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[slavesnyder]

So is this now good or bad?

 

[The Mad Draklor]

So is this now good or bad?

The bundle includes a download voucher for Modern Warfare Remastered, so good...?

 

[allan-bh]

IT'S A CHRISTMAS MIRACLE

Well, I mean. It's missing Christmas, but ya know.

The timing is strange, but it's best than nothing.

 

[MatPiscatella]

Someone explain the strategy behind the timing to me please.

 

[Astral Dog]

I guess my issue here is that I feel most of what Nintendo is still managing to sell is the same kind of games as the rest of the industry.

Like, let's look through their somewhat recent big sellers from the Wii U and 3DS and toss in their flagship upcoming game:
- Super Smas Bros: Multiplayer focused, service based fighting game.
- Splatoon: Multiplayer focused, service based third person shooter.
- Mario Kart: Multiplayer focused, service based racing game.
- Zelda: Open world action adventure game.
- Mario 2D: Four player co-op platformer.
- Mario 3D: Four player co-op platformer.
- Pokemon Sun/Moon: Lengthy RPG with cinematic production values (for a handheld game) and a kitchen sink full of side activities and various online functionalities. Holds frequent post launch events. It's not open world, but it takes a "wide linear" approach like other modern linear games for the initial playthrouhh and effectively becomes hub based in the post game when various Pokémon and blockades aren't stopping you.
- Fire Emblem: Lengthy strategy RPG. Has romance systems, online multiplayer, and town building. Had an aggressive DLC model.
- Animal Crossing: City building/life sim.
- Tomodachi Collection: Sort of a social life event comedy thing.

There's a little variation here, some of it being that they still make platformers, some of it being the nature of handheld games being a bit different from console games, but I feel that as a whole, this is pretty much the same type of content everyone else is succeeding with. Even stuff like Animal Crossing matches up with City Skylines doing 3 million on Steam and the continued success of The Sims, though I guess we could see that part of the PC audience as an expanded audience these days. Tomodachi Collection is probably the product least comparable to other non-mobile games.

That said, I feel like the crux of Nintendo's expanded audience games (Wii Fit, Wii Sports, Brain Training...) are not major hits for the company anymore. It's overwhelmingly the stuff that appeals to the remaining core audience, and the expansion mostly comes from it being more age appropriate for younger audiences.

We could argue their family friendly content is (barely) enough to differentiate them from the other publisher offerings.

Though from Nintendo decent online multiplayer games were quite a rare sign for many years, they just recently had some success there on Wii U.

 

[Primethius]

Someone explain the strategy behind the timing to me please.

After losing December, they push out the CoD bundle to try and gain the momentum they had earlier this January with the BO3 bundle.

Spoiler

I'm not entirely serious, but I do think XB1 won December.

 

[allan-bh]

I guess the explanation is that Sony doesn't wanted to sell a bundle with a third-party game for $249 in holidays (because would be less profitable), so they focused on Uncharted 4 bundle and hold CoD bundle until the season is over and the price go back to $299.

 

[Elandyll]

Someone explain the strategy behind the timing to me please.

Maximizing profit.

This way they can go through the mass produced amounts of UC4 bundles on the cheap, while still having a COD bundle at $299 (3rd party game, more expensive).

I think it's smart, from a $$ perspective (also expecting the COD bundle to take over once the UC4 one is sold out).

After losing December, they push out the CoD bundle to try and gain the momentum they had earlier this January with the BO3 bundle.

Spoiler

I'm not entirely serious, but I do think XB1 won December.

Tss tss.

You were wrong in Nov, You're going to be wrong again in Dec.

 

[MatPiscatella]

Okay that makes sense.

 

[QuantumZebra]

Fuck yea Titanfall 2 - well deserved

Dishonored 2 should be #1 tho

 

[sense]

They also have a standalone uncharted game to sell next year so getting as many people as possible invested through uc4 would make sense

 

[slavesnyder]

Someone explain the strategy behind the timing to me please.

