GC price drop tomorrow?

[GHost]

"Nintendo announces that the new recommended retail price for a GameCube console in Europe will be just 79 pounds or 99 euros."

http://www.gamespot.com/gamecube/news/news_6076332.html

Nintendo Europe also adds some more titles to the Player's Choise range.

 

[Teasy]

In the case of Soul Calibur, the game includes Link, the second biggest character in Nintendo's lineup.

No'one is going to buy Soul Calibur 2 just so they can play as link though. Having Link in there did have an effect, but only because of what having that exclusive character in there represents IMO. What it represents is real effort on the developers part towards the GC version of the game. Added to that well known exclusive character there is the fact that this isn't just a cheap port of the PS2 version, like lots of multiplatform games on GC turn out to be. It looks great, it runs great, it loads fast, its a quality game all round. IMO there are 3 main factors that have made this game sell so well on GC compared to a lot of other multiplatform titles:

1: The GC version has clearly been given at least as much time and effort in development on GC as the other 2 systems. This shows and GC owners appreciate this a lot since they usually have to put up with a direct PS2 port form a lot of other multiplatform developers.

2: It was released at the same time as the other two versions.

3: There is a lack of this type of game on GC when compared to PS2 and XBox.

 

[Teasy]

Talking of Soul Calibur 2 sales there was an article on how its selling in the U.K that I read yesterday. Here's the relivant quote:

14:02 Since it's release in the UK last friday, the GameCube version of Soul Calibur II has been outselling both the PlayStation 2 and the Xbox version of the title, the 'Cube version accounting for 38 percent of the total sales. The title's release has also been credited with an apparent boost in GameCube sales, with one source reporting sales had increased by over 100 percent for the week.

Considering GC's small userbase in the U.K these sales are fantastic. Also apparently Soul Calibur 2 has increased GC sales in the U.K by over 100%, according to some stores.

 

[function]

No'one is going to buy Soul Calibur 2 just so they can play as link though.

Actually, I'd bet some people have (people who just wouldn't have bought it otherwise). And that quite a few more have chosen it over the PS2 or Xbox versions (there are lots of multi-console owners out there) becuase the game had Link in it.

I agree that the Gamecube's complete lack of good 3D fighters (are there any 3D fighters??) has helped create an eager market, but I can't see there being many who bought it just because Namco "made an effort" or becuase it came out at the same time as the PS2 and Xbox versions.

 

[Teasy]

I can believe some may have chosen the GC version over the PS2 and XBox version because of Link. But I don't believe that barely anyone would buy Soul Calibur 2 because of link when they otherwise would not buy the game.

I agree that the Gamecube's complete lack of good 3D fighters (are there any 3D fighters??) has helped create an eager market

Yeah of course there are:

Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance and Bloody Roar: Primal Fury. There are also games like Godzilla: Destroy All Monsters Melee, X-Men: Next Dimension.

but I can't see there being many who bought it just because Namco "made an effort" or becuase it came out at the same time as the PS2 and Xbox versions.

I can see one hell of a lot more people buying the game because its clearly a very high quality version of the game then because it has Link in it that's for sure!

As much as you want to pin the success of this game on the old "GameCube owners won't buy anything that isn't related to Nintendo" argument, it simply is not the case. There are many reasons for the games success.

BTW the reasons I gave in my post were reasons why this game sold far better compared to other multiplayer games, not why the game sold better then the PS2 or XBox versions. Frankly I think a lot of that is down to the amount of former Dreamcast owners who now own a GC.

 

[function]

I think I was watching my mate on Mortal Kombat on the Gamecube a couple of weeks ago. Talk about a memory lapse ...

Just as I think that the Dead or Alive fighting games have sold units because of the characters in the games, I think GC Zelda has sold extra units because of Link. It doesn't require any radical kind of thinking.

Of course there are many reasons for the games success, major ones being that it's an attractive looking, well made, well balanced game. But I wouldn't consider the presence of Link to be insignifiacnt in the GC version picking up sales.

I'm sure this prospect wasn't lost on Nintendo when they agreed to have Namco put Link in the game.

As much as you want to pin the success of this game on the old "GameCube owners won't buy anything that isn't related to Nintendo" argument ...

Where would Nintendo be without you, Teasy?

 

[zurich]

Well from what I've seen, the only TV ads have been the Nintendo ones pushing Link pretty hard.

Really, save Link (if that's your thing), there isn't really any reason to buy the GC SC2 over the Xbox or PS2 versions. I think the point that someone brought up of this featuring the 'adult' Link that Nintendo fans missed so much was important as well.

 

[cthellis42]

I figure the main reason multi-console owners buy one version of SC2 over another is because of the controller they prefer to play fighters on, and sadly the GC suffers the most in that regard. (Especially since anyone wanting to use the D-pad--which many will because double-tapping is painfully slow on an analog stick--will go almost anywhere to avoid that one. )

But yeah, since GC has a lack of strong 3D fighers (of the 1-on-1 "classic" variety), I can certainly see the game eagerly picked up. PS2 has a rather good selection, and still has sole ownership of Tekken and Virtua Fighter, which are pretty much the top-tier games. Xbox pushed DOA3 a lot, and it's a good game for people who like fighters--and certainly the great graphics and "cheesecake" factor make it satisfying. (I just don't tend to like the way it plays as a fighter.) Heck, thinking about it, the GC pretty much lacks 2D fighters as well... There's a veritable feeding frenzy! Hehe.

 

[Teasy]

Just as I think that the Dead or Alive fighting games have sold units because of the characters in the games, I think GC Zelda has sold extra units because of Link.

