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We all love the festive season, well most of us do. As a Christian I celebrate at this time of year in memory of the birth of Christ, it is the time of year that families come together and for most is a happy time of year. It is also the time of year that old St Nick (Santa Claus) rides around the sky on his reindeer drawn sleigh and climbs down your chimney to leave presents for the children who have been good all year. He hasn't missed me once. : )
Christmas is about giving and receiving, that's the main message but remember it is better to give than to receive. Happy times for all as we spend it with our family and friends. But for games developers Christmas can mean a whole lot more.
Christmas time is an important time of year, we usually see a lot of great games get released in the run up to Christmas to see who can become the Christmas number one. But is the Christmas number one that important? In the music industry the Christmas number one used to be a festive kind of tune that got you in the spirit of things. But as we all know from last year when we had the battle between Eminem's Stan and Bob the builder, things aren't what they used to be and most of the time these days the song is usually not that good at all.
For games it is different though, most people buy the good games that are actually worth being number one. The likes of metal gear solid in the past which deserved it and was hugely popular (still is).
The game that gets the number one spot usually attracts a lot of attention and can boost its sales after Christmas as well, so getting the number one spot can be very beneficial to the developers as it attracts more customers to buy it. More people buy games at Christmas as gifts for people, some developers delay the release until just before Christmas so that they can maximise their Christmas sales. Worse time to release a game could be just after Christmas unless it is advertised properly as the majority of gamers will have already received games at Christmas time and unable to afford it or people have got a similar game at Christmas and no longer want that one.
For gamers this can also mean something. We usually get an idea of what games are worth buying and also get our hands on the latest releases that we have been waiting ages on. It is not all good though, some developers choose to delay there game until after Christmas, not because it isn't ready but because they wouldn't want to face really good competition that they feel they couldn't beat. So they wait until into the new year and hopefully for them their game gets the credit they feel they deserve. Which means we have to wait that little bit longer to get our hands on a game which some of us have been waiting a lot of the previous year for. Is it fair for them to do this?
Well it depends on what you would call fair I guess. I think that all the work that the developer puts into the game means they can release it whenever they feel like as it is their game. Sure we pay money for it but it is up to them to decide when it is best and when they can make the most money and attract the most people to buy it.
So what makes Christmas different than any other time of year? Well it's a bit obvious to most, the money. People will be buying presents for others and kids who like games will want new ones. So a lot of games will be bought in a short space of time leading up to Christmas.
So what do the developers have to do to get it right and make sure their game is in with a chance?
Well they have to promote it, i.e. make sure people know about it in the months before Christmas. Marketing is important with selling any product but just before Christmas is probably more important as you want to be sure people will notice it.
Some games will sell themselves, names like Metal Gear Solid 2 won't need much advertising as from what people got in the previous version and from snip its they have seen or played they know this is going to be good. Also games like David Beckham's football game for the PS2 should sell just because there is a famous name in the title.
So what do developers do to make sure there game is promoted well enough?
Magazine reviews, they are important as a lot of people read them and it allows them to see exactly what the game is like and if it is worth buying. There is some speculation on "bung" taking as some magazines seem to promote some rubbish games as being rather good so just watch and don't believe everything you read. Also DVD demos with magazines show you the game in action, as close to the finished game as they can get without letting you play the game. Some magazines also offer the chance to play a short demo of some games.
Advertising in general anywhere which the appropriate audience will read it is also good, newspapers and on the web are useful as a lot of people will see them and probably try and get more information on the game and then maybe purchase it. I tend to notice that toys and generally anything aimed at kids appears on television a lot leading up to Christmas but don't see as much adverts for consoles or games as you would expect. I guess they sell themselves, well the good ones anyway.
Hype, it also can help sell games, (I could write a whole topic on hype but it has already been done many many times). Games like MGS2, Smackdown JBI and GTA3 all get hyped up and probably deserve it, this promotes the game even more and lets people who know very little or nothing about it that something good is coming their way soon.
But most important of all you need a game that deserves all the attention, all the hype and promotion, one that attracts all the people because it is fun to play, will entertain them and is worth the cost. Whether this is a totally new and original idea for a game like "The getaway" or a sequel that really has improved on the previous version like "GTA 3". Take GTA3, it had very little hype up until the week before it was released and then suddenly it was a game everyone wanted and began to sell like hot cakes. Just goes to show that the quality of the game can sell itself and all the hype and advertising isn't always needed.
