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FIFA 18 on Switch accounted for 1% of all UK physical copies sold

What? That doesn't make any sense, you can play with random people now already. You can't play with friends, that's one of the issues, and one year won't change that at all.

I'm talking about local multi not online, that is where switch shines but obviously its difficult with such a low userbase
 

gtj1092

Member
Anecdotal, I am in Barcelona and the big FNAC didn't have any switches, nor the cool videogame store in Sitges. In any case, it's still going to do much better once Nintendo powers through the holidays. I'm sure first years sports franchises don't do well on consoles. Let's wait until next year's version to see if it sells well on switch or not.

The first fifa did well on Xbox one and PS4 and those were late ports. Pretty sure the Vita version did better than the switch version as well.
 

OCD Guy

Member
I don’t agree that the reason the game hasn’t sold well is because there’s no option to play online with friends.

Most people heavily invested in Fifa have it on other consoles, and the game is too expensive for casuals, the fact there’s then a lot of options missing but yet the game appears to be priced higher at retail than the other versions and there's no compelling reason to buy it, unless you really want to play fifa on the go.

The most compelling reason for Fifa for many is Ultimate team, yet they’ve gimped it compared to PS4 and Xbox One, and the market is pretty terrible too due to a low install base so we’re left with a catch 22. People interested in Ultimate team are concerned at the lack of transfer activity etc but unless more people buy the game it won’t improve.

I’m still adamant that a demo would help sales a little. There must be many people like myself that are tempted by it, but unwilling to buy blind. Why on earth isn’t there a demo?!
 

PantsuJo

Member
I don’t agree that the reason the game hasn’t sold well is because there’s no option to play online with friends.

Most people heavily invested in Fifa have it on other consoles, and the game is too expensive for casuals, the fact there’s then a lot of options missing but yet the game appears to be priced higher at retail than the other versions and tyere’s no compelling reason to buy it, unless you really want to play fifa on the go.

I’m still adamant that a demo would help sales a little. There must be many people like myself that are tempted by it, but unwilling to buy blind. Why on earth isn’t there a demo?!

Totally agree.
 

zelas

Member
Which is why it's selling well and will continue to for months to come.

So now we're resorting to outright lies?


It can change, though. There are many issues that devs or publishers won't bother to patch in yearly sequels when they can just push it next year and drop it as a new feature. It certainly has happened with FIFA too.

When is Nintendo going to patch their own infrastructure so this isn't an issue period? It's 2017.
 

OCD Guy

Member
There's not a single reason, it's one of the reasons.

No one on here obviously knows the reasons, all we can do is obviously say why we won’t buy it (well apart from the gaf members who don’t even own a Switch but post on every Switch related thread to shit on it - I wonder when they’ll get bored of doing that).

But in my mind Ultimate team is the biggest part of Fifa, so in my mind it makes sense that anyone invested in it won’t find much appeal in the Switch version with a terrible market, and core features cut out.

I don’t doubt that as you say some people are avoiding it because they want an option to play with Friends or a multitude of other reasons, but if I was going to place a bet on it, my money would be on the state of Ultimate team being a major cause.

The casuals probably don’t care either way, for me a “casual” wouldn’t be on a forum anyway, they’ll see the price and think “fuck that”.

Ultimately I don’t think EA care much for it anyway, which is a shame as if they played their cards right they could really maximise their profits. It’s fine now as the install base is shit compared to other consoles, but if the Switch keeps the momentum up it’ll be a big market for EA to consider, and if they keep shitting on people then by the time they do care it might be too late.

Football is one of the biggest sports in the world, there is going to be a market for it with people that want to play on a portable system. I’m hoping Konami get off their ass and bring PES 2019 over next year. Even if it’s the “hybrid” version PC had for ages.....In terms of gameplay and features it was the same.
 

EDarkness

Member
I think EA should have ported actual FIFA 18 instead of what they did. Missing features and gameplay differences isn't gonna cut it. I think it's pretty clear that they chose the wrong path for the game. It hasn't even reviewed well, either.
 
In fact, you could buy a new Switch for around 280 € quite often here in Germany.
Anyway, people will keep regurgitate the same excuses over and over.


What? When and where?


Switch is not supply constrained in Europe. FIFA 18 is not supply constrained in Europe.

Switch is still somewhat supply constrained in parts of Europe. For example go to mediamarkt.de and try to order a grey Switch online. It's not looking too well either, if you look for MM or Saturn retail stores (there is an online search function on MMs and Saturns website, feel free to check for yourself).

