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N64 x PS1 Sales War in America
- Thread starter allan-bh
- Start date
At first I thought Jack Nicholson was in the Crash costume.
TriniTrin
war of titties grampa
I remember renting a N64 and a PS with a few games to decide which I wanted for Xmas.. Got a PS because of Crash Bandicoot and NFL Gameday over N64 with Mario (i know) and blast corps (boring game IMO). Best decision ever looking back on it now.
It will be interesting to see if this happens again in this generation
It will be interesting to see if this happens again in this generation
Waylon Drums
Member
Wow. That's either an odd lie to tell or you're just a really shitty person.
Manmademan
Member
When measuring the relative strength of console war ecosystems, here is a very pertinent tidbit:
While the PlayStation certainly passed the N64 in its third year, initially, the Nintendo 64 was a stronger console to develop for than the PlayStation at an equivalent point of time in their console lives.
this is by revenue though. N64 games were substantially more expensive than ps1 games at retail on average, with most of that difference going to Nintendo, not third parties.
seattle6418
Member
I got my PS1 in 1998. I guess at that point my Saturn was already giving strong signs of death.
Analog controller was huge for me. I used to play PS1 in friends house and i hated the original controller.
Also, Gran Turismo happened and my gaming life was never the same again. There´s a unique game for every gamer converted into Playstation and it all happened from 1997 forwards.
Playstation was a bit niche during 1995-1996. In my country people were still rocking Mega Drives and SNES.
Analog controller was huge for me. I used to play PS1 in friends house and i hated the original controller.
Also, Gran Turismo happened and my gaming life was never the same again. There´s a unique game for every gamer converted into Playstation and it all happened from 1997 forwards.
Playstation was a bit niche during 1995-1996. In my country people were still rocking Mega Drives and SNES.
crazepharmacist
Member
Is there somewhere I could watch all the E3 shows? I'd like to watch the 1999 one where they announce the PS2. Were they similar to how they're done today, ie. executives on stage reading off prompter.
Chittagong
Gold Member
Game development in 3D was slower than we expected and so we could not offer our fans the games they expected in a timely manner. Also, we failed to communicate the unique gaming experience possible with Nintendo 64.
Please understand.
Please understand.
TreasureHunterG
Banned
The gaming press also had a crucial role for PSX's turn around. I remember how much space for advertising for PSX's games there was on magazines and sites at the time. They advertised the hell out of PSX and it's games. N64 never had such advertising and couldn't compete against that.
Sure, PSX had more games but had MUCH MORE advertising, too.
Sure, PSX had more games but had MUCH MORE advertising, too.
Version 3.0
Member
Yeah, it was a lousy business call, but I'm so glad they stuck with carts. Disc tech wasn't there yet.
Same, never really liked the psx. Couldn't stand the jittery graphics and the controller. N64 had a minuscule line up, but it's home to some of the best games of all time. Goldeneye, Mario 64, Zelda OOT, Smash 64, banjo and kazooie. Sooooo good.
The only game on psx I really liked was MGS.
Manmademan
Member
not an RPG fan, I take it? the ps1 just might be the strongest console in that area pretty much ever.
ff7 put jrpgs on the map, but even outside of FF square and others totally killed it with xenogears, vagrant story, lunar, suikoden, chrono cross, persona2, grandia, dq7, etc
sixteen-bit
Member
For any NGAFfers were working in retail in 1997, was it true FF7 was commonly returned or traded-in?
SkylineRKR
Member
I saw lots of used FFVII's during the course of 1998.
I didn't see PSX consoles in living rooms until close to 1997 either. Thing is that those consoles were ridiculously expensive, like 800 guilders. A Mega drive and SNES could be bought for 150 at the time, which is 5 times cheaper. But 16-bit was on its ass, nothing was coming out. I didn't really game that much during that period. I eventually bought a PSX by early 1997 (price was almost being halved by then), and I saw them popping up left and right. Commercials started to kick up a notch as well, the mainstream audience was being reached.
