Lessons of 8th Generation console launches

Reserved for modern gaming discussions.
User avatar
scotland
Posts: 2561
Joined: April 7th, 2015, 7:33 pm

Re: Lessons of 8th Generation console launches

Postby scotland » April 29th, 2015, 11:31 am

what about this for a lesson: Game systems are for Games

Microsoft is a big company, competing in more markets than video games. We gamers looked for an Xbox 720 video game system, but after probably years of work, MS unveils not the 720 but the One. The Xbox One was a living room control center and probably part of an even larger MS ecosystem...maybe trying to compete with Apple more than Sony or Nintendo. They unveiled it to investors only weeks before E3, and got some good non gaming press coverage on the One being the next evolution in entertainment. From many gamers they got laundry lists of complaints.

A year and a half after debutting, its gamers choosing between systems, not all the millions of other households upgrading their living room tech. When they pulled the kinect, I think that was recognition those millions of nongaming households were not coming. Maybe the name Xbox hurts in that respect.

User avatar
ptdebate
Posts: 1072
Joined: April 7th, 2015, 8:39 pm

Re: Lessons of 8th Generation console launches

Postby ptdebate » April 29th, 2015, 2:00 pm

Good point, Scotland. I think streaming apps are an expectation at this point (such that gamers don't have to be bothered to buy a smart TV or a streaming box), but that's a necessary rather than sufficient cause to make me want to buy a gaming console.

User avatar
Atarifever
Posts: 461
Joined: April 12th, 2015, 5:55 am

Re: Lessons of 8th Generation console launches

Postby Atarifever » May 6th, 2015, 5:28 am

Vexer6 wrote:It sounds like Nintendo is starting to do the same thing as Sega with releasing a new console in such a short period of time.

Just reading this thread now, so sorry I missed this earlier.

What exactly are you referring to here? Did Nintendo announce a new system for next year? Because a typical Nintendo system has always had a replacement in 5-6 years. NES-SNES-N64-GC-Wii-WiiU have all followed that pattern. I am assuming the Zelda delay makes a 2017 release for the new system likely, as it gives them their narrative for 2016 (Zelda all the way), which buys them their last year of WiiU support fairly cheaply.

User avatar
Atarifever
Posts: 461
Joined: April 12th, 2015, 5:55 am

Re: Lessons of 8th Generation console launches

Postby Atarifever » May 6th, 2015, 5:44 am

Vexer6 wrote:I wouldn't call Sony the winner by default just yet, as Microsoft still has a couple of big exclusives lined up for the holiday season this year(plus there's also the feature allowing players to stream gameplay onto Windows 10, which will undoubtedly be a selling point) in Halo 5 and Rise of the Tomb Raider(Ok that's one's a timed exclusive, but a lot of people won't want to wait until it comes out on Sony consoles) which will undoubtedly increase sales, while Sony has no exclusives lined up for the holidays yet(due to Uncharted 4 being delayed until next year).


Well, let's look at the history:

Sony scores probably the biggest E3 win ever by announcing they are going to include the same digital rights originally seen in the, wait for it, Odyssey 1. Yes, they completely pants Microsoft by announcing they will be taking the drastic step of allowing you to do the same thing with your Blu-Ray discs you could do with Ralph Baer's brown box connectors. A 1972 business model won them E3 in 2013.

Sony flies out of the gate to incredible, record breaking sales based on their massive exclusive launch game, um, Knack?

Sony systems fly off the shelf WAY faster than Xbox One systems because of their "incredible" racer, Drive Club, which is completely broken and not very good, and their incredible exclusive, Infamous which is beaten in a weekend.

Microsoft gains for a couple of months thanks to burning the Kinect and a huge price drop (that loses them money), and brand new exclusives like Titanfall and Sunset Overdrive, while Sony does nearly as well sitting at the same price they launched at (which makes them money) and exclusive "The Order" which you can beat in a weekend.

Sony has way more bullets left in the chamber, and just haven't had to fire any of them yet. They are winning, handily, for doing NOTHING. Imagine when they want to start firing. Microsoft is making all the right moves since they put Phil Spencer in charge. Unfortunately, it is going to be a long race before they catch up, and Sony hasn't even picked up their stride yet. Exclusives have not mattered to Sony yet, and I don't see that changing.

User avatar
ptdebate
Posts: 1072
Joined: April 7th, 2015, 8:39 pm

Re: Lessons of 8th Generation console launches

Postby ptdebate » May 6th, 2015, 10:34 am

Very on point, Atarifever. Xbox is still handily winning the exclusives competition. Looking at games individually, Bloodborne is the best 8th-gen exclusive so far but one good game does not a justifiable console purchase make.

I should also note that at times, Sony's fixation on resolution leads to less-than-desirable results in other areas. I have The Evil Within and Dragon Age: Inquisition for both consoles and have noticed a far choppier screen update in the PS4 versions despite the slightly sharper picture. Since the Xbox brand isn't married to the promise of 1080p graphics like the PS4 is, playability is in greater focus than image quality.

Sut
Posts: 845
Joined: April 8th, 2015, 4:23 pm

Re: Lessons of 8th Generation console launches

Postby Sut » May 6th, 2015, 10:51 am

Atarifever wrote:Sony has way more bullets left in the chamber, and just haven't had to fire any of them yet. They are winning, handily, for doing NOTHING. Imagine when they want to start firing. Microsoft is making all the right moves since they put Phil Spencer in charge. Unfortunately, it is going to be a long race before they catch up, and Sony hasn't even picked up their stride yet. Exclusives have not mattered to Sony yet, and I don't see that changing.


It's a good point the PS4 is the development console and generally considered to be the platform of choice for multi-plats. Therefore it hasn't got to rely as heavily on first party titles as they did with PS3. But yeah hopefully they've got some big hitters in the pipeline on standby.

Vexer6
Posts: 295
Joined: April 9th, 2015, 12:14 am

Re: Lessons of 8th Generation console launches

Postby Vexer6 » May 6th, 2015, 4:36 pm

Atari Fever- Remember the PS3 looked like it was losing badly last-gen, only to pull ahead of the 360 at the eleventh hour, so the reverse could easily happen here with the Xbox One as well. Sony hasn't "pantsed" anyone yet, I have a feeling their egos may get their better of them sooner or later(WTF was up with them randomly showing off fan letters at E3 last year? that just reeked of self-indulgence).

David
Posts: 191
Joined: April 20th, 2015, 3:10 am

Re: Lessons of 8th Generation console launches

Postby David » May 6th, 2015, 5:10 pm

Vexer6 wrote:Atari Fever- Remember the PS3 looked like it was losing badly last-gen, only to pull ahead of the 360 at the eleventh hour, so the reverse could easily happen here with the Xbox One as well. Sony hasn't "pantsed" anyone yet, I have a feeling their egos may get their better of them sooner or later(WTF was up with them randomly showing off fan letters at E3 last year? that just reeked of self-indulgence).


The only reason the PS3 has sold the same numbers as the 360 is because Sony has a worldwide presence. Even if Xbox can turn it around in the US and merely catch the PS4's sales (which is unlikely), they will never win in any other market except maybe the UK.

User avatar
zetax
Posts: 235
Joined: April 7th, 2015, 8:37 pm

Re: Lessons of 8th Generation console launches

Postby zetax » May 6th, 2015, 8:06 pm

Um...who really cares what console "wins" this generation...whatever the hell "wins" means to John Q. Consumer.

I'd just like to see something new/unique/better on these silly little black boxes that would make me feel like buying one...


Return to “Modern Gaming”