Baron von Loathsome
Member
I think part of it may have been that they produced too much. They're playing conservatively with the amount of instruments produced this time around.
-
Hey Guest. Check out your NeoGAF Wrapped 2025 results here!
GI: Mad Catz Reports Debt Warning And Secures Additional Credit To Ship Rock Band
- Thread starter Tripon
- Start date
I think part of it may have been that they produced too much. They're playing conservatively with the amount of instruments produced this time around.
They either pull it out of their arse like they have done many times in the past, or they don't. If they go out of business, it's their own fault. I haven't bought a madcatz product (intentionally) since the mid 2000's. Every product I have bought of theirs felt cheap and I ended up breaking it through normal use, and they didn't even hold a collectors value to them to make it worth buying just to collect. Example - PDP controllers for the Wii U are complete and utter garbage. But they have a licensing agreement with Nintendo, so they can theme their products, giving them some appeal for people to buy them just to put it on a shelf.
But if you wanted a collectors value combined with a quality product, you get something from HORI instead. Madcatz thrived off making crap - and selling it cheap - because gamers like getting crap for cheap when the alternative costs a lot more. You get what you pay for and eventually, people just don't ant to buy cheap garbage that keeps breaking.
They may have a few quality items through partnerships and such over the years - I have no doubt what they are providing for Rock band (which I assume is the instruments?) is probably quality, because it has to be or folks can't play the game, but reality is they have made a lot of bad decisions and have a really poor reputation on their own for their products.
But if you wanted a collectors value combined with a quality product, you get something from HORI instead. Madcatz thrived off making crap - and selling it cheap - because gamers like getting crap for cheap when the alternative costs a lot more. You get what you pay for and eventually, people just don't ant to buy cheap garbage that keeps breaking.
They may have a few quality items through partnerships and such over the years - I have no doubt what they are providing for Rock band (which I assume is the instruments?) is probably quality, because it has to be or folks can't play the game, but reality is they have made a lot of bad decisions and have a really poor reputation on their own for their products.
I went to a friend's house this past Friday to feed their cat while they were on vacation, and in their bedroom I saw a banged-up Rock Band drum set in the corner, covered in dust and cat hair from lack of use. It really made me think: Who the hell wants to fill their houses with plastic instruments yet again? Not me, that's for sure.
SomedayTheFire
Member
Welp, they done.
American Eskimo
Banned
Who would step up to make plastic instruments?
What's interesting is that the genre was born because a peripheral company, Red Octane, commissioned software so they could sell their plastic. It paid dividends for them obviously.
It would be sad if the genre takes out the biggest peripheral maker for taking the same risk.
Well, considering guitar hero is only going to cost me 70$ and rock band with a guitar only is almost double that, I'm sorry but, its too much! I did pre order it, and I'll buy it, but I can see the price being a big issue for a lot of people. Especially going up against the better known and cheaper franchise Guitar Hero.
tim_pkmn89
Member
Old 360/PS3 Rock Band guitar + Rock Band 4 disc/digital?
That's not going to save them, they need to sell their instruments, if they won't, they'll go under.
Shit, yeah I need to get a PS4 one while I can.
outunderthestars
Banned
I wonder how much of their financial woes can be chalked up to the complete failure of their Android console.
jadedm17
Member
This is my though...
... Really? Maybe not.
"ORDER PLACED
September 30, 2007
TOTAL
$178.93" That's my first Rock Band edition, and my second was $200; If the instruments all play the same - as it looks they're identical - then I'm gonna have to pass at $250. I'll wait for a deal.
I imported a HRAP for my PS2 years ago, before SFIV blew the stick market wide open. It was (and still is) an excellent product, with great build quality, lent itself well to customisation and has stood up to repeated use over the years.
In contrast, I bought a MadCatz Round 2 SFIV TE stick years later and I was shocked at the comparative lack of quality- the hex bolts scratched easily and the internal mounting points for the corresponding nuts were occasionally held in place with daubs of red hot glue. The first time I opened mine up, one of these nuts fell into the chassis and I had to re-mount all of them with epoxy putty just to put it back together. I was surprised that a stick so lauded seemed to be thrown together with comparatively little care.
It's possible that MadCatz have improved the quality of their peripherals since then but given the unabashed enthusiasm for their sticks from the FGC, I wonder if the old dog has needed to learn any new tricks. As it stands, I don't know why anybody would choose one of their sticks over the HORI equivalent, particularly when the latter has had consistently high quality peripherals for over a decade now.