Fifa 18 was supply constrained (like: you literally couldn't buy a single copy) in a couple of markets, especially Germany.
 

jts

...hate me...
I still haven’t seen a hard copy of FIFA 18 Switch in my whereabouts, and I’m not sure it exists outside of online retailers.
 

Zedark

Member
What? When and where?




Switch is still somewhat supply constrained in parts of Europe. For example go to mediamarkt.de and try to order a grey Switch online. It's not looking too well either, if you look for MM or Saturn retail stores (there is an online search function on MMs and Saturns website, feel free to check for yourself).

Fifa 18 was supply constrained (like: you literally couldn't buy a single copy) in a couple of markets, especially Germany.
I believe the FIFA situation was cleared up early this week. I haven't checked recently, but early in the week Mediamarkt showed wide availability for FIFA Switch. Same thing in UK from what I could tell from online retailers and stock trackers.
 

Xater

Member
I saw a deal which had a Switch for 333€ with FIFA 18. Game can’t be selling well if retailers are already starting to basically give it away.
 

Cream147

Neo Member
Do we know how this is doing elsewhere in Europe? Because the day this percentage was mentioned, I honestly thought that may or may not be bad. FIFA does so ridiculous well in the UK on PS4/Xbone and Nintendo does very badly here in the UK that 1% could be an acceptable result. If it was 1% across Europe then that gives more cause for concern, although if EA have undershipped then that's a different thing.
 

OCD Guy

Member
I saw a deal which had a Switch for 333€ with FIFA 18. Game can’t be selling well if retailers are already starting to basically give it away.

The game isn’t selling well, but bundling a game isn’t necessarily an indicator, as in the UK they were giving Fifa away for free with PS4’s at retailers, and there have been many examples of popular games coming with bundles. Argos were giving it away for free for example with any PS4, and Amazon were too (they reduced the price of the PS4 bundles so a PS4 Pro FIfa 18 bundle was 349.99)
 

nampad

Member
What? When and where?




Switch is still somewhat supply constrained in parts of Europe. For example go to mediamarkt.de and try to order a grey Switch online. It's not looking too well either, if you look for MM or Saturn retail stores (there is an online search function on MMs and Saturns website, feel free to check for yourself).

Fifa 18 was supply constrained (like: you literally couldn't buy a single copy) in a couple of markets, especially Germany.

A week ago for 277,15 €:
https://www.mydealz.de/deals/nintendo-switch-online-clas-ohlson-1055145

A month ago for 284,78 €:
https://www.mydealz.de/deals/nintendo-switch-fur-28478eur-inkl-vsk-amazoncouk-1044973

Amazon.de had Switch stock most of the time. Also, Saturn is selling the Switch with Fifa for 333 € right now:
https://www.mydealz.de/deals/nintendo-switch-konsole-neon-rot-blau-spiel-fifa-18-ebay-saturn-1058166
 

hbello82

Neo Member
This is just a bullshit strategy by EA so they can later come with the excuse that nobody buys their games and then stop supporting the console. They are just a bunch of lazy developers at EA giving us crappy products.
 

nampad

Member
This is just a bullshit strategy by EA so they can later come with the excuse that nobody buys their games and then stop supporting the console. They are just a bunch of lazy developers at EA giving us crappy products.

You are registered for 5 years and this is your only post? Nice bait.
 

"Quite often in Germany" vs. two deals, from Sweden and the UK.

Switch + FIFA: Not available
 

nampad

Member
"Quite often in Germany" vs. two deals, from Sweden and the UK.

I looked up recent deals. I remember seeing more but did not bother searching for more. And twice in the last month is often for a "supply constraint" console.
Those retailers sold to Germany for that price, even if they are not from Germany.

Let's not forget the "supply constraint" Switch and "supply constraint" Fifa 18, which got bundled and sold at a heavy discount. But yeah, keep complaining.
 

faridmon

Member
The first fifa did well on Xbox one and PS4 and those were late ports. Pretty sure the Vita version did better than the switch version as well.
I am fairly sure you are talking rubbish in regards to the Vita version selling better. Vita was pretty none existent in Europe after year 2
 
This is just a bullshit strategy by EA so they can later come with the excuse that nobody buys their games and then stop supporting the console. They are just a bunch of lazy developers at EA giving us crappy products.

Their brilliant strategy was to release a competent/well reviewed port of their best selling series, lose money, and then put out nothing afterwards?

What’s wrong with you?
 

