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MS: PS3 will help us sell 360s

In a GameSpot interview, Bryan Lee discussed the Xbox 360 shortages, and foreshadowed what Microsoft expects to happen when Sony launches its PlayStation 3.

"They're going to sell everything they make because the number won't be that big. In a weird way, all they're going to do is help us sell stuff, because they're going to drive consumers into stores who want to buy something and there's no PS3 there. And so they'll say, "Great. I'll take a 360." The reason I say that is we saw a lot of that happen around the Xbox 360 launch, where we created a lot of demand and had a certain quantity. It helped PS2 sales."

Hmmmm.
 
Wasn't this the exact same thing Sega was banking on with the Dreamcast during the PS2 launch?

Didn't seem to happen.

If anything, not being able to find a PS3 will only make people want it even more and become more determined to hold out until they get one.
 
It'll help sales as something similar happened when PS2 launched and the DC was readily available which saw DC sales rise. It's not something that's going to be a huge difference maker though.
 
Wasn't the same thing said about DC and Gamecube? Does this ever actually happen? Are there really people out there who would go to a store to buy a $300+ machine and get something else because it wasn't in stock at that particular moment? I would think if you were a big enough fan to buy a PS3 at launch you would wnat a PS3, not just any random game console.
 
PhatSaqs said:
It'll help sales as something similar happened when PS2 launched and the DC was readily available which saw DC sales rise. It's not something that's going to be a huge difference maker though.

Yep.

They're right, to an extent, but it's not gonna shatter the earth or push anything in their favor.

And it's a fucking hilarious business model.
 
soundwave05 said:
Wasn't this the exact same thing Sega was banking on with the Dreamcast during the PS2 launch?

Didn't seem to happen.

If anything, not being able to find a PS3 will only make people want it even more and become more determined to hold out until they get one.

We agree in this thread! ;)
 
Don't think it will matter that much. People have waited long for the Ps3 until then, so they'll wait a bit longer. And you'll buy a Ps3 for the name and exclusive games. They won't jump ship that easily.
 
Who the hell spends hundreds of pounds (dollars) on something they had no intention of buying in the first place?
 
"Sony stole our sales! Waaaaaaaaaaaa!"

EVERYONE stole their sales. They have no one to blame but themselves.
 
"We'll take your sloppy seconds"

But seriously, while this might be true in SOME cases, in the time I worked in retail it was quite difficult to "convert" people (yeah, it was store policy to try to convert people from PS2 sales to Xbox sales, for some reason). Some people, if they're very casual and don't really know what they want, could be turned. But the type of person looking for a PS3 near launch..? Hmm.
 
Second said:
Dnn't think it will matter that much. People have waited long for the Ps3 until then, so they'll wait a bit longer. And you'll buy a Ps3 for the name and exclusive games. They won't jump ship that easily.

Also, its funny how MS totally dismisses the upcoming Revolution launch as well.

Consumers unwilling to wait for the PS3 will likely pick up the newly released, much cheaper Nintendo console to tide them over. After all, the Revolution hype will be in full swing by then.

And Nintendo shouldn't have any problem manufacturing tons of consoles this holday season, given the tech.
 
I've worked retail. Remember, most of the people on GAF are NOT indicative of the average/casual gamer. You'd probably be fucking amazed at how often people (especially parents or people buying for gifts) will just pick up the next alternative. We'd run out of PS2's and they would buy a Xbox and vice versa, etc. They probably won't get a HUGE amount of sales that way, but that does happen very frequently.
 
Excelion said:
He is right but it would have been better with Halo 3 and a price drop at the same time.

People that are shopping for the new Playstation aren't really going to be swayed by Halo, at least not enough to make much of a difference.
 
PhatSaqs said:
It'll help sales as something similar happened when PS2 launched and the DC was readily available which saw DC sales rise. It's not something that's going to be a huge difference maker though.


