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[Industry] And with strange fiscal quarters, even death is doomed.

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Posts

  • OptyOpty Registered User regular
    The price difference is straight up the only thing that will matter and that's because I can't see there being anything Microsoft can do to make the Kinect seem worth $100 out of the gate. They don't have any showpiece games using its new powers for launch, so there's basically no return on that forced investment for most people. There's no amount of marketing that can counteract that, imo. That said, they'll both sell out at launch or close to launch, the main thing each company needs to worry about is drumming up demand for the post holiday shipments.

  • AegeriAegeri Tiny wee bacteriums Plateau of LengRegistered User regular
    So basically this entire resolution nonsense has boiled down to one system having a slightly faster frame rate and a little bit less jaggies when specifically looking.

    But otherwise, who the fuck is going to notice any difference?

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  • HenroidHenroid Mexican kicked from Immigration Thread Centrism is Racism :3Registered User regular
    Aegeri wrote: »
    So basically this entire resolution nonsense has boiled down to one system having a slightly faster frame rate and a little bit less jaggies when specifically looking.

    But otherwise, who the fuck is going to notice any difference?

    People who buy both specifically to compare, obviously.

  • UnbreakableVowUnbreakableVow Registered User regular
    Aegeri wrote: »
    So basically this entire resolution nonsense has boiled down to one system having a slightly faster frame rate and a little bit less jaggies when specifically looking.

    But otherwise, who the fuck is going to notice any difference?

    I think this was always gonna be the case

    But even if it's only slightly better, it's $100 less

    Better + cheaper is gonna mean a lot to a lot of people

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  • syndalissyndalis Getting Classy On the WallRegistered User, Loves Apple Products regular
    Aegeri wrote: »
    So basically this entire resolution nonsense has boiled down to one system having a slightly faster frame rate and a little bit less jaggies when specifically looking.

    But otherwise, who the fuck is going to notice any difference?

    What's crazy is that there are moments where the XBO is sitting at a much better frame rate than the ps4 as well.

    I just don't think this game was optimized well for either system, and it's probably a bad benchmark. It just happens to be the first one we publicly have.

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  • LilnoobsLilnoobs Alpha Queue Registered User regular
    edited October 2013
    syndalis wrote: »
    Aegeri wrote: »
    So basically this entire resolution nonsense has boiled down to one system having a slightly faster frame rate and a little bit less jaggies when specifically looking.

    But otherwise, who the fuck is going to notice any difference?

    What's crazy is that there are moments where the XBO is sitting at a much better frame rate than the ps4 as well.

    I just don't think this game was optimized well for either system, and it's probably a bad benchmark. It just happens to be the first one we publicly have.

    Why is that crazy? Xbone is running at 720p and PS4 is at 900p. Seems like Xbone should always be running faster, yet it's not.

    If you got off that Xbone for one moment, you might not actually come off as a total brand whore.

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  • The WolfmanThe Wolfman Registered User regular
    Looking exactly the same is still bad news for MS. Because it just puts even more focus on the one thing that's different. The price.

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  • DhalphirDhalphir don't you open that trapdoor you're a fool if you dareRegistered User regular
    Here's how the narrative goes down with less informed consumers.

    They walk into an electronics shop or general superstore to buy their next gen console. They are relatively uninformed about the differences of the console. Perhaps they engage the services of a shop assistant. The first question they ask will be "why is the Xbox more expensive? What makes it better?"

    If they happen to get a shop assistant who is an Xbox fanboy, he might be able to sway them with clever selling of the Kinect2, and other exclusive titles.

    If they happen to get a shop assistant who is a PS fanboy, he may just say "nothing", or he might downplay the Kinect.

    If they happen to get a totally apathetic shop assistant, or one who is as uninformed as they are, they will most likely buy a PS4 to save the extra money.

    In two out of three situations, Microsoft loses. They can't afford to be as good as the PS4. They are charging more - they need to be better.

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  • LanrutconLanrutcon The LabyrinthRegistered User regular
    Dhalphir wrote: »
    Here's how the narrative goes down with less informed consumers.

    They walk into an electronics shop or general superstore to buy their next gen console. They are relatively uninformed about the differences of the console. Perhaps they engage the services of a shop assistant. The first question they ask will be "why is the Xbox more expensive? What makes it better?"

    If they happen to get a shop assistant who is an Xbox fanboy, he might be able to sway them with clever selling of the Kinect2, and other exclusive titles.

    If they happen to get a shop assistant who is a PS fanboy, he may just say "nothing", or he might downplay the Kinect.

