Gizmondo: 560,000 preorders in a month?!

HyperionX

Member
http://gamenews.pcvsconsole.com/view.php?news=2849

Online Pre-Orders Take Off As TV Campaign Kicks In

Gizmondo Europe today confirmed pre-order figures following the first TV teaser campaign, which began airing on terrestrial, satellite and cable across Europe in the last couple of weeks.


Over 560,000 pre-orders have been recorded since the new official website www.Gizmondo.com went live on 29th October. The majority of pre-orders originated from outside the UK, apparently from early adopters trying to purchase units ahead of the US and pan-European roll outs, scheduled for Q1 2005 - further evidence of mounting anticipation across the globe.

Niclas Hermansson, Ogilvy Interactive, says: “Online activity has been increasing. We’re now recording over 250,000 unique sessions a week on the website, and have had up to 500,000 hits a day. There were over 40,000 unique sessions recorded within two minutes of the first TV ad being aired.”

“This is a fantastic affirmation of interest in Gizmondo,” said Carl Freer, Managing Director of Gizmondo, “We believe that realistically at least a half of these pre-orders will move to retail sales as availability in the stores ramps up in each territory. Nevertheless, these numbers bode extremely well for Gizmondo.”

The Gizmondo device and its games are currently launching in the UK during the fourth quarter 2004, and in Continental Europe and North American markets during the first quarter 2005. The Company cannot project the ultimate number of orders it may receive for the device.

The Gizmondo is powered by a Microsoft Windows CE.net platform, boasts a 2.8-inch TFT colour screen with a Samsung ARM9 400Mhz processor and incorporates the GoForce 3D 4500 Nvidia graphics accelerator. It provides cutting-edge gaming, multimedia messaging, an MP3 music player, Mpeg4 movie playing capability, a digital camera and a GPRS network link to allow wide-area network gaming. Additionally, it contains a GPS chip for location based services, is equipped with Bluetooth for use in multi-player gaming and accepts MMC card accessories.

DS? PSP? No way man, it's the Gizmondo!!!11!1

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Though seriously, how is it possible for a total newcomer (one that I haven't even heard of until recently) could possibly make such a dent? And it's game list ain't half bad too. No matter the reason, if they can do it than more power to them I suppose.
 
From the homepage:

Built-in GPS technology allows players to discover the true meaning of mobile gaming. Some of the most exciting, innovative and interactive experiences the gaming industry has ever seen are currently in development.

Oh boy, I'm getting images of Metroid Prime and Wind Walker ports, but with the game now requiring you to travel and backtrack around in real life to access new areas and collect items :lol

"Good job Link, next piece of the Triforce is in the Indian Ocean, go to latitude xxxxx longitude yyyyy to find it. Then we go to Egypt to pick up the master sword, a few heart containers in Italy, and...."

It gets one thing right: is a convergence device with more pratical uses than watching movies (hi PSP).

My ideal handeld would pack in those functions people actually need on the road: communication (phone, messaging, maybe chat), GPS with both city navigation software and topo maps, assorted utility (notepad with touch screen, voice recorder, expansion slots, ablity to run homebrew software), and entertainment (MP3s mostly, good controls for games, online multiplayer and possibly internet browsing).
Basically a pocket pc with integrated phone (avaliable), integrated GPS (avaliable, but not on the models with integrated modem =(), and A GOOD JOYPAD AND BUTTON LAYOUT.
Anyone listening?
 
Ok, this is weird:

For instance, the technology blurs the line between physical and virtual for Gizmondo's debut title, Colors. In Colors, you and your friends can form gangs to wage war for control of the streets. However, because the game utilises GPS technology, the virtual rumbles can take place on the streets
of the very village, town or city in which you live. When you've kicked sufficient butt, you and your mates can go elsewhere to challenge Colors gangs in another part of town or even in an entirely different city.

<- imagines a game where people are supposed to.... phisically remove other people from an area to win. Special value pack offers a gun in bundle!

In a way thought, WiFi + GPS have some potential for original games.

Edit: kidding aside, I assume in that game you maybe have to phisically run close to another player to start an online fight on the halndeld?
And your team mates can see on screen the phisical position of other players, and eventually run themselves to the spot to join the "fight" and help?
 
Well, I'm sure he'd say anything to get this thing in the papers.

Until we have some great original games, it's a PDA.
 
I want my portable Richard Burns Rally.

Then again, it it does fail its more likely the RBR team will go back to focusing on Console and PC games.
 
They are using so creative accounting methods that it's not far from a lie. Unless you accept that what equals a web poll answer of "I'm interested in Gizmondo" can be registered as a preorder. Seriously, I thought they are underestimating the intelligence of the world, but nobody seems to mind.

I'm posting my earlier post from

http://www.ga-forum.com/showthread.php?p=698761

"This is a fantastic affirmation of interest in Gizmondo," said Carl Freer, Managing Director of Gizmondo, "We believe that realistically at least a half of these pre-orders will move to retail sales as availability in the stores ramps up in each territory. Nevertheless, these numbers bode extremely well for Gizmondo."

The Faceless Master said:
is it just me or is their website broken?

Niclas Hermansson, Ogilvy Interactive, says: "Online activity has been increasing. We're now recording over 250,000 unique sessions a week on the website, and have had up to 500,000 hits a day. There were over 40,000 unique sessions recorded within two minutes of the first TV ad being aired."

I bet it's the 250.000 weekly people who visit the site 14 TIMES A WEEK PER PERSON that caused it crash, they have all been placing tens of preorders which may or may not became sales! This company can't be publicly traded.
 
PSP: Press X to select mode
NDS: Press A to select mode
GIZ: Press 3 Straight, Verticle Lines to select mode
 
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