The "General Games Chat" forum, which includes Retro Game Reviews, has been archived and is now read-only. You cannot post here or create a new thread or review on this forum.
With Time on It’s Side ...
Strange way of looking at it but, this year's number one Christmas present will undoubtedly be decided by the staff of games stores up and down the country.
With three fantastic game consoles available for affordable prices, and the games industry continuing to grow in popularity by the week, it is a fair assumption that some of the top presents of this Christmas will be the Playstation 2, Xbox, and Gamecube. Taken for granted, questions have already been posed that one of the three aforementioned consoles will be the number one most bought gift over the festive period, but which one will come out with the best sales figures remains to be seen.
However, is it not the case that this will be decided by an elite group of people? Is it not the case that this will be decided by a group of people PAID to stand around talking about games? As somebody who is amongst this group (the luckiest people on the planet, who get paid to play and discuss games), I’m in a position of great influence, and over the next few months, MANY countless people will approach me in my store and ask, "Which console would you suggest for my child?" Very few parents ever enter our store claiming to know much about console gaming, and, fair play to them, they admit it openly, and are happy to listen to the advice given by any of the employees.
Come the Christmas build-up period (which has started now in most game stores across the country as we await the release of some of the year's biggest games), we, as staff working in game-stores, are required to go into over-drive. There are MANY people who will want to buy the children game consoles this Christmas, but just like another other year, won't know exactly where to invest their money. With THREE consoles available as well, it's more than likely that even MORE people will be bewildered by the various options. Now, as such, I’ll be in a position to influence a LOT of people with the advice I give.
However objective I try to be, it'll be immensely difficult NOT to put a little bit of my own preference into my final advice. For example, having listened to a customers needs, I’ll always try and give them the best option (whether they want an all out games machine, an entertainment system, or a cheaper version of the top games), but, as someone who is able to play MOST of the top games that are released during a year, I of course have my preferences, and am likely to push these preferences, (even if subconsciously). It may well be the case that I push the PS2 harder than I would, the Xbox say for example.
So, in this way I’m actually going to influence the decisions of hundreds of people buying gifts, just as each and every staff member in each and every game store up and down the country will be.
We REALLY are privileged, but maybe this power is a little too much.
We are all fairly objective in my store, but there IS a conscientious amongst the staff that the PS2 is still the top all-round console. Why? We’re told it is. As the console has been around the longest, it obviously has vastly higher sales figures. The support it has game-wise is phenomenal, as you’d expect seeing as it’s been around for as long as it as, and as such it continues to sell very very well. So well in-fact, we’re told by head-office that it’s our top seller, and we should continue to extenuate its positives.
As hard as you try, when you’re told that it’s the biggest selling console week in week out, you can’t help but believe that it must be the best (or at least the most popular). Most of the time, I’ll mention this during a sales pitch, and it can often be enough to sway a customer’s opinion. My comment that it’s sold the most, and continues to do so is purely outlining that it will continue to have great publisher support, but to them this comes as an assurance that many other people have bought and enjoyed the machine.
In the build up to Christmas, our marketing campaign will be almost entirely focused on selling the actual hardware as opposed to the software, but there is a distinct order of preference within the company. The PS2 will be devoted most floor space for marketing, and will come with the best packages to entice people to buy.
Maybe the PS2 really is the best of the three consoles, but you have to believe that if either the GameCube or Xbox had been sold that amount of time prior to the release of the other two consoles, they may well be in a similar position that Sony are now. Buy building up good sales figures, games retailers are pushed towards favouring that machine, and it’s obvious to spot that by looking at the marketing methods employed by high-street retailers all over the country.
Which of the three consoles will win the Christmas battle; there really is only one runner right now. On a level playing field, it really could go any way, with the Xbox obviously firm favourite due to its superior power and now VERY affordable price, but it’s NOT a level playing field.
Maybe we’ll be shocked and find the Xbox or GameCube taking the 2002 Christmas crown, but I’d be very much surprised to see that happen. In a way, it’s almost ironic that I can think that way, because it proves to some extent that as a supposed unbiased impartial games advisor, I’ve learnt to accept what I’ve been TOLD by my superiors. PS2 will outsell all other consoles, and it IS the best console.
The only salvation I can now see for the GameCube and Xbox is if people like myself DELIBERATELY push them to try and be fair to each console, and not praise the PS2 too heavily, but then once again, our true opinions have been disregarded as we TRY to manipulate the system.
