sirseanconnery
Banned
The One and Done;95225749 said:
Found the MS employee
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GameStop sure seems to be pushing the Xbone hard...
- Thread starter jaaz
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Found the MS employee
SEGAvangelist
Member
******** was the source...
Yep, I kinda feel sorry for them - that misinformation is dogging the Xbox hard. I mean, no I don't want an Xbox for many other reasons but boy I actually feel sorry for them.
We need that competition.
Daaaaamn
How the fuck did PSP's sell - are they still available?
Daaaaamn
p. sure that's VG-Chartz information, which is banned 'round these parts. Just fair warning.
Yes I saw the source and laughed.....it's a banned source
bgassassin
Member
I had three GameStops added to my route a couple months ago and one of them in December had a handwritten sign letting people know they had both X1 and PS4 in stock on the door.
The sign in the OP seems over the top, but based on my experience it's sadly necessary. Heck, I talked with someone that thought PS4 had the same internet requirement at startup that X1 has. IMO, that sign looks like someone taking their own measures to address misconceptions that are still lingering in hopes that will help get some doubters to buy. Whether that works or not for them is another story.
I don't see consumer confidence being the main issue long term or the primary contributor to any hindrance to a possible slowdown in current sales. I see non-gamer disinterest being a bigger issue that Nintendo has also met face-to-face with (ignoring Nintendo's missteps for a moment). That disinterest would include price point and mind/timeshare conflict with non-console products.
For over a year now I have felt that the market would shrink, but I think it could be said that if you exclude non-gamers the market shrunk last gen. Setting Wii sales aside, look at PS2/XB sales vs PS3/360 sales. PS2 and XB were on the market for 6 and 4 years respectively before their successors hit the market and their final combined totals came in at ~180M. PS3 and 360 were on the market 7 and 8 years respectively before their successors hit the market and as of now their combined sales are ~160M. I see it being a struggle for them to pass that 180M mark after such a long gen before successors were released and now with those successors on the market.
Turning back to the non-gamers, the 360 had its two strongest fiscal years based on units sold once Kinect hit the market. It needed them just to reach where it has. And even with them, the cheaper price, and the year head start, PS3 still caught up in total sales. Personally I don't see the Xbox line as strong as others might and I expect that weakness to readily show itself this gen.
IMO non-gamers are fickle and gaming enthusiasts are curmudgeonly. The former wants the "new hotness" and the latter wants as little change as possible. Awhile back I felt MS was in the best position to appeal to both. I think I underestimated how fickle non-gamers are and did not expect the amount of changes MS would make to the next Xbox.
Looking at X1, my job has me in all kinds of stores. In relation to consoles I have weekly or monthly visits to five Targets, three Wal-Marts, three Gamestops (not sure how long that will last), and two Best Buys. It's still very early, but it does seem that X1 is already starting to hit a saturation point for its price. Now I did see a kid that seemed to be under 15 with I'm guessing are his grandparents leaving one of those BBs with an X1, but the store still had more in stock (and as I think about it a written sign there saying they were in stock). It's becoming the same way with my Targets and at one of my WMs I saw at least one in the back that the dept. mgr seemed to be putting away. Not sure if it's a return or just moving some things around in the cage as I didn't peak at the cage while I was back there. I'm going to continue to keep an eye on stock levels for all three consoles though to see how things go.
The sign in the OP seems over the top, but based on my experience it's sadly necessary. Heck, I talked with someone that thought PS4 had the same internet requirement at startup that X1 has. IMO, that sign looks like someone taking their own measures to address misconceptions that are still lingering in hopes that will help get some doubters to buy. Whether that works or not for them is another story.
I don't see consumer confidence being the main issue long term or the primary contributor to any hindrance to a possible slowdown in current sales. I see non-gamer disinterest being a bigger issue that Nintendo has also met face-to-face with (ignoring Nintendo's missteps for a moment). That disinterest would include price point and mind/timeshare conflict with non-console products.
For over a year now I have felt that the market would shrink, but I think it could be said that if you exclude non-gamers the market shrunk last gen. Setting Wii sales aside, look at PS2/XB sales vs PS3/360 sales. PS2 and XB were on the market for 6 and 4 years respectively before their successors hit the market and their final combined totals came in at ~180M. PS3 and 360 were on the market 7 and 8 years respectively before their successors hit the market and as of now their combined sales are ~160M. I see it being a struggle for them to pass that 180M mark after such a long gen before successors were released and now with those successors on the market.
Turning back to the non-gamers, the 360 had its two strongest fiscal years based on units sold once Kinect hit the market. It needed them just to reach where it has. And even with them, the cheaper price, and the year head start, PS3 still caught up in total sales. Personally I don't see the Xbox line as strong as others might and I expect that weakness to readily show itself this gen.