That's pretty much what I did during that holiday. Wanted PS2....was out of stock....got a Dreamcast, Jet Grind Radio, Soul Calibur, and Sonic Adventure and then got a PS2 several months later.
 
fortified_concept said:
Exactly. It's pretty funny of him admitting that 360 will be the consumers' second choice when PS3 launches.

"When people realize they can't get their hands on what they really want, they'll settle for us. That's when we'll take over the market!"
 
Link Floyd said:
So to paraphrase MS-guy, isn't he saying next-gen doesn't start until PS3 rolls out? :lol

Sounds like this to me.

He is right, though. Next gen truly doesn't start until the market leader says so. Until then we have pockets of next gen mixed with quasi gen effort.
 
Do MS folks who are getting interview actually go through primers before the interview so they know what type of dumb comments NOT to make?

It certainly doesn't seem like it.... In this case a dumb comment being one that can be taken and turned around to make it look like you're downing your own product?
 
lol

"People will buy a XBox 360 because they'll have no choice but to settle."

There you go, XBots, a new hero to mimic in your spinning.
 
And so they'll say, "awww, I guess I'll take a 360."


fixed.


They probably are right, i imagine a lot of people who want PS3s will end up with 360s when it launches, but they shouldnt really be proud of the fact that they are second choice.
 
MassiveAttack said:
In a GameSpot interview, Bryan Lee discussed the Xbox 360 shortages, and foreshadowed what Microsoft expects to happen when Sony launches its PlayStation 3.



Hmmmm.

Hmmmm indeed. Peter Moore gave an interview recently where he said the exact opposite would happen with the 360 launch. The reasoning was that the early adopters were folks upgrading systems, not buying one for the first time, so it's not a matter of buying one system over the other.

A giant cookie if someone finds that quote - it was posted here just before the 360 launch.
 
That people will have to substitute an Xbox 360 for a PlayStation 3 is a temporary situation. I'll echo previous statements here: it really isn't something to discuss like this, especially for a subject that will not turn the tide in the long run. Has nothing to do with the attitude behind "the first to 10 million wins."
 
If that's Microsoft's new market strategy I almost feel sorry for them....almost. :p

At this pace they deserve everything that's coming to them.
 
SailorDaravon said:
I've worked retail. Remember, most of the people on GAF are NOT indicative of the average/casual gamer. You'd probably be fucking amazed at how often people (especially parents or people buying for gifts) will just pick up the next alternative. We'd run out of PS2's and they would buy a Xbox and vice versa, etc. They probably won't get a HUGE amount of sales that way, but that does happen very frequently.


QFT. We aren't talking about spiteful 'Next-Gen begins with PS3' GAFers here. We are talking about casuals and soccer moms who want to buy little Timmy a new game console or Joe 6-pack who wants a game system to go with his new HDTV. Will this make a HUGE swing in console sales? Unlikely but we are also assuming that XBOX 360 won't have any compelling reasons to pick up the console in its own right. That software coupled with a PS3 shortage could equal a nice up tick in 360 sales and its not just because people are settling.

The Dark One
 
DarkMage619 said:
That software coupled with a PS3 shortage could equal a nice up tick in 360 sales and its not just because people are settling.

Point is the people that really want a PS3 aren't going to just say "Oh thats sold out, so i'll get a 360". If they wanted a 360 then they would've bought one before that anyway.
 
DarkMage619 said:
QFT. We aren't talking about spiteful 'Next-Gen begins with PS3' GAFers here. We are talking about casuals and soccer moms who want to buy little Timmy a new game console or Joe 6-pack who wants a game system to go with his new HDTV. Will this make a HUGE swing in console sales? Unlikely but we are also assuming that XBOX 360 won't have any compelling reasons to pick up the console in its own right. That software coupled with a PS3 shortage could equal a nice up tick in 360 sales and its not just because people are settling.


while i can agree with the soccer mom and joe 6 sentiment, i dont think it is nearly as relevant at a 399 pricepoint. atleast for the soccer mom. i guess joe will buy whatever he can to play the latest madden :/
 
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