I didn't see PSX consoles in living rooms until close to 1997 either. Thing is that those consoles were ridiculously expensive, like 800 guilders. A Mega drive and SNES could be bought for 150 at the time, which is 5 times cheaper. But 16-bit was on its ass, nothing was coming out. I didn't really game that much during that period. I eventually bought a PSX by early 1997 (price was almost being halved by then), and I saw them popping up left and right. Commercials started to kick up a notch as well, the mainstream audience was being reached.
AlphaSnake
...and that, kids, was the first time I sucked a dick for crack
Man...the nostalgia in this thread is awesome. 
At least there was a "war" in NA, there was no such thing in Europe, the Nintendo 64 barely existed here, i am not even sure what happened, it flopped straight out of the gate? I remember seeing SSB commercials and "Get N or get out" but the console was invisible.
The only reason me and my friends got one later on was because we were really into WCW vs WWF and N64 had the best wrestling games.
But man, for every 1 good N64 game, there seemed to be at least 10 great PS1 games.
The only reason me and my friends got one later on was because we were really into WCW vs WWF and N64 had the best wrestling games.
But man, for every 1 good N64 game, there seemed to be at least 10 great PS1 games.
Aquamarine
Member
N64 games also decreased in price over time, and the N64 was $100 less expensive than its competitor in each console's respective first eight months.
N64 Price History:
United States September 1996 $199 (launch price)
United States March 1997 $149 (-$50)
United States August 1998 $129 (-$20)
United States August 1999 $99 (-$30)
PS1 Price History:
United States September 1995 $299 (launch price)
United States May 1996 $199 (-$100)
United States March 1997 $149 (-$50)
United States August 1998 $129 (-$20)
United States August 1999 $99 (-$30)
United States May 2002 $49 (-$50)
PS1 software tie ratio: 5.82:1 (1997)
N64 software tie ratio: 2.55:1 (1997)
|
v
N64 software tie ratio: ~6:1 (2001)
Average PlayStation title (early 1997): $45
Average N64 title cost (early 1997): $60
|
v
Average N64 title cost (2000): ~$50
Manufacturing / Royalty costs for an average PlayStation title (1997): $12
Average publisher profit per PlayStation title: $33
Manufacturing / Royalty costs for an average N64 title (1997): $34
Average publisher profit per N64 title: $26
|
v
Manufacturing / Royalty costs for an average N64 title (2000): $21
Average publisher profit per N64 title: $29
The situation did improve over time for the N64 with respect to more equal revenue distribution, more profit going to the developer, a greater console tie ratio, and more equal ASP between it and the PS1.
So comparing software / hardware revenue isn't as irrelevant as you think it is. N64 and PS1 became more equal over time.
Probably that Star Wars Pod Racing game, I would imagine.
This is very true. I still remember my father saying he wants a playstation for FFVII after we got done watching the commercial and he doesn't even play games.
I owned a PSone but he didn't pay any attention to the system until those commercials started.
vagabondarts
Member
I lived through this short lived war:
N64 had a short string of hits and then nothing for months...
Meanwhile playstation had hit after hit after hit and almost half the price for each game compared to N64 cartridges.
And FF7 was a big deal. Even people that never played RPG's before bought in.
Crash, Spyro, Twisted Metal, Wipeout XL, Metal Gear Solid, Tomb Raider, Tekken... all at the height of their popularity and all were new (they seem kind of tired today)
Sony was on fire during this time.
Also a lot of people learned through FF7 that they hated random battles and quit early.
The linearity in the beginning of that game meant they never left Midgard and never saw the game open up.
N64 had a short string of hits and then nothing for months...
Meanwhile playstation had hit after hit after hit and almost half the price for each game compared to N64 cartridges.
And FF7 was a big deal. Even people that never played RPG's before bought in.
Crash, Spyro, Twisted Metal, Wipeout XL, Metal Gear Solid, Tomb Raider, Tekken... all at the height of their popularity and all were new (they seem kind of tired today)
Sony was on fire during this time.
Also a lot of people learned through FF7 that they hated random battles and quit early.
The linearity in the beginning of that game meant they never left Midgard and never saw the game open up.
