying to avoid admitting he's an addict. "Oh yeah, that's a girly game. I don't play it, I'm very manly." Weak defense, William.

  • zendragon #42 5 years ago

    Ahhh ha ha
    Bunch of girlies!!! from the head huncho itself (to rare: make a girly game!)
    Don't try to deny who you are!
    try the sims also...