EDarkness

Member
Their brilliant strategy was to release a competent/well reviewed port of their best selling series, lose money, and then put out nothing afterwards?

What’s wrong with you?

Is this version well reviewed? The reviews I've read for it have been luke warm at best.
 

EDarkness

Member
Biggest complaints are lack of friend invites and Ultimate Team. Otherwise, it’s FIFA.

The feel of the game is different as well. Which is one of the biggest issues against it. Anyone who wanted the "feel" to be like actual FIFA 18, are going to be disappointed.
 
Don’t get why are surprised, people buy ninty consoles for ninty type games, cod/fifa/bf and other mainstream titles are not going to sell well on switch. Also doesnt help that their online infrastructure is garbage, this aint the 90s why the fuck would i buy fifa on switch if i cant play against friends? If they had a well developed online ecosystem maybe they could have struck a deal with ms for crossplat but even then xbox aint looking too hot this gen
 
Don’t get why are surprised, people buy ninty consoles for ninty type games, cod/fifa/bf and other mainstream titles are not going to sell well on switch. Also doesnt help that their online infrastructure is garbage, this aint the 90s why the fuck would i buy fifa on switch if i cant play against friends? If they had a well developed online ecosystem maybe they could have struck a deal with ms for crossplat but even then xbox aint looking too hot this gen
Why do people keep bringing this up? You guys do realize other games on the Switch allow you to play online with your friends, right? Even some smaller teams / indie studios were able to do that as well as Nintendo. Switch is lacking in terms of online features, yes, but that's not why Fifa on the Switch lacks the ability to play with your friends
 

marc^o^

Nintendo's Pro Bono PR Firm
The feel of the game is different as well. Which is one of the biggest issues against it. Anyone who wanted the "feel" to be like actual FIFA 18, are going to be disappointed.
I know PS4 Fifa players in my office who don’t like the feel of FIFA 18. Each year it takes time to get used to changes, sometimes the new balance just doesn’t click.

FIFA 17 never really clicked with me, I felt it was too scripted, something was wrong with aerial balls. Fifa 18 on Switch feels more arcade, but in a good way. It’s a bit more reactive and imprevisible. What’s wrong with it, is keepers inaptitude on long shots, this definitely needs to be patched. I’m now playing in 3-5-2, to harass my opponents and not give easy shots, and things are better.

This Switch version is a different game, with its own balance, and everyone will have its own appreciation of it. I feel like it plays more like PES than previous Fifas. Is that good or bad? PES is a flop, yet its flow is excellent.
 
Why do people keep saying this? It's not anymore, for fucks sake.

Fifa:

Amazon.fr

Amazon.uk

Amazon.de

Amazon.es

Switch:

Amazon.fr

Amazon.uk

Amazon.de

Amazon.es

Get a new excuse, that one is dead.


Nah, this was not about Fifa itself, but the Fifa 18 + Switch bundle from the post I replied to. Sorry for the confusion.


I looked up recent deals. I remember seeing more but did not bother searching for more. And twice in the last month is often for a "supply constraint" console.
Those retailers sold to Germany for that price, even if they are not from Germany.

Let's not forget the "supply constraint" Switch and "supply constraint" Fifa 18, which got bundled and sold at a heavy discount. But yeah, keep complaining.

Look up mediamarkt and saturn, Switch is supply constraint.

Edit: The thing is that deals shipping to Germany from other countries naturally present significantly lower value, see trouble with warranty for example.
 

Shiggy

Member
Nah, this was not about Fifa itself, but the Fifa 18 + Switch bundle from the post I replied to. Sorry for the confusion.

That was an Amazon.de bundle where they just put the system and a copy of FIFA 18 together. Not sure if that was out of stock, but you could have just made your own bundle by adding the system and the game to your basket.


Look up mediamarkt and saturn, Switch is supply constraint.

Edit: The thing is that deals shipping to Germany from other countries naturally present significantly lower value, see trouble with warranty for example.

It looks pretty well stocked based on what their online system shows. Just because one specific SKU is not available, it doesn't automatically mean it's supply constrained. Or would you say the PS4 is supply constrained because the availability of one SKU looks like this?
screenshot2017-10-17awzs5g.png

At this point, the sales of Switch in Germany aren't limited by supply anymore. T-Online has already reduced the price to EUR 299: https://shop.t-online.de/nintendo-spielekonsole-switch-neon-rotneon-blau-32-gb-eu/products/3499

Also, while Clas Ohlson is originally from Sweden, the "deal" was on the German Clas Ohlson page. The Clas Ohlson GmbH is a German company, has retail stores in Germany, and its online transactions are also under German law. There's nothing risky about that.
 

