E3: Ubisoft Announces Girl-Focused Imagine DS Series

Ubisoft has announced its new Imagine series, a line of games targeted for girls ages 6 to 14 years old. The product of what Ubisoft calls "extensive research on this audience," the Imagine series is part of the company's "strategic expansion into the casual video game market," an initiative previously announced with the My Coach self-improvement product line for Wii and DS. The first games in the Imagine line -- Imagine Fashion Designer, Imagine Animal Doctor, Imagine Babyz and Imagine Master Chef are slated for an October 2007 launch on the Nintendo DS, with Imagine Figure Skater to follow in early 2008. According to Ubisoft, the Imagine line allows girls to explore their favorite interests and hobbies, letting young players step into the shoes of the titular professions. Imagine Babyz in particular is styled as "the first simulation game focused on caring for babies." “Our consumer research revealed that the young girls’ market has been relatively overlooked," said Helene Juguet, senior director of marketing at Ubisoft. "We are happy to introduce a variety of titles relevant to what girls in this age group have indicated they are most interested in.”