    If they happen to get a totally apathetic shop assistant, or one who is as uninformed as they are, they will most likely buy a PS4 to save the extra money.

    In two out of three situations, Microsoft loses. They can't afford to be as good as the PS4. They are charging more - they need to be better.

    Fourth situation: tech savvy shop assistant, in which case it's 3/4 situations where MS loses.

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  • fragglefartfragglefart Registered User regular
    Fifth situation: it's the UK and you get a free copy of Forza 5 or FIFA 14 to help mitigate the price gap.

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  • fragglefartfragglefart Registered User regular
    Opty wrote: »
    The price difference is straight up the only thing that will matter and that's because I can't see there being anything Microsoft can do to make the Kinect seem worth $100 out of the gate. They don't have any showpiece games using its new powers for launch, so there's basically no return on that forced investment for most people. There's no amount of marketing that can counteract that, imo. That said, they'll both sell out at launch or close to launch, the main thing each company needs to worry about is drumming up demand for the post holiday shipments.

    At least they're bundling Kinect Sports' Waverace mode for free now, to demo Kinect 2.

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  • mynameisguidomynameisguido Registered User regular
    It's hard to tell how perceptible the difference actually are when we're trying to look at HD in Youtube quality.

    But given the resolution and effect differences alone it's very likely to be pretty noticeable in real world settings.

    If nothing else, that the framerate is similar for both when the XBO is having to output less pixels and less effects in general bodes poorly for future performance, I think.

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  • Maledict66Maledict66 Registered User regular
    Fifth situation: it's the UK and you get a free copy of Forza 5 or FIFA 14 to help mitigate the price gap.

    Has something changed or isn't the free FIFA copy only for day one pre-orders whilst stocks last?

    I havent been following the news much but that was the last I had seen about that offer.

  • StormwatcherStormwatcher Blegh BlughRegistered User regular
    edited October 2013
    This thread has become an endless exercise at grasping at straws.

    You guys really think that a video of a cross-gen game is any indication of actual performance gaps on the medium and long run?

    Also, saying "PEOPLE DO THIS AND THIS AT RETAIL" and "NO, THEY DO SUCH AND SUCH" is the least productive line of debate ever. None of you actually know what people will do for sure. Maybe someone who has access to extensive retail data and research could tell us how the average consumer will think, feel and act in relation to the next generation. What we're doing here is little more than wishful thinking.

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  • StericaSterica Yes Registered User, Moderator mod
    I swear to god this has to be one of the saddest arguments.

    We're taking a break from the system war shit for a bit.

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    ElvenshaeAegerishryke
  • ViskodViskod Registered User regular
    Yeah, the funny (or sad thing) is that outside of those blockbuster JRPGs, Cthulhu Saves the World was one of the best selling JRPGs this generation from a quantity perspective with around 400,000 units sold between the various platforms (with over half of those being from the US). Of course, it sells for $1-$3 so it's not exactly at the top of the revenue charts. :)

    Well, Cthulhu did demand groupies.

    StormwatcherElvenshae
  • AllforceAllforce Registered User regular
    edited October 2013
    Allforce on
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  • BeltaineBeltaine BOO BOO DOO DE DOORegistered User regular
    Can't we all just be content to sit back and watch and see what really happens before we get our panties in a twist? :)

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  • StormwatcherStormwatcher Blegh BlughRegistered User regular
    Beltaine wrote: »
    Can't we all just be content to sit back and watch and see what really happens before we get our panties in a twist? :)
    Amen

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  • darleysamdarleysam On my way to UKRegistered User regular
    Beltaine wrote: »
    Can't we all just be content to sit back and watch and see what really happens before we get our panties in a twist? :)

    But then how will we sort the annual Who Called It rankings? I had a good shot at the top 10 this year. It's the only way we truly know who to respect.

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  • Mr_GrinchMr_Grinch Registered User regular
    It's probably too early but is there any indication how Batman: Origins - Blackgate did?

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  • DiannaoChongDiannaoChong Registered User regular
    edited October 2013
    edit: didn't see mod note. removed nonsense

    I think it boils down to this: You should wait to make these purchases, to see how the hardware comes out, instead of pretending the bullshots we see are legitimate. When we preorder, we all lose. Right now a huge community is trying to determine what side they want to bet on, what club they are going to have to join, when they are allowed can make their bets after the race has started and everything is so much clearer.

    DiannaoChong on
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  • DarkewolfeDarkewolfe Registered User regular
    Really, the biggest question is going to be: Will there be a casual friendly Kinect 2 game or feature that captures some exciting news coverage and drives it as a "must have" during the holiday season?

