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So, what game is going to be the Christmas Number 1 of 2001? The virtually guarenteed success, Metal Gear Solid 2, will almost certainly not be here in time for Christmas, which leaves room for a huge fight between the wide variety of impressive games due to hit the UK before Santa.
But which one is going to come out on top? Oddly, it will probably be something we`re not expecting. Something we don`t put in our "Top five most wanted" lists. Something with Anne Robinson?
I actually think The Weakest Link is in with a shot, unless people learned their lesson from WWTBAM. It was an alright game, but what was the point in having a load of questions fired at you from a computer game, when it could just as easily (and far more cheaply) have been written on a set of cards? Its possible that Anne Robinson could make the game a best-seller though. People now know what a quiz show is like on a game, so perhaps this show, which has a major difference to most others, may be more likely to sell well. The added twist of a host who insults you at every possible oportunity may just sway people towards this game.
If not, I think Smackdown 3 is the next candidate, simply because its one of those games that both casual and knowledgable gamers go for. Whilst it might all be acting, that doesn`t stop the game being instant fun. Combine that with the possibility of huge brawls, and you`ve got an instant selling point. Fans of any genre will jump at the game, and probably land on it too, making this game a potential smackdown!
I`d prefer it if the Xmas number one was a really top quality game, given 90%+ scores from all the magazines. Something like Devil May Cry or Wipeout Fusion, as these games, are in my opinion the actual best of the bunch. Smooth looks, fast pace, great playability all put into a package that suits people of my age group (15+). However, the brand name they carry may not quite have the power of the Weakest Link and Smackdown.
Games like Pro Evo Soccer still lose out because of the name and "officialness". Many gamers who`ve just got into gaming would stroll into their local Special Reserve store and may decide to go for a football game... what do they see? Fifa and ISS... and most would go for Fifa. It has the brand name, and it has all the official teams, players, logos, shirts, and even supreme likeness of the players to their real life counterparts. The two games steal eachothers buyers whilst in direct competition, and limit their own sales. Mant gamers will buy one or the other, which will hinder the success of each title.
Other games like Burnout will also probably miss out on the top spot. This will most likely be due to lack of recognition again. GT3 had so much hype and background knowledge built in that people couldn`t possibly miss it or ignore it. Burnout doesn`t have this, and will most likely sell far less well. Where GT3 had GT1 and GT2 with excellent reputations, Burnout has a gap, and this could be a huge downfall. It doesn`t make it a bad game, but it also doesn`t make it a best-seller.
That leaves Herdy Gerdy, SSX Tricky, Jak and Daxter, Run Like Hell, Silent Hill 2 and many, many more. However, of these games, only a few are in with a shot at number 1. SSX Tricky has the best launch title as its predecessor, which will help people notice it, but could also hinder it if the game is labelled "too similar". If some of the tracks are easily recognisable, and the gameplay feels unchanged, its reputation could go swiftly downhill.
Jak and Daxter may follow a similar fate if it is pronounced a Mario copy. Its gameplay does have many similarities, even if there are major differences elsewhere. As a result, potential buyers may look elsewhere for something new and original. The others in the list will all be good games, but none really stand a chance of racking up heavy sales. They are limited buy high age ratings for a start. When a game becomes an 18, it cuts its number of customers dramatically. Whilst they may sell, it`ll only be in a mediocre way.
So... the final verdict? We obviously won`t know until Christmas, but I`d be a fool not to back The Weakest Link or Smackdown 3.... or maybe we should get started with YABASIC, and make our own Christmas number 1s? Snake? Well, perhaps not. We`ll leave snake for Metal Gear Solid next year.
But which one is going to come out on top? Oddly, it will probably be something we`re not expecting. Something we don`t put in our "Top five most wanted" lists. Something with Anne Robinson?
I actually think The Weakest Link is in with a shot, unless people learned their lesson from WWTBAM. It was an alright game, but what was the point in having a load of questions fired at you from a computer game, when it could just as easily (and far more cheaply) have been written on a set of cards? Its possible that Anne Robinson could make the game a best-seller though. People now know what a quiz show is like on a game, so perhaps this show, which has a major difference to most others, may be more likely to sell well. The added twist of a host who insults you at every possible oportunity may just sway people towards this game.
If not, I think Smackdown 3 is the next candidate, simply because its one of those games that both casual and knowledgable gamers go for. Whilst it might all be acting, that doesn`t stop the game being instant fun. Combine that with the possibility of huge brawls, and you`ve got an instant selling point. Fans of any genre will jump at the game, and probably land on it too, making this game a potential smackdown!
