Maybe this is old news... (1 Viewer)

[Joel Mack]

...but I found it interesting:
Link Removed
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"The internet is a place where people from all over come together to
bitch about movies and share pornography."

 

[Morgan Jolley]

It's not exactly old, but a lot of us probably already knew it.
Its good that someone actually started a thread on it.

 

[Dean Cooper]

I don't agree with that at all. I think that the Game Cube is going to take majority of the sales this holiday season in terms of hardware. SONY isn't dropping the price of its system making it pretty much the same as the Xbox. I think the PS2 systems are going to be hard to move. Now in terms of software sales the PS2 will clean house, I'll say that for sure. What do you guys think?
Dean

 

[JasonKrol]

i agree with the PS@ to be the system of the holidays. Put it this way, if Im a kid, and I have basically my choice of systems for xmas/holiday (as most kids do) Id take PS2 based solely on the sheer volume of games.
Plus its other advantages. As I see it now, Gamecube is launching with something like 5-10 games, and xbox the same, all of which arent convincing me to pick up either, and ps2 has like 5-10 hits alone coming out by xmas.
but I dont wanna start a ps2/gamecube/xbox flame war.
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- Jason
My DVD Collection | My Home Theater
"what ya got here is two people dragging a third..."

 

[Morgan Jolley]

In the last two weeks, I bought 4 new PS2 games, plus there are 3 more I plan to get by Christmas. That's 7 games (all big titles) before Christmas, which is more games than the GCN is launchin with, and more than anyone could probably care about on the XB.
Hardware, the PS2 doesn't need to win. It has a huge installed user base. That means people will buy the software. Its not hardware sales that make the winner, its overall sales.

 

[Camp]

I don't agree with that at all. I think that the Game Cube is going to take majority of the sales this holiday season in terms of hardware

Yea, but retailers only care about the sales of software and accessories. They want to make money and there is no money to be made in hardware sales.
That's why Xbox will come in 3rd place this year. Consumers already have to drop $300 for the hardware meaning there will be little left for software and accessories. PS2 will generate more revenue for retailers than the other two consoles combined this holiday season.
I agree with you that Nintendo will probably sell the most pieces of hardware but their sofware sales won't be comperable to what Sony is going to do.

 

[BrianB]

I agree with you that Nintendo will probably sell the most pieces of hardware but their sofware sales won't be comperable to what Sony is going to do.

But as a publisher it /will/ be far & away greater than Sony. That's why Nintendo are so keen on their own hardware - they by far & away get the bulk of software sales on their consoles & handhelds. They don't need to sell as much hardware as Sony or Microsoft - they can happily profit on being the big fish ina small pond.
Of course, Sega thought this too. Nintendo have managed to do it much more successfully than them though

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[Dean Cooper]

I think its safe to say that majority of us feel that in terms of software SONY is going to be the big seller this year. Good to see a little life come back to the board
Game Cube has some advantages, its price and target market. A parent could get a GCN and a game for the same price as a PS2 or Xbox alone. Could it be a factor that offsets the PS2 sales? Sure there are a lot of great Apps coming out for the PS2: Devil may cry, ICO, MGS2, NHL 2002, Silent Hill 2 etc but how many of them are suited for the pre 15 age group? How many families are out there where the current console is a N64? Probably quite a few and they might be looking at upgrading to the Cube and getting a few games for it. Just trying to stir things up a bit, what do you guys think?
Dean

 

[Sean Oneil]

That GCN is looking better all the time. The latest Resident Evil shots look really beautiful. I suspect that the GCN is becoming more appealing to many other 'adult' gamers since they will be able to play more 'adult' oriented games like Resident Evil on the system.
However, with great games like "Devil May Cry", and "Metal Gear Solid 2" as well as "FF X" just around the corner, I think that most people will still want a PS2.
The X-Box should also do very, very well.
The holiday sales are going to be interesting to watch this year. This is going to be the biggest retail battle we have yet seen in the videogames marketplace.
Nintendo has already started soaking the airwaves with GC ads. Pretty good ones too (if you are into the artsy abstract stuff)
Microsoft will start advertising in high gear soon as well.
Sony really just has to sit back and let companies like Konami and Capcom advertise their games for Sony's system. People want the great games and if they need a PS2 to play them on then that is what they will buy.
I think that Sony comes out on top this season. As far as who wins next year ...Probably Microsoft. We shall see.
[Edited last by Sean Oneil on October 23, 2001 at 02:27 AM]

 

[BrianB]

I think its safe to say that majority of us feel that in terms of software SONY is going to be the big seller this year. Good to see a little life come back to the board

Ah. You're thinking of units shifted on the PS2 vs units on the GameCube? I wasn't - I was talking software units sold *by* Nintendo vs Sony.
I reckon Nintendo will shift more software units (as a publisher) than Sony will. They usually do.
Remember, the likes of Metal Gear Solid 2, GTA3, Devil May Cry aren't published by Sony... What big games does Sony have this winter?
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[Morgan Jolley]

A parent could get a GCN and a game for the same price as a PS2 or Xbox alone.

