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We all now that the international launch of the PS2 was spectacularly hounded by all sections of the popular press, and this may be a decent reason why the PS2 is looked upon by many as being a flawed console with a poor launch. As for the stoies they all concentrated on the high price, and lack of machines available at launch, compared to other territories. This is one of the main reason I think that Nintendo should both be happy, but at the same time worry, about the effect the popular press has on the games industry today.
Sony had a major handicap when it released it's Playstation 2, a massive demand for the system and an even higher expectation from the mainstream gamers and press. No one will ever be able to tell how much the mainstream press effected the saes of the Ps2, because dmeand outstripped supply for 3 months after launch, Sony only ever said it expected to sell out it's pre-ordered stock before it managed to keep up with demand, which it was successful in doing so, all we know is that since it's launch last November, it has set a precednet in hardware sales other companies can only dream of emulating.
There is an up side for Sony to the PS2 getting so many heasdlines, it was in the public eye. Everyone knew that sony were releasing the PS2, everyone knew that thew were the must have gift for christmas and everyone knew the launch date and price. Sony could have spent £500 million on advertising, and they would never have managed to get so much media coverage as their problems did. So what does this spell for the other companies??
Well, Microsoft are heading the right way about getting some decent media coverage when they launch the Xbox. they have recently downgraded the spec of the console, their has been rumours of supply problems, and biggest of all, it is going to be expensive. These are the same problems Sony had with the Ps2, and media hysterics are sure to follow the Xbox up until launch. Microsoft, however, aslo have $500 million to spend on a positive advertising campaign, so where sony had a lot of bad coverage, Microsoft should have a brilliant balance of propoganda and bad coverage. With this mix they should be able to convey their launch date, their price and their main assets without much difficulty, so this may be a surprise which most people aren't expecting.
As for Nintendo, they haven't had many problems. They have third party support, they have the cheapest console, they might have competatively priced games, they are expecting to be able to meet demands fully, so what can they do to drum up some public awareness?? I personaly thought that more could have ben done with the launch of the Gameboy Advance to make the public more aware of their system. a pokemon game and a mario game at launch would have sold consoles on their own, but non of these have or are likely to happen. Nintendo's main hope for media coverage is the battle between themselves and Microsoft, due to their almost simultaneous launch, they need to be making more of a song and dance about this. They should be hoping to have the media eating comparisions in price and availability out of their pockets, but I'm not too sure it is a market trick Nintendo know too much about, this is their problem. Nintendo as a company are no match for either Sony or Microsoft, both are houshold names known the world over, Nintendo are huge, but everyone has access to a PC, and everyone therefore has heard of Microsoft, everyone knows that Sony are the king of all things electrical, and unfortuantely for Nintendo, that is firmly the market the Playstation has pushed the games console into, a problem, to say the least.
So that's the way I see media coverage going for the major consoles, with media coverage comes public awareness, and with public awareness comes sales. It makes sense, so why aren't people trying to win themselves good press instead of either accepting bad press, or not aiming for any press at all, we, thankfully, will never know.
Sony had a major handicap when it released it's Playstation 2, a massive demand for the system and an even higher expectation from the mainstream gamers and press. No one will ever be able to tell how much the mainstream press effected the saes of the Ps2, because dmeand outstripped supply for 3 months after launch, Sony only ever said it expected to sell out it's pre-ordered stock before it managed to keep up with demand, which it was successful in doing so, all we know is that since it's launch last November, it has set a precednet in hardware sales other companies can only dream of emulating.
There is an up side for Sony to the PS2 getting so many heasdlines, it was in the public eye. Everyone knew that sony were releasing the PS2, everyone knew that thew were the must have gift for christmas and everyone knew the launch date and price. Sony could have spent £500 million on advertising, and they would never have managed to get so much media coverage as their problems did. So what does this spell for the other companies??