It’s not going to happen, we’re far too vulnerable to have any say in the matter, it’s already been decided whose going to win this year’s Christmas battle.
Strange way of looking at it but, this year's number one Christmas present will undoubtedly be decided by the staff of games stores up and down the country.
With three fantastic game consoles available for affordable prices, and the games industry continuing to grow in popularity by the week, it is a fair assumption that some of the top presents of this Christmas will be the Playstation 2, Xbox, and Gamecube. Taken for granted, questions have already been posed that one of the three aforementioned consoles will be the number one most bought gift over the festive period, but which one will come out with the best sales figures remains to be seen.
However, is it not the case that this will be decided by an elite group of people? Is it not the case that this will be decided by a group of people PAID to stand around talking about games? As somebody who is amongst this group (the luckiest people on the planet, who get paid to play and discuss games), I’m in a position of great influence, and over the next few months, MANY countless people will approach me in my store and ask, "Which console would you suggest for my child?" Very few parents ever enter our store claiming to know much about console gaming, and, fair play to them, they admit it openly, and are happy to listen to the advice given by any of the employees.
Come the Christmas build-up period (which has started now in most game stores across the country as we await the release of some of the year's biggest games), we, as staff working in game-stores, are required to go into over-drive. There are MANY people who will want to buy the children game consoles this Christmas, but just like another other year, won't know exactly where to invest their money. With THREE consoles available as well, it's more than likely that even MORE people will be bewildered by the various options. Now, as such, I’ll be in a position to influence a LOT of people with the advice I give.
However objective I try to be, it'll be immensely difficult NOT to put a little bit of my own preference into my final advice. For example, having listened to a customers needs, I’ll always try and give them the best option (whether they want an all out games machine, an entertainment system, or a cheaper version of the top games), but, as someone who is able to play MOST of the top games that are released during a year, I of course have my preferences, and am likely to push these preferences, (even if subconsciously). It may well be the case that I push the PS2 harder than I would, the Xbox say for example.
So, in this way I’m actually going to influence the decisions of hundreds of people buying gifts, just as each and every staff member in each and every game store up and down the country will be.
We REALLY are privileged, but maybe this power is a little too much.
We are all fairly objective in my store, but there IS a conscientious amongst the staff that the PS2 is still the top all-round console. Why? We’re told it is. As the console has been around the longest, it obviously has vastly higher sales figures. The support it has game-wise is phenomenal, as you’d expect seeing as it’s been around for as long as it as, and as such it continues to sell very very well. So well in-fact, we’re told by head-office that it’s our top seller, and we should continue to extenuate its positives.
As hard as you try, when you’re told that it’s the biggest selling console week in week out, you can’t help but believe that it must be the best (or at least the most popular). Most of the time, I’ll mention this during a sales pitch, and it can often be enough to sway a customer’s opinion. My comment that it’s sold the most, and continues to do so is purely outlining that it will continue to have great publisher support, but to them this comes as an assurance that many other people have bought and enjoyed the machine.
In the build up to Christmas, our marketing campaign will be almost entirely focused on selling the actual hardware as opposed to the software, but there is a distinct order of preference within the company. The PS2 will be devoted most floor space for marketing, and will come with the best packages to entice people to buy.
Maybe the PS2 really is the best of the three consoles, but you have to believe that if either the GameCube or Xbox had been sold that amount of time prior to the release of the other two consoles, they may well be in a similar position that Sony are now. Buy building up good sales figures, games retailers are pushed towards favouring that machine, and it’s obvious to spot that by looking at the marketing methods employed by high-street retailers all over the country.
Which of the three consoles will win the Christmas battle; there really is only one runner right now. On a level playing field, it really could go any way, with the Xbox obviously firm favourite due to its superior power and now VERY affordable price, but it’s NOT a level playing field.
Maybe we’ll be shocked and find the Xbox or GameCube taking the 2002 Christmas crown, but I’d be very much surprised to see that happen. In a way, it’s almost ironic that I can think that way, because it proves to some extent that as a supposed unbiased impartial games advisor, I’ve learnt to accept what I’ve been TOLD by my superiors. PS2 will outsell all other consoles, and it IS the best console.
The only salvation I can now see for the GameCube and Xbox is if people like myself DELIBERATELY push them to try and be fair to each console, and not praise the PS2 too heavily, but then once again, our true opinions have been disregarded as we TRY to manipulate the system.
It’s not going to happen, we’re far too vulnerable to have any say in the matter, it’s already been decided whose going to win this year’s Christmas battle.