Actually, its a GameCube, a second controller, a memory card, and a game for the price of a PS2 or X-Box. I would call that a big advantage.
The X-Box will probably do well, but so did the DC when it launched. MS is going to need some luck, good advertising, and better reviews of its launch games than I have heard (GameSpot has near complete copies of all the launch XB games and the reviews have been less than superb). So far, all of the XB launch titles are either OK games, sequels to games from another console (and don't change in gameplay from the sequels), or are Halo. Given time, the XB will mature into the console that MS is saying it will be, but its not going to do that at launch.
The GCN will sell hardware because of its price and marketability. PS2 will sell software because of the games coming out and the installed base. MS will lose out this holiday season only because its new to the "game."

 

[BrianB]

Given time, the XB will mature into the console that MS is saying it will be, but its not going to do that at launch.

Eerily similiar to what people were saying about the PS2 this time last year.
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[Dean Cooper]

Good point Brian, I should say PS2 instead of SONY
I agree with you Morgan, I think the same thing is going to happen. It will be very interesting to see if the Xbox catches up in January when all of those teenagers start to spend their Christmas money.
Dean

 

[Camp]

I reckon Nintendo will shift more software units (as a publisher) than Sony will. They usually do.
Remember, the likes of Metal Gear Solid 2, GTA3, Devil May Cry aren't published by Sony... What big games does Sony have this winter?

Very true. However, Sony makes a licensing fee for each of those games. Sony's approach has always been different than Nintendo. Sony seems happy to make the licensing money from publishers making games for their systems while Nintendo publishes their own software.
You never see statistics comparing profits from first party publishing to profits from licensing fees (third party games).
Factor in profits from 3rd party software and Sony ought to compete favorable with Nintendo (unless you count this year's GBA sales).

 

[ScottH]

I'm shocked that no one thinks the X-Box will be the Holiday winner. Microsoft's already got the marketing in full throttle. I think I see something related to the X-Box at least twice a day, whether it be on TV, a website, in a store, wherever, whereas I have yet to see ONE SINGLE AD CAMPAIGN for the Cube. Now I'm not saying there isn't one, but since I have yet to see one, it can't be a very solid one even if there is one.
I'm a PS2 owner and if I didn't already have that, there is no doubt in my mind I would choose the X-Box.

GameSpot has near complete copies of all the launch XB games and the reviews have been less than superb

Where do you see reviews on their site? I just checked and couldn't find one. I saw previews for a bunch of the games and they had nothing but great things to say about all of them.

 

[Morgan Jolley]

Brian-
Yes, they were saying that about the PS2 the same time last year. And look what happened, it turned out to be a great console (depending on where you spent your money). The X-Box will do the same.
Scott-
I dunno what TV channels you're watching cuz I have yet to see a XB ad. I have already seen several GCN ads on TV, plus a few in magazines. Nintendo said they are going to do a full on media blitz over a month or so, but until then, the ads will be scarce. MS has been spending its money for a while, and yet I haven't seen an ad in anything besides a hardcore gaming magazine. Not good advertising to me (there are those kiosks, but I'm not counting those).
In The Spot for 10-22-01 someone asked about the XB games and they responded by giving a quick synopsis on the bigger games, plus there is the DoA3 preview.

 

[James D S]

Scott,
I haven't seen an XBox commercial either and I live in a reasonably large market. I'm wondering what's taking so long for the ads to get prime-time air around here. Granted, I've only been wathing the playoffs (mainly) but you would think that those time slots would be ideal to exhibit the sports titles, at least.

 

[James D S]

...but how many of them are suited for the pre 15 age group

I think this demograph is becoming more and more insignificant. I don't mean it is, just that it is becoming so. And boy do I hope I'm right.
We of the NES generation are old enough to expect more from games than a prepube does, and to that I think the PS2 SHOULD get this holiday season. Mark my words, it'll be OUR demograph that pushes it up there.
I think we are about to experience a pardigm shift (if we haven't already) were the 18-30 group is going to be the prime target market.
I'm impressed with what Sony has done with the capabilities of the system. One year later, they've finally got the library we'd all hoped for.
If the developers' learning curve is shorter (and we've got no reason to believe otherwise) for the XBox, by summer or about then, we should be seeing quite an impressive selection of games for all.
Assuming MS keeps plugging away at primo accounts. (which we've got no reason to think they won't)
It's lookin' that now's a great time to be a gamer.

 

[Dave F]

I think this demograph is becoming more and more insignificant. I don't mean it is, just that it is becoming so. And boy do I hope I'm right.

Boy, I hope you are wrong. I want games to mature just as much as the next guy, but I would rather that the game market expand, rather than just shift to an older demographic.
Kids under the age of 15 should have just as many cool games as people over the age of 20. What's the point in denying kids of games?
-Dave
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DVD List
"The page you are looking for is here no more. Quoth the Raven, 'Nevermore.'"

 

[BrianB]

I think we are about to experience a pardigm shift (if we haven't already) were the 18-30 group is going to be the prime target market.

It already has, James. In Europe, Sony targetted that demographic right from day 1 with the PSX. They zoomed right into 'club culture' to try & make the PSX cool to have, as well as marketing to the post-pub crowd as a cool multiplayer party toy - Tekken, WipeOut, Ridge Racer & FIFA were perfect for that market & went a great way to selling the PSX in the UK.
It's only the past 18 months that the PSX market has become flooded with kid orientated titles & bargain basement tat at pocket money prices.
There's definite room for all ages in the market. When you start demographically 'aiming' your games at specific sections of the market, you're automatically dumbing down your game...
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