Well, Microsoft are heading the right way about getting some decent media coverage when they launch the Xbox. they have recently downgraded the spec of the console, their has been rumours of supply problems, and biggest of all, it is going to be expensive. These are the same problems Sony had with the Ps2, and media hysterics are sure to follow the Xbox up until launch. Microsoft, however, aslo have $500 million to spend on a positive advertising campaign, so where sony had a lot of bad coverage, Microsoft should have a brilliant balance of propoganda and bad coverage. With this mix they should be able to convey their launch date, their price and their main assets without much difficulty, so this may be a surprise which most people aren't expecting.
As for Nintendo, they haven't had many problems. They have third party support, they have the cheapest console, they might have competatively priced games, they are expecting to be able to meet demands fully, so what can they do to drum up some public awareness?? I personaly thought that more could have ben done with the launch of the Gameboy Advance to make the public more aware of their system. a pokemon game and a mario game at launch would have sold consoles on their own, but non of these have or are likely to happen. Nintendo's main hope for media coverage is the battle between themselves and Microsoft, due to their almost simultaneous launch, they need to be making more of a song and dance about this. They should be hoping to have the media eating comparisions in price and availability out of their pockets, but I'm not too sure it is a market trick Nintendo know too much about, this is their problem. Nintendo as a company are no match for either Sony or Microsoft, both are houshold names known the world over, Nintendo are huge, but everyone has access to a PC, and everyone therefore has heard of Microsoft, everyone knows that Sony are the king of all things electrical, and unfortuantely for Nintendo, that is firmly the market the Playstation has pushed the games console into, a problem, to say the least.
So that's the way I see media coverage going for the major consoles, with media coverage comes public awareness, and with public awareness comes sales. It makes sense, so why aren't people trying to win themselves good press instead of either accepting bad press, or not aiming for any press at all, we, thankfully, will never know.
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Yep, right after the top 40 too...
Or†ega wrote:
> THe GBA sold well even though it didnt have the media coverage like
> u said.
Well, they were plugging massively on Radio 1 for 2 weeks ;-)
> THe GBA sold well even though it didnt have the media coverage like
> u said.
Well, they were plugging massively on Radio 1 for 2 weeks ;-)
er-no wrote:
> The GBA is considered a console because of its power and release
> into the gaming market as a piece of hardware which plays games.
> simple.
The GBa is a handheld console because you can hold it in your hand and play on it. Hence it is handheld. If you break "handheld" into two words you get hand and held, meaning it is held in your hand, and since you do indeed hold the GBA in your hand it is a handheld console.
Simple.
> The GBA is considered a console because of its power and release
> into the gaming market as a piece of hardware which plays games.
> simple.
The GBa is a handheld console because you can hold it in your hand and play on it. Hence it is handheld. If you break "handheld" into two words you get hand and held, meaning it is held in your hand, and since you do indeed hold the GBA in your hand it is a handheld console.
Simple.
THe GBA sold well even though it didnt have the media coverage like u said. Nintendo are a well known brand, out of the 3 it is the only company based solely on gaming. People can relate to this as nintenod have been around for ages making qulaity consoles. problem is, these days people want not just a gaming console but a entertainment system.
Wookies description can be nullified, I prefer the distinction between a domestic console and a hand-held console. Most people will have both, but very few people will have more than one domestic console of the same generation. And what does this have to do with the lack of media coverage nintendo will muster, and the impact this will have on sales?
The GBA is considered a console because of its power and release into the gaming market as a piece of hardware which plays games. simple.
I once heard that self-praise is no honour, anyone know why that is???
Or†ega wrote:
> oh and the GBA broke the record for fastest selling
> console, overtaking the PS2.
True, but the Gameboy was always a bigger selling machine than the PlayStation. My view is that handhelds and 'real' consoles are two very different markets, and sales can't be 'compared' as such.
Sell PS2 at £70-80 and then compare sales! ;-)
> oh and the GBA broke the record for fastest selling
> console, overtaking the PS2.
True, but the Gameboy was always a bigger selling machine than the PlayStation. My view is that handhelds and 'real' consoles are two very different markets, and sales can't be 'compared' as such.
Sell PS2 at £70-80 and then compare sales! ;-)
My first console was a GameGear. Maybe where people only have on TV or you're a gyppo or somthing.
maybe not the older geneartion, but i'm sure for the younger generation it could be viable.
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