[Industry Thread] Read the OP, or you'll see more red than 38 Studios.

1246799

Posts

  • DehumanizedDehumanized Registered User regular
    edited July 2012
    Yeah, if you offer a lot of physical rewards then a lot of your money will go straight to shipping and a lot of your time to packing and processing all of the shipping.

    There's been at least one project I backed that had to extend their funding stretch goals a bit just to have enough money to be able to package and ship everything.

    The Star Command team probably shouldn't have spent $4000 of their remaining $22k on iPads/PAX East attendance, though.

    Dehumanized on
  • cloudeaglecloudeagle Registered User regular
    Adda wrote: »
    Who in their right mind would not calculate the cost of the backer rewards and a generous overestimation of the remaining dev/design time when setting their kickstarter goals? It beggars belief.

    This kind of stuff happens all the time with startups. You could have the most awesome business idea ever, but fail because you're crap at the day-to-day details of running it.

    Not to mention there's relatively few filters or requirements for making Kickstarter. It helps get awesome stuff up there, but it also allows all kinds of poorly thought-out stuff.

    Switch: 3947-4890-9293
  • DehumanizedDehumanized Registered User regular
    edited July 2012
    Yeah, a lot of these people running kickstarter projects have no background in business and have no idea how to estimate out the actual costs for their operation. It's "hey, if I had x dollars I could work on this for a year." Once kickstarter and amazon and taxes and fulfilling rewards and etc all kick in, it's probably not sufficient to actually fund the project if you didn't properly account for all of that overhead.

    You'll notice that, for example, Double Fine Adventure did not include any physical products until the $100 funding level, and included very compelling digital offers below that funding level to get a broad base of funds where they are only obligated to send out PDFs/video files/steam keys.

    Dehumanized on
  • AddaAdda LondonRegistered User regular
    I get the thing with taxes and Amazon payments etc but they didn't even seem to be aware how much it would cost to produce the backer rewards.

    steam_sig.png
    I want to know more PA people on Twitter.
  • shrykeshryke Member of the Beast Registered User regular
    edited July 2012
    an_alt wrote: »
    shryke wrote: »
    The formula doesn't work like they've implied Tomb Raider will though.

    The formula uses a big loss to establish motivation and sympathy with the character. Then that character goes and kicks ass.

    The implication we are getting from all the new Tomb Raider shit is this is like most of the game.

    I haven't followed the new Tomb Raider at all, so I have no idea what else has been said about it.

    In more general terms, back story can be covered in different amounts of detail. In something like Unbreakable, the whole movie is back story. In the Hulk (the one after Ang Lee's version) it's covered in the intro credits. Given that the new Tomb Raider is supposed to be a reboot, it would make sense for most of the game to about building a character for future installments.

    Of course, the quality of the writing will probably not have a whole lot do to with the number of sales.

    It isn't backstory, it's the story. They've basically said they will brutally beat Lara Croft because they want you to want to protect her.


    Double standards are hilarious. Movie role is physically and emotionally draining and actors get lauded for them; video game role is the same thing and we get "oh noes torture porn!" Cripes, can we at least see the actual game before people bitch about how it's some masochistic mess instead of the bland, aloof Lara Croft we've had for ages?

    It's not a double standard. The reaction is based on all the other shit we already know about the game.

    shryke on
  • shrykeshryke Member of the Beast Registered User regular
    cloudeagle wrote: »
    Adda wrote: »
    Who in their right mind would not calculate the cost of the backer rewards and a generous overestimation of the remaining dev/design time when setting their kickstarter goals? It beggars belief.

    This kind of stuff happens all the time with startups. You could have the most awesome business idea ever, but fail because you're crap at the day-to-day details of running it.

    Not to mention there's relatively few filters or requirements for making Kickstarter. It helps get awesome stuff up there, but it also allows all kinds of poorly thought-out stuff.

