Will Microsoft Stay in the Console Wars?

[xRealNinjuzx]

The money is important. Thats what a company is all about. It's ignorant to think that they are ONLY in it for the games.

This next portion is a PM response to Sovieto that I would like comments on:

[Context: Sovieto basically says it's not about Japan, and that Japan is just a weak spot for them.]

Of course its about Japan. It's about the entire world. Microsoft staying in the console market has a lot to do with the console worldwide.

For example:

Xbox 360 has the smallest 3rd party support in Japan. Japans ratio of consoles to households is like 1:3, which puts the number of systems and games sold into the millions, which is nearly equivalent to the US. The wii sells 50,000 units in the same time frame that M$ sells 4,000. Which console do Japanese developers cater towards? The Wii, of course. It makes business sense. Then the problem folds itself when there is a lack of support from Japanese developers for the 360, because a large portion of American games are still ported from Japanese developers. Ever wonder why there are so many sports and racing and FPS games for the 360? Not just because those are online compatible games, but because Japanese developers are slow to push products (RPGs, Puzzles, etc) because they will see small sales in Japan (since there are fewer consoles in homes), and it's hard to tell what American gamers will embrace and what will get left behind.

I know you aren't stupid, because if you were we wouldn't be having the conversation, but it is going to eventually be financially irresponsible for M$ to continue on the path they are. Before the launch of the 360, M$ stated they wanted to have a million + units in Japanese homes. They aren't even close, and sales of the console are slowing down more and more on a weekly basis.

This isn't to say that M$ will stop making consoles. They might not ever stop, because we all know that they have more $ than they could ever even burn. Does that make them successful? I honestly dont think so.

 

[Syntax]

Wii's are selling more than twice as fast as 360's and PS3 is pretty close to it and when I said GoW was the first good game I know what I said I didn't have any friends with a 360 until Gears came out

The reason as to why the Wii's seem to be selling faster is because there is a great shortage/nintendo hasn't released that many. Back when the 360 came out they released more consoles. So even though it may seem that their selling twice as fast their really not.

Onto the games part...

So your telling me NHL 07, Rainbow Six Vegas, Project Gotham Racing Three, Perfect Dark, Call Of Duty 3, etc aren't good games?

I'm sorry but for someone who knows little to nothing about the console and the games it has to offer should try doing some more research.

 

[xRealNinjuzx]

btw, just for arguments sake, I wanted to point out that the Xbox 360 (as of december 2006) only sold 180k consoles in Japan, which is less than 5% of the US total, according to Joystiq.

Syntax: Those are all good games except Perfect Dark. I thought that game was just terrible

 

[Sovieto]

The money is important. Thats what a company is all about. It's ignorant to think that they are ONLY in it for the games.

This next portion is a PM response to Sovieto that I would like comments on:

[Context: Sovieto basically says it's not about Japan, and that Japan is just a weak spot for them.]

Of course its about Japan. It's about the entire world. Microsoft staying in the console market has a lot to do with the console worldwide.

For example:

Xbox 360 has the smallest 3rd party support in Japan. Japans ratio of consoles to households is like 1:3, which puts the number of systems and games sold into the millions, which is nearly equivalent to the US. The wii sells 50,000 units in the same time frame that M$ sells 4,000. Which console do Japanese developers cater towards? The Wii, of course. It makes business sense. Then the problem folds itself when there is a lack of support from Japanese developers for the 360, because a large portion of American games are still ported from Japanese developers. Ever wonder why there are so many sports and racing and FPS games for the 360? Not just because those are online compatible games, but because Japanese developers are slow to push products (RPGs, Puzzles, etc) because they will see small sales in Japan (since there are fewer consoles in homes), and it's hard to tell what American gamers will embrace and what will get left behind.

I know you aren't stupid, because if you were we wouldn't be having the conversation, but it is going to eventually be financially irresponsible for M$ to continue on the path they are. Before the launch of the 360, M$ stated they wanted to have a million + units in Japanese homes. They aren't even close, and sales of the console are slowing down more and more on a weekly basis.