This year there won't be much of a console battle but next Christmas could be a good time just to see which of them is doing the best and at that time of year which is selling the most units. (Now this isn't a console wars topic so go somewhere else to do that) People buy the console they want and the one which they think is best for THEM. It was at Christmas time that I got my PSX all those years ago and there is no better feeling than setting it up on Christmas morning and playing it and then challenging all the family to play later in the day. I know a lot of families who play games at Christmas (usually board games) but maybe in the future these will be replaced with console games like WWTBAM or the weakest link, imagine everyone in the family being a character in the weakest link game, it could lead to hours of fun and chants off "You are the weakest link, Goodbye".
There can be a downside though, there are a lot of rubbish games that also get released and many grannies or aunties may buy rotten games for you as they know very little about good and bad games. So my piece of advice is make sure your parents know exactly what games it is you are after and that way you will save yourself the embarrassment and heartache when you open it to reveal a game like Army men. Also the fact that we live in Europe sometimes means we are ignored at the festive season. At the moment the X-Box and GameCube are out in America and Japan and for PS2 owners the most wanted game Metal Gear Solid will be out there too very soon. While we have to wait until next year for these, which I think could cost developers a few extra customers as they may decide to buy a PS2 as they don't want to wait that long. Also if Konami got the finger out then I think they could have had MGS2 ready for release over here before Christmas.
Also one important piece of advice, a console or game is for life not just for Christmas. : ) But
So what you looking forward too this Christmas? What game do you want? Which game do you think will be number one?
And a slight aside, Which is your favourite reindeer? And what is the best present you ever got at Christmas?
This Christmas should be a good one for me in terms of gaming, there will be a good selection of games that I'll try get and seeing as the family will be round I'll be able to beat my friends and grubby little cousins until it is time to go out and celebrate. Not long to go now.
Christmas is about giving and receiving, that's the main message but remember it is better to give than to receive. Happy times for all as we spend it with our family and friends. But for games developers Christmas can mean a whole lot more.
Christmas time is an important time of year, we usually see a lot of great games get released in the run up to Christmas to see who can become the Christmas number one. But is the Christmas number one that important? In the music industry the Christmas number one used to be a festive kind of tune that got you in the spirit of things. But as we all know from last year when we had the battle between Eminem's Stan and Bob the builder, things aren't what they used to be and most of the time these days the song is usually not that good at all.
For games it is different though, most people buy the good games that are actually worth being number one. The likes of metal gear solid in the past which deserved it and was hugely popular (still is).
The game that gets the number one spot usually attracts a lot of attention and can boost its sales after Christmas as well, so getting the number one spot can be very beneficial to the developers as it attracts more customers to buy it. More people buy games at Christmas as gifts for people, some developers delay the release until just before Christmas so that they can maximise their Christmas sales. Worse time to release a game could be just after Christmas unless it is advertised properly as the majority of gamers will have already received games at Christmas time and unable to afford it or people have got a similar game at Christmas and no longer want that one.
For gamers this can also mean something. We usually get an idea of what games are worth buying and also get our hands on the latest releases that we have been waiting ages on. It is not all good though, some developers choose to delay there game until after Christmas, not because it isn't ready but because they wouldn't want to face really good competition that they feel they couldn't beat. So they wait until into the new year and hopefully for them their game gets the credit they feel they deserve. Which means we have to wait that little bit longer to get our hands on a game which some of us have been waiting a lot of the previous year for. Is it fair for them to do this?
Well it depends on what you would call fair I guess. I think that all the work that the developer puts into the game means they can release it whenever they feel like as it is their game. Sure we pay money for it but it is up to them to decide when it is best and when they can make the most money and attract the most people to buy it.
So what makes Christmas different than any other time of year? Well it's a bit obvious to most, the money. People will be buying presents for others and kids who like games will want new ones. So a lot of games will be bought in a short space of time leading up to Christmas.
So what do the developers have to do to get it right and make sure their game is in with a chance?
Well they have to promote it, i.e. make sure people know about it in the months before Christmas. Marketing is important with selling any product but just before Christmas is probably more important as you want to be sure people will notice it.
