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[DJ Demon J]

As the years have come and gone in this industry, it seems the lead-in to the high-volume Christmas season starts earlier and earlier. We've already begun this year's ramp up with the release of Doom 3 in the first week of August. Upcoming titles in September are Fable, Sims 2. Not to mention big hitters closer to November like GTA:SA, MGS3, Halo 2, Metroid Prime 2. Am I the only one that foresees this year as the biggest ever for the industry?

 

[Blackace]

If everything holds their dates I agree with you..this year is going to huge

 

[Tenguman]

Save for a few of titles, I think it'll be one of the worst for the industry. The glut of new games for the fall is even more than last year. Couple that with even more high-profile first party games to compete with, I think it's going to be a very dissapointing season for many many people in the industry.

And many people overlook the fact that a brand new Nintendo portable is coming out too. And the onslaught of new GBA games. That could possibly do the most damage to the competition in even the console area.

 

[Prospero]

The real question is--which games will I be picking up in January/February at $20?

 

[SolidSnakex]

"I think it's going to be a very dissapointing season for many many publishers and developers."

It'll still be hte biggest season so far though. It's loaded up with sequels to some of the biggest games ever released. No other year has really seen anything like this.

Ofcourse that also means that if publishers are smart, they'll take games that aren't going to get much hype because of those big games and delay them till next year to assure they'll atleast get some attention. That was UBI's mistake last year with PoP and BG&E. Even more smaller games will be overlooked thisyear because of how many big games are being released.

 

[AeroGod]

I dunno, maybe. Its hard to recall a season with so many AAA titles plus a new system(DS). It just might be. For people like hardcore gamers who buy EVERYTHING that is, the general person might just pick up 1 or 2 games. There's something for everyone though, which is nice, plus the PC is getting some major titles which will sell extremely well so it isnt just a console dominated season like it might usually be.

 

[Tenguman]

"I think it's going to be a very dissapointing season for many many publishers and developers."

It'll still be hte biggest season so far though. It's loaded up with sequels to some of the biggest games ever released. No other year has really seen anything like this.

Ofcourse that also means that if publishers are smart, they'll take games that aren't going to get much hype because of those big games and delay them till next year to assure they'll atleast get some attention. That was UBI's mistake last year with PoP and BG&E. Even more smaller games will be overlooked thisyear because of how many big games are being released.

I agree, for gamers it'll be one of the biggest seasons ever. I just think the amount of shit competiting against each other this fall is going to cause a lot of dissapointment -- even among the bigger stuff too.

The real question is--which games will I be picking up in January/February at $20?

There are going to be a lot of titles I predict.

 

[DJ Demon J]

Save for a few of titles, I think it'll be one of the worst for the industry. The glut of new games for the fall is even more than last year. Couple that with even more high-profile first party games to compete with, I think it's going to be a very dissapointing season for many many people in the industry.

And many people overlook the fact that a brand new Nintendo portable is coming out too. And the onslaught of new GBA games. That could possibly do the most damage to the competition in even the console area.

No doubt that some smaller titles will be overlooked, but I think that the big triple-A titles will sell in huge amounts--Halo 2 and GTA:SA alone are guaranteed multiple million sellers. MGS3 and MP2 will easily take in a million most likely.

DS is coming out this year? News to my ears.

 

[Tenguman]

DS is coming out this year?

It's still slated for this year - November.

 

[Prospero]

I dunno, maybe. Its hard to recall a season with so many AAA titles plus a new system(DS). It just might be. For people like hardcore gamers who buy EVERYTHING that is, the general person might just pick up 1 or 2 games. There's something for everyone though, which is nice, plus the PC is getting some major titles which will sell extremely well so it isnt just a console dominated season like it might usually be.

I agree with this, except that I think there's so much stuff coming out this season that even the hardcore are going to find that their wallets aren't deep enough, and they'll have to pick and choose. Out of these:

GTA:SA, MGS3, Halo 2, Metroid Prime 2

--it's hard to believe that all four will sell as much as they're expected to. (My guess is that MGS3 is the odd man out.)

 

[AeroGod]

Man dont forget Gran Turismo 4. Racing games are insanely popular amongst hardcore and general fans alike, especially GT.

 

[DJ Demon J]

Man dont forget Gran Turismo 4. Racing games are insanely popular amongst hardcore and general fans alike, especially GT.

Yea, I'm sure I've forgotten to list a few titles (although I had thought GT4 was pushed back to 2005). Half-Life 2 is another game I forgot to mention.

 

[SolidSnakex]

"I just think the amount of shit competiting against each other this fall is going to cause a lot of dissapointment -- even among the bigger stuff too."

I think the bigger games don't have much to worry about. They all have their own installed fanbases that'll definetly buy the games. It's likely the ones on the edge that could go either way. November's definetly not a month that you want to be releasing unknown or smaller games in though. They're going to get completely overlooked.

 

[human5892]

I predict lots of early 2005 Wario64 threads, and heaps of cheap games to reward those of us who are patient enough to wait a month or two.

 

[Zachack]

Hasn't every Christmas season since at least the PSX era been the biggest season ever? At least in the West, that is? I don't recall any year having shrinkage over the previous.