This isn't to say that M$ will stop making consoles. They might not ever stop, because we all know that they have more $ than they could ever even burn. Does that make them successful? I honestly dont think so.

oino their not in it for the games only or anything, and that they are in for it for the money, since money dose make the world go around but i was just doing a little argument note

 

[WiiZero]

Perfect Dark Zero was the shitiest game in the world the rest were good games but no one would buy a 360 to play CoD3, Project Gotham Racing 3 or NHL 07plus most of those came out around the same time as GoW

 

[xRealNinjuzx]

worst game ever = superman 64 or E.T.

I WIN!

Gears of War - released Nov 2006
COD3 - released Nov 2006
PGR 3 - Nov. 2005
NHL 07 - Sep. 2006

The only one released even close to GoW was COD3, and thats why it didn't sell nearly as well as it should have.

 

[Sovieto]

Perfect Dark Zero was the shitiest game in the world the rest were good games but no one would buy a 360 to play CoD3, Project Gotham Racing 3 or NHL 07plus most of those came out around the same time as GoW

perfect dark zero sold over 1 million im pretty sure o.o

 

[Syntax]

The reason people buy the 360 is due to the games it has to offer. Not because of one game. Also all because your two friends purchase a 360 for GoW it doesn't mean others do that. Like I have said before do some research before putting down the system.

Oh and even though Microsoft may be losing up to $11.00/system sold they most likely make back the money lost and more off of xbox live, their accessories, and the market place. So I bet if we took all of that into consideration Microsoft would be up.

 

[gh05t]

well they WONT go down...
1 Halo might be over but they still want to make FPS games or spin offs with master chief its just the halo story is going to be over...
2 FPS will NOT die....
3.They COULD name the next system something that doesnt involve numbers....

 

[ganton]

they will change the name of the system for marketing reeasons

 

[Sovieto]

The reason people buy the 360 is due to the games it has to offer. Not because of one game. Also all because your two friends purchase a 360 for GoW it doesn't mean others do that. Like I have said before do some research before putting down the system.

Oh and even though Microsoft may be losing up to $11.00/system sold they most likely make back the money lost and more off of xbox live, their accessories, and the market place. So I bet if we took all of that into consideration Microsoft would be up.

well what happened with me was i was eyeing a lot of 360 games
then when i GoW made me make my final decision to buy it

 

[WiiZero]

well what happened with me was i was eyeing a lot of 360 games
then when i GoW made me make my final decision to buy it

Exactly I'm not saying there was nothing good for 360 but GoW was a deal sealer for a ton of people and no it was 10 of my friends that got a 360 for GoW so don't make assumptions and I'm sure GoW accounts for a ton of 360 sales

 

[CyanRussel]

Exactly I'm not saying there was nothing good for 360 but GoW was a deal sealer for a ton of people and no it was 10 of my friends that got a 360 for GoW so don't make assumptions and I'm sure GoW accounts for a ton of 360 sales

Hes exactly right!!! GoW was a total hit in the gaming history, it is definitly a ground-breaking game that what some developers thought of doing with a FPS couldnt do!! "Other than GOLDENEYE, Made By Rare", Microsoft has the potential to be able to stay in console wars, they proven that they are able to run with the big boys in the consoles, which were playstation and nintendo, just like i said for the ps3, even though the 360 came out before the other 2 systems which are ps3 and wii doesnt mean we should count it out just because they are not making sales in Japan!!!
(The Console Race Is Not Over Yet!!!!!)

 

[supafly]

Perfect Dark Zero was the shitiest game in the world the rest were good games but no one would buy a 360 to play CoD3, Project Gotham Racing 3 or NHL 07plus most of those came out around the same time as GoW

NHL 07 is an unreal game for 360, sucks for every other console

I think that in the long run M$ will win with their awesome online and xbox-exclusive games

 

[MysticGohan]

Do a google search for "Xbox 360 Losing Money" and let me know if any of the hundreds of articles about how much their losses are on the 360 change your mind. The only company actually making good money from console sales is the big N.

i think there is so article about this guy who thinks that MS uses the parts of a broken 360 and puts them together and makes new ones( s/he sated that this is the reason the 360 break so much)... if they really do this then they aren't losing that much money...I'll see if i can find the article