Some games will sell themselves, names like Metal Gear Solid 2 won't need much advertising as from what people got in the previous version and from snip its they have seen or played they know this is going to be good. Also games like David Beckham's football game for the PS2 should sell just because there is a famous name in the title.
So what do developers do to make sure there game is promoted well enough?
Magazine reviews, they are important as a lot of people read them and it allows them to see exactly what the game is like and if it is worth buying. There is some speculation on "bung" taking as some magazines seem to promote some rubbish games as being rather good so just watch and don't believe everything you read. Also DVD demos with magazines show you the game in action, as close to the finished game as they can get without letting you play the game. Some magazines also offer the chance to play a short demo of some games.
Advertising in general anywhere which the appropriate audience will read it is also good, newspapers and on the web are useful as a lot of people will see them and probably try and get more information on the game and then maybe purchase it. I tend to notice that toys and generally anything aimed at kids appears on television a lot leading up to Christmas but don't see as much adverts for consoles or games as you would expect. I guess they sell themselves, well the good ones anyway.
Hype, it also can help sell games, (I could write a whole topic on hype but it has already been done many many times). Games like MGS2, Smackdown JBI and GTA3 all get hyped up and probably deserve it, this promotes the game even more and lets people who know very little or nothing about it that something good is coming their way soon.
But most important of all you need a game that deserves all the attention, all the hype and promotion, one that attracts all the people because it is fun to play, will entertain them and is worth the cost. Whether this is a totally new and original idea for a game like "The getaway" or a sequel that really has improved on the previous version like "GTA 3". Take GTA3, it had very little hype up until the week before it was released and then suddenly it was a game everyone wanted and began to sell like hot cakes. Just goes to show that the quality of the game can sell itself and all the hype and advertising isn't always needed.
This year there won't be much of a console battle but next Christmas could be a good time just to see which of them is doing the best and at that time of year which is selling the most units. (Now this isn't a console wars topic so go somewhere else to do that) People buy the console they want and the one which they think is best for THEM. It was at Christmas time that I got my PSX all those years ago and there is no better feeling than setting it up on Christmas morning and playing it and then challenging all the family to play later in the day. I know a lot of families who play games at Christmas (usually board games) but maybe in the future these will be replaced with console games like WWTBAM or the weakest link, imagine everyone in the family being a character in the weakest link game, it could lead to hours of fun and chants off "You are the weakest link, Goodbye".
There can be a downside though, there are a lot of rubbish games that also get released and many grannies or aunties may buy rotten games for you as they know very little about good and bad games. So my piece of advice is make sure your parents know exactly what games it is you are after and that way you will save yourself the embarrassment and heartache when you open it to reveal a game like Army men. Also the fact that we live in Europe sometimes means we are ignored at the festive season. At the moment the X-Box and GameCube are out in America and Japan and for PS2 owners the most wanted game Metal Gear Solid will be out there too very soon. While we have to wait until next year for these, which I think could cost developers a few extra customers as they may decide to buy a PS2 as they don't want to wait that long. Also if Konami got the finger out then I think they could have had MGS2 ready for release over here before Christmas.
Also one important piece of advice, a console or game is for life not just for Christmas. : ) But
So what you looking forward too this Christmas? What game do you want? Which game do you think will be number one?
And a slight aside, Which is your favourite reindeer? And what is the best present you ever got at Christmas?
This Christmas should be a good one for me in terms of gaming, there will be a good selection of games that I'll try get and seeing as the family will be round I'll be able to beat my friends and grubby little cousins until it is time to go out and celebrate. Not long to go now.
Nope MJ I didn't read your message about no posting or whatever it was sorry.
Nice Pun ANT and thanks for the comments.
Nice Pun ANT and thanks for the comments.
You're a Christian Aliboy?? That's nice to hear, and also nice to hear that some people can remember the true meaning of Christmas. Even I forget it sometimes.
A good post also (doesn't make much of a change really though {:)) Xmas is a big time for the gaming industry, and seemingly when developers bring out the goods. Although this year it seems as though Sony have it all wrapped up (pun not intented, but still enjoyed.)
A good post also (doesn't make much of a change really though {:)) Xmas is a big time for the gaming industry, and seemingly when developers bring out the goods. Although this year it seems as though Sony have it all wrapped up (pun not intented, but still enjoyed.)
