Nice Try...?

HarperCollins is putting out digital books for Nintendo DS, a hand-held video game contraption. (It looks like they might only be available in the UK.) I'm all for ebooks. Well, not for me personally, if other people want them I have no problem with that. If the industry begins to shift further that way, high five! Fine with me. But Nintendo DS, really? I picture a bunch of 5th grade boys with these things playing whatever video game kids play right now. Maybe I have the market wrong, but I can't see this audience choosing to read a book over shooting things. To top if off, they're starting by putting out a collection of 100 Classics. Now I see this kiddo's mom saying, "Sweetie, why don't you read Great Expectations instead of playing Grand Theft Auto." Not gonna happen. Ever. I don't even want to read Great Expectations that bad.

Can the Nintendo DS consumer really be the same as the ebook consumer? Obviously I haven't done the research and I don't know the market, so I could be completely off base. To me, though this looks like the big bosses were saying, "Make some ebooks!" And the underlings did as they were told. Why the classics? Well that's what HarperCollins is known for (in my mind), and since their authors' are long dead HC probably owns full rights to the book and won't have to renegotiate contracts with living authors for digital rights.

But, seriously, I'd love for HC's plan to prove me wrong. I hope this works out, but I'm (as always) a skeptic.