    Seriously, if Microsoft had planned ahead and had some sort of My Little Pony Furby Edition tie-in with the Kinect that let kids play Skylanders or something, they would have had this on lock.

    What is this I don't even.
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  • Mr_GrinchMr_Grinch Registered User regular
    Yeah, some sort of Skylanders game that scans the toy in your hand and then allows you to play with the virtual version in game would probably do really well with the Kinect.

    Hell, I'd probably buy it.

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  • cloudeaglecloudeagle Registered User regular
    Mr_Grinch wrote: »
    It's probably too early but is there any indication how Batman: Origins - Blackgate did?

    I'm very curious about that one, and the console version of Origins. Reviews indicate the game's good but not nearly as good as the other two Arkham games. Will that affect sales of the game this close to Battlefield/CoD/Assassin's Creed? Then again my non-enthusiast friends are really excited about that one, so maybe not.

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  • Skull2185Skull2185 Registered User regular
    If Arkham Origins wasn't a buggy mess, it'd be just as good as Arkham City. I expect it'll still sell tons through Christmas.

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  • Lindsay LohanLindsay Lohan Registered User regular
    Mr_Grinch wrote: »
    Yeah, some sort of Skylanders game that scans the toy in your hand and then allows you to play with the virtual version in game would probably do really well with the Kinect.

    Hell, I'd probably buy it.

    I'm not ashamed to admit that I loved Kinectimals. The animals were super great looking (dare I say adorable), they had the idea of scanning stuffed animals into the game, and the overall production values on the title felt amazing compared to other virtual pet style games. I think with the better capabilities of the Kinect 2 they could stand to revisit the series.

  • syndalissyndalis Getting Classy On the WallRegistered User, Loves Apple Products regular
    edited October 2013
    Darkewolfe wrote: »
    Really, the biggest question is going to be: Will there be a casual friendly Kinect 2 game or feature that captures some exciting news coverage and drives it as a "must have" during the holiday season?

    Seriously, if Microsoft had planned ahead and had some sort of My Little Pony Furby Edition tie-in with the Kinect that let kids play Skylanders or something, they would have had this on lock.

    They are doing a completely free Kinect Sports "Pre Season" title which starts with the Jet Ski game... supposedly one of the more fun and engaging minigames on the game that was delayed (and probably the one that was the least buggy / needed the least amount of work).

    And there is a tiny bit of Kinect stuff happening in a lot of the launch titles... Forza has the head tracking, Killer Instinct knows who is grabbing the controller and auto-swtches to the button layout they prefer so switching between a bunch of people in the room isn't a hassle, etc.

    And at least in America, the kinect integration with the media services like Netflix, Hulu, Live TV, etc will be a neat feature.

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  • cloudeaglecloudeagle Registered User regular
    Now that all seven Windows Phone users have downloaded Halo: Spartan Assault Microsoft is bringing it to One and 360.

    http://www.ign.com/articles/2013/10/29/halo-spartan-assault-coming-to-xbox-one-xbox-360

    Totally not surprising.

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  • AllforceAllforce Registered User regular
    I don't think that's a phone game, I have it on my laptop from the Windows 8 App Store. Graphically it's way too much to run on a phone. Plus it requires kb/m to even play it (might have controller support too)

  • syndalissyndalis Getting Classy On the WallRegistered User, Loves Apple Products regular
    Allforce wrote: »
    I don't think that's a phone game, I have it on my laptop from the Windows 8 App Store. Graphically it's way too much to run on a phone. Plus it requires kb/m to even play it (might have controller support too)

    It's totally a windows phone / RT / desktop cross-brand title.

    Verizon got an exclusive on the phone release at one point for some dumb reason, but people have played it on Windows Phones.

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  • AllforceAllforce Registered User regular
    Why

  • syndalissyndalis Getting Classy On the WallRegistered User, Loves Apple Products regular
    Allforce wrote: »
    Why

    Because its a game format that can and has worked on mobile before?

    It just seems that whomever the mobile developer was the 343 hired to build the engine around their assets botched the touch controls badly.

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  • NosfNosf Registered User regular
    Yeah, I saw the Spartan game on the app dealie on my phone a while back but have no real mobile gaming interest. Once and a while I see some boobs pop up as part of the game art, but otherwise I tend not to notice the games. I think it was Verizon exclusive in the states, it seemed to be available in Canada right away. Fun story: We're flipping to iPhones from Blackberries. I brought in a Samsung Windows Phone for people to test. People with no previous investment in either platform have been mostly picking the Windows phone to my co-worker's chagrin, he assumed it would be straight up iPhones for everyone.

