All purpose sales and sales rumors/anecdotes thread next gen+

[Rangers]

Poor showing, hopefully this teaches 343 #no60fpscampaign #nodynamicresolution

Graphics are essential to building hype in a Triple A FPS and my impression was Halo 5 didn't have it. I know it takes a lot to make me "meh" leading up to a Halo game but that's exactly how I felt before 5.

That said...the only other big release so far this holiday AFAIK has been AC Syndicate, and that performed poorly as well. So perhaps all or most titles may be looking at a tough market? We'll see. COD has been on a downward slope for a while so I wouldn't expect BLOPS3 to buck the trend...

Also digital sales are possibly a growing factor, but I think an optimistic estimate for Halo 5 might be 30% and that wouldn't save it...

 

[Rockster]

Not sure that's true. Nintendo proves repeatedly that gameplay is king. Play it and see if you think your comments hold up. The additions to player movement make the game significantly better than any halo that has come before and 60fps is essential to that. I'd take what they did over lipstick on a pig any day of the week.

 

[Persistantthug]

I don't know... console gamers can be weird at times (ok, most of the times ), especially when it comes to disposable income towards game purchases and system accessories. One moment something is to expensive (particular console sku or games), yet would spend sh** load on overpriced accessories (not mentioning any names).

In the long run, I think the biggest mistake maybe Tomb Raider's exclusivity to One (pun intended) platform, if sales are truly bleak. But that's Square's fault...

You say "that's Square's fault", as if to imply that Square-Enix could come off with egg on their face if Tomb Raider doesn't sell well......

But that's assuming that Microsoft didn't pay Square-Enix through the nose. How do we know they didn't?

 

[Clukos]

Analysis: Sony continues to widen its console sales lead over Microsoft

Some graphs

Spoiler

Some of the future prediction stuff look nonsensical to me (300m consoles shipped by 2024? What?) but the graphs for current market share seem on point.

 

[bgroovy]

He also appears to simply be making up his Xbox One figures at this point. Makes his entire analysis pretty farcical.

 

[Rangers]

Not sure that's true. Nintendo proves repeatedly that gameplay is king.

How is Nintendo doing these days?

Wrong thread (or maybe not because it's a sales driver imo) but, I just have always maintained that in the core market graphics are always a big part of the package (imo most of the reason PS4 is outselling XBO is hardware).

Whatever the case so far the sales story (which in the end is what they care about) is apparently not validating whatever 343 did with the game.

 

[Shifty Geezer]

Whatever the case so far the sales story (which in the end is what they care about) is apparently not validating whatever 343 did with the game.

That may be right, but it's too early to say. As others say, once burned by 343, gamers may be hesitant to buy early. If the gameplay is awesome, you'd expect longer sales growth. So it could be the choices are validated creating the best Halo game that everyone wants to play, only it's not showing at launch because people don't know that's what it is yet.

 

[Deleted member 11852]

Analysis: Sony continues to widen its console sales lead over Microsoft

I read this last night. Ars document what they had to do to try and estimate actual figures and which still only gives rudimentary ballpark numbers for Xbox consoles sales. Good job on burying bad numbers, Microsoft!

 

[Silent_Buddha]

That may be right, but it's too early to say. As others say, once burned by 343, gamers may be hesitant to buy early. If the gameplay is awesome, you'd expect longer sales growth. So it could be the choices are validated creating the best Halo game that everyone wants to play, only it's not showing at launch because people don't know that's what it is yet.

Yup, I still haven't bought it because of the absolutely crap job they did with Halo 4. I was planning to wait until next year to get it when it should be far cheaper.

However, due to 60 FPS and the reported fantastic gameplay, I'm actually considering getting it this holiday season at full price now.

So far...

Pros to buying...

- 60 FPS
- Great gameplay
- Large areas.

Cons to buying...

- questionable story, I don't like what 343i are doing with the Halo storyline.

Regards,
SB

 

[Rangers]

That may be right, but it's too early to say. As others say, once burned by 343, gamers may be hesitant to buy early. If the gameplay is awesome, you'd expect longer sales growth. So it could be the choices are validated creating the best Halo game that everyone wants to play, only it's not showing at launch because people don't know that's what it is yet.

Most (if not all?) triple A titles sales follow the same pattern. A strong initial week followed by very rapid tail off.

Word of Mouth plays some part but probably not even the major one. Pre-release marketing/demand is far more important, oddly. That is where ALLEGEDLY Halo 5 is showing weakness.

 

[MrFox]

I read this last night. Ars document what they had to do to try and estimate actual figures and which still only gives rudimentary ballpark numbers for Xbox consoles sales. Good job on burying bad numbers, Microsoft!

As usual his estimates are based on ridiculous stuff.

This is the icing on the cake:
Taking the difference between last year and this year and projecting this percentage increase to continue every year! What if it's accelerating? It accelerates by 25% every year, it will have 10 billion consoles in 4 years !!!

This guy forgot the wisdom of Sergeant Lincoln Osiris.

Spoiler

 

[Rangers]

19) Uncharted PS4 Bundle
25) Halo 5 LE XB1 Bundle
26) Star Wars LE PS4 Bundle*
39) CoD LE PS4 Bundle*
49) TLOU PS4 Bundle
59) Destiny TTK PS4 Bundle
77) Gears XB1 Bundle
89) Star Wars Standard PS4 Bundle*

Possible final Amazon October standing from Neogaf.

