rumor: Halo 3 to combat PS3 @ PS3's launch ????

how does a game compete with a console system?

 

historically speaking , exculsive games do help sell consoles...

 

yep games do

regarding halo sales, I'm surprised it's still in the top ten for PC:

from NPD.

 

The argument about Goldeneye being such a huge system seller and a seller period is valid, but there are reasons for its success. The first being that it was really the first of its kind (FPS) that was done right. It succeeded in so many levels that it is hard to begin to comprehend just how amazing the game is. The game is Rare's shining moment when they were at their peak. It was based off of a strong character and movie that didn't dissapoint in any single way. It was also sold on a console starving for titles, not just quality titles but any titles.

That being said, Halo came out in a world where FPS's were around and some were quite good. It was the flagship title on the Xbox and was a damn good one at that. Some may think it is overrated and that is fine, but to most who buy it I imagine it is the game that defines this generation of gaming for them. The game is large in scope and has a decent story to back it up. All this contributes to its success. Halo 2 will probably only further people's beliefs in the series once it is released.

I know Bungie has made statements that there will not be another Halo game, but I doubt MS could just give the franchise up so quickly when it has become so successful. H3 for Xbox2 would be a very nice surprise going up against the PS3 if it is released on the same day or near the same time. With that being said, MS releasing H3 on or near PS3's release is like sending the king's best knight into war alone against an army of 10,000 foot soldiers. No chance in hell.

 

I saw somewhere that Halo had sold over 3 million cumulatively.

Madden sold 4 and 5 million the last two years.

However, I heard the preorders for Halo2 are HUGE. Would not surprise me if it went well over 5 million.

I think when Xbox and GC came out, Sony was able to ward off new competing consoles with some big games (MGS2, DMC, FFX and others).

So Halo3 could help Xenon sales when PS3 launches, even if the PS3 still outsells them.

 

I don't think any one (or for that matter multiple) game is going to stop people buying PS3 when it launches.

The early adopters are the hardcore fans they'll buy anyway.

Having said that MS a library of good games is the best offense MS has and it will probably let MS pick up some of the undecided crowd. Halo 3 or something else bungie produces could be one part of that.

 

what if Halo 3 isnt ready in time for PS3 launch? would they still release it just to try and steal some of PS3 thunder? doesnt this sorta give Sony an advantage since it would basically give then control over Halo 3's launch? dunno just thinking.

 

Well, that was over a year ago (July 2003). Halo sales actually hit 4 million in January 2004.

I suspect the number is greater than 5 million by now...

 

I'm sorry but what makes you think that ms can't offer a bigger payment than sony can to take exclusives away ?

If sony offers rockstar 1$ for a 6-1 year exclusive deal and ms offers 2$ who do you think they are going to go with ?

Same goes for squre-enix . If ms offers them alot of money for exclusive games they will get the games over sony.


Esp if they have a year head start and can also dangle a bigger installed base .

Say ms goes , we have 5 million units sold and we will give you a million extra to develop for the console and give the tittle 6 months only on the xenon .

ANd sonys offer is 500k and 0 installed base to be a launch tittle. Who do you think they are going to develop for ?

I would not count on third party tittles staying exclusive to any system .

Ms might decide its worth spending alot to have the next final fantsy be xenon only and spend more than sony is willing to spend .

Its the way it works .

 

And how many console contract negotiations have you been in again to be in any sort of position to tell anyone 'the way it works'?

 

Ah, I wonder, if MS can do that, why don't they do it in the current generation? Unfortunately even MS doesn't have unlimited money, it even cancelled TFLO to cut resources.

 

How many have I been in ? None . How many have I been told about from people in them , 6 .

Nintendo spent alot of money on the capcom deal , they also agreed to pay to advertise the products . Which is why u saw only 1 re game come out on other systems .

The point is not to buy every game. To buy the ones u know are going to do well.


IF ms opened its wallet up to buy exclusives imho the best games to go for in terms of market apeal would be the grand theft auto games for the next generation , Final fantsy games and I guess any square enqix game


Ms having a final fantsy game , grand theft auto 4 and say a halo game for the months around the ps 3 launch will shift alot of attention to ms.

I highly doubt it would disrupt sonys launch. But they wont slump in sales when every magazine is running ps3 storys (as you know will happen for each of the 3 systems around thier respective launches )

Ms also needs another strong rpg line up. Kotor isn't going to do much against all the rpgs sony has on thier system.

 

I think such *exclusive* deals are not only about money, it is also about rapport, confidence between parties.

 

Yes some of that has to do with past relationships .

But as they say , at the end of the day everyone wants to get payed.

You have to admit with the earlier launch ms will be in a much better bartering postion than either nintendo or sony in the future.

It wont be sony saying hey develop for our 70 million unit world wide install base or ms's 20 million installed base plus the million ms is offering you.

In the first year of life it will be ms going hey rockstar , square our system is out and is already at 3 million + units and sonys system isn't set to come out for another 4 or 5 months , why not develop on our system and we will give you a deal on liscensing fees and put your game in out xenon comercials when its ready to come out.

Which will be a very good looking deal to many companys

 

Because it's more complex than that.

To "buy" an exclusive you have to convince a developer he will make more money developing for your platform alone than he would developong for both your platform and your competitors. That would include things like joint marketing campaigns, cash payments, breaks on rayalties etc etc.

Once it's bought if your smart then you'll have some option to renew in the contract, but at some point you'll have to renegotiate.

I do not know the specific's of the GTA contract, but assuming it lapses sometime soon, Sony's ability (or MS's) to renegotiate it will be dependant on what people project their position to be in the market place and how many copies they will project on each platform.

Just because Sony (or whoever) has an exclusive on a product right now I wouldn't guarantee that will continue, as an example Take two (rockstar) isn't in the same financial position they were when Sony signed the exclusive for the original GTA.

 

I know a bit more from the people at rockstar, as I've met and worked with many from tha tcompany. There actually isn't an exclusivity contract any more. That ended with the first GTA 3 game. Rockstar uses GTA as leverage to get what they want out of sony.

For instance. they want to publish the warriors game, but never had to submit for concept approval. The head honcho at R* just called sony up and said we want to do it this way, if you don't like it you won't have GTA exclusive this fall. Sony says "ok".

R* does that all the time to sony, and from what I've heard, sony doesn't like it one bit.

 

too funny

 

tell me about it. I heard of some pretty interesting stories like that. Basically it comes down to this. Sony will let the big companies like EA, Ubisoft, and a few others have thier way. Smaller publishers are the ones that have trouble with getting games approved.

 

Still, Capcom had problems with getting Viewtiful Joe approved... Sega had problems, especially Sonic Team (Sonic CD remake)...

They don't let them go their way always.