    Even the tech klutzes get the UI, it's pretty neat to watch them fiddle with it.

  • an_altan_alt Registered User regular
    There's another comparison from a reliable industry source* here.

    While it's fun to project the next 5-10 years of the gaming industry from rumors and footage from a single game, predictions aren't going to be all that accurate. One thing I love about this thread is that even "console war" discussions still focus on price points and consumer perception.

    *may not actually be reliable or an industry source

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  • syndalissyndalis Getting Classy On the WallRegistered User, Loves Apple Products regular
    an_alt wrote: »
    One thing I love about this thread is that even "console war" discussions still focus on price points and consumer perception.

    I think because at the end of the day, most of us have been through enough "console warz" to know that blast processing, or "Extra Special" RAM, or magical Cell Processors ultimately get forgotten, all multiplatform games end up looking mostly the same unless there is a Wii-level disparity between the hardware, and all that there is to truly differentiate the two are games and services. And price, obviously.

    CEO Kaz is a solid example of stuff I found funny back when the SNES and the Genesis were duking it out when I was in High School.

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  • cloudeaglecloudeagle Registered User regular
    edited October 2013
    Allforce wrote: »
    I don't think that's a phone game, I have it on my laptop from the Windows 8 App Store. Graphically it's way too much to run on a phone. Plus it requires kb/m to even play it (might have controller support too)

    ...I think you might not be aware of how far smartphone games have advanced.

    But you're right, it's also on RT/Win 8. I forgot.

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  • NosfNosf Registered User regular

    I played some ME 3 multi with some friends over Live for the first time in a couple months after one guy went through a thing and couldn't play for a while. Their chatter was basically, "Yeah, Xbox one eventually, but not anytime soon because I have a lot of games sitting in shrinkwrap still. One guy commented he had Halo Reach Legendary sitting there, un opened. Everyone had better than 5 or 6 games that they hadn't even started, but either bought or had been gifted. They all work in IT and are tech savvy, but don't follow the console warz stuff. They're basically invested in the platform and to a lesser extent, the exclusives. All of them currently own both PS3 and 360, and all of them use the 360 to game and the PS3 as a Blu-ray / media player; one has Rock Band for it because I think he found it on sale for a ridiculous price one boxing day and there were no 360 versions.

    I see it every night really, if I log into PSN to watch Netflix with my wife, my friend list is all either 'watching netflix' or 'last seen a few months ago'. Live tends to be 'watching netflix' or 'seen 2 hours ago playing Lego Avengers'. Of course, at the moment it's all Netflix or nothing, because everyone is playing BF4 on the glorious master platform. I'm sure there are people with the inverse, but does anyone else find this? That your social group is basically one platform for gaming, and the other for....misc?

  • syndalissyndalis Getting Classy On the WallRegistered User, Loves Apple Products regular
    edited October 2013
    Nosf wrote: »
    I played some ME 3 multi with some friends over Live for the first time in a couple months after one guy went through a thing and couldn't play for a while. Their chatter was basically, "Yeah, Xbox one eventually, but not anytime soon because I have a lot of games sitting in shrinkwrap still. One guy commented he had Halo Reach Legendary sitting there, un opened. Everyone had better than 5 or 6 games that they hadn't even started, but either bought or had been gifted. They all work in IT and are tech savvy, but don't follow the console warz stuff. They're basically invested in the platform and to a lesser extent, the exclusives. All of them currently own both PS3 and 360, and all of them use the 360 to game and the PS3 as a Blu-ray / media player; one has Rock Band for it because I think he found it on sale for a ridiculous price one boxing day and there were no 360 versions.

    I see it every night really, if I log into PSN to watch Netflix with my wife, my friend list is all either 'watching netflix' or 'last seen a few months ago'. Live tends to be 'watching netflix' or 'seen 2 hours ago playing Lego Avengers'. Of course, at the moment it's all Netflix or nothing, because everyone is playing BF4 on the glorious master platform. I'm sure there are people with the inverse, but does anyone else find this? That your social group is basically one platform for gaming, and the other for....misc?

    Yup, and that is one of the stronger indicators that at the end of the day, a lot of the people who play games online are going to either stick with the current service, or else have to convince a large number of their friends and family to switch. Or find new friends to game with.

    My friends list on XBL is not something I feel like recreating elsewhere.

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  • urahonkyurahonky Registered User regular
    That is very anecdotal evidence there to make a sweeping generalization about the industry.

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This discussion has been closed.