This isnt surprising. The N64 had a hell of a start and was a good console with ridiculous droughts. But it was home to some of the best selling games of that gen.
That generation is >>>> PS2 gen IMO. I really loved gaming on the PSX, N64 and Saturn. So many gems, and 2D was still a thing back then. We started to lose platformers, 2d and more as we moved into the next gen in favor of the GTA's and whatnot. But man that was an incredible gen.
That generation is >>>> PS2 gen IMO. I really loved gaming on the PSX, N64 and Saturn. So many gems, and 2D was still a thing back then. We started to lose platformers, 2d and more as we moved into the next gen in favor of the GTA's and whatnot. But man that was an incredible gen.
shouamabane
Member
All three of them were unique. When you bought a console then you had a completely new library to tear through.
LittleJohnny
Banned
Power meant nothing, it's always about the games. I remember anxiously waiting for a N64 and got one with Pilot Wings and Mario 64, but eventually got tired of both and there was nothing else really. My brother actually sold his N64 after beating Mario 64 and played on PS1 exclusively.
Edit:
Hmm, N64 was more powerful and cheaper than PSX...
Edit:
Hmm, N64 was more powerful and cheaper than PSX...
Jean Valjean
Member
The Dual Shock was also released in 1998, I believe.
YouEnjoyMySelf
Banned
This post nails it. I had an N64 first and moved onto a PSX. The games were what did it for me. Nothing on N64 compared to Metal Gear in my 13 year old mind.
Don't moralize to me fuckface, I was living on my own, putting myself through college and working two shitty jobs.
Nintendo was never big in Europe, the Mega Drive (Genesis) was more popular than the SNES, I had a Super Nintendo and it was so hard to find the games I wanted and the prices were outrageous. But the market in Europe at the time wasn't really big, Sony basically made Europe a videogame market with the success of Playstation. They won thanks to prices and new kind of games that reached out to a new demographic: Gran Turismo, Final Fantasy, Tomb Raider, Metal Gear Solid, Formula 1, Winning Eleven. Games went from kiddy/loser hobby to cool shit for everyone. Piracy helped a lot, the console was extremely easy to mod and you could find pirated games everywhere.
DR2K
Banned
Never come to a theatre near you, Squaresoft really should have stuck to that slogan.
Digital-Hero
Member
I was out of high school and working at an independent game store in those years. I sold so many copies of FF7 &Metal Gear Solid. Every time someone wanted to know what MGS was, I'd throw it on our kiosk and give them a run-through of the insertion area. Minds were blown daily. Nintendo 64 couldn't compete later.
The original FF7 promo:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hbClDIVCpmg
The original FF7 promo:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hbClDIVCpmg
Aeriscloud
Banned
Dragonflys, I'm just doing what you do in literally every single Nintendo thread including this one. Suck it up.
Why couldn't Sony create more then?
This is very true. During NES and SNES days, we could never find a single store in downtown Copenhagen that only sold videogames, our best bet was the generic electronics store that maybe had 5-15 games to chose from.
After the PS1, all these new game stores started popping up, rows of black CD cases of PSX games everywhere. They were not owned by Sony, as these were local shops it seems. Meanwhile N64 was still only sold in minor quantities at these local stores, the first time i saw a N64 plugged into a TV to play was in Magasin, a big mall mostly for women who wanted to buy clothes, jewelry and make up accessories. It was tucked in a corner on the fourth floor so that the average female customer could put their kid there while they were shopping, at least that is my theory.
So really N64 had no chance here, but ive always been interested in how much better it did in the States, it did not get run over completely there.
Admitting to thread shitting probably isn't smart.
DidntKnowJack
Member
I had both an N64 and PS1. I'd have spurts where I'd play the PS1 for several months, then I'd switch over and play the N64 for awhile, then back and forth, back and forth. I loved them both.
By far my favorite era of games. SoGood.com.
By far my favorite era of games. SoGood.com.
evilromero
Member
I thought this was common knowledge? Mario 64 was the second coming. There's no two ways about it.
Aeriscloud
Banned
I will happily accept and own my punishment.