    ITT: We find out yet again that small businesses are generally run really badly because most people don't have a clue about finance

  • The WolfmanThe Wolfman Registered User regular
    So the Kickstarter needs another kickstarter in order to kickstart...

    That's sure instilling me with a whole lot of confidence. What if this one fails now? That's it, project over? "Thanks for the first round of donations, but it looks like you're not getting jack. Toodles!".

    Has anything yet come out of this fad? Y'know, to serve as an example that it's not a fad?

    "The sausage of Green Earth explodes with flavor like the cannon of culinary delight."
  • DonnictonDonnicton Registered User regular
    So the Kickstarter needs another kickstarter in order to kickstart...

    That's sure instilling me with a whole lot of confidence. What if this one fails now? That's it, project over? "Thanks for the first round of donations, but it looks like you're not getting jack. Toodles!".

    Has anything yet come out of this fad? Y'know, to serve as an example that it's not a fad?

    I've gotten my beta access to FTL so far, and I've gotten my download link for Star Castle, and the CDs are reported to have been shipped as of this latest update, with the custom cartridges following soon.

  • ShadowfireShadowfire Vermont, in the middle of nowhereRegistered User regular
    Brainiac 8 wrote: »
    No no no, bad Mikami!

    "Mikami highlighted Okami, which melded Japanese mythology with a cel-shaded aesthetic and a Legend of Zelda gameplay framework, as an example of the taste discrepancy between Japanese and Western audiences.

    "We made Okami at Clover. It was such a breathtaking game, yet it didn't sell. If that's the case, westerners obviously don't like that sort of game. Maybe they prefer something a little more straightforward.""

    For an industry with already inflated budgets and companies folding daily, I'm not sure if forcing even bigger budgets is the way to go.

    IIRC, Okami sold leaps and bounds better in the US than it did in Japan. I'm really not sure where he's getting this.

  • ElvenshaeElvenshae Registered User regular
    edited July 2012
    Has anything yet come out of this fad? Y'know, to serve as an example that it's not a fad?

    Out of Kickstarter as a whole, or out of the recent deluge of video game Kickstarters?

    Because the first thing I successfully backed via Kickstarter was back in 2010, and it came through just fine (I'm still waiting on the second one, a new RPG system). The first videogame I backed through Kickstarter was back in February of 2011 (Hi, @Slash000 and @RainbowDespair !), and that absolutely came through. Of the current spate of videogames, I've got my FTL key for Steam already (and it's fun), and everything else is too soon to tell.

    So, yes?

    Elvenshae on
  • HallowedFaithHallowedFaith Call me Cloud. Registered User regular
    edited July 2012
    I used Bible Code software to determine that 'Ouya' is indeed going to cause great waves of destructive forces.
    Also... it appears it will end all pancakes.


    I am not seeing this as a vital piece of hardware in my collection. I DO need a center unit that allows me to do whatever I want to it, but that is what a laptop is for. For 99 bucks I would pick one up just to tinker with it. Never know.

    HallowedFaith on
    I'm making video games. DesignBy.Cloud
  • DehumanizedDehumanized Registered User regular
    Kickstarter software development projects will probably work like any other software development project. Somewhere around 15-25% will outright fail. Few will release on time, or on budget.

  • The WolfmanThe Wolfman Registered User regular
    Elvenshae wrote: »
    Has anything yet come out of this fad? Y'know, to serve as an example that it's not a fad?

    Out of Kickstarter as a whole, or out of the recent deluge of video game Kickstarters?

    Because the first thing I successfully backed via Kickstarter was back in 2010, and it came through just fine (I'm still waiting on the second one, a new RPG system). The first videogame I backed through Kickstarter was back in February of 2011 (Hi, @Slash000 and @RainbowDespair !), and that absolutely came through. Of the current spate of videogames, I've got my FTL key for Steam already (and it's fun), and everything else is too soon to tell.

    So, yes?

    Generally speaking, the deluge that came after Doublefine and their out of the blue explosion. Where everybody in the world got a case of the "Me too's".