1) Sony locked down marketing rights, knowing the game was shit.
2) Sony made U4 bundle, leaving cod in the cold november/december rain.
3) Waited and watched how COD flopped hard.
4) Activision begging Sony on their knees to save them and their evergreen franchise
5) good guy Sony strokes his beard and finally helps them out.
6) The bundle sell like hotcake. Cod is saved.
7) Activision is grateful and grants Sony 3 wishes
8) Activision will analyse the cod situation and will reboot the franchise drastically and innovative. Next cod will play in WW1.

 

[RexNovis]

Sony really cheaped out and went super conservative with the bundles this year for the holidays. Crazy that the CoD bundle was only just announced and won't be out until next year. No idea why SIEA decided to be so laser focused on profit above market appeal/penetration this year. Whatever the reason is I don't agree with it at all. Stupid decision with where the market is headed (games as service and digital) imo.

 

[DriftingSpirit]

Sony really cheaped out and went super conservative with the bundles this year for the holidays. Crazy that the CoD bundle was only just announced and won't be out until next year. No idea why SIEA decided to be so laser focused on profit above market appeal/penetration this year. Whatever the reason is I don't agree with it at all. Stupid decision with where the market is headed (games as service and digital) imo.

Considering what they will have in store next year, I don't think it really matters.

"Sure, we have Destiny, CoD, Battlefront II and RDR2 bundles or what not but man, we messed up not going for more market appeal last year."

 

[ArkhamFantasy]

Considering what they will have in store next year, I don't think it really matters.

"Sure, we have Destiny, CoD, Battlefront II and RDR2 bundles or what not but man, we messed up not going for more market appeal last year."

Would they have 3 FPS bundles at the same holiday?

 

[Welfare]

Sony really cheaped out and went super conservative with the bundles this year for the holidays. Crazy that the CoD bundle was only just announced and won't be out until next year. No idea why SIEA decided to be so laser focused on profit above market appeal/penetration this year. Whatever the reason is I don't agree with it at all. Stupid decision with where the market is headed (games as service and digital) imo.

Sony is probably betting on CoD keeping sales from crashing so hard during the early part of 2017. 1.1M November, probably <1.2M December will mean a very small quarter 1, so introducing the CoD bundle after Christmas will hopefully keep interest from dropping like a boulder.

They have basically "won" this generation so they can focus on maximizing profit this holiday while having a mass consumer bundle in the "off season".

 

[DriftingSpirit]

Would they have 3 FPS bundles at the same holiday?

If that is what draws people in, sure.

 

[RexNovis]

Sony is probably betting on CoD keeping sales from crashing so hard during the early part of 2017. 1.1M November, probably <1.2M December will mean a very small quarter 1, so introducing the CoD bundle after Christmas will hopefully keep interest from dropping like a boulder.

They have basically "won" this generation so they can focus on maximizing profit this holiday while having a mass consumer bundle in the "off season".

Considering the whole impetus behind the iterative approach being to keep ppl locked into their service/ecosystem it's odd that they would take such a contradictory stance on prioritizing profit instead of expanding market share with their mass market model. It just seems so counter to the goals behind the other moves they've made in the market this gen and in the big picture with the way the market is headed (profit via micro transactions, post release content and digital distribution) I think it's a major misstep.

IMO they should be focused on expanding their market appeal and locking as many new consumers as they can in their ecosystem to ensure long term profits instead focusing on smaller short term margins.

 

[slavesnyder]

IMO they should be focused on expanding their market appeal and locking as many new consumers as they can in their ecosystem to ensure long term profits instead focusing on smaller short term margins.