*grumble* *grumble*
Did no one see my request that no one posts anything game a day worthy in the near future? Surely you did and yet YOU ali! YOU! PGo and post something that cripples my post and makez it cry like a baby :'( NOOOOO. Ah well, lifes life :-D
Nice post by the way :-D Better comment will be posted once I can be arsed :)
Did no one see my request that no one posts anything game a day worthy in the near future? Surely you did and yet YOU ali! YOU! PGo and post something that cripples my post and makez it cry like a baby :'( NOOOOO. Ah well, lifes life :-D
Nice post by the way :-D Better comment will be posted once I can be arsed :)
Good post Aliboy. GAD for you, if I chose them.
We all love the festive season, well most of us do. As a Christian I celebrate at this time of year in memory of the birth of Christ, it is the time of year that families come together and for most is a happy time of year. It is also the time of year that old St Nick (Santa Claus) rides around the sky on his reindeer drawn sleigh and climbs down your chimney to leave presents for the children who have been good all year. He hasn't missed me once. : )
Christmas is about giving and receiving, that's the main message but remember it is better to give than to receive. Happy times for all as we spend it with our family and friends. But for games developers Christmas can mean a whole lot more.
Christmas time is an important time of year, we usually see a lot of great games get released in the run up to Christmas to see who can become the Christmas number one. But is the Christmas number one that important? In the music industry the Christmas number one used to be a festive kind of tune that got you in the spirit of things. But as we all know from last year when we had the battle between Eminem's Stan and Bob the builder, things aren't what they used to be and most of the time these days the song is usually not that good at all.
For games it is different though, most people buy the good games that are actually worth being number one. The likes of metal gear solid in the past which deserved it and was hugely popular (still is).
The game that gets the number one spot usually attracts a lot of attention and can boost its sales after Christmas as well, so getting the number one spot can be very beneficial to the developers as it attracts more customers to buy it. More people buy games at Christmas as gifts for people, some developers delay the release until just before Christmas so that they can maximise their Christmas sales. Worse time to release a game could be just after Christmas unless it is advertised properly as the majority of gamers will have already received games at Christmas time and unable to afford it or people have got a similar game at Christmas and no longer want that one.
For gamers this can also mean something. We usually get an idea of what games are worth buying and also get our hands on the latest releases that we have been waiting ages on. It is not all good though, some developers choose to delay there game until after Christmas, not because it isn't ready but because they wouldn't want to face really good competition that they feel they couldn't beat. So they wait until into the new year and hopefully for them their game gets the credit they feel they deserve. Which means we have to wait that little bit longer to get our hands on a game which some of us have been waiting a lot of the previous year for. Is it fair for them to do this?
Well it depends on what you would call fair I guess. I think that all the work that the developer puts into the game means they can release it whenever they feel like as it is their game. Sure we pay money for it but it is up to them to decide when it is best and when they can make the most money and attract the most people to buy it.
So what makes Christmas different than any other time of year? Well it's a bit obvious to most, the money. People will be buying presents for others and kids who like games will want new ones. So a lot of games will be bought in a short space of time leading up to Christmas.
So what do the developers have to do to get it right and make sure their game is in with a chance?
Well they have to promote it, i.e. make sure people know about it in the months before Christmas. Marketing is important with selling any product but just before Christmas is probably more important as you want to be sure people will notice it.
Some games will sell themselves, names like Metal Gear Solid 2 won't need much advertising as from what people got in the previous version and from snip its they have seen or played they know this is going to be good. Also games like David Beckham's football game for the PS2 should sell just because there is a famous name in the title.
So what do developers do to make sure there game is promoted well enough?
Magazine reviews, they are important as a lot of people read them and it allows them to see exactly what the game is like and if it is worth buying. There is some speculation on "bung" taking as some magazines seem to promote some rubbish games as being rather good so just watch and don't believe everything you read. Also DVD demos with magazines show you the game in action, as close to the finished game as they can get without letting you play the game. Some magazines also offer the chance to play a short demo of some games.
Advertising in general anywhere which the appropriate audience will read it is also good, newspapers and on the web are useful as a lot of people will see them and probably try and get more information on the game and then maybe purchase it. I tend to notice that toys and generally anything aimed at kids appears on television a lot leading up to Christmas but don't see as much adverts for consoles or games as you would expect. I guess they sell themselves, well the good ones anyway.