    "The sausage of Green Earth explodes with flavor like the cannon of culinary delight."
  • ElvenshaeElvenshae Registered User regular
    Elvenshae wrote: »
    Has anything yet come out of this fad? Y'know, to serve as an example that it's not a fad?

    Out of Kickstarter as a whole, or out of the recent deluge of video game Kickstarters?

    Because the first thing I successfully backed via Kickstarter was back in 2010, and it came through just fine (I'm still waiting on the second one, a new RPG system). The first videogame I backed through Kickstarter was back in February of 2011 (Hi, @Slash000 and @RainbowDespair !), and that absolutely came through. Of the current spate of videogames, I've got my FTL key for Steam already (and it's fun), and everything else is too soon to tell.

    So, yes?

    Generally speaking, the deluge that came after Doublefine and their out of the blue explosion. Where everybody in the world got a case of the "Me too's".

    In that case, I've got an FTL key (for a playable, working, entertaining game, even though it's still in Beta) and a bunch of games in development, so for most of them, it's too soon to tell whether or not they'll come through. I'd call that one win and a bunch of undecideds. :D

  • SheepSheep Registered User, __BANNED USERS regular
    It isn't backstory, it's the story. They've basically said they will brutally beat Lara Croft because they want you to want to protect her.

    Yeah, this is probably the only thing about the whole ordeal that made me suspicious. Not the partially opened lips, not the grunting, etc, but they're specific statement that I, as a player, should want to protect HER. Not I, as a player, should want to keep myself, who is playing Lara Croft, safe. That's the thing that sounds like objectification to me.

  • AutomaticzenAutomaticzen Registered User regular
    $850K out of $950K. This thing will be funded by the end of the day. Crazy.

    http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/ouya/ouya-a-new-kind-of-video-game-console

    http://www.usgamer.net/
    http://www.gamesindustry.biz/
    I write about video games and stuff. It is fun. Sometimes.
  • Warlock82Warlock82 Never pet a burning dog Registered User regular
    $850K out of $950K. This thing will be funded by the end of the day. Crazy.

    http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/ouya/ouya-a-new-kind-of-video-game-console

    I don't understand how people can fund this. I think Checkpoint had a bit about it saying it's just playing Android games in janky resolutions on a TV when you could just pull out your smartphone and play them there... Seems like a terrible idea to me.

    Switch: 2143-7130-1359 | 3DS: 4983-4927-6699 | Steam: warlock82 | PSN: Warlock2282
  • shrykeshryke Member of the Beast Registered User regular
    I guess people will fund just about anything.

  • DehumanizedDehumanized Registered User regular
    I mean, I guess it's possible that there are that many people who really just want a cheap Tegra3 box they can fuck around with.

  • PMAversPMAvers Registered User regular
    edited July 2012
    Warlock82 wrote: »
    $850K out of $950K. This thing will be funded by the end of the day. Crazy.

    http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/ouya/ouya-a-new-kind-of-video-game-console

    I don't understand how people can fund this. I think Checkpoint had a bit about it saying it's just playing Android games in janky resolutions on a TV when you could just pull out your smartphone and play them there... Seems like a terrible idea to me.

    Honestly, I could kinda get behind a console that didn't have to go through the Big Three's bullshit to get games out on it.

    And it *does* give game devs a fixed hardware point to target if they wanted to put out software targeted for it. Plus, just because it runs Android doesn't mean all the games for it *have* to be janky cell-phone games.

    Granted, it's gotta get enough units out there to give devs a reason to put in the effort for it... although there's enough games out there that would take a trivial amount of work to update to work with a controller instead of a touch-screen, and would probably play better *with* it...

    PMAvers on
    persona4celestia.jpg
    COME FORTH, AMATERASU! - Switch Friend Code SW-5465-2458-5696 - Twitch
  • GyralGyral Registered User regular
    edited July 2012
    I don't think it's too much of stretch. I'd actually like to see who would support this, especially since Rockstar already has GTA3 and EA has Dead Space in some capaticy for Android. Hell, you can get Syphon Filter and Wipeout for Android devices.

