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Is MadCatz almost dead?

A

Armaly

Member
Seems like the writing has been on the wall for a while.

Back in July they sent out a letter saying that they were banking on Rockband 4 to be a hit to pay off some debt.

Link
Mad Catz is looking to Rock Band 4 to help it stabilize a financial situation that could have seen a bank calling in a $20 million loan, closing down the company.
Click to expand...

RockBand 4 didn't sell well enough for them and they ended up laying off 37% of their staff and 3 top execs ended up leaving.

Link
During the third quarter, which ran from October through December 2015, Mad Catz recorded $65 million in net sales, the second-highest in its history. That included "strong Rock Band 4 sales," said new CEO Karen McGinnis, although they were "lower than originally forecast." And Mad Catz's net loss for the first nine months of its fiscal year ballooned from $809,000 a year ago to $4.36 million.
Click to expand...

I didn't pay any particular attention to them until around February. I ordered some parts for my arcade stick. The items never ended up shipping out and I called them and the rep said that there was a site glitch and my order was currently in back order. The rep could not give me an estimate on when they would get more stock but I decided to keep the order and just wait.

So I began checking their site once a week to see if they ever got any new stock. I began to notice a few things. Around the release of Street Fighter V they got rid of their European site. Instead, people would be directed to their main site store.madcatz.com. I just checked again today and now their main site is gone. It's just their catalog and instead you are redirected to amazon.

Do you guys think that this is almost the end for them?

Edits:


Harmonix even ended up dropping them for PDP to make their peripherals.
sixteen-bit said:
They also did not renew sponsorships for their fighting game eSports players Mago and Tokido.
Click to expand...

Link
Harmonix is making changes as it relates to Rock Band 4 hardware. The Boston-based independent developer today announced a deal with Performance Designed Products (PDP) for Rock Band 4 hardware, seemingly replacing Mad Catz as the developer and distributor of Rock Band 4 guitars and drums.
Click to expand...
 
Sapiens

Sapiens

Member
I'm surprised they made it this far, to be frank. That being said, they seem like an adaptable company.

I'm optomistic.
 
G

Gipsy Danger

Member
I have no idea who thought that banking on the return of the plastic instrument genre would've secured their future. Anyone could've told you that genre was extremely niche. I also hear some bad things about their new FightPads, sticks are still pretty great though - I bought the Chun Li one.

It's a real shame to see them probably bow out after turning the whole company from making total trash 3rd party peripherals to some of the best (most expensive) arcade sticks in the business.
 
D

Diablohead

Member
I always felt like they were doing good with fight sticks and android controllers, it's a shame to see them shrink so fast after what felt like some solid years improving.

Rockband 4 was the worst decision they made and IMO a waste of money and effort.
 
T

True Fire

Member
Honestly, they've had a good run. And we've reached the point where younger gamers don't even use controllers and older gamers can afford a premium experience.
 
P

perfectchaos007

Member
True Fire said:
Honestly, they've had a good run. And we've reached the point where younger gamers don't even use controllers and older gamers can afford a premium experience.
Click to expand...

Yep. I remember my first madkatz purchase was a contorller for Playstation. It was only $20 while Sony brand controllers were $40. The controller stopped working after a couple of months and I learned a valuable lesson about paying for what you get. I saved up for first party controllers from then on
 
LoveCake

LoveCake

Member
I think that the market just disappeared for them, there used to be lots of third party controllers but there are not that many at all now, everyone just seems to stick to the original controllers.
 
N

Neoxon

Junior Member
Mokubba said:
Daigo's still sponsored though right?

They still have Tokido and Mago on the website too.

Never knew HSI was sponsored by them.
Click to expand...
Yeah, Daigo's still sponsored by Mad Catz.

I should probably pick up the TE2+ before they completely go under.
 
C

~Cross~

Member
Saitek, one of their subsidiaries just finished making a higher end model flight stick. I wouldn't say they are dead, but probably shifting markets while shedding a ton of people. Maybe they'll die and sell off their subsidiaries to other companies or spin them off before dragging them into the abyss with them.
 
Juke Joint Jezebel

Juke Joint Jezebel

Member
Shame if they do die off. Bought a few controllers off of them lately and they've been great. Seems like they really tried to clean up their image since the N64/PSOne days. I remember their god awful memory cards.
 
A

Armaly

Member
B1G_A1AN said:
I think that the market just disappeared for them, there used to be lots of third party controllers but there are not that many at all now, everyone just seems to stick to the original controllers.
Click to expand...

Did some more research. They made their own version of the ouya?

68-165-001-TS
Click to expand...

I wonder how much that set them back.
 
S

Skele7on

Banned
the arcade sticks they've been producing have in my experience been utter crap.

time to shut up shop guys you've had a good run.
 
R

Ricker

Member
How come they cant make PS4 controllers....? my left analog works very poorly in some games and I need to replace it but jesus they are 79 bucks up here...their stuff wasnt so bad compared to the real deals and cheaper...
 
M

Mr. X

Member
The TE sticks ($150+) are amazing products. Can't say much about the cheaper sticks made from in house or cheaper parts.

I went Hori this gen due to price and availability.
 
B

bonesmccoy

Banned
perfectchaos007 said:
Yep. I remember my first madkatz purchase was a contorller for Playstation. It was only $20 while Sony brand controllers were $40. The controller stopped working after a couple of months and I learned a valuable lesson about paying for what you get. I saved up for first party controllers from then on
Click to expand...

Haha I had the same experience. Got the PSx for Christmas and bought a 2nd controller so my best friend and I could play Twisted Metal (which we did, for dozens of hours). About 3 months in one of the buttons started to get stuck. I think I just dealt with it until the DualShock was released.
 
D

DownGrader

Member
If that means the end of Saitek flight sticks (wasn't Saitek bought by MadCatz?), I am going to be severely disappointed.
 
T

toastyToast

Member
la_briola said:
hori and qanba, they make better sticks anyways
Click to expand...

Most of Hori's sticks aren't as good as the TE. I have a HRAP V and the buttons aren't that that great and it's too small. While the TE's just use Sanwa parts the enclosures are pretty damn solid, especially the TE2

I've heard the Hayabusa are an improvement though
 
H

HardRojo

Member
I hope they stick around at least with arcade sticks. Been rocking my TE round 2 for about 5 years and it's still going strong.
 
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