Hype, it also can help sell games, (I could write a whole topic on hype but it has already been done many many times). Games like MGS2, Smackdown JBI and GTA3 all get hyped up and probably deserve it, this promotes the game even more and lets people who know very little or nothing about it that something good is coming their way soon.
But most important of all you need a game that deserves all the attention, all the hype and promotion, one that attracts all the people because it is fun to play, will entertain them and is worth the cost. Whether this is a totally new and original idea for a game like "The getaway" or a sequel that really has improved on the previous version like "GTA 3". Take GTA3, it had very little hype up until the week before it was released and then suddenly it was a game everyone wanted and began to sell like hot cakes. Just goes to show that the quality of the game can sell itself and all the hype and advertising isn't always needed.
This year there won't be much of a console battle but next Christmas could be a good time just to see which of them is doing the best and at that time of year which is selling the most units. (Now this isn't a console wars topic so go somewhere else to do that) People buy the console they want and the one which they think is best for THEM. It was at Christmas time that I got my PSX all those years ago and there is no better feeling than setting it up on Christmas morning and playing it and then challenging all the family to play later in the day. I know a lot of families who play games at Christmas (usually board games) but maybe in the future these will be replaced with console games like WWTBAM or the weakest link, imagine everyone in the family being a character in the weakest link game, it could lead to hours of fun and chants off "You are the weakest link, Goodbye".
There can be a downside though, there are a lot of rubbish games that also get released and many grannies or aunties may buy rotten games for you as they know very little about good and bad games. So my piece of advice is make sure your parents know exactly what games it is you are after and that way you will save yourself the embarrassment and heartache when you open it to reveal a game like Army men. Also the fact that we live in Europe sometimes means we are ignored at the festive season. At the moment the X-Box and GameCube are out in America and Japan and for PS2 owners the most wanted game Metal Gear Solid will be out there too very soon. While we have to wait until next year for these, which I think could cost developers a few extra customers as they may decide to buy a PS2 as they don't want to wait that long. Also if Konami got the finger out then I think they could have had MGS2 ready for release over here before Christmas.
Also one important piece of advice, a console or game is for life not just for Christmas. : ) But
So what you looking forward too this Christmas? What game do you want? Which game do you think will be number one?
And a slight aside, Which is your favourite reindeer? And what is the best present you ever got at Christmas?
This Christmas should be a good one for me in terms of gaming, there will be a good selection of games that I'll try get and seeing as the family will be round I'll be able to beat my friends and grubby little cousins until it is time to go out and celebrate. Not long to go now.
Christmas is about giving and receiving, that's the main message but remember it is better to give than to receive. Happy times for all as we spend it with our family and friends. But for games developers Christmas can mean a whole lot more.
Christmas time is an important time of year, we usually see a lot of great games get released in the run up to Christmas to see who can become the Christmas number one. But is the Christmas number one that important? In the music industry the Christmas number one used to be a festive kind of tune that got you in the spirit of things. But as we all know from last year when we had the battle between Eminem's Stan and Bob the builder, things aren't what they used to be and most of the time these days the song is usually not that good at all.
For games it is different though, most people buy the good games that are actually worth being number one. The likes of metal gear solid in the past which deserved it and was hugely popular (still is).
The game that gets the number one spot usually attracts a lot of attention and can boost its sales after Christmas as well, so getting the number one spot can be very beneficial to the developers as it attracts more customers to buy it. More people buy games at Christmas as gifts for people, some developers delay the release until just before Christmas so that they can maximise their Christmas sales. Worse time to release a game could be just after Christmas unless it is advertised properly as the majority of gamers will have already received games at Christmas time and unable to afford it or people have got a similar game at Christmas and no longer want that one.
For gamers this can also mean something. We usually get an idea of what games are worth buying and also get our hands on the latest releases that we have been waiting ages on. It is not all good though, some developers choose to delay there game until after Christmas, not because it isn't ready but because they wouldn't want to face really good competition that they feel they couldn't beat. So they wait until into the new year and hopefully for them their game gets the credit they feel they deserve. Which means we have to wait that little bit longer to get our hands on a game which some of us have been waiting a lot of the previous year for. Is it fair for them to do this?
