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Please explain why there are games with two (or more) versions?
- Thread starter butman
- Start date
origamipirate
Member
It's easy to forget what multiplayer portable gaming was like 20 years ago, lol. The social element of Pokémon was huge and I made so many friends in school based on what versions of the games they had. It might have been motivated by business goals (though I'd argue that literally everything in the industry is, micro indie devs aside-) but it was also a really compelling and unique hook at the time. Now? Pokémon does it because it's kinda baked into the design, other do it because they want those pokedollars.
You honestly telling me that hardcore pokemon players don't end up buying both versions themselves ?
tim_pkmn89
Member
So how many people are actually buying multiple copies?
fly high ~ayunite~
Member
we have different versions of consoles now so why not lol
sixteen-bit
Member
for the hustle
Yeah, that's generally how it's done, even to this day. Always why there are discrepancies between the two versions when it comes to sales. One obviously gets more popular than the other.
I'm willing to bet almost nobody did that.
How is trading an excuse? They want you to trade so they make more money. They make the game into a social experience so that you convince your friends to play it too and they make more money. I don't understand where people think the conflict is between those two explanations.
Yep. It's annoying and it shouldn't be a thing, but I'm part of the problem because I bought both versions of every mainline 3DS Pokemon. I'll probably do the same with Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon, since I want my living dex and I don't want the monsters to have other people's OT (unless they are from official distributions).
Aaronrules380
Member
A few do (I did myself with Sun/Moon), but people who are that hardcore and have the disposable income to make it worthwhile are an absolutely tiny percentage of the fanbase. Doubly so if you're talking pre Pokemon Bank (so before gen VI) when you'd also need two systems to make this strategy viable anyways
BlueBadger
Banned
It probably is just to generate more revenue in a lot of cases (by just adding some subtle differences like who you battle in Battle Network)
Frick though. MegaMan Battle Network 3 was suchhh a good game. So underrated.
Frick though. MegaMan Battle Network 3 was suchhh a good game. So underrated.
Megatron
Member
Eh, for the original Pokemon, I really do think it was a strategy to differentiate their game and incorporate the unique transfer feature of the gb. Now, sure, maybe its partly out of tradition and partly to sell an extra 10% (or so) to the double dippers.
Aaronrules380
Member
Bingo. The difference is how they make money: The two version model has always been more about making money by encouraging kids to get their friends to buy the game too rather than about the incredibly small portion of the fanbase that buys both (which is more an extra bonus than anything)
Now if we wanted to talk about a strategy that was about getting people to buy two copies of what is essentially the same game, we need to look at the "expanded third version" model that comes out later ala Emerald or Platinum
You don't need most aspects of a game, they're there to make the product more attractive and make people more interested in buying it.
Hell, you don't need to buy games at all. They're a luxury item. They don't really need to do anything.
Prof. Bathtub
Member
Most people don't buy both versions, though I guess it is somewhat of an incentive for a single household to buy multiple copies for siblings to each have. The single save slots are convenient for this purpose, but I doubt multiple files could've worked on the GB.
Because in the case of Pokémon you don't need to buy both version to get the full experience of the game, even more so with the advent of Wi-Fi trading and battling.
Exactly heck we even people doubling dipping and buying multiples copies of the same game.
Third version of Pokémon don't tend to sell well as the first two version, plus no-one is forcing them to buy the latest game.
Started doing this around gen 4 but I didn't start getting both version day one till gen 5.
I don't regret it as I get my money worth in getting both versions plus I get to use different Pokémon in each versions.
Altered Juice
Member
Zelda oracle games were the only ones I've double dipped on
Well sure, but how does that stack up to everyone else? especially considering it doesn't benefit you at all to go that route when you can just trade with other people for the stuff you can't get in your version.
Obviously greed is still the factor (the social effect of the game still amounts to encouraging people to buy pokemon) but I don't buy both versions and I don't know anyone who does, do you?
Yup. And I'll admit I'm def part of the problem there lol
...what on earth are you talking about?
Now, here's a question. How many times have you all bought Resident Evil 4? I think I've done it at least thrice.
Why are they selling the game at all? To make money.
Why do they add more levels to a game? To make the game more attractive, sell more copies, and make more money.
Why do they add different mechanics to a game? To make it a more unique and attractive product, sell more copies, and make money.
Why do they have different versions of the same game? To encourage people to trade, increase word of mouth, sell more copies and make more money.
Why are they selling the game at all? To make money.