    Gyral on
    25t9pjnmqicf.jpg
  • Warlock82Warlock82 Never pet a burning dog Registered User regular
    edited July 2012
    PMAvers wrote: »
    Honestly, I could kinda get behind a console that didn't have to go through the Big Three's bullshit to get games out on it.

    You mean a PC? :)

    I dunno though, open source or not, no one is going to do any serious development for this unless it somehow becomes a huge name. And that will probably never happen.

    Warlock82 on
    Switch: 2143-7130-1359 | 3DS: 4983-4927-6699 | Steam: warlock82 | PSN: Warlock2282
  • maximumzeromaximumzero I...wait, what? New Orleans, LARegistered User regular
    shryke wrote: »
    I guess people will fund just about anything.

    What terrible economy?

    FU7kFbw.png
    Switch: 6200-8149-0919 / Wii U: maximumzero / 3DS: 0860-3352-3335 / eBay Shop
  • AutomaticzenAutomaticzen Registered User regular
    Warlock82 wrote: »
    $850K out of $950K. This thing will be funded by the end of the day. Crazy.

    http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/ouya/ouya-a-new-kind-of-video-game-console

    I don't understand how people can fund this. I think Checkpoint had a bit about it saying it's just playing Android games in janky resolutions on a TV when you could just pull out your smartphone and play them there... Seems like a terrible idea to me.

    No clue, but the console is now fully-funded. Currently at $953K.

    http://www.usgamer.net/
    http://www.gamesindustry.biz/
    I write about video games and stuff. It is fun. Sometimes.
  • shrykeshryke Member of the Beast Registered User regular
    shryke wrote: »
    I guess people will fund just about anything.

    What terrible economy?

    Not for the kickstarter hordes apparently.

  • HenroidHenroid Mexican kicked from Immigration Thread Centrism is Racism :3Registered User regular
    I've always said (of Kickstarters) that there will be one that eventually doesn't deliver, regardless of all promises are fulfilled and such, and that one will break the whole hype and the internet will react to all future Kickstarters with hesitation and ire as a result.

    I fully expect this to be it. This will be the one that will shatter the perception of Kickstarters being alright.

  • TrenogTrenog Registered User regular
    Henroid wrote: »
    I've always said (of Kickstarters) that there will be one that eventually doesn't deliver, regardless of all promises are fulfilled and such, and that one will break the whole hype and the internet will react to all future Kickstarters with hesitation and ire as a result.

    I fully expect this to be it. This will be the one that will shatter the perception of Kickstarters being alright.

    Well let's not be social about the potential success of a box or not, after all, publishers take risks on video games all the time and they get more funding then 1-2 million dollars. Fact is, they are trying to attach themselves to well known developers so let's give them the benefit of the doubt considering each backer is in their own way a publisher to this new IP.

    Personally I think it's at a minimum no different then the concept of the Raspberry Pi (http://www.raspberrypi.org/). Build it, and they will come.

    Getting back to Ouya though, they've done it. They're over a million dollars in 8 hours of being on Kickstarter. Reminds me a lot of the hype that went into Doublefine Adventure.

    http://www.joystiq.com/2012/07/10/ouya-passes-kickstarter-goal-on-first-day-at-950k-and-rising/

    steam_sig.png
    Malkor wrote: »
    Rolo wrote: »
    opium is all natural shit son

    makes you stronger

    It also makes you immune to time.
    Bama wrote: »
    Two weeks ago, I lost the bulk of my female friends

    She really hates it when you call her that.
    FCD wrote: »
    Ahhh, Orochimaru. Or, as I like to call him, Japanese Pedophile Voldemort.
  • HenroidHenroid Mexican kicked from Immigration Thread Centrism is Racism :3Registered User regular
    Trenog wrote: »
    Henroid wrote: »
    I've always said (of Kickstarters) that there will be one that eventually doesn't deliver, regardless of all promises are fulfilled and such, and that one will break the whole hype and the internet will react to all future Kickstarters with hesitation and ire as a result.