Make the razors cheap, earn on the blades. In that case subscriptions, games and accessories. I agree that next years lineup is fine, but only helps up to a certain point this black friday / christmas. If people buy the other console now it might be the case they actually like it and aren't motivated to buy a second one, with another subscription to pay. So i think sony could have done better, but they preferred short-term profit and clean structures.
I also agree and it sounds so logical that there must be another reason.
One thing might really just be making cash now. My boss thinks alike and it's always difficult to argue pro pigeon on the roof when it's actually you own money and business.
Other might be that npd region isn't worth the win through sacrifice while rest of the world makes constantly nice sales numbers. They have to balance a world empire, and maybe not even the biggest region should get unlimited extra treatment and attention.
Last point: maybe ps4 pro and vr introduction just ate too much grey matter to plan, market and produce that they were simple happy to not have another issue at the same time.


And merry christmas by the way to everyone.

 

[Calm Mind]

1) Sony locked down marketing rights, knowing the game was shit.
2) Sony made U4 bundle, leaving cod in the cold november/december rain.
3) Waited and watched how COD flopped hard.
4) Activision begging Sony on their knees to save them and their evergreen franchise
5) good guy Sony strokes his beard and finally helps them out.
6) The bundle sell like hotcake. Cod is saved.
7) Activision is grateful and grants Sony 3 wishes
8) Activision will analyse the cod situation and will reboot the franchise drastically and innovative. Next cod will play in WW1.

Joke post? Because Kotick's ego would not allow even a hypothetical scenario to exist.

Sony bought a dud CoD and now they are trying to make the best out of a terrible situation. I mean the game is so unwanted that Gamestop was practically giving it away for trade-ins. MW:R is the real victim in all this.

 

[Boke1879]

Joke post? Because Kotick's ego would not allow even a hypothetical scenario to exist.

Sony bought a dud CoD and now they are trying to make the best out of a terrible situation. I mean the game is so unwanted that Gamestop was practically giving it away for trade-ins. MW:R is the real victim in all this.

I mean they have a deal for the entire gen for COD. BO3 was a great get. And while I don't think this bundle will get as many sales as that it's a nice stop gap from now until the eventual Horizon bundle in February

 

[Loris146]

Make the razors cheap, earn on the blades. In that case subscriptions, games and accessories. I agree that next years lineup is fine, but only helps up to a certain point this black friday / christmas. If people buy the other console now it might be the case they actually like it and aren't motivated to buy a second one, with another subscription to pay. So i think sony could have done better, but they preferred short-term profit and clean structures.
I also agree and it sounds so logical that there must be another reason.
One thing might really just be making cash now. My boss thinks alike and it's always difficult to argue pro pigeon on the roof when it's actually you own money and business.
Other might be that npd region isn't worth the win through sacrifice while rest of the world makes constantly nice sales numbers. They have to balance a world empire, and maybe not even the biggest region should get unlimited extra treatment and attention.
Last point: maybe ps4 pro and vr introduction just ate too much grey matter to plan, market and produce that they were simple happy to not have another issue at the same time.


And merry christmas by the way to everyone.

Merry christmas sales gaf.

 

[Triggerhappytel]

Someone explain the strategy behind the timing to me please.

Presumably Activision wanted to get as many sales of the game standalone before they started bundling it, because they get a bigger cut selling it directly as opposed to the bundled copies?

 

[Primethius]

Maximizing profit.

This way they can go through the mass produced amounts of UC4 bundles on the cheap, while still having a COD bundle at $299 (3rd party game, more expensive).

I think it's smart, from a $$ perspective (also expecting the COD bundle to take over once the UC4 one is sold out).


Tss tss.

You were wrong in Nov, You're going to be wrong again in Dec.

Haha, let's hope I'm around to take the L

 

[Ashtar]

Correct story, wrong conclusion.
20 or 30 years ago consoles were the hottest thing on the planet (maybe only matched by samantha fox). So kids grew up without ever touching neither nor, but it was the definition of cool. It was what the cool kid down the road had.
Now, kids grow up with access to / presence of consoles because the former 90's kids now are dads and bought the consoles for themselves after they earned some own money. No wonder kids don't find them sexy any more. dad's hobby sucks per se. Consoles are the electrical trains of our times. And look as outdated as samantha fox by now.

