'Full Spectrum Warrior,' a tactical military action game released earlier this week, is a significant departure from the company's traditional line of family-friendly games, such as 'Finding Nemo' and 'SpongeBob Squarepants'. THQ ( THQI: Research, Estimates) is the latest to reach out. THQ is targeting a different audience with 'Full Spectrum Warrior' While they're hardly neglecting the mass audience, major publishers are also redoubling efforts to appeal to enthusiasts. But things appear to be different this cycle. Traditionally, as the gaming industry enters the back half of a console generation, publisher focus shifts to the mass market. To date, 'Grand Theft Auto III' has sold more than 10.5 million copies. 'It took six to eight weeks before people realized something unusual was happening and that there was crossover appeal to that game.'

'When 'Grand Theft Auto III' was originally released, no one had any idea it was going to be near as large as it was,' said Taylor. Before long, it was readily apparent that casual gamers were listening. When Take Two ( TTWO: Research, Estimates)'s game came on the scene, with a revolutionary style of play, core gamers liked what they saw – and they began talking.

Need proof? Look no further than 'Grand Theft Auto III'. 'And if that spills into the mass market, then you've got an overwhelming success.' 'If you can tap into a vein of interest that they have, then you've got a high probability of having a commercial success on your hands,' said John Taylor, an analyst with Arcadia Research.

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