Nightstick11
Banned
The N64 was easily the most hyped and anticipated launch of all time in the US.
vagabondarts
Member
It was an amazing gen. So many great hidden classics. The perfect fusion of old school gaming and the new 3d graphical frontier.
Wish more games mixed 3d and 2d sprites today
Also N64 was THE console played at every party I attended back then. Goldeneye, perfect dark, Mario kart... Nonstop 4 player madness.
That golden gun mode oh man....
Dion Blaster
Member
Ok, this makes a lot more sense. I thought I was crazy thinking that the N64 did pretty well. Here in the U.S. I guess it didn't get demolished quite like it did in Europe. Also I was a kid so I'm sure the % of kids that had N64s was higher than the average population.
Best Buy employee: "Wow, this guy's been getting N64s for the past four years. You'd think his family and friends would get a clue by now"
Square2015
Member
Here's the heaviest part of the N64/PSX war in the United States; from N64 launch onward :
GRAY=PSX
GREEN=N64
BLACK=SAT
(Click to make bigger)
Source NPD
edit: image was lost, source changed
GRAY=PSX
GREEN=N64
BLACK=SAT
(Click to make bigger)
Source NPD
edit: image was lost, source changed
Between GE007, FF7, MGS and more, its sort of easy to see why gaming went the way it did and ended up where it is today with the massive budgets and whatnot. Its taken years, but looking at those old ads really drums up the "This is an epic multimillion dollar epic! Buy it!" feel.
Everyone afterwards just took that and ran with it.
rofl
Are you also the sort of person that reads magazines and comic books at the store without paying for them?
SkylineRKR
Member
Europe didn't get the N64 until well into 1997. That was the time the PSX became affordable and got its second generation wave of games. Also, this meant for Nintendo that there was over a year of nothingness on European shelves as the 16-bit consoles started to fade away when 1996 went along. Mario RPG for example didn't even make the cut. I was a member of Club Nintendo at the time, but I got a refund because the magazine died as there was only dog shit to write about.
I remember there was huge build up hype in Europe at first. Lots of gamers here thought 'once N64 hits the inferior PSX and Saturn are done for'. But I think the waiting while Sony actually delivering made this thought fade away. Plus the rapidly decreasing third party support, Capcom and its IP all went to Sony. Nintendo was rambling about this 'dream team' of developers. Which was basically Midway/Williams, Rare and a few others, pretty much like 'we aint got shit left, but..'.
The N64 launch was still a reasonable success because of Mario 64, but then a long drought happened and most gamers except for true Nintendo fans quickly stopped caring about Nintendo in general. This was the turning point for them as a whole, as we know Nintendo never recovered in the core gaming space and their third party support never went back to SNES era goodness. Back then at college, we laughed about the N64. Its games looked muddy and childish. No one gave 2 shits about it. Which was weird as the SNES was a tremendous success, but I guess gaming itself changed right there.
im not surprised the n64 greatly outsold the ps1 early on. mario64 was a game changer, there were swarms of people dressed as Mario that Halloween and it seemed like everyone had Mario fever. the problem is momentum was lost due to lack of software. I remember renting the same handful of games 2-3 times since there was nothing else to play for quite some time. still a great system in the end but I really wish Nintendo would learn from its history of mistakes I want another SNES like Nintendo console.
Poimandres
Member
I got my Playstation towards the end of 1996. Tekken 2, Wipeout 2097, and Tomb Raider were my first games. This was all before the N64 even launched in Australia.
There were a good many great games for the PS1 before 1997. Sony did a great job of establishing the system in the early years, and really took things up a notch in the later years.
There were a good many great games for the PS1 before 1997. Sony did a great job of establishing the system in the early years, and really took things up a notch in the later years.
FreedomFighter
Member
That's why Nintendo lost that gen. I understand their reasoning for wanting to stick with carts, but cheap CD production and memory constraints of carts saw devs (especially Square with their CG heavy games) ultimately decide to go to Sony - not to mention Nintendo's arrogance with 3rd parties at the time. If Nintendo went with CDs, I really believe that gen would've turned out much differently.
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