There have been no replies to this thread yet.
With Time on It’s Side ...
Strange way of looking at it but, this year's number one Christmas present will undoubtedly be decided by the staff of games stores up and down the country.
With three fantastic game consoles available for affordable prices, and the games industry continuing to grow in popularity by the week, it is a fair assumption that some of the top presents of this Christmas will be the Playstation 2, Xbox, and Gamecube. Taken for granted, questions have already been posed that one of the three aforementioned consoles will be the number one most bought gift over the festive period, but which one will come out with the best sales figures remains to be seen.
However, is it not the case that this will be decided by an elite group of people? Is it not the case that this will be decided by a group of people PAID to stand around talking about games? As somebody who is amongst this group (the luckiest people on the planet, who get paid to play and discuss games), I’m in a position of great influence, and over the next few months, MANY countless people will approach me in my store and ask, "Which console would you suggest for my child?" Very few parents ever enter our store claiming to know much about console gaming, and, fair play to them, they admit it openly, and are happy to listen to the advice given by any of the employees.
Come the Christmas build-up period (which has started now in most game stores across the country as we await the release of some of the year's biggest games), we, as staff working in game-stores, are required to go into over-drive. There are MANY people who will want to buy the children game consoles this Christmas, but just like another other year, won't know exactly where to invest their money. With THREE consoles available as well, it's more than likely that even MORE people will be bewildered by the various options. Now, as such, I’ll be in a position to influence a LOT of people with the advice I give.
However objective I try to be, it'll be immensely difficult NOT to put a little bit of my own preference into my final advice. For example, having listened to a customers needs, I’ll always try and give them the best option (whether they want an all out games machine, an entertainment system, or a cheaper version of the top games), but, as someone who is able to play MOST of the top games that are released during a year, I of course have my preferences, and am likely to push these preferences, (even if subconsciously). It may well be the case that I push the PS2 harder than I would, the Xbox say for example.
So, in this way I’m actually going to influence the decisions of hundreds of people buying gifts, just as each and every staff member in each and every game store up and down the country will be.
We REALLY are privileged, but maybe this power is a little too much.
We are all fairly objective in my store, but there IS a conscientious amongst the staff that the PS2 is still the top all-round console. Why? We’re told it is. As the console has been around the longest, it obviously has vastly higher sales figures. The support it has game-wise is phenomenal, as you’d expect seeing as it’s been around for as long as it as, and as such it continues to sell very very well. So well in-fact, we’re told by head-office that it’s our top seller, and we should continue to extenuate its positives.
As hard as you try, when you’re told that it’s the biggest selling console week in week out, you can’t help but believe that it must be the best (or at least the most popular). Most of the time, I’ll mention this during a sales pitch, and it can often be enough to sway a customer’s opinion. My comment that it’s sold the most, and continues to do so is purely outlining that it will continue to have great publisher support, but to them this comes as an assurance that many other people have bought and enjoyed the machine.
In the build up to Christmas, our marketing campaign will be almost entirely focused on selling the actual hardware as opposed to the software, but there is a distinct order of preference within the company. The PS2 will be devoted most floor space for marketing, and will come with the best packages to entice people to buy.
Maybe the PS2 really is the best of the three consoles, but you have to believe that if either the GameCube or Xbox had been sold that amount of time prior to the release of the other two consoles, they may well be in a similar position that Sony are now. Buy building up good sales figures, games retailers are pushed towards favouring that machine, and it’s obvious to spot that by looking at the marketing methods employed by high-street retailers all over the country.
Which of the three consoles will win the Christmas battle; there really is only one runner right now. On a level playing field, it really could go any way, with the Xbox obviously firm favourite due to its superior power and now VERY affordable price, but it’s NOT a level playing field.
Maybe we’ll be shocked and find the Xbox or GameCube taking the 2002 Christmas crown, but I’d be very much surprised to see that happen. In a way, it’s almost ironic that I can think that way, because it proves to some extent that as a supposed unbiased impartial games advisor, I’ve learnt to accept what I’ve been TOLD by my superiors. PS2 will outsell all other consoles, and it IS the best console.
The only salvation I can now see for the GameCube and Xbox is if people like myself DELIBERATELY push them to try and be fair to each console, and not praise the PS2 too heavily, but then once again, our true opinions have been disregarded as we TRY to manipulate the system.
It’s not going to happen, we’re far too vulnerable to have any say in the matter, it’s already been decided whose going to win this year’s Christmas battle.