    I fully expect this to be it. This will be the one that will shatter the perception of Kickstarters being alright.

    Well let's not be social about the potential success of a box or not, after all, publishers take risks on video games all the time and they get more funding then 1-2 million dollars. Fact is, they are trying to attach themselves to well known developers so let's give them the benefit of the doubt considering each backer is in their own way a publisher to this new IP.

    Personally I think it's at a minimum no different then the concept of the Raspberry Pi (http://www.raspberrypi.org/). Build it, and they will come.

    Getting back to Ouya though, they've done it. They're over a million dollars in 8 hours of being on Kickstarter. Reminds me a lot of the hype that went into Doublefine Adventure.

    http://www.joystiq.com/2012/07/10/ouya-passes-kickstarter-goal-on-first-day-at-950k-and-rising/

    There had to be major, MAJOR huge donations from people with money to burn. That or there was advertising on Android devices and the publicity alone made it happen.

  • FoomyFoomy Registered User regular
    Henroid wrote: »
    Trenog wrote: »
    Henroid wrote: »
    I've always said (of Kickstarters) that there will be one that eventually doesn't deliver, regardless of all promises are fulfilled and such, and that one will break the whole hype and the internet will react to all future Kickstarters with hesitation and ire as a result.

    I fully expect this to be it. This will be the one that will shatter the perception of Kickstarters being alright.

    Well let's not be social about the potential success of a box or not, after all, publishers take risks on video games all the time and they get more funding then 1-2 million dollars. Fact is, they are trying to attach themselves to well known developers so let's give them the benefit of the doubt considering each backer is in their own way a publisher to this new IP.

    Personally I think it's at a minimum no different then the concept of the Raspberry Pi (http://www.raspberrypi.org/). Build it, and they will come.

    Getting back to Ouya though, they've done it. They're over a million dollars in 8 hours of being on Kickstarter. Reminds me a lot of the hype that went into Doublefine Adventure.

    http://www.joystiq.com/2012/07/10/ouya-passes-kickstarter-goal-on-first-day-at-950k-and-rising/

    There had to be major, MAJOR huge donations from people with money to burn. That or there was advertising on Android devices and the publicity alone made it happen.

    there is 8900 donators atm, 6600 of them being the $99 level, plus you have to figure that some of those are international and paid an extra $20, or added an extra $30 for another controller. So it doesn't seem like it was huge donations that did it. I figure it was just the hype of a cheap open android device, tech geeks love those things, and even if it doesn't work out as a console, it will be super easy to throw xbmc on it and use it as a htpc.

    Steam Profile: FoomyFooms
  • Brainiac 8Brainiac 8 Don't call me Shirley... Registered User regular
    So it's been too long since we've gotten some Pachter predictions...and this one...I don't know where he pulled this one from.
    Michael Pachter has made a prediction regarding the retail model of Microsoft’s next console, which most of us are calling the Xbox 720 until we know any better.

    Pachter, gaming analyst at Wedbush Securities, believes that Microsoft will adopt a pricing model similar to that of a smartphone – with a low up front cost and a rolling subscription.

    “I think Microsoft’s got it right [with their console strategy], and I think Sony will keep plugging away because they have an integrated strategy across all of their consumer electronic products. Microsoft, they have a strategy to take over the world.

    “Console will have to be multiple purpose devices, though. The Xbox 720, this is my prediction, is going to be your television as well [as your game console]. You’ll be able to tune into television through it.


    “You want need a ‘smart TV’ when you’ve got an Xbox 720, it will be your television and your internet. It’s going to be open architecture and I think it’s real trick will be that one Xbox will be able to display television to as many screens as you have in your possession.

