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"All in the name?"

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Tue 04/12/01 at 18:04
Regular
Posts: 787
If you here about a film, and you here that Russell Crowe is in it, you think that might be good, if you here a film with Nicole Kidman in, you think that will be very good. Basically, if you here that a film has got a certain star in that is very popular and known for good things you assume the film will be good just because the stars are big celebrities. So is this the same for games, and are they always good.

There are many games out on the market that have a big star in there name, Tony Hawks, Matt Hoffman’s, Ronaldo V Football, and most recently David Beckham Soccer, and many more. All of these above are all big sport stars and well known for what they do, even non-footie fans will know who Beckham is, but just because there name is in the game, is it good?

You can really understand why the names of the stars are put in the game in the first place, its obvious that if you put a well known name in the name game that it will create a lot of interest, if you know nothing about games are which are good, David Beckham Soccer is going to sound a lot more appealing than Pro Evo Soccer. So it makes sense that to get good advertising put some ones well known name in the game. Surely if He or she is working in the game its going to be good, right? There not just in it for the money are they? Well I have to say that the first thing Beckham probably said when this was offered to him was “how much will I get?”
Would he really have been bothered about been seen in a game when he’s on the TV all the time, after all, lots more people watch TV than play games don’t they. But its not just names that they put on the front of the covers, on Fifa games there are always big stars on the front, whether it be Paul Scholes or Henry, if someone sees there picture its going to catch there eye and make them think that’s good. But are the games good, or are they just and excuse for Christmas time pap?

Well to start with, Tony Hawks may not be the most well known sport star in the world, but his games still sell very well, but that’s because the game is so good. Here in the UK, skateboarding as a sport on TV is not the most well known one out there, so the chances are that most people over here would not know who he was so that may not make much of a difference. The fact that it sold so well was that this was a truly great game that was very enjoyable to play, the graphics were great, all the characters look and behaved how you would expect, the game play was some of the best we have ever experienced before we had SSX, lots of tricks to pull off, huge areas to pull tricks off and just generally a great game. This did not rely on cheap marketing ideas to sell, and the first game set the standards for the next two, which again sold well, but because they were great games. There is no denying that the games made Tony a bigger star than he was before, he is well known all over the world now, even in countries where skateboarding is not such a big thing. This was one of the rare games with a name that did not rely on it to sell.

To my knowledge though, that’s where the games like that stop, all the rest I know turned out to be crap. Ronaldo V Football was a big let down and it really offered nothing in footballing genius that you would really expect from him. The graphics were under par and not at all up to the standard that even Fifa could produce, the game play was sluggish and did not even resemble the way the game should be played. This was one of those games that solely relied on the name to sell it, and that it did, it by no means did sell quite a few copies and no doubt a lot of that ended up in the star himself back pocket, and he really should take a look at himself for this reason, and the developers should too, tricking people into buying a crap game with a good name.

Matt Hoffman’s for me is a strange one, there is no doubt that the game was good, how could you fault a game that was just the same engine from Tony Hawks but with a BMX, and that’s it, it was the same game with a different name, the only real difference was that the tricks looked different and it was on a BMX. They took a formula from a game that was already good and put a different name on it. The game was good if you were a BMX fan, or did not have any of the Hawks games, other wise it was just the same really and a waste of good money. But again, Matt was not one of the best know sports person in the world, so what sold the game this time, was it the name of the developer, Actvision, well known for the hawks games? I doubt it was that, maybe it was the look of the cover, it was very similar to Tony’s games and so people must have thought that it would be good. Whatever the reason, it sold well, with the name, and for being the same game as Tony hawks.

So what of the new David Beckham game. Well from what I have seen so far, is very little, so for starters that cant be good, all I have seen is an advert on TV where most of it is a small film where he is being implanted with something, then an unclear picture of in game footage taking a free kick. The fact that this is a PS1 only game tends to make you think that to sell there is going to have to have a good marketing campaign, and what better way to do so than by putting the England captains name bang on the front cover, that sure is going to stir up some attention, and the fools who see it will by it without a thought. Sure, the game might be good, im not saying it wont be, but more people will by the game because of the name rather than the game, which is what the developer is planning on.
David Beckham is a class player, and deserves to have a good game to his name, not some shabby marketing plan that will bring the developers and him lots of cash, but that’s the way the world works, the more money they make the better.

But of course, I just had to mention Harry. Harry Potter is one of the worlds greatest story books ( so I have heard!) and millions of kids have read them and can instantly recognise him. Then with the film coming out, his popularity rose even more as all the people who were not bothered to read the books could go and see what all the fuss was about. With both the film and the books being very successful, there was no surprise to my mind when I heard a game was coming out, and of course, the name theory comes into play here. Millions of kids will see little Harrys face on front of the box and just on that little picture they will want to buy the game, and that’s what the game relies on to sell as its not all that good. This can even be seen on the TV adverts, none of the in game footage is shown, just a short computer created film showing off some of the ‘magical’ things that happen, and at the top it says “not actual in game footage”. What a surprise. But still the game will probably be the best selling game this Christmas, being on nearly all formats, bright thinking if your there for the money right.