IMO non-gamers are fickle and gaming enthusiasts are curmudgeonly. The former wants the "new hotness" and the latter wants as little change as possible. Awhile back I felt MS was in the best position to appeal to both. I think I underestimated how fickle non-gamers are and did not expect the amount of changes MS would make to the next Xbox.
Looking at X1, my job has me in all kinds of stores. In relation to consoles I have weekly or monthly visits to five Targets, three Wal-Marts, three Gamestops (not sure how long that will last), and two Best Buys. It's still very early, but it does seem that X1 is already starting to hit a saturation point for its price. Now I did see a kid that seemed to be under 15 with I'm guessing are his grandparents leaving one of those BBs with an X1, but the store still had more in stock (and as I think about it a written sign there saying they were in stock). It's becoming the same way with my Targets and at one of my WMs I saw at least one in the back that the dept. mgr seemed to be putting away. Not sure if it's a return or just moving some things around in the cage as I didn't peak at the cage while I was back there. I'm going to continue to keep an eye on stock levels for all three consoles though to see how things go.
I went into a GameStop today after lunch just to kill some time while I was waiting to meet up with my cousin. I looked in the PS4 section for a but and then looked at 3DS games for at least 10 minutes. Then I walked over to the Xbox One section and immediately an employee says to me "you look like a guy who needs an Xbox One" and starts selling me.
I explain that in the last month or so I had bought myself a Nexus 5, iPad Air, PS4, and 3DS XL and would not even be considering another new toy for quite some time. He seemed like a really nice guy though so I asked "do you have an Xbox One?" He laughed and said "no I have a PS4!" like I had just insulted him or something. I thought that was pretty amusing.
Another customer came in and another employee immediately tried selling them on the Xbox One as well. Anecdotal evidence but in my experience they are pushing the Xbox One pretty hard.
I explain that in the last month or so I had bought myself a Nexus 5, iPad Air, PS4, and 3DS XL and would not even be considering another new toy for quite some time. He seemed like a really nice guy though so I asked "do you have an Xbox One?" He laughed and said "no I have a PS4!" like I had just insulted him or something. I thought that was pretty amusing.
Another customer came in and another employee immediately tried selling them on the Xbox One as well. Anecdotal evidence but in my experience they are pushing the Xbox One pretty hard.
DragonGirl
Member
Because they have piles of these things cluttering up their back rooms and they want them gone.
Ah...didn't know it's banned
ionicbluebird
Member
Is there some sort of "unprecedented partnership" between MS and Gamestop that we don't know about...
Or that.
Codeblew
Member
Fixed.
Unknown Soldier
Member
Microsoft paying companies to use Bing instead of Google search isn't competitive, it's just another form of moneyhatting. Hell, with Bing Rewards MS was literally paying ordinary people to use Bing search instead of Google search.
Let's see MS actually not pay people and corporations to use Bing and see what it's market share is then. Google doesn't pay anyone to use Google search.
Oh, and then there's Windows Phone. Great competitive product right there.
mr stroke
Member
is this even close to real?
Thats still from vgch4rtz
I once got banned from doing that.
How did Gamestop help pollute the air?
TastyOreoFriend
Member
I don't think its a main issue either, rather I do think its one of many factors that's telling the early story of Xbox One right now. Very anecdotal, but the day they announced XBO even my parents, who didn't even fall for the Wii buzz at its height, were talking about Xbone's debut and DRM fiasco in a rather unkind light-a light which rose up and continued well during the Xmas shopping season on facebook. This is a group of adults in their 40s, 50s, and 60s mind you that don't even play facebook games. To me that speaks volumes about the PR nightmare they've had to endure.
And the primary issue. in my opinion, that caused that PR nightmare is Microsoft itself. They're toxic to brand right now. I know it was brought up before, and even then wasn't met with a lot of acceptance, but I really think the Xbox brand should be spun away from Microsoft itself. The corporate culture of Microsoft has drove away a lot of the heads that made the Xbox an actual competitor to Sony and Nintendo. The current heads are just empty suits that don't get why the 360 was as successful as it was. How else would we have gotten TV, TV, TV, TV, Television, Sports, Sports, Sports, Sports, Xbox is a water cooler, Call of Duty, Call of Duty, Call of Duty, Call of Duty, a dog I care about, and "Titanfall, have you seen the bitch?".
Those same heads are still there. The same heads that decided that disastrous DRM. The same heads that made the console as much as a basic launch 20gig PS3. As long as those same heads remain I have 0 faith those same policies won't show up again somewhere down the Xbox brand line.