I guess this is a British reference Bc I never even heard of Samantha fox and I'm 32 so maybe that's why.
Also Wikipedia says she appeared as a topless model at 16? Wtf?

Her parents gave their consent for her to pose topless,[

.... Jeebus kristaps....

 

[DriftingSpirit]

Considering the whole impetus behind the iterative approach being to keep ppl locked into their service/ecosystem it's odd that they would take such a contradictory stance on prioritizing profit instead of expanding market share with their mass market model. It just seems so counter to the goals behind the other moves they've made in the market this gen and in the big picture with the way the market is headed (profit via micro transactions, post release content and digital distribution) I think it's a major misstep.

IMO they should be focused on expanding their market appeal and locking as many new consumers as they can in their ecosystem to ensure long term profits instead focusing on smaller short term margins.

What is stopping them from still doing that?

 

[KawabataSan]

1) Sony locked down marketing rights, knowing the game was shit.
2) Sony made U4 bundle, leaving cod in the cold november/december rain.
3) Waited and watched how COD flopped hard.
4) Activision begging Sony on their knees to save them and their evergreen franchise
5) good guy Sony strokes his beard and finally helps them out.
6) The bundle sell like hotcake. Cod is saved.
7) Activision is grateful and grants Sony 3 wishes
8) Activision will analyse the cod situation and will reboot the franchise drastically and innovative. Next cod will play in WW1.

All of your posts are just genius. Always make me laugh

 

[mckmas8808]

Correct story, wrong conclusion.
20 or 30 years ago consoles were the hottest thing on the planet (maybe only matched by samantha fox). So kids grew up without ever touching neither nor, but it was the definition of cool. It was what the cool kid down the road had.
Now, kids grow up with access to / presence of consoles because the former 90's kids now are dads and bought the consoles for themselves after they earned some own money. No wonder kids don't find them sexy any more. dad's hobby sucks per se. Consoles are the electrical trains of our times. And look as outdated as samantha fox by now.

Consoles don't look outdated to kids today lol. Trust me my 10 year nephew doesn't look at his PS4 and gets bored within minutes.

 

[Nightengale]

Sony's hardware is profitable and still selling well without needing to be generous about it, so they've pretty much stop caring about going the razor blade model already.

They want have the cake and eat it too.

 

[watdaeff4]

After losing December, they push out the CoD bundle to try and gain the momentum they had earlier this January with the BO3 bundle.

Spoiler

I'm not entirely serious, but I do think XB1 won December.

Your thought of trying to keep momentum I agree with.

Your prediction that XB1 "won" December I disagree with.

 

[DriftingSpirit]

Your thought of trying to keep momentum I agree with.

Your prediction that XB1 "won" December I disagree with.

Sony announced the CoD bundle last year in the middle of December and they took the month too.

 

[Chris1]

Sony announced the CoD bundle last year in the middle of December and they took the month too.

That released before Christmas though. America doesn't have boxing day sales right?

If the leaked numbers for November are true I think Xbox will take December but will probably be close again

 

[DriftingSpirit]

That released before Christmas though. America doesn't have boxing day sales right?

I know, but the announcement of the bundle doesn't indicate anything about performance relative to MS. That is what I was getting at.

 

[hanspampel]

Sony's hardware is profitable and still selling well without needing to be generous about it, so they've pretty much stop caring about going the razor blade model already.

They want have the cake and eat it too.

just because the Hardware is profitable does not mean there is any meaningful money to be made
margin is razor thin on hardware, to keep the analogy


this is just my personal estimate, but Microsoft highly likely made more grossprofit on the 1m elite controller they sold, than all xbox one consoles (the original fat one. they new s model will be better) they sold. and i talk about total $ value here, not the margin.
and while Sonys margin and profits on Hardware should be better, the number is still small like hell.


