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"When to release a new console"

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Mon 25/06/01 at 11:56
Regular
Posts: 787
When is the right time to release a new console?
By choosing the correct time to release your brand new state of the art console you choose your market and the quantity you sell. Let me explain...
You have your console, lets call it the Mundell, and you are ready to release it. Do you release it when:

A) The console controlling the majority of the market is in its prime
B) As soon as your console is finished, and xxx,xxx,xxx amount has been made
C) A rival company are about to release their machine
D) When your console has enough games to justify the customer buying it
E) Before your rival releases their machine; when your console has enough games (which of over 60% are half decent); almost immediately the market dries up for the console controlling the majority of the market, when people automatically start looking for the next step forward

The answer is B, joke, its obviously E. This is where Sega have failed. They released the Saturn right in the peak of Nintendo's SNES, as did the Jaguar. Then Sony released the PlayStation, when the games for the SNES started to dry up. The PS was an immediate hit but now its games are also drying up. The Dreamcast was released by SEGA when the PS was at the start of the end, but too near the start to make an impact on the market. Many people had a PS and they were happy with it, they didn't see the need to buy a new console. Then the PlayStation 2 was released, just when the PS ride was slowing down and the N64 was dead. It had the added advantage that customers could play their old PS games on it, giving customers a reason to buy it instead of other consoles. Soon(?) the X-box and the Gamecube will be released but perhaps too late. The PS will be dead once they arrive, probably even before they make their entrance, and many customers will have already moved on, probably to the PS2 as there are no other gaming consoles around (the production of Dreamcast has ceased). Those in the know might wait for the Gamecube and the X-box but the others will be getting bored and might shell out the money for a PS2. So, whether or not the X-box and the Gamecube take off depends on how quickly people can be educated about how good the X-box and the Gamecube will be, and if they can be patient.
However I am guessing the PS2 will be the winner of the Console Wars, and thus I have bought one myself. Will you wait for the X-box or Gamecube?
Mon 25/06/01 at 13:13
Regular
"Eric The Half A Bee"
Posts: 5,347
Bonus wrote:
> I think the PS2 has hit it right on the button, and looks as though
> it will have Christmas all to itself in Europe!! However, if either
> the Xbox or Gamecube catch on in the states, you know the old
> saying, if America sneezes, we catch a cold!!

Although... having said that...

Wasnt the SNES more popular than the Megadrive/Genesis in the States...

With the MegaDrive/Genesis being more popular than the SNES in Europe?
Mon 25/06/01 at 12:52
Regular
Posts: 6,492
I think the PS2 has hit it right on the button, and looks as though it will have Christmas all to itself in Europe!! However, if either the Xbox or Gamecube catch on in the states, you know the old saying, if America sneezes, we catch a cold!!
Mon 25/06/01 at 12:34
Posts: 0
Ice Blaster wrote:
> Either summer, so the kids can buy them for the summer holidays, or
> October, as previosly said, So a huge Christmas boom.

It can't be
> to close with other competition though, but can't be to far way
> either. If two rival consoles were produced in the same month...
> Sales would be low becasue people can only afford one, instead of a
> possible both. If they are sold within a couple of years of each
> other., the console produced first would have plenty of time to
> think up new ideas, nick some ideas of the new one and make a better
> console, produced after the newest one. If you see what I mean?

I wouldn't release mine in the summer as many people will be spending money for holidays etc. Some parents might view buying a new games machine as a way to keeep the children happy but many will think that it keeps them out of the sun, inside all day etc. Pre-Christmas is probably the safest bet, maybe midway through December so the children don't get time to change their minds. Also October might be a good time as it is a relatively quiet time of year, and probably when parents are most willing to buy a games machine for their "sweet urchins".
Mon 25/06/01 at 12:14
Regular
"Back in black"
Posts: 5,486
Either summer, so the kids can buy them for the summer holidays, or October, as previosly said, So a huge Christmas boom.

It can't be to close with other competition though, but can't be to far way either. If two rival consoles were produced in the same month... Sales would be low becasue people can only afford one, instead of a possible both. If they are sold within a couple of years of each other., the console produced first would have plenty of time to think up new ideas, nick some ideas of the new one and make a better console, produced after the newest one. If you see what I mean?
Mon 25/06/01 at 12:07
Posts: 0
Goatboy wrote:
> Mundy wrote:
> When is the right time to release a new
> console?
the X-box or Gamecube?

Fridays.

Nah Friday is my night out, Thursday would be better. Then you could develop a cold and take Thursday and friday off work/school to play your new console, the you could go out on Friday night and take your mates back for a game on your chosen console, and beat them!(because you've had the practice on Thursday and Friday). Excellent...
Mon 25/06/01 at 12:01
Regular
"not dead"
Posts: 11,145
I'd say October.

Get it out plenty before Xmas, so that you have a second wave of games launched in time to fill stockings.

I think that Nintendo and Microsoft should have pulled out all of the stops to get their consoles out before the end of the year here, but it's not going to happen.

I don't see too many parents splashing out £200 for a GAMECUBE just 2 months after Christmas.
Mon 25/06/01 at 11:59
Posts: 0
Nah, a Friday is my night out. Probably a Thursday so you could play it all day Friday then go out Friday night. Though the consequences of everyone taking Friday off work/ school are not worth thinking about.
Mon 25/06/01 at 11:56
Regular
"Infantalised Forums"
Posts: 23,089
Mundy wrote:
> When is the right time to release a new console?
the X-box or Gamecube?

Fridays.
Mon 25/06/01 at 11:56
Posts: 0
When is the right time to release a new console?
By choosing the correct time to release your brand new state of the art console you choose your market and the quantity you sell. Let me explain...
You have your console, lets call it the Mundell, and you are ready to release it. Do you release it when:

A) The console controlling the majority of the market is in its prime
B) As soon as your console is finished, and xxx,xxx,xxx amount has been made
C) A rival company are about to release their machine
D) When your console has enough games to justify the customer buying it
E) Before your rival releases their machine; when your console has enough games (which of over 60% are half decent); almost immediately the market dries up for the console controlling the majority of the market, when people automatically start looking for the next step forward

The answer is B, joke, its obviously E. This is where Sega have failed. They released the Saturn right in the peak of Nintendo's SNES, as did the Jaguar. Then Sony released the PlayStation, when the games for the SNES started to dry up. The PS was an immediate hit but now its games are also drying up. The Dreamcast was released by SEGA when the PS was at the start of the end, but too near the start to make an impact on the market. Many people had a PS and they were happy with it, they didn't see the need to buy a new console. Then the PlayStation 2 was released, just when the PS ride was slowing down and the N64 was dead. It had the added advantage that customers could play their old PS games on it, giving customers a reason to buy it instead of other consoles. Soon(?) the X-box and the Gamecube will be released but perhaps too late. The PS will be dead once they arrive, probably even before they make their entrance, and many customers will have already moved on, probably to the PS2 as there are no other gaming consoles around (the production of Dreamcast has ceased). Those in the know might wait for the Gamecube and the X-box but the others will be getting bored and might shell out the money for a PS2. So, whether or not the X-box and the Gamecube take off depends on how quickly people can be educated about how good the X-box and the Gamecube will be, and if they can be patient.
However I am guessing the PS2 will be the winner of the Console Wars, and thus I have bought one myself. Will you wait for the X-box or Gamecube?

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