I`d prefer it if the Xmas number one was a really top quality game, given 90%+ scores from all the magazines. Something like Devil May Cry or Wipeout Fusion, as these games, are in my opinion the actual best of the bunch. Smooth looks, fast pace, great playability all put into a package that suits people of my age group (15+). However, the brand name they carry may not quite have the power of the Weakest Link and Smackdown.
Games like Pro Evo Soccer still lose out because of the name and "officialness". Many gamers who`ve just got into gaming would stroll into their local Special Reserve store and may decide to go for a football game... what do they see? Fifa and ISS... and most would go for Fifa. It has the brand name, and it has all the official teams, players, logos, shirts, and even supreme likeness of the players to their real life counterparts. The two games steal eachothers buyers whilst in direct competition, and limit their own sales. Mant gamers will buy one or the other, which will hinder the success of each title.
Other games like Burnout will also probably miss out on the top spot. This will most likely be due to lack of recognition again. GT3 had so much hype and background knowledge built in that people couldn`t possibly miss it or ignore it. Burnout doesn`t have this, and will most likely sell far less well. Where GT3 had GT1 and GT2 with excellent reputations, Burnout has a gap, and this could be a huge downfall. It doesn`t make it a bad game, but it also doesn`t make it a best-seller.
That leaves Herdy Gerdy, SSX Tricky, Jak and Daxter, Run Like Hell, Silent Hill 2 and many, many more. However, of these games, only a few are in with a shot at number 1. SSX Tricky has the best launch title as its predecessor, which will help people notice it, but could also hinder it if the game is labelled "too similar". If some of the tracks are easily recognisable, and the gameplay feels unchanged, its reputation could go swiftly downhill.
Jak and Daxter may follow a similar fate if it is pronounced a Mario copy. Its gameplay does have many similarities, even if there are major differences elsewhere. As a result, potential buyers may look elsewhere for something new and original. The others in the list will all be good games, but none really stand a chance of racking up heavy sales. They are limited buy high age ratings for a start. When a game becomes an 18, it cuts its number of customers dramatically. Whilst they may sell, it`ll only be in a mediocre way.
So... the final verdict? We obviously won`t know until Christmas, but I`d be a fool not to back The Weakest Link or Smackdown 3.... or maybe we should get started with YABASIC, and make our own Christmas number 1s? Snake? Well, perhaps not. We`ll leave snake for Metal Gear Solid next year.
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it will be close between jak and dax, pr evo and who wants to be a millionare(i know it's pants but they always sell well.)
This is the PS2 forum... so the PS2 number one. I guess that means the Weakest Link isn`t so strong after all, as it relies on multi-format sales.
what are we talking about the PS2 number 1
or the all formats number 1?
or the all formats number 1?
Everyone likes bread too, but that probably won`t be number 1.
i think it will because every one likes smackdown
Kid Rock wrote:
yeh my mum will have to buy me GTA3 it wont be
> christmas number one becuase People with PS2s will get it but children with them
> wont
Thats that kind of point I was trying to make. It won`t appeal to a large enough audience, so it limits its own sales.
>SD3 wil definately win
Possibly... :-)
yeh my mum will have to buy me GTA3 it wont be
> christmas number one becuase People with PS2s will get it but children with them
> wont
Thats that kind of point I was trying to make. It won`t appeal to a large enough audience, so it limits its own sales.
>SD3 wil definately win
Possibly... :-)
Longy:0) wrote:
> I think the number 1 christmas game will be SD3 this game is really good all
> mags have given it good ratens so i back this game or GTA3 it's one of these 2
yeh my mum will have to buy me GTA3 it wont be christmas number one becuase People with PS2s will get it but children with them wont
SD3 wil definately win
> I think the number 1 christmas game will be SD3 this game is really good all
> mags have given it good ratens so i back this game or GTA3 it's one of these 2
yeh my mum will have to buy me GTA3 it wont be christmas number one becuase People with PS2s will get it but children with them wont
SD3 wil definately win
I love your tagline Tarrant! Excellent.
As for GTA3, I didn`t actually put that one in, as I really don`t think it stands much chance of being a huge hit. It could be an excellent game, but it still won`t sell like Smackdown and other games like that. It`ll get put in the same category as Silent Hill 2. Not quite got the brand, and it`ll be an 18 (I think) restricting its legal audience.
As for GTA3, I didn`t actually put that one in, as I really don`t think it stands much chance of being a huge hit. It could be an excellent game, but it still won`t sell like Smackdown and other games like that. It`ll get put in the same category as Silent Hill 2. Not quite got the brand, and it`ll be an 18 (I think) restricting its legal audience.
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