    “The next Xbox will be Windows for sure, and you’ll be able to open up multiple TV channels in different windows and you’ll use SmartGlass to shoot off different channels to how ever many screens you want. That is happening, that I’m certain of.

    “I’m pretty confident that in the US Microsoft is going to partner with a cable TV provider, so I expect that the console will be priced like a smart phone. I expect you’ll be paying $99 for the console with a cable TV subscription.”

    Pachter’s word came during his session today at the Evolve conference.

    http://www.incgamers.com/2012/07/xbox-720-will-cost-99-with-cable-tv-subscription-predicts-pachter/

    3DS Friend Code - 1032-1293-2997
    Nintendo Network ID - Brainiac_8
    PSN - Brainiac_8
    Steam - http://steamcommunity.com/id/BRAINIAC8/
    Add me!
  • DonnictonDonnicton Registered User regular
    edited July 2012
    Henroid wrote: »
    Trenog wrote: »
    Henroid wrote: »
    I've always said (of Kickstarters) that there will be one that eventually doesn't deliver, regardless of all promises are fulfilled and such, and that one will break the whole hype and the internet will react to all future Kickstarters with hesitation and ire as a result.

    I fully expect this to be it. This will be the one that will shatter the perception of Kickstarters being alright.

    Well let's not be social about the potential success of a box or not, after all, publishers take risks on video games all the time and they get more funding then 1-2 million dollars. Fact is, they are trying to attach themselves to well known developers so let's give them the benefit of the doubt considering each backer is in their own way a publisher to this new IP.

    Personally I think it's at a minimum no different then the concept of the Raspberry Pi (http://www.raspberrypi.org/). Build it, and they will come.

    Getting back to Ouya though, they've done it. They're over a million dollars in 8 hours of being on Kickstarter. Reminds me a lot of the hype that went into Doublefine Adventure.

    http://www.joystiq.com/2012/07/10/ouya-passes-kickstarter-goal-on-first-day-at-950k-and-rising/

    There had to be major, MAJOR huge donations from people with money to burn. That or there was advertising on Android devices and the publicity alone made it happen.

    It helped that the reward tiers are from 10 -> 25 ---->---->---->---->---->---->---->---->---->---->---->---->---->----> 95 -> 99.

    And the reward tiers that give a reason to actually kick in start at 95/99. It's 4-5 times what most regular video game kickstarters sit their "you get the digital game" tiers at.

    It helps a lot that people love gimmicky techie crap. Even moreso when you throw around the words "Apple", "iPhone", "iPad", or "Android".

    Donnicton on
  • HenroidHenroid Mexican kicked from Immigration Thread Centrism is Racism :3Registered User regular
    Brainiac 8 wrote: »
    So it's been too long since we've gotten some Pachter predictions...and this one...I don't know where he pulled this one from.
    Michael Pachter has made a prediction regarding the retail model of Microsoft’s next console, which most of us are calling the Xbox 720 until we know any better.

    Pachter, gaming analyst at Wedbush Securities, believes that Microsoft will adopt a pricing model similar to that of a smartphone – with a low up front cost and a rolling subscription.

    “I think Microsoft’s got it right [with their console strategy], and I think Sony will keep plugging away because they have an integrated strategy across all of their consumer electronic products. Microsoft, they have a strategy to take over the world.

    “Console will have to be multiple purpose devices, though. The Xbox 720, this is my prediction, is going to be your television as well [as your game console]. You’ll be able to tune into television through it.


    “You want need a ‘smart TV’ when you’ve got an Xbox 720, it will be your television and your internet. It’s going to be open architecture and I think it’s real trick will be that one Xbox will be able to display television to as many screens as you have in your possession.

    “The next Xbox will be Windows for sure, and you’ll be able to open up multiple TV channels in different windows and you’ll use SmartGlass to shoot off different channels to how ever many screens you want. That is happening, that I’m certain of.