So to my conclusion, unlike most films, when you here whose in it then usually the film is a good watch, and you are glad you spent the money to see it. But in games, more often than not, if there is a big name in it then its probably crap. But why is this all the time, well it seems that this happens because these games come from developers that are actually only interested in the money and not there quality of games, so with a big name in the game, they don’t need to spend such a big amount of time on the actual game. So, they just rush it, get a start, middle and end, get it on the shelves in time for Christmas and watch the money come rolling in.

Make sure you do the research first.

Cheers

Pro.
Wed 05/12/01 at 09:02
Regular
Posts: 6,702
Pro Evo wrote:
> if it was say wookiee or ssxpro that wrote them im betting
> there would be many more replies here.


Only because I make most of the replies to my own topics myself. If you look at some of my topics, my name is every other post. :-)
Wed 05/12/01 at 00:13
Regular
Posts: 15,579
I bought Ronaldo V football on the GBC simply for the reason that it had his name on it. Man was i a idiot!

It is probably the worst game to date i have bought. I thought South was bad, but Ronaldo v football takes the biscuit. I'm talking about the GBC remember, not the Psone one. On this version I have never actually scored a goal! I can hardly string a pass together, and the control system is very limited.

I just wish Ronaldo hadnt graced his name on this game! Dont people like him get enough money anyway?! Surly he gets enough money from his Nike contract, and the goes for Beckham with his Adidas contract. But I suppose, would you turn down the chance to have your name on a football game? no matter how bad it was...
Tue 04/12/01 at 22:48
Regular
"360: swfcman"
Posts: 6,953
Triple_H wrote:
> Yeah well they are respected here...:)

Fine.

And cheers for the replys people.
Tue 04/12/01 at 22:46
Regular
"You Bum!!"
Posts: 3,740
Yeah well they are respected here...:)
Tue 04/12/01 at 22:45
Regular
"Jim Jam Jim"
Posts: 5,626
Pro Evo wrote:
> Too long for all of you then...thought so.

Nope you write quality posts all the time.

I would agree with you. Games that have been licensed by somebody isnt normally the best game of that genre. Its also the case with Fifa. Its all to do with the branding. A big name in sport, TV , Music e.t.c will attract a great response to people. Adverts use famous people to sell there products. Really its all one big scam. If for example David Beckham has his game, I bet he had no input what so ever. The game makers just go up to his PR people hand them a cheque and say "We want to use Davids name for our game" They say yes take the money and develope a game. Well at least most of us on this board can tell between the good games and the bad and will never buy game of low standards. (Not saying David Beckhams game is rubbish as I havent seen it, just saying it generally)
Tue 04/12/01 at 22:33
Regular
"360: swfcman"
Posts: 6,953
Har har har.

But when you put the time in to write them you at least expect someone to read them, if it was say wookiee or ssxpro that wrote them im betting there would be many more replies here.

So whats that saying.
Tue 04/12/01 at 22:31
Regular
"You Bum!!"
Posts: 3,740
Ah, stop moaning..You know I always read your posts..and what a waste of time that is I am sorry did I say anything......
Tue 04/12/01 at 22:18
Regular
"360: swfcman"
Posts: 6,953
Too long for all of you then...thought so.
Tue 04/12/01 at 19:03
Regular
"Copyright: FM Inc."
Posts: 10,338
Triple_H wrote:
After all, we dont want to stare
> at a perfectly recreated mug of Becks and have Ronaldo resemble one of the
> faceless monsters from Silent Hill, do we........

But Ronaldo DOES resemble one of the faceless monsters from Silent Hill...

There are loads of exceptions to the rule of course. The Nomad Soul was a game that only really got noticed because of the David Bowie soundtrack that was written for it. I bought it and I quite enjoyed it.

And, erm...nope, that's it, you're right.
Tue 04/12/01 at 18:58
Regular
"You Bum!!"
Posts: 3,740
You are right. Many kids just buy games/videos/clothes/keyrings etc just because its got their favourite person on the front. With the release of Harry Potter, all the shops are stocked up to the ceiling with special promotional toys and books etc. You cant walk in any shop and not see anything which has nothingto do with Harry Potter. The same goes for everything else really. People who like David Beckham will undoubtedly go out and buy his new footie game because they think that everything endorsed by a famous person is great.
Its true thatit was a bit unfair on us gamers that Activision brought out Matt Hoffman BMX when it not only had the same engine as the Hawkster games, but it featured the same music too!!!
I think that gamers should really think about what they are buying. After all we all know what the best footie game out there is right now, and you dont see many adverts for it on TV do you.
I just wish that the companies who decide to book all the famous dudes and dudettes also thought a little bit about the games they are releasing. After all, we dont want to stare at a perfectly recreated mug of Becks and have Ronaldo resemble one of the faceless monsters from Silent Hill, do we........

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