Well it depends on what you would call fair I guess. I think that all the work that the developer puts into the game means they can release it whenever they feel like as it is their game. Sure we pay money for it but it is up to them to decide when it is best and when they can make the most money and attract the most people to buy it.
So what makes Christmas different than any other time of year? Well it's a bit obvious to most, the money. People will be buying presents for others and kids who like games will want new ones. So a lot of games will be bought in a short space of time leading up to Christmas.
So what do the developers have to do to get it right and make sure their game is in with a chance?
Well they have to promote it, i.e. make sure people know about it in the months before Christmas. Marketing is important with selling any product but just before Christmas is probably more important as you want to be sure people will notice it.
Some games will sell themselves, names like Metal Gear Solid 2 won't need much advertising as from what people got in the previous version and from snip its they have seen or played they know this is going to be good. Also games like David Beckham's football game for the PS2 should sell just because there is a famous name in the title.
So what do developers do to make sure there game is promoted well enough?
Magazine reviews, they are important as a lot of people read them and it allows them to see exactly what the game is like and if it is worth buying. There is some speculation on "bung" taking as some magazines seem to promote some rubbish games as being rather good so just watch and don't believe everything you read. Also DVD demos with magazines show you the game in action, as close to the finished game as they can get without letting you play the game. Some magazines also offer the chance to play a short demo of some games.
Advertising in general anywhere which the appropriate audience will read it is also good, newspapers and on the web are useful as a lot of people will see them and probably try and get more information on the game and then maybe purchase it. I tend to notice that toys and generally anything aimed at kids appears on television a lot leading up to Christmas but don't see as much adverts for consoles or games as you would expect. I guess they sell themselves, well the good ones anyway.
Hype, it also can help sell games, (I could write a whole topic on hype but it has already been done many many times). Games like MGS2, Smackdown JBI and GTA3 all get hyped up and probably deserve it, this promotes the game even more and lets people who know very little or nothing about it that something good is coming their way soon.
But most important of all you need a game that deserves all the attention, all the hype and promotion, one that attracts all the people because it is fun to play, will entertain them and is worth the cost. Whether this is a totally new and original idea for a game like "The getaway" or a sequel that really has improved on the previous version like "GTA 3". Take GTA3, it had very little hype up until the week before it was released and then suddenly it was a game everyone wanted and began to sell like hot cakes. Just goes to show that the quality of the game can sell itself and all the hype and advertising isn't always needed.
This year there won't be much of a console battle but next Christmas could be a good time just to see which of them is doing the best and at that time of year which is selling the most units. (Now this isn't a console wars topic so go somewhere else to do that) People buy the console they want and the one which they think is best for THEM. It was at Christmas time that I got my PSX all those years ago and there is no better feeling than setting it up on Christmas morning and playing it and then challenging all the family to play later in the day. I know a lot of families who play games at Christmas (usually board games) but maybe in the future these will be replaced with console games like WWTBAM or the weakest link, imagine everyone in the family being a character in the weakest link game, it could lead to hours of fun and chants off "You are the weakest link, Goodbye".
There can be a downside though, there are a lot of rubbish games that also get released and many grannies or aunties may buy rotten games for you as they know very little about good and bad games. So my piece of advice is make sure your parents know exactly what games it is you are after and that way you will save yourself the embarrassment and heartache when you open it to reveal a game like Army men. Also the fact that we live in Europe sometimes means we are ignored at the festive season. At the moment the X-Box and GameCube are out in America and Japan and for PS2 owners the most wanted game Metal Gear Solid will be out there too very soon. While we have to wait until next year for these, which I think could cost developers a few extra customers as they may decide to buy a PS2 as they don't want to wait that long. Also if Konami got the finger out then I think they could have had MGS2 ready for release over here before Christmas.
Also one important piece of advice, a console or game is for life not just for Christmas. : ) But
So what you looking forward too this Christmas? What game do you want? Which game do you think will be number one?
And a slight aside, Which is your favourite reindeer? And what is the best present you ever got at Christmas?
This Christmas should be a good one for me in terms of gaming, there will be a good selection of games that I'll try get and seeing as the family will be round I'll be able to beat my friends and grubby little cousins until it is time to go out and celebrate. Not long to go now.