    “I’m pretty confident that in the US Microsoft is going to partner with a cable TV provider, so I expect that the console will be priced like a smart phone. I expect you’ll be paying $99 for the console with a cable TV subscription.”

    Pachter’s word came during his session today at the Evolve conference.

    http://www.incgamers.com/2012/07/xbox-720-will-cost-99-with-cable-tv-subscription-predicts-pachter/

    What are you talking about? This is the most likely Pachter prediction to come true out of any of them. Haven't you noticed how media-center driven the XBox 360 became? Or I should say the Live! service (the exclamation point is canon in the name right?). He's absolutely right; Microsoft has been trying to dominate the living room, and they certainly have the grounding financially and the clout to make it happen. They're becoming a household name beyond PCs. As for Sony, they wanted to head in the same direction clearly, but because their business strategy has been "copy the competition" in a very bald-faced manner, they had to divert some resources to Nintendo strategy. And Sony wasn't doing a good job of media-centering the PS3 anyway.

    The only point I disagree with is the price with cable TV subscription. And I'm not sure such a plan would be offered at all.

  • cloudeaglecloudeagle Registered User regular
    ...what.

    Spending the ten seconds necessary to look at the world of cable TV and discover that 1) the providers are absurdly fragmented and 2) most of the providers are greedy bastards would tell anyone with basset hound-level intelligence and above that such an arrangement will never, ever happen.

    Switch: 3947-4890-9293
  • The WolfmanThe Wolfman Registered User regular
    Have you looked at some of the supposed rewards they're offering?

    -The $10k backers (3/20) get their names engraved into the first run of the console
    -$5k (1/30) backers get a free night in San Francisco.
    -$1337 (19/200) backers are invited to the launch party, with free goodie bag.
    -$225 (381/500) backers get two controllers with their names engraved in them

    Talk about pissing away your money. I hope for their sake they know exactly how much this is all going to cost, and/or they can make this console for pennies. Otherwise... yeah they're going to have to copy the Star Control guys and have another Kickstarter to actually produce their damn machine, since they blew it all on the ridiculous swag.

    "The sausage of Green Earth explodes with flavor like the cannon of culinary delight."
  • DehumanizedDehumanized Registered User regular
    edited July 2012
    The $1337 level also includes direct access to the product team for SDK/development questions, which would be very helpful if you decided that investing in developing for that console was something you really wanted to do.

    Dehumanized on
  • HenroidHenroid Mexican kicked from Immigration Thread Centrism is Racism :3Registered User regular
    cloudeagle wrote: »
    ...what.

    Spending the ten seconds necessary to look at the world of cable TV and discover that 1) the providers are absurdly fragmented and 2) most of the providers are greedy bastards would tell anyone with basset hound-level intelligence and above that such an arrangement will never, ever happen.

    ESPN taught us that individual channels can and will partner with consoles to provide television content. So fine, actual cable TV providers probably won't be on board - but really, the individual channels can form their own partnerships. And there's lots of new channels trying to find space on satellite TV and such, like "Destination America," and those kinds of newcomers can make their partnerships with console providers rather than cable TV providers. It may end up being a rough start, but it could lead to more and better things.

  • cloudeaglecloudeagle Registered User regular
    edited July 2012
    Henroid wrote: »
    Brainiac 8 wrote: »
    So it's been too long since we've gotten some Pachter predictions...and this one...I don't know where he pulled this one from.
    Michael Pachter has made a prediction regarding the retail model of Microsoft’s next console, which most of us are calling the Xbox 720 until we know any better.

    Pachter, gaming analyst at Wedbush Securities, believes that Microsoft will adopt a pricing model similar to that of a smartphone – with a low up front cost and a rolling subscription.

    “I think Microsoft’s got it right [with their console strategy], and I think Sony will keep plugging away because they have an integrated strategy across all of their consumer electronic products. Microsoft, they have a strategy to take over the world.