Goldman Sachs estimates, that 95% of Sonys G&NS profits comes form Network Sales

 

[Krakin]

Is it safe to trust Amazon again?

 

[KawabataSan]

Goldman Sachs estimates, that 95% of Sonys G&NS profits comes form Network Sales

Source?

 

[Saucycarpdog]

1) Sony locked down marketing rights, knowing the game was shit.
2) Sony made U4 bundle, leaving cod in the cold november/december rain.
3) Waited and watched how COD flopped hard.
4) Activision begging Sony on their knees to save them and their evergreen franchise
5) good guy Sony strokes his beard and finally helps them out.
6) The bundle sell like hotcake. Cod is saved.
7) Activision is grateful and grants Sony 3 wishes
8) Activision will analyse the cod situation and will reboot the franchise drastically and innovative. Next cod will play in WW1.

I doubt that. Activision is making up most of the money through Destiny and Overwatch.

And CoD sales would still have been significantly down with or without a Sony bundle.

 

[CosmicQueso]

I doubt that. Activision is making up most of the money through Destiny and Overwatch.

And CoD sales would still have been significantly down with or without a Sony bundle.

I take it you're new here?

 

[Toth]

I normally do not post in these threads but seeing how FF XV has had strong legs thus far in Japan and quite a lot of praise in threads all over the net despite its flaws, I am so curious to see how it does this season. I do think SE's commitment to updating some of the issues people had with the game and the DLC may have given the game a little boost as well.

When will we have an official answer?

 

[Bastables]

I guess this is a British reference Bc I never even heard of Samantha fox and I'm 32 so maybe that's why.
Also Wikipedia says she appeared as a topless model at 16? Wtf?

.... Jeebus kristaps....

Good the thing you missed Traci lords then.

 

[Norse]

Top Christmas gift is gift cards.
Gift cards get spent after Xmas.
Maybe on cod PS bundles.

 

[hanspampel]

Source?

was a tweet from astonaut clair and she works for them afaik
sadly her twitter account is deleated so i can't link you the tweet anymore

 

[CosmicQueso]

bad thing to post

What. Are. You. Doing.

Can you just state your point and lose the snark?

No. Go ahead and get mad about it instead.

 

[Saucycarpdog]

I take it you're new here?

Can you just state your point and lose the snark?

 

[MacTag]

I normally do not post in these threads but seeing how FF XV has had strong legs thus far in Japan and quite a lot of praise in threads all over the net despite its flaws, I am so curious to see how it does this season. I do think SE's commitment to updating some of the issues people had with the game and the DLC may have given the game a little boost as well.

When will we have an official answer?

FFXV has had terrible legs in Japan, despite price slashing as low as ¥2000. It's not going to sell a million in the region or clear it's first huge shipment.

 

[Saucycarpdog]

What. Are. You. Doing.



No. Go ahead and get mad about it instead.

Damn your quite petty. Someone kill your dog or something?

 

[ethomaz]

I normally do not post in these threads but seeing how FF XV has had strong legs thus far in Japan and quite a lot of praise in threads all over the net despite its flaws, I am so curious to see how it does this season. I do think SE's commitment to updating some of the issues people had with the game and the DLC may have given the game a little boost as well.

When will we have an official answer?

What strong legs in Japan??? It is the opposite.

The game won't cross 1m at this pace.

 

[hanspampel]

What. Are. You. Doing.



No. Go ahead and get mad about it instead.

why is that a bad thing to post?

 

[Oregano]

FFXV having strong legs in Japan is post-truth at its finest.

 

[Mrbob]

Im curious to see if this is the year post holiday sales fall off a cliff for ps4/xb1. Big holiday specials couple years in a row. Consumers are being trained to not buy a console until Black Friday to Christmas.

Perhaps it won't matter and preseason sales will stay OK.