The Video Game Critic

This topic is sort of based off something I saw on a Sega site once. The guy made a topic about what would happen if he had control of Sega and making sure it would still be good. Now I want to say this: What if you had control of major companies like Nintendo and Sony, or turned a bad company like Acclaim into a major success? All you have to do is to expand your mind of the companies history of how their games were and figure what would happen if you had control of it.

Outside of obvious things like not making a buggy system or terrible controllers, only a few things to keep in mind:

1: Make sure a system has MUST-HAVE launch games

2: Keep the price point as low as possible

3: Don't burn the consumer! Mad , formerly loyal customers
can ruin a company (look at Sega)

For the most part I think Nintendo and Microsofts X360 followed these rules, but sony went a bit overboard with the PS3. Not that it's not a good system, but god it's EXPENSIVE because of features few consumers (at least here) seem to care about, and no Gears Of War or Twilight Princess (with upcoming Super Mario Galaxy and smash bros.). I think Sony got way too complacent with their coporate name. "SONY PS3 will sell simply because it IS the Sony PS3!" Uh-huh. And So Did Sega Saturn and Dreamcast....but not enough, not enough....Will Sony become a software brand for the other machines next year? Time will tell. I know a lotta store owners who would trade a dozen dusty PS3's for a Wii right about now!

i dont think it would matter. my tastes dont really click with the mainstream video game market

Something a LOT of companies have been doing for a long time is taking ANY Liscence they can get ahold of and making a bad game out of a bad movie/TV show. (Or even a GOOD movie or TV show for that matter, but why even BUY a BAD liscence?!).... Remember classics like THE LAST ACTION HERO, HOME ALONE 2, FAMILY DOG and the classic, incredible BATMAN & ROBIN movie (Although I think the Genesis game based on the Batman/Robin CARTOON was very good-you need a scorecard here..). And I'd like to punch the guy who decided to make that (Ugh...getting..nauseous...) BARNEY video game. Kids should only be allowed to torture their parents so much!

[QUOTE=chrisbid]i dont think it would matter. my tastes dont really click with the mainstream video game market[/QUOTE]

Don't take this the wrong way, but I'm curious as to what is considered "mainstream" in videogames? 

Is it just people that buy the biggest most hyped crap on the market?  Personally, I try to find hidden games that most people miss out on (Earth Defense Force 2017) instead of going after the heavy hitters.  Is that more or less what you do, or are you more into homebrews/imports?  Just curious.

I'd probably want to buy the various EA studios around the world for the sole purpose of razing them... EA hasn't been doing anything beneficial for video gaming for the past ten years.

Good post! I can think of a few things:

1). Before even starting work on the next console, I would have a roundtable with all of the developers, toss my ideas their way and see how their most beloved franchises would translate to my system.

2). Have a backlog of ready-to-go development kits ready to go. Word has it that Nintendo has a three month wait for all developers seeking kits right now!! Come on, Nintendo! You have people who actually want to make games for your system, you should have been ready for this!

3). Make my system powerful enough for multi-platform, unique enough for AAA exclusives.

4). Start hyping, months in advance. I would use a chunk of the advertising budget for vague commercials, stating only that "the xxx is coming --- of '08" or something against a blackscreen. Two months, leading up to launch, I would pick the most easily accessible game of the launch titles and start organizing competitions at all of the major game stores.

5). A promotion to win the system two months before anybody else, through Pepsi.

6). A low enough price where I'm making a very modest profit but is still lower than the competition.

7). Two killer apps, rather than one. One that is for the younger set and one that is tailor-made for the more mature gamer. For example, imagine the PS3 launching with Ratchet and Clank AND Metal Gear Solid 4!!!

8). Take a modest hit and include two controllers with each console rather than only one! Include a demo disc with a multitude of upcoming titles, a coupon book for $5 off all games and merchandise, etc. Well, I suppose my modest hit would become a substantial loss but it would be worth it.