How Good is Good Enough for Xbox 360's Launch Line-Up?

[Black Dragon37]

Microsoft showed off a significant proportion of its launch titles for Xbox 360 in Amsterdam last week, demonstrating beyond a doubt one of the strongest early line-ups for a console ever - but it still faces a tough challenge in the marketplace, says Rob Fahey.

 

[dukmahsik]

it covers all the bases with a good mix of good to great games but no real standout such as halo 1. i'd rather have that than just 1 outstanding game and many mediocre games for a console's launch.

 

[NavNucST3]

it covers all the bases with a good mix of good to great games but no real standout such as halo 1. i'd rather have that than just 1 outstanding game and many mediocre games for a console's launch.

I'm not quite sure I understand your sentence framing? So it has good to GREAT games, but no standouts? I think I will take those good to greats over a single "outstanding" game. Not to mention we don't know what will be outstanding, HALO didn't just start off as an outstanding game, and depending on someones genre of choice and gaming wants and needs, mediocre-oustanding, like beauty, is in the eye-of-the-beholder.

 

[Serenity Painted Death]

Launch lineup's don't need to be great, or even good. They're pretty irrelevant in the long run. Of course Halo, an Xbox launch game, is what pretty much kept Xbox afloat last generation, so maybe they are more keen to it than the other companies. At any rate, games that come out at the beginning of a system's life are generally buggy, under-realized, and problematic in many other ways, no matter how much better they look compared to what we are used to. It is what you do with games after the launch period that matters.

Far more important with regards to a launch is timing and marketing. Games? Eh, it isn't necessary to have killer games. Does it help? Yes? Do you /need/ it? No.

 

[Carl B]

NucNav I think you and Dukmah are in agreement, just a heads up on that.

 

[seismologist]

Yeah it's going to be tough. They had a hard enough time convincing people to buy Xbox 1 for it's better graphics. And now the graphics are even better but with no killer ap and no new functionality. It's gonna be a tough sell.

 

[Mefisutoferesu]

What we saw at X05 was a great lineup! Lot's of bases covered, but I still feel it's a bit wanting in terms of Japan's launch. DOA and (maybe?) NNN? PGR will work on an international scale and I imagine Kameo will as well, I'm assuming both can be localized in time for Japan's launch, but the rest are (as far as I can recall) very Western centric, no? Moreover, I haven't heard the slightest peep concerning any of the Japanese RPGs what-so-ever. From's eM was supposed to be a launch game, yet nada... I haven't even heard so much as a licks worth about the battle system, which is rather troubling. I imagine they're probably saving Mistwalker as a final weapon against the PS3 launch, "why buy the PS3 when you can get an FF class game on XBox NOW??" kinda thing. Anyway, any thoughts on what the launch in Japan is gonna be like?

Meh, maybe I'm worry too much, four games is pretty good in Japan. It's just that MS, got their butts handed to them, so I feel they need to come out guns-a-blazing in Japan.

 

[Carl B]

Yeah it's going to be tough. They had a hard enough time convincing people to buy Xbox 1 for it's better graphics. And now the graphics are even better but with no killer ap and no new functionality. It's gonna be a tough sell.

I don't know though, with the pre-orders more or less sold out and locked in, I'd almost venture to say that Microsoft has already jumped the first hurdle in the whole 'launch success' game. Not to mention, I think there are enough quality titles available that the general feel of the launch after the fact will be a positive one.

We'll see what spanners Sony tosses into the mix these next several weeks though - certainly it seems end of October is 'Sony-time.'

 

[jvd]

Launches are interesting .

For example the nintendo had rob the robot and super mario brothers and a few other eh games like athena .

The genesis had alter beast and what else ?

Supernes had supermario world and pilot wings ?

Playstation had ridge racer and battle arena ?

Saturn had what vf (horrible) and clock work knights ?

n64 had mario 64 , wave race and pilot wings ?

dreamcast had sonic adventure and soul reaver ?

Ps2 had tekken , a ridge racer and what else ?


So really no launch has had a) as many games as ms will have b) as many decent games (just by shear numbers ) and c) games that are getting alot of good feed back like kameo .

No launch has been stellar . All the games are rushed and they are a ) pc ports b) ports from last gen systems c) new rushed engines for a new system

The smae will happen with the ps3 and the rev .

 

[Mefisutoferesu]

I personally think Xbox 360 success won't be measured in how it performs at it's launch, but how it performs during other console launches and there after. The hype that'll be generated from the Sony and Nintendo launches, not to mention all the hype the companies themselves will try to generate will have to be dealt with in some way in order to survive.

One way to think about it is to imagine a little kid and his toys. Kid BEGS mommy for the new gogobot500, mommy buys it for him and he plays with it incessantly, BUT then an ad for gogorobo500 comes out, and then he BEGS for that, gets it, and forgets all about gogbot. Rinse and repeat. Xbox 360's real test will be in surviving both Sony and Nintendo's launches, and that requires fresh, new, and of course good games to continue trickling out... part of what hurt DC so much... it had a stall in game releases.

The genesis had alter beast and what else

RISE FROM YOUR GRAVE!!

LOL, couldn't resist.

 

[RancidLunchmeat]

I don't get the idea that it'll be a tough go for MS.

Every console they can manufacture from whenever they started (August?) until they can get them on the shelves at launch will be sold. If anything, there will be a shortage of consoles available for purchase (as Allard said last week in an interview).

The strength of the launch lineup is what will keep or prevent people from buying the X360 after the launch window, yet before any other "milestone" (such as AAA releases, Halo 3, etc).

All the launch lineup will do at this point is keep the X360 on the shelves, or coming off the shelves as MS manufactures more and gets more into stores. If it's strong, people will continue to buy them even after the holiday season as they become available. If it's weak, then people won't buy an X360 until Halo 3 or some other big title is announced, which means stores will end up having an inventory problem until then.

I don't think it will have any influence on the launch success of the console, though. Every unit MS can manufacture and get onto the shelves will be sold.

 

[_leech_]

I expect minor disappointments (Quake 4, Kameo) that'll ripple into waves by fans who expect everything to be a 10. That's about all i have to say about the launch as far as software goes

 

[jvd]

I personally think Xbox 360 success won't be measured in how it performs at it's launch, but how it performs during other console launches and there after. The hype that'll be generated from the Sony and Nintendo launches, not to mention all the hype the companies themselves will try to generate.

One way to think about it is to imagine a little kid and his toys. Kid BEGS mommy for the new gogobot500, mommy buys it for him and he plays with it incessantly, BUT then an ad for gogorobo500 comes out, and then he BEGS for that, gets it, and forgets all about gogbot. Rinse and repeat. Xbox 360's real test will be in surviving both Sony and Nintendo's launches, and that requires fresh, new, and of course good games to continue trickling out... part of what hurt DC so much... it had a stall in game releases.


RISE FROM YOUR GRAVE!!

LOL, couldn't resist.

Well remember the usa its in bad place right now . Gas is at an all time high and there aren't as many jobs . So people aren't rushing to spend money. The gamers will still have 2-3 of the next systems . But mommy and daddy may only be willing to pony up for 1 or 2 next gen systems for thier kids . So i think pricing may matter this gen .

Also lets not forget that the psp itself will compete with the ps3 for sales . You have the psp that is going to get ports of all the titles u loved on the ps2 but portable and you will have the ps3 that will have sequals to those games but are not portable .

Then you got nintendo coming from left field and who knows how this console gen will unfold . It will be fun to watch though

 

[Acert93]

Yeah it's going to be tough. They had a hard enough time convincing people to buy Xbox 1 for it's better graphics. And now the graphics are even better but with no killer ap and no new functionality. It's gonna be a tough sell.

That is not true. Off the top of my head Xbox Live has quite a few new features currently not found in Live (and definately not on other consoles) and Live Silver will be free so a bit of this is being funneled to every gamer who wishes to access it. And of course there is HD/Widescreen/5.1 standard, so that is a step in the evolutionary chain of better features/quality. It can also act as a Media Center Extender.

In 30 seconds I could think of a number of new features and functionality that are not found in current consoles.

To contrast the PS2/Xbox 1 added... DVD? Down the road after launch... online, EyeToy? Minus the nicer graphics and sound previous consoles rarely offerred new functionality. Xbox 360 seems to be one of the more rich devices in this area.

And I don't think it is necessarily important. There were almost 140M consoles sold last gen with the main focus on gaming. Gaming has not changed much this gen (FPS, RPG, Racing, Sports, Adverture, Action, Platform, etc are all old hat). The key is providing a good gaming platform first and foremost.

 

[BlueTsunami]

I say the 360 lineup is the best ever. They've covered almost every main genre with the launch games (I'm including the famous "launch window" term to). So with every genre touched almost every gamer should have a game that has them atleast a little interested. I would list them, but i'm at work right now....

>.>

Would take to long...

 

[Mefisutoferesu]

Well, I screwed up the example, I guess. My focus wasn't on the buying aspect. The point I was trying to make was that MS needs to keep a good supply of interesting games to steer people and buyers away from the subsequent 2 console launches. They need to steer away the natural interest of a console's launch back to the games on their system, and that means good exculsive games. They can't have little jonny's interest in the newness of 360 purchased or not be overshadowed by the other launches. Having a Halo or Mistwalker game may do that, and steer interest away.

 

[Carl B]

Mefisuto I agree with your thinking that in the overall picture, maintaining interest in the face of Sony and Nintendo will be crucial to success in the long-run.

But I'm right with you BlueTsunami, as far as launch lineups, this is probably the most robust launch lineup I can remember in all of console history.

 

[Nite_Hawk]

I'm very curious to see how the launch goes. Do lots of good-great games matter more than 1 outstanding game? Personally, reflecting on my own past buying habits, I think I've only ever bought new equipment (PC or console) for something specific. I upgraded my computer for morrowind. I bought a gamecube for the windwaker (well, I ended up letting my wife play that one). I bought a used xbox off my friend for fable.

I think what it comes down to is that I don't have enough time to play lots of good-great games, but I'll make the time (and spend the money) to be able to play a very few select outstanding games. It will be interesting to see if I'm the norm or the exception.

Nite_Hawk

 

[jvd]

Well, I screwed up the example, I guess. My focus wasn't on the buying aspect. The point I was trying to make was that MS needs to keep a good supply of interesting games to steer people and buyers away from the subsequent 2 console launches. They need to steer away the natural interest of a console's launch back to the games on their system, and that means good exculsive games. They can't have little jonny's interest in the newness of 360 purchased or not be overshadowed by the other launches. Having a Halo or Mistwalker game may do that, and steer interest away.

That is true and i think ms is doing this

Look at it this way , ps3 is rumored to land in march for japan . What does ms have ? Gears of war . This game will most likely help stem the hype flow from japan to europe and america as we will be playing this game that is geared towards us and it seems to be a great looking game and a fun game to play .

Then for the holidays we will get halo 3 most likely which is when the ps3 will launch in america and europe . This is a huge title that will help take some hype away from it .

As for smaller launches from what i can gleam it has a good line up till january with nothing further out than that announced (Except dead rising and ghost recon both delayed till febuary )

I'm going to go out on a limb and figure they will throw froza 2 at us for the holiday 2006 also .

This time they have some big names that they made last gen .

 

[c0_re]

Yea Microsoft is in trouble with all pre-orders sold out everywhere, they should just cancel the launch and close the entire company down then Bill Gates could just sign over a100% of his Microsoft assets over to Sony so they can slowly crush Nintendo and dominate the entire market.