    “Console will have to be multiple purpose devices, though. The Xbox 720, this is my prediction, is going to be your television as well [as your game console]. You’ll be able to tune into television through it.


    “You want need a ‘smart TV’ when you’ve got an Xbox 720, it will be your television and your internet. It’s going to be open architecture and I think it’s real trick will be that one Xbox will be able to display television to as many screens as you have in your possession.

    “The next Xbox will be Windows for sure, and you’ll be able to open up multiple TV channels in different windows and you’ll use SmartGlass to shoot off different channels to how ever many screens you want. That is happening, that I’m certain of.

    “I’m pretty confident that in the US Microsoft is going to partner with a cable TV provider, so I expect that the console will be priced like a smart phone. I expect you’ll be paying $99 for the console with a cable TV subscription.”

    Pachter’s word came during his session today at the Evolve conference.

    http://www.incgamers.com/2012/07/xbox-720-will-cost-99-with-cable-tv-subscription-predicts-pachter/

    What are you talking about? This is the most likely Pachter prediction to come true out of any of them. Haven't you noticed how media-center driven the XBox 360 became? Or I should say the Live! service (the exclamation point is canon in the name right?). He's absolutely right; Microsoft has been trying to dominate the living room, and they certainly have the grounding financially and the clout to make it happen. They're becoming a household name beyond PCs. As for Sony, they wanted to head in the same direction clearly, but because their business strategy has been "copy the competition" in a very bald-faced manner, they had to divert some resources to Nintendo strategy. And Sony wasn't doing a good job of media-centering the PS3 anyway.

    The only point I disagree with is the price with cable TV subscription. And I'm not sure such a plan would be offered at all.

    You're absolutely right about Microsoft wanting the Xbox to be a media center... unfortunately, Pachter was babbling about a partnership with cable companies, including price breaks, which is completely different. Somehow he missed the fact that Microsoft is already providing all kinds of online video content, focusing on individual channels as well as services like Hulu, and that's most likely the route that they'll continue on for the 720.

    Not to mention the fact that the 360 package that combines a cheap console price with a locked-in Live subscription seems to already have been a success. But Pachter decided to take that concept to crazytown.

    Edit: Hah, @henroid , I pretty much said the same thing you just did. :P

    cloudeagle on
    Switch: 3947-4890-9293
  • HenroidHenroid Mexican kicked from Immigration Thread Centrism is Racism :3Registered User regular
    cloudeagle wrote: »
    Not to mention the fact that the 360 package that combines a cheap console price with a locked-in Live subscription seems to already have been a success. But Pachter decided to take that concept to crazytown.

    Yeah that's the one piece about his prediction that's like... man, what the fuck? It has everything to do with getting partnerships in the first place.

    But yeah. I mean the guy has the right idea, his specifics are odd is all. I still want to see the NFL finally get its head out of its ass and make that ESPN partnership with MS for Live content more complete. I know people traditionally don't give a shit for non-video game content in their video game consoles, but a media center that gives me and other people who love more than just one type of media is something I want.

  • The WolfmanThe Wolfman Registered User regular
    Subscription based console pricing? Obvious, they're already doing that.

    Specific channel services? Again obvious, they do that too.

    Actually functioning as and replacing your cable box? That I don't see. I don't see you getting all available cable providers, both in America and Canada, to sign up for that. I'm sure they're more than happy having you buy their own box, rather than using just a game console. And besides, I already have a nice cable box with a neat hard drive in it that records my shows and stuff. I don't need my Xbox to do the same exact thing. With remote sold separately. And I don't even want to think about *shudder* Kinect support.

    "The sausage of Green Earth explodes with flavor like the cannon of culinary delight."
  • MaddocMaddoc I'm Bobbin Threadbare, are you my mother? Registered User regular
    Telecoms are still a pretty fucked up area in the US right now

    In any kind of world that makes sense, this is a logical next step for them, but it'll be held back by the cable providers clinging to their outdated service model making it impossible for anyone to innovate

This discussion has been closed.