Turrican3

Member
When is Nintendo going to patch their own infrastructure so this isn't an issue period? It's 2017.
As far as I understand their Switch network API fully supports searching/playing matches with friends, messaging, etc.

My (obvious?) guess would be that none of this is mandatory.
 

nampad

Member
Nah, this was not about Fifa itself, but the Fifa 18 + Switch bundle from the post I replied to. Sorry for the confusion.

So a week or two after being supply constraint, a Fifa + Switch bundle gets sold for € 333? That deal was in the post you have quoted.

I am not sure it even is an official bundle because Sony has the marketing deal.
 
It looks pretty well stocked based on what their online system shows. Just because one specific SKU is not available, it doesn't automatically mean it's supply constrained. Or would you say the PS4 is supply constrained because the availability of one SKU looks like this?

Um what...? That's a really weird comparison. The grey Switch is the most popular SKU for the Switch - out of TWO in total.
I'm not gonna go into counting stores, but just for example: the grey Switch is out of stock in the entire Frankfurt/Wiesbaden/Mainz area (~10 stores) at MM. It's out of stock at roughly 90% of MMs in Northrhine-Westphalia, it's out of stock in every single MM in the Berlin area, out of stock in every single MM in the Hamburg and Munich area. Just browsing the map, there are far more without stock than with stock. The saturn map looks like that, too.
 

Shiggy

Member
Um what...? That's a really weird comparison. The grey Switch is the most popular SKU for the Switch - out of TWO in total.
I'm not gonna go into counting stores, but just for example: the grey Switch is out of stock in the entire Frankfurt/Wiesbaden/Mainz area (~10 stores) at MM. It's out of stock at roughly 90% of MMs in Northrhine-Westphalia, it's out of stock in every single MM in the Berlin area, out of stock in every single MM in the Hamburg and Munich area. Just browsing the map, there are far more without stock than with stock. The saturn map looks like that, too.

The grey one is the more popular one? Then it's strange that Nintendo continues to supply the neon SKU way more often if that one does not sell at a faster pace.


So a week or two after being supply constraint, a Fifa + Switch bundle gets sold for € 333? That deal was in the post you have quoted.

I am not sure it even is an official bundle because Sony has the marketing deal.

These are all retailer-created bundles. The only official bundles are for Splatoon 2 and Mario Odyssey. The only reason for a FIFA/Switch bundle being 'out of stock' is when a retailer stopped to bundle the game with the system, as supply wasn't an issue after the delayed retail launch on October 6.
 
Why do people keep bringing this up? You guys do realize other games on the Switch allow you to play online with your friends, right? Even some smaller teams / indie studios were able to do that as well as Nintendo. Switch is lacking in terms of online features, yes, but that's not why Fifa on the Switch lacks the ability to play with your friends
Ninty is expecting developers to jump through hoops to set up basic online play, don't blame EA for not bothering. 100% ninty fault, this isn't the 80s where they have a stranglehold on the gaming market, either get with the times or get left behind.
 

jts

...hate me...
Ninty is expecting developers to jump through hoops to set up basic online play, don't blame EA for not bothering. 100% ninty fault, this isn't the 80s where they have a stranglehold on the gaming market, either get with the times or get left behind.
EA shouldn't be expected to jump through hoops as other developers do because they have a defacto stranglehold on football games.

It's the only way FIFA can strive tbh. Really could do with some competition, especially from a western publisher with nice pockets.

Licensing effectively ruined football games.
 

Shiggy

Member

Gross retailers/distribution channels

Anecdotally, you can also see it via Amazon rankings, or in the past, when both systems were out of stock, how quick they were with restocking the neon version while the grey version remained out of stock for weeks.
 
Licensing effectively ruined sports games.

FTFY.

I'm guessing there's a reason why things like NBA 2k and WWE are buggy messes, and it's probably because the licensing fees take up the bulk of their budgets. I miss the days of good old arcade sports games like NFL Blitz.
 

jdstorm

Banned
Ninty is expecting developers to jump through hoops to set up basic online play, don't blame EA for not bothering. 100% ninty fault, this isn't the 80s where they have a stranglehold on the gaming market, either get with the times or get left behind.

I will 100% blame EA for not bothering. So much for taking pride in your work. Ultimately the product EA releases reflects on EA. All companies involved in selling products have unfavorable market conditions that they have to deal with.
 
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