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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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I can't see a situation where a GBA would be bought before a PSOne, a dreamcast, a Gamecube, an Xbox or a PS2 as a main console, I really don't.
i think before the handheld market was in its own, with the games at £20 or below most people could afford to pump money into the gameboy and thier console. but the GBA games cost £30. and i think their could become a situation where more people use the GBA as an first console. its way, way ahead of its little bro the GBC, much more advanced. it aint quite a psx but similar to snes.
As for the advertising of the Gamecube, maybe Nintendo will do it well, but it is still a solid fact that it is unlikely to get as much media coverage as either the PS2 or the Xbox, because the fortunes of Sony and Microsoft will do more for the circulation of the popular press than the welfare of Nintendo.
The Gameboy Advance cannot be compared to the sales of the domestic consoles, because it is a hand held. It is also in a market all of it's own, it has no competition, and has never had any viable competition. I'm not just saying that because Nintendo make it, I even own a Gameboy Colour :D But many people will have both a handheld and a domstic console, seperating the markets.
Or†ega wrote:
> good post, just a correction. there was a mario game at the GBA
> launch. oh and the GBA broke the record for fastest selling
> console, overtaking the PS2.
That is very true.
> good post, just a correction. there was a mario game at the GBA
> launch. oh and the GBA broke the record for fastest selling
> console, overtaking the PS2.
That is very true.
Nintendo in Japan really don't need that much promotion because anything they release, the public there will buy it.
Nintendo have also done excellently in the States where the GBA was recieved better than anywhere else with hardly any promotion.
The GameCube will get a lot of promotion in Europe, because Nintendo want to make it clear that they are now a worldwide release company and hope to soon treat every country equally.
Microsoft have messed up with the promotion of the XBox, 1-10 Japanese people are confident in buying anything Mircosoft and figures are lower when the question was asked 'What is the Xbox?', Bill Gates face on the milk carton didn't work sadly.
I dunno, its strange. I am sure Nintendo (with the games being amazing) can probably pull off the biggest ever console launch without even worrying about Mircosoft and their launch three days later.
Half the Price. Twice the pleasure. The GameCube.
:D
Nintendo have also done excellently in the States where the GBA was recieved better than anywhere else with hardly any promotion.
The GameCube will get a lot of promotion in Europe, because Nintendo want to make it clear that they are now a worldwide release company and hope to soon treat every country equally.
Microsoft have messed up with the promotion of the XBox, 1-10 Japanese people are confident in buying anything Mircosoft and figures are lower when the question was asked 'What is the Xbox?', Bill Gates face on the milk carton didn't work sadly.
I dunno, its strange. I am sure Nintendo (with the games being amazing) can probably pull off the biggest ever console launch without even worrying about Mircosoft and their launch three days later.
Half the Price. Twice the pleasure. The GameCube.
:D
Maybe I should have made it more clear, the post was to do with the launch of the gamecube, not the GBA!!! :D
good post, just a correction. there was a mario game at the GBA launch. oh and the GBA broke the record for fastest selling console, overtaking the PS2.
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.
Page: