MS xbox360 launch hype tactics?
- Thread starter rabidrabbit
- Start date
That doesn't make sense. The retail company make no money selling XB360 hardware. To be held to moving 20 units, include 6 core units that perhpas no-one will want, at a profit of $0 to themselves (ignoring games), at a risk of being punished for a breech of contract if the store doesn't sell all 20...I would just say no. I wouldn't waste my time sellng the system and would cater to the existing millions of current gen gamers. If MS want to sell the hardware they want it in shops. Approaching this in such an antagonistic way seems mindnumbingly dumb and offensive.
I've no idea if this is true or not, but if yes, it seems a classic example of biting the hand that feeds you whilst shooting oneself in the foot at the same time.
There's no need to threaten and bully retailers like this when all they have to do is trust in the system they've built. It can manage to stand on its own just fine anyway, no need for any underhanded tactics to make demand seem greater than it really is, because they're likely to sell out anyway, and people will want to have two games (if not more) to play on it as well.
There's no need to threaten and bully retailers like this when all they have to do is trust in the system they've built. It can manage to stand on its own just fine anyway, no need for any underhanded tactics to make demand seem greater than it really is, because they're likely to sell out anyway, and people will want to have two games (if not more) to play on it as well.
So, this kind of tactic would pretty much ensure the headlines:
"XXX sold out on day one, XXX launch the most succesful ever!"
"XXX software tie-in ratio 6:1!! The launch software is selling better than any console!"
If this is indeed true, can we please agree to ban all next gen sales figures topics, please
"XXX sold out on day one, XXX launch the most succesful ever!"
"XXX software tie-in ratio 6:1!! The launch software is selling better than any console!"
If this is indeed true, can we please agree to ban all next gen sales figures topics, please
Don't know, but one retailer here is selling six different kind of xbox360 bundles.
From the "Core+King Kong", which is just that, the Core xbox360 with the King Kong game, fora little less than €400
to the "Ultimate Bundle" with 5 games plus pretty much all the accessories for a little less than €900.
There's no xbox360 available without a single game bundled in, although you can buy it with just one game to contradict the article.
Don't know if they're subject to change though.
Edit: Just checked another retailer's online store, and they're selling the Core for just under €300... huh! the King Kong game in that bundle of that another store costs almopst €100!! Must be a good game
From the "Core+King Kong", which is just that, the Core xbox360 with the King Kong game, fora little less than €400
to the "Ultimate Bundle" with 5 games plus pretty much all the accessories for a little less than €900.
There's no xbox360 available without a single game bundled in, although you can buy it with just one game to contradict the article.
Don't know if they're subject to change though.
Edit: Just checked another retailer's online store, and they're selling the Core for just under €300... huh! the King Kong game in that bundle of that another store costs almopst €100!! Must be a good game
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I wouldn't be surprise if MS had some "incentive" for retailers to push as many consoles as they could at launch. Actually, I expected them to do so. I don't know how far these incentives go. But I assume reallocating second shipment to retailers that can move the inventory is the standard practice.
I don't know why MS has to go all hardball on these retailers - I guess their OS strategy guys got involved! Anyway I would be *shocked* if the 360 didn't sell out (at least in the US) within days. They needn't worry, though I understand their desire to create 'hype.'
Bottom line is 360 marketing is all viral, all the time now it seems.
Anyway I would be *shocked* if the 360 didn't sell out (at least in the US) within days. They needn't worry, though I understand their desire to create 'hype.' Bottom line is 360 marketing is all viral, all the time now it seems.
Shark Sandwich
Regular
As long as I don't have to buy Fantavision with my Xbox 360 I'm ok.
It seems like this is a common practice, though. Force retailers to buy the low-demand stuff in order to get the high-demand stuff.
It seems like this is a common practice, though. Force retailers to buy the low-demand stuff in order to get the high-demand stuff.
Am i the only one who kinda enjoyed Fantavision? It was kinda gay but it was cool-ish...
I can only imagine what a new Fantavision would look like, even on current gen consoles, with the amount of particles these machines can push... Let alone a next gen version...
I can only imagine what a new Fantavision would look like, even on current gen consoles, with the amount of particles these machines can push... Let alone a next gen version...
This is horrible they did the same with EBX when the xbox was launch,if you din't pre-order with time and you pre-order a month or weeks before launch you would have to buy a $500 dollars xbox bundle, you know MS hand was inside cuz,you had to pick and MS first partie game or they would not sell it to you.
I still think EB was also happy with this bundle.
Reason why i pre-order long ago,if you do it that way they can't force a bundle on you.
I still think EB was also happy with this bundle.
Reason why i pre-order long ago,if you do it that way they can't force a bundle on you.
Where is this "hard ball" tactics? By everything I know, this is very standard procedures, especially given that the Xbox 360 is in a shortage. Why on Earth would MS distribute to stores that won't sell out?
It seems very simple : You only get an allotment if you can use it and they require an attach rate of two games. This is hard ball?
.Sis
It seems very simple : You only get an allotment if you can use it and they require an attach rate of two games. This is hard ball?
.Sis
Sis said:
The games requirement is hardball I feel. As for the 'sistribute to stores that won't sell,' pray tell which stores will not sell out of 360 this year? There will be frantic parents calling every store in their area.
What the 'must sell these consoles' clause really is, is a subtle push for retailers to advertise the hell out of their 360 stocks, thus basically providing MS with a free advertising blitz.
I'm not saying it's not smart - but I am saying having stores sign this is wholly unnecessary.
@Tap In and Valioso: Alright I buy that logic, makes sense. I would imagine that just distributing based on demographic data should have been sufficient though. They should have a pretty detailed 'map' of the country showing interest in various geographic regions based on pre-order information alone.
xbdestroya said:
Developers want their cut for making launch titles. Stores don't make any money of hardware sales only software so they also want to make some profit with this whole thing as well. And bundles have always existed, the ps2 had bundles, the xbox had bundles.. is just part of launch.
Shark Sandwich
Regular
london-boy said:
To be honest, I've never played Fantavision. I just think of that as the epitome of an "early adopter tax". So many people had to buy that game in order to get their hands on a PS2, despite the fact that nobody was really interested in it.