They actually sell those in retail? The only time I saw arcade sticks was at a Gamestop in like... 2008 or whenever SF4 (NOT THE REVISION) came out.
Hori's sticks work on PS3/4, PC? Because Madkatz's advantage is being able to plug-and-play their arcade sticks on PC AND the relevant sold-to console (X-box/Playstation) without having to mod it unless modding for the other console platform now.
Madcatz will eventually clear out stock. I picked up two of their TTT2 sticks for Wii U that way for $120. Ebay is listing them for $396 new for them. Orz.
Diddy Kong
Banned
I have 0 faith in Rockband 4 and the new Guitar Hero.
dreamcastmaster
Banned
That's not what happened. Harmonix were looking for someone to publish the game and all the publishers turned them down, except he then tiny Red Octane who were making dance mats at the time.
That has to do more with Sony and MS being paranoid.
They do. All ps4 peripherals so far work on ps3.
I don't know about that. I use my sticks for STGs and I tend to use a keyboard for PC. I use the PS2 HRAP with an adapter for STGs on my Japanese 360, and very occasionally I'll use the Namco PS1 stick for the same purpose. I'm set on using a SUZO-500 though, so I haven't even considered an off-the-shelf stick for some time.
Baron von Loathsome
Member
Harmonix isn't releasing a Rock Band 4 standalone disc at launch, and I don't think they've said anything about a digital release.
IdreamofHIME
Member
Reminds me of THQ betting every thing on Darksiders 2. These companies are crazy.
dreamcastmaster
Banned
Even though Rockband is the better game, Madcatz are going to get totally destroyed in sales by the Activision marketting machine. It wasn't that long ago that Harmonix had to go to Kickstarter for funding, and let some staff go. Also they bet big on Kinect for Xbox One that was unbundled. It's going to be an expensive bloodbath.
Technically they bet it all on Udraw for Xbox 360 and PS3, another game requiring a peripheral. It did well on Wii and they figured they'd be able to replicate those sales on the other consoles and failed miserably. A niche market that just didn't exist on those two consoles.
Mad Catz is risking a lot here. Flipping a coin. I think with their pedigree though someone would likely bail or buy them out because of their elite status in the FGC. Guess we'll find out in a couple of months.
YuriLowell
Member
Sorry to say but I think Mad Catz is going to be going down in flames.
Most people are still tired of the series.
Most people are still tired of the series.
SillyEskimo
Member
I have like, 15+ Rock Band/Guitar Hero games Ican play when I feel the urge. There's no way in hell I'll be investing in new version for this gen.
Mad Katz will be D.O.A. and stores will be dropping that crazy price fast in order to clear shelf space.
Mad Katz will be D.O.A. and stores will be dropping that crazy price fast in order to clear shelf space.
Bjoern the Smexy
Member
Does RB4 even have a release date yet?
I too plan on buying the instrument bundle (I really don't wanna use the RB1 drumkit anymore).
Mad Catz holding on to their last thread sounds bad.
They made the awesome SF4 arcade fight sticks
I too plan on buying the instrument bundle (I really don't wanna use the RB1 drumkit anymore).
Mad Catz holding on to their last thread sounds bad.
They made the awesome SF4 arcade fight sticks
Hmm... I bought a cheapo SE a few days ago with the "Cerebus" mod that is supposed to get it to work on PC's with the PS4 under that "mode" but it's a complete crap shoot. Windows will see and install the driver, but the stick won't bind keys correctly (LP/MP are flipped same with kick in SF4, SF4 won't let me rebind the stick AT ALL despite a controller plugged in will let me rebind, Ikaruga sees it as "controller 5" and loses the Y/triangle button/"button 4" completely). If the Hori Sticks work, I'll probably just stop being cheap and get one.
RenegadeXV8
Banned
Wait so what the hell is gonna happen to Saitek if Mad Catz goes under?
Crimsonclaw111
Member
I'll be going through Best Buy, GCU will drop the price to $200.
dreamcastmaster
Banned
Someone will buy them.
I don't know about mods. I meant that all of hori and madcatz ps4 peripherals work on ps3 and PC. Mkx pad as well.
I have two te2s, a ps4 vlx, the fc4, and have played on a hori kai and rap4. All work no problem
Interfectum
Gold Member
Welp....
Similar threads
- Poll