Cant spin that as anything other than a clear prediction of a PS4 win. So we will see...

 

[function]

Yup, I still haven't bought it because of the absolutely crap job they did with Halo 4. I was planning to wait until next year to get it when it should be far cheaper.

However, due to 60 FPS and the reported fantastic gameplay, I'm actually considering getting it this holiday season at full price now.

So far...

Pros to buying...

- 60 FPS
- Great gameplay
- Large areas.

Cons to buying...

- questionable story, I don't like what 343i are doing with the Halo storyline.

Regards,
SB

Yeah. 60 fps is actually a huge draw for me too.

The reason I haven't got Halo 5 yet is because I haven't got an Xbox One yet. The reason I haven't got an Xbox One yet is because I'm wavering on Halo 5, because of the disappointment in Halo 4 story and gameplay, and because of the festering shitpile that was MCC.

I'm broke at the moment too so an Xbox One would be a big stretch, but I was broke when OGB and X360 came out, and I got those consoles with Halo 1 and Halo 3. I was wavering, but now I've wavered away for the time being.

Point being, this has nothing to do with 60 fps or dynamic res, at least for me (those related things are actually pros for me) and everything to do with it being 343 rather than Bungie and me being out of touch with the now even huger an now even more expanded expanded universe ...

 

[Silent_Buddha]

Most (if not all?) triple A titles sales follow the same pattern. A strong initial week followed by very rapid tail off.

Word of Mouth plays some part but probably not even the major one. Pre-release marketing/demand is far more important, oddly. That is where ALLEGEDLY Halo 5 is showing weakness.

Definitely not all. Tomb Raider (reboot) and Sleeping Dogs initially had that trend. Relatively strong sales (for the title not in general) at the start. Tailed off quickly. And then sales picked up significantly after about 6 months or so. Sleeping Dogs in particular did relatively poorly at launch. But was a sleeper hit much later in its life as word of mouth went around. Much more so than you would see with the traditional small bump with a budget priced re-release.

IIRC, The Sims also followed a similar trajectory for the first game. Strong initial sales, rapid fall off. Then a VERY strong increase in sales as word of mouth spread among casual gamers..

Regards,
SB

 

[djskribbles]

Possible final Amazon October standing from Neogaf.

Cant spin that as anything other than a clear prediction of a PS4 win. So we will see...

Remember that the H5 bundle has been available for pre-order since August and August/September orders do not count towards October's rankings. I think it could go either way in October.

 

[DrJay24]

Possible final Amazon October standing from Neogaf.

Cant spin that as anything other than a clear prediction of a PS4 win. So we will see...

But... there are plenty of Halo 5 bundles form previous months where there are likely none for the Uncharted bundle. I would predict a small XB win, not enough to celebrate, maybe <20k.

 

[zed]

[QUOTE="Clukos, post: 1879335, member: 87762]
Some of the future prediction stuff look nonsensical to me (300m consoles shipped by 2024? What?) but the graphs for current market share seem on point.[/QUOTE]
mate its written by Kyle Orland, you can pretty much ignore it, this is the guy thats written a 10% increase of pixel count is 'massive improvement' yet in another article a 100% increase of pixel count is 'minor' 'only pixel counters will see a difference'

 

[Rangers]

Definitely not all. Tomb Raider (reboot) and Sleeping Dogs initially had that trend. Relatively strong sales (for the title not in general) at the start. Tailed off quickly. And then sales picked up significantly after about 6 months or so. Sleeping Dogs in particular did relatively poorly at launch. But was a sleeper hit much later in its life as word of mouth went around. Much more so than you would see with the traditional small bump with a budget priced re-release.

IIRC, The Sims also followed a similar trajectory for the first game. Strong initial sales, rapid fall off. Then a VERY strong increase in sales as word of mouth spread among casual gamers..

Regards,
SB

Now the hard part...any proof/links/figures to back this up?

I think this is likely to happen such as it might more with a certain style of game, and certain types of games on PC. I'm not aware of it almost ever occurring for console packaged games.

Halo 1 had great legs back in 2001. GTA games always seem to as well. As a couple notable examples off the top of my head. Something perennial like Fifa, if it counts...

Anyways for proof most/all games fall off a cliff after release, google any recent PAL charts on neogaf. The UK charts give percent declines for week 2 titles. For example the one I just googled was Destiny Taken King, it was down 70% in the UK it's 2nd week. Most (if not all) big titles are that range, around 70% drop week 1 to 2. I suppose movie box office is much the same way, although you occasionally get something with crazy legs (Titanic, Avatar).

 

[temesgen]

Now the hard part...any proof/links/figures to back this up?

I think this is likely to happen such as it might more with a certain style of game, and certain types of games on PC. I'm not aware of it almost ever occurring for console packaged games.

Halo 1 had great legs back in 2001. GTA games always seem to as well. As a couple notable examples off the top of my head. Something perennial like Fifa, if it counts...

My guess is you could use price to infer the legs of most games. Sticky prices would suggest the value does not depreciate as rapidly as most IPs do.

 

[bgroovy]

My guess is the sales bounce for Tomb Raider and Sleeping Dogs comes down to them being pretty popular when they hit $7.50 on Steam.