Why do they add more levels to a game? To make the game more attractive, sell more copies, and make more money.
Why do they add different mechanics to a game? To make it a more unique and attractive product, sell more copies, and make money.
Why do they have different versions of the same game? To encourage people to trade, increase word of mouth, sell more copies and make more money.
Oh lots of people buying the trading excuse huh
I mean that's the genuine reason for Pokemon, the rest of them though...
yeeeeeeeeeeeeeeah
Combat Wombat
Banned
I've never felt like I was missing out on anything by buying only one version of Pokemon. If I want a Pokemon that's only available in the other version I'll simply trade for it online with someone who has it.
Prof. Bathtub
Member
Games with two separately-sold "campaigns" like FE:F and the Oracles are different.
Sounds like you already know and don't want to admit it.
Ok, honest question. Who actually buys 2 versions of the same game? Kids with limited budget certainly won't. Parents won't. Adults that know better won't. So who really?
Only Pokémon I've bought was Blue. I don't see how my individual buying habits are relevant to the question in the op though.
(You're also ignoring multiple people who have said they buy both versions every gen).
Ever noticed how Pokémon you receive from a friend level up faster? Anyone who denies they made an effort to encourage trading is delusional.
when i was little and the original pokemon games came out, my mother bought me a gameboy color, pokemon red, pokemon blue, the pokemon red official guidebook and the pokemon blue official guidebook
it was a pretty good christmas if i do say so myself
edit: and then she did the same thing with gold and silver when those came out LOL
ColtraineGF
Member
As a kid: Red, Blue, Yellow
As a teen: Ruby, Sapphire, Emerald, Fire Red, Leaf Green, Diamond, Pearl, Platinum, SoulSilver
As an adult: Black, White, Black 2, White 2, X, Y, Omega Ruby, Sun, and Moon.
That said, the reasons hardcore fans buy main releases are different than the general audience, who usually pick up one or the other, and trade with friends and other people who got different copies of the game. Not only for the ingame benefits (faster training, dex completion), but because it's fun.
DontTouchMe
Member
I'm glad I've always had someone that wanted to play the same games I did.
fredrancour
Member
Pokemon did it to force kids to trade.
Other companies decided they wanted in on that money.
Along the way people discovered folks would even sometimes double dip on near identical versions.
Other companies decided they wanted in on that money.
Along the way people discovered folks would even sometimes double dip on near identical versions.
Mr.Deadshot
Member
This so much. And I am saying that as someone who owns almost all mainline Pokemon games because my wife is a huge fan. And it got even worse with stuff like Ultra Moon/Sun and Black/White 2. Still waiting for Pokemon locked behind Amiibos in addition to the two-version-bullshit.
It's really weird people are doubting this lol.
But more weird is that they ignore that it's entirely possible (and likely) that encouraging trading was done mainly to sell more as well. They can put in mechanics that make interactions necessary AND profit from double dippers just fine.
Not to mention third, "definitive" versions of Pokemon games are a thing and that's definitely "easy" money too. It's all of the above, basically.
Personally I never buy both versions, but I always get one of the initial two and then get the third one/sequel/one of the enhanced two released later (like with the Ultra versions now).
Because that's how most buy Pokemon. You had Blue, but the most popular version was Red. And it's all done as a social aspect with people buying different versions, they want kids to go out and socialize, trade with friends, battle with friends, much like trading cards.
Third versions and sequels typically sell lower than the previous versions though. We'll see the same with Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon.
Yeah, it's funny that everyone on here is jumping to buying both versions, playing 20 or more hours to get all of the exclusive pokemon or what-have-you and then trading them to yourself rather than just talking to someone IRL and trading that way.
Don't know why people think "encouraging people to trade" is an excuse. Nintendo had no idea Pokémon was going to be successful before the first games released. They couldn't have known the market was going to accept the two version model. But they went with it because they wanted Pokémon to be a social game. It was a game design decision first.
Pokemon became one of the best-selling IPs of all time thanks to this model, and you're questioning it? I assume you don't work in business/marketing.
You might not like it, but the 'two versions' idea was a masterstroke, and baking it right into the core of the game really did encourage trading and finding other people to play with in those pre-internet days.
Back at school, you were defined by whether you had Red or Blue.
Cool
The question was "why are there multiple versions?"
The answer is "to encourage people to buy the same game multiple times"
Are we done here?
killatopak
Member
Edit: Beaten.
But only a small few are buying the same game multiple times. Majority pick their favorite, stick with it, trade with others.
Cool.