Well yeah I think I can safely say Link in Soul Calibur 2 has sold extra copies of the GC version of the game. Exactly how many extra copies it has sold is another thing. The way you were talking sounded almost like you were saying that if you took Link out of Soul Calibur 2 and replaced him with another exclusive character it'd flop on GC instead of being a massive success.

Where would Nintendo be without you, Teasy?

Miyamoto-san tells me that they couldn't do without me.. but to be honest I can never tell when that guys joking

 

[Teasy]

Zurich

Well from what I've seen, the only TV ads have been the Nintendo ones pushing Link pretty hard.

Strangley there are no Soul Calibur 2 for GC ads here in the U.K... which suprised me.

Really, save Link (if that's your thing), there isn't really any reason to buy the GC SC2 over the Xbox or PS2 versions.

There are reasons to buy it over the PS2 version other then Link. Better graphics, better loads times ect. But then the differences in the versions aren't the only reason for the different sales.

 

[London Geezer]

exactly.. i was at HMV and then Virgin Megastore the other day and there were huge posters of Soul Calibur 2 showing the PS2 and the Xbox versions. the GC version wasnt mentioned AT ALL. and no, i'm not blind.
don't know about the rest of the world, but here GC is not advertised AT ALL. hell, neither of the 3 consoles are advertised much to be honest, but omitting the GC version of the game from advertisements is weird....

still, i can see why the GC version sold like crazy. personally i own or have owned Tekken Tag, Tekken4, Virtua Fighter4 and VF4EVO... and i'm not rushing to the stores to buy soul calibur 2. as good as it is, and i know it is an undeniably good game, i'm exploring other genres to be honest, and i'm sure that, with all the GOOD fighters available on PS2, a lot of people will fell the same way i do... and with Jak2 coming out this month, i dont think i'll be picking up SC2 anytime soon, after having bought ZOE2 and Burnout2 only last week... (that's a lot of "2's" there )

 

[Teasy]

london-boy

I just realised why the GC version is not getting advertised over here. Because in Europe EA are publishing the PS2 and XBox version while Nintendo are publishing the GC version. So obviously EA are advertising the PS2 and XBox version and Nintendo aren't advertising the GC version.

 

[London Geezer]

london-boy

I just realised why the GC version is not getting advertised over here. Because in Europe EA are publishing the PS2 and XBox version while Nintendo are publishing the GC version. So obviously EA are advertising the PS2 and XBox version and Nintendo aren't advertising the GC version.

r u serious? hahaha thats hilarious... pathetically hilarious... i'm speechless... i mean, i shouldnt be surprised AT ALL, but it seems Nintendo can always get me by surprise.... gosh....

 

[Teasy]

Yep its suprising alright (be careful of the word pathetic though I think it might be banned in this forum by certain people ) and its typical of Nintendo and deserves a big

What is even more suprising though is that the GC version is still selling really well (38% of all SC2 sales apparently). Still it'd sell even better if Nintendo advertised it.....

 

[PiNkY]

Nintendo announces that the new recommended retail price for a GameCube console in Europe will be just 79 pounds or 99 euros.

Those poor Brits....

 

[Teasy]

Those poor Brits....

Won't people outside of Britian be paying some kind of seperate tax on top of that 99 Euro price though?.. like they do in the U.S?

Also I recently heard that taxes in the U.K were being dropped on consoles very soon (anyone know anything about this?). So if that's the case hopefully we can look forward to another small price drop soon.

 

[Magnum PI]

Those poor Brits....

Won't people outside of Britian be paying some kind of seperate tax on top of that 99 Euro price though?.. like they do in the U.S?

i think the price we'll pay the GC here in France (99 €) includes VAT (19,6 %)

lso I recently heard that taxes in the U.K were being dropped on consoles very soon (anyone know anything about this?).

it is not a tax we pay

So if that's the case hopefully we can look forward to another small price drop soon.

i would rather expect more profit (or lesser losses) for console makers.

 

[Teasy]

i think the price we'll pay the GC here in France (99 €) includes VAT (19,6 %)

If that's true then this is an absolutely terrible move by Nintendo to sell GC for £79 in the U.K when they could so easily sell it for £70 (100 Euro's). Our VAT in the U.K is only 17.5%, which is lower then France, yet we'll be paying £10 more for a GC then France and the rest of Europe.

GC is currently in quite a bit of trouble in the U.K. Infact AFAICS GC is doing far worse in the U.K then in the rest of Europe. When GC was £70 here in only two stores for a week GC sold out in those stores and beat PS2 for sales that week in the U.K. So having GC at £70 in all stores perminently could have revitalised GC in the U.K. But no, apparently that idea makes far to much sense for Nintendo. So instead they're going to try to milk extra money from their weakest, yet most important, European market. I'm sure the price drop to £79 will still help, but nowhere near as much as a £70 price would have.

If there is no other reason for GC's £79 price in the U.K then to make £10 extra from each U.K sale then I am speechless at Nintendo's stupidity!

i would rather expect more profit (or lesser losses) for console makers.

But they're already making more profit from the U.K with they're new prices anyway.

 

[Magnum PI]

i would rather expect more profit (or lesser losses) for console makers.

But they're already making more profit from the U.K with they're new prices anyway.

i was reffering to the tax specific to consoles that would be suppressed.
i'm expecting console makers to keep the additional margin for them instead of lowering the price.

 

[Teasy]

i was reffering to the tax specific to consoles that would be suppressed.

Yeah I know, what I'm saying is that Nintendo are already making more money from the U.K then the rest of Europe. So instead of trying to make yet more money from a tax drop, they should at least pass that drop onto the U.K. If they don't do this then it just adds insult to injury.