I see where your coming from, but I dunno man. I mean I knew of at least some people that were Ninty faithful, Wii console only gamers for a long time-till at least up until 2011-12. I'm sure they're not alone in that. Out of the millions that they sold you gotta figure at least 10mil or more bought the thing as their primary console, which could've pulled some away from a PS3/360 purchase. When you add that to the total sales of the PS3/360 it still comes within or even surpasses PS2/Xbox sales.
You might be right though.
Phil-NeoGAF
Member
I work in retail and haven't seen a PS4 at my store since the week before Christmas. Here's the kicker though, we've sold out of Xbox One's thrice. It's the same with the PS4's. The only difference is we've received another shipment of Xbox One's but no PS4's. I've been suggesting the Xbox One to the people who haven't been lucky enough to get their hands on a PS4. I own both and feel they're quite similar, so much so that you can't go wrong with either one. Chatting with customers, I've come to find that it's not that they don't want one, it's the price. If only it were $50 cheaper, I think those waiting for a PS4 would be more inclined to purchasing an Xbox One.
Moneyhats2k5
Member
Worth to wait, since the system is going to be supported for 6-7 years.
Phil-NeoGAF
Member
I think both will be supported for that long.
ThoughtsOfSpeaking
Banned
A quick glace around the internet (He posts in alot of places) will tell you that. Still, he has an opinion, leave him to it.
I tend to agree, I was ambivalent about MSs involvement with the Xbox brand until the XO launch and now recognise that ever since the launch of Kinect thats its been steering its trojan horse in the wrong direction to even appeal to me. Telling your prospective audience that they arent ready for their (poorly communicated and realised) vision was just the last straw...
The best thing for the Xbox brand might end up it being sold - I just dont trust MS not to do another 180 on their policies while the same people involved in coming up with that previous vision, are still in charge.
Ive never seen a situation where your competitor outdoes you handsomely by doing absolutely nothing - somethings wrong when someone like Sony gets applauded for doing just that (yes I know Im ignoring the spec of the PS4)
ps3ud0 8)
ultratruman
Banned
Anecdotal, but I'm a seasonal member at a videogame retailer in the UK and all of my colleagues are huge Xbox fans. Maybe it's because they were so attached to their 360s this gen, but before I started the staff were all treated to a games event by Microsoft and were fed a lot of PR which they spout daily (Microsoft won over 50 awards at E3, games are much smoother because of their 300k servers).
They also use every opportunity to slag off Sony in front of customers (They never officially announced online PS+ requirement except to journalists behind closed doors, Sony are forcing people to buy bundles, PS4 cant play 3D blu-rays, controllers wear down, graphics difference is 6 and half a dozen etc). I actually heard one of them come into the stock room and say 'I love that feeling you get when you convince someone to buy an Xbox One instead of a PS4'.
I'm not a fanboy, I really don't care, I'll get both eventually. But I have to say, hearing them refer aloud to the console as 'The One' makes me want to stick red hot pokers in my ears.
They also use every opportunity to slag off Sony in front of customers (They never officially announced online PS+ requirement except to journalists behind closed doors, Sony are forcing people to buy bundles, PS4 cant play 3D blu-rays, controllers wear down, graphics difference is 6 and half a dozen etc). I actually heard one of them come into the stock room and say 'I love that feeling you get when you convince someone to buy an Xbox One instead of a PS4'.
I'm not a fanboy, I really don't care, I'll get both eventually. But I have to say, hearing them refer aloud to the console as 'The One' makes me want to stick red hot pokers in my ears.
yep, the price is the real kicker. Most 360 gamers just simply cant afford the upgrade right about now!
BlackBanditSho
Member
interesting. I've had the opposite experience. I'm in the South Bay/Torrance area of SoCal. I've been into 4 GameStops in the past few weeks, and have yet to find one with the Xbox One turned on. Howard Hughes/Rosecrans/Torrance Blvd/Venice = Wii U is on, PS4 is on with either a playable demo (fifa) or Sony video w/vita (also on), or the GUI interface demo, but the Xbone screen is always OFF. I'd be pissed if I was Microsoft tbh.
Sexually Aggressive Uncle
Member
Don't care either way but when I walked into Gamestop last week to pick up a copy of AC4 for my PS4, the PS4 demo station was off but the Xbox One was on with Forza on it.....and it looked AMAZING. Nearly sold me on the system.
Codeblew
Member
I think it is the best looking game on the system. I wish they could have used some AA though.
Agreed, looks great. I cannot wait for DriveClub to see how it compares.
LiveFromKyoto
Member
Why is Europe buying PSPs?
Your Gamestop actually had an actual playable demo system? Wow, the only ones I've seen were just ones with model controllers that didn't work and just played highlight reels of games. I've only been able to play Knack and FIFA 14 on the PS4, and it looks so CLEAN.
CLEAN. GAF should pick that up. I like the sound of it.
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