Strange way of looking at it but, this year's number one Christmas present will undoubtedly be decided by the staff of games stores up and down the country.
With three fantastic game consoles available for affordable prices, and the games industry continuing to grow in popularity by the week, it is a fair assumption that some of the top presents of this Christmas will be the Playstation 2, Xbox, and Gamecube. Taken for granted, questions have already been posed that one of the three aforementioned consoles will be the number one most bought gift over the festive period, but which one will come out with the best sales figures remains to be seen.
However, is it not the case that this will be decided by an elite group of people? Is it not the case that this will be decided by a group of people PAID to stand around talking about games? As somebody who is amongst this group (the luckiest people on the planet, who get paid to play and discuss games), I’m in a position of great influence, and over the next few months, MANY countless people will approach me in my store and ask, "Which console would you suggest for my child?" Very few parents ever enter our store claiming to know much about console gaming, and, fair play to them, they admit it openly, and are happy to listen to the advice given by any of the employees.
Come the Christmas build-up period (which has started now in most game stores across the country as we await the release of some of the year's biggest games), we, as staff working in game-stores, are required to go into over-drive. There are MANY people who will want to buy the children game consoles this Christmas, but just like another other year, won't know exactly where to invest their money. With THREE consoles available as well, it's more than likely that even MORE people will be bewildered by the various options. Now, as such, I’ll be in a position to influence a LOT of people with the advice I give.
However objective I try to be, it'll be immensely difficult NOT to put a little bit of my own preference into my final advice. For example, having listened to a customers needs, I’ll always try and give them the best option (whether they want an all out games machine, an entertainment system, or a cheaper version of the top games), but, as someone who is able to play MOST of the top games that are released during a year, I of course have my preferences, and am likely to push these preferences, (even if subconsciously). It may well be the case that I push the PS2 harder than I would, the Xbox say for example.
So, in this way I’m actually going to influence the decisions of hundreds of people buying gifts, just as each and every staff member in each and every game store up and down the country will be.
We REALLY are privileged, but maybe this power is a little too much.
We are all fairly objective in my store, but there IS a conscientious amongst the staff that the PS2 is still the top all-round console. Why? We’re told it is. As the console has been around the longest, it obviously has vastly higher sales figures. The support it has game-wise is phenomenal, as you’d expect seeing as it’s been around for as long as it as, and as such it continues to sell very very well. So well in-fact, we’re told by head-office that it’s our top seller, and we should continue to extenuate its positives.
As hard as you try, when you’re told that it’s the biggest selling console week in week out, you can’t help but believe that it must be the best (or at least the most popular). Most of the time, I’ll mention this during a sales pitch, and it can often be enough to sway a customer’s opinion. My comment that it’s sold the most, and continues to do so is purely outlining that it will continue to have great publisher support, but to them this comes as an assurance that many other people have bought and enjoyed the machine.
In the build up to Christmas, our marketing campaign will be almost entirely focused on selling the actual hardware as opposed to the software, but there is a distinct order of preference within the company. The PS2 will be devoted most floor space for marketing, and will come with the best packages to entice people to buy.
Maybe the PS2 really is the best of the three consoles, but you have to believe that if either the GameCube or Xbox had been sold that amount of time prior to the release of the other two consoles, they may well be in a similar position that Sony are now. Buy building up good sales figures, games retailers are pushed towards favouring that machine, and it’s obvious to spot that by looking at the marketing methods employed by high-street retailers all over the country.
Which of the three consoles will win the Christmas battle; there really is only one runner right now. On a level playing field, it really could go any way, with the Xbox obviously firm favourite due to its superior power and now VERY affordable price, but it’s NOT a level playing field.
Maybe we’ll be shocked and find the Xbox or GameCube taking the 2002 Christmas crown, but I’d be very much surprised to see that happen. In a way, it’s almost ironic that I can think that way, because it proves to some extent that as a supposed unbiased impartial games advisor, I’ve learnt to accept what I’ve been TOLD by my superiors. PS2 will outsell all other consoles, and it IS the best console.
The only salvation I can now see for the GameCube and Xbox is if people like myself DELIBERATELY push them to try and be fair to each console, and not praise the PS2 too heavily, but then once again, our true opinions have been disregarded as we TRY to manipulate the system.
It’s not going to happen, we’re far too vulnerable to have any say in the matter, it’s already been decided whose going to win this year’s Christmas battle.