Support NeoGAF

[Grampa Simpson]

Why don't you tell us you how really feel?


:lol

That's certainly an opinion that he has there.

 

[pizzaguysrevenge]

Gears has splitscreen, which allowed people to more easily convince friends to buy the game. Killzone 2 doesn't.

Gears's style: easily-accessible weaponry and gameplay modes, with over-the-top gore and steroid-filled protagonists. Killzone 2 mp: you're placing turrets, using disguises, forming squads, etc. This might have improved KZ's chances for a positive critical reception, but probably wasn't love at first sight for the typical mass-market gamer.

Gears was developed by Epic Games, who created the Unreal series. Killzone 2 was the sequel to the not-so-great Killzone 1. People had their doubts all the way up through launch.

Gears launched as the first big exclusive multiplayer shooter of this gen, during a holiday season. Killzone 2 launched well-after the gen started, and just before the Spring season.

Shooters are the Xbox's strongest genre and the PS3's weakest.

This is the only valid point in the entire post.

 

[NullPointer]

The thing I'm talking about is a new approach to the game itself via its interface and not trying to shoehorn standard PC RTS design and pacing onto a controller and it doesn't really mean using a pointer to emulate mouse control...it's all about leaving mouse control behind.

You're so right, and its funny to see dev house after dev house repeating the same damn mistakes again and again. Each time the gaming press hypes the game's controls as being fixed at last, or equal to or better than the PC. But console controls are not meant to "point at" or "paint" units. They aren't meant to scroll along the edges to move from screen-view to screen-view.

The whole RTS paradigm has to shift - and use something like "Herzog Zwei" as a starting point. The PC centric mentality should stay only on the PC where it works so well.

 

[MightyHedgehog]

You're so right, and its funny to see dev house after dev house repeating the same damn mistakes again and again. Each time the gaming press hypes the game's controls as being fixed at last, or equal to or better than the PC. But console controls are not meant to "point at" or "paint" units. They aren't meant to scroll along the edges to move from screen-view to screen-view.

The whole RTS paradigm has to shift - and use something like "Herzog Zwei" as a starting point. The PC centric mentality should stay only on the PC where it works so well.

Damn straight.

 

[mujun]

WOW @ PS2 sales practically matching 360 sales lol

WOW @ 360 sales even with a $199 sku on the market.

Tbh PS3 sales @ 48k less than the 360 is not bad considering the $399 price point ;-P

im gonna take a stab in the dark and say that you are a sony fan.

right?

 

[Stoney Mason]

You're so right, and its funny to see dev house after dev house repeating the same damn mistakes again and again. Each time the gaming press hypes the game's controls as being fixed at last, or equal to or better than the PC.

I don't think most devs do this or the gaming press. They certainly don't do it when talking about fps games on consoles which is a similar situation.

 

[Lebron]

He spins every month. He has to when for 6 months a system sells worse than its competition and worse than it did the prior year.

Wait for price drop!

at least he keeps the thread entertaining.

 

[Gaborn]

Holy fuck, Sony had better come out at their E3 press conference with a fucking price drop.

.... if they can afford to do it.

 

[DeaconKnowledge]

.... if they can afford to do it.

They very literally cannot afford not to.

 

[FtsH]

the only reason for SONY to continue is to maintain "playstation" brand name now...

 

[charlequin]

Super Mario Bros. is not and never has been a series where they crank out sequels. The people incessantly crying about getting one are only going to be disappointed.

I don't really mind not getting one so much as not having people acknowledge that if NSMB2 came out today, they'd make a lot more money on it than just letting NSMB float by on 100k a month.

 

[Tmac]

Embarasin numbers all around.

 

[Karma]

He spins every month. He has to when for 6 months a system sells worse than its competition and worse than it did the prior year.

Wait for price drop!

My question still stands for those saying the 360 should be outselling the PS3 by a bigger margin. How much does the 360 need to outsell the PS3 to be considered good to them?

 

[Rolf NB]

Updated

 

[FrankT]

Embarasin numbers all around.

:lol

 

[Bizzyb]

I think this proves that NINTENDO is recession proof.

Hell if it weren't for Nintendo I think we'd be reading some pretty fucking grim headlines in the tomorrows newspapers

 

[FtsH]

Embarasin numbers all around.

:lol is that Sony looking at MS or MS looking at Nintendo?

 

[Grampa Simpson]

They very literally cannot afford not to.

Damned Fucked if they do, fucked if they don't.

 

[Mrbob]

You can still include all of the broader aspects expected of any RTS and still change the way in which you have access to and utilize them.

The problem, in the case of EA's RTS conversions, is that the core gameplay is still fundamentally tied to the expectation of a certain kind of device that doesn't exist as the main interface (if it exists at all, depending on the platform) on the console. You have to build it from the ground up for controller and not look to PC RTS as the only way to create a real time strategy...or, really, a tactics game, which is all what all but a few are on PC...

I think we are we (wiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii) are running in circles. I'm pretty sure EA has thought outside of the box on how to get the game to work, but they are still limited due to the interface. I realize their strategy games are built for the pc first, but the thing is you can only do so much with a controller and you have to adjust the game that it really isn't a rts anymore. Which is fine, the game could still be fun.

If anything, the one game that may work decently on a console is the dawn of war 2 single player campaign. Of course, DoW2 isn't a true RTS. It is an action game with some rts elements but its design could translate decently to a controller. The single player consists of prepping 4 squads and using them in battle. There is no extra resourcing which is needed, and mapping all 4 squads could be done with the dpad leaving all the other buttons ready for hotkeys. You get into co op and each person controls 2 of the 4 squads, and you can coordinate attacks and have less squads to focus on allowing you more ability to think and react in combat. I prefer playing co op on the pc version for this very reason alone.

Now multiplayer is another story, as the setup is set closer to a traditional rts standard. It would get pretty clumsy trying to manage everything with the 360 controller. Having said this, it would be cool if Relic can manage to bring this game over to the 360 and PS3. The single player campaign alone is worth playing through (especially in co op), and the gameplay would work with a regular controller.

 

[Sadist]

the only reason for SONY to continue is to maintain "playstation" brand name now...

Nah, they will eventually make a profit. Yeah, eventually.

:lol

 

[lowrider007]

im gonna take a stab in the dark and say that you are a sony fan.

right?

Dude, I'm just saying it as it is, are you honestly not surprised that the PS2 (a 9 year old console) sales practically matched the 360 ?

And are you also not surprised at how low the 360 sales are considering it's price point ?

And also PS3 127k @ $399 (cheapest sku) vs 360 175k @ $199 (cheapest sku), and people think the PS3 is in trouble.

 

[Count Dookkake]

Another great month.

Nintendo desecrates the corpses of the competition.

 

[DeaconKnowledge]

I don't really mind not getting one so much as not having people acknowledge that if NSMB2 came out today, they'd make a lot more money on it than just letting NSMB float by on 100k a month.

Well yeah of course they would. That's a point I would never challenge. My post was more to address the "we want NSMB2 6 months ago" crowd.

 

[Lebron]

How much does the 360 need to outsell the PS3 to be considered good to them?

a million plus interest.

And also PS3 127k @ $399 (cheapest sku) vs 360 175k @ $199 (cheapest sku), and people think the PS3 is in trouble.

Yeah, but unlike the PS3, the 360 has actually been selling well prior to this month.

 

[Stoney Mason]

Wait for price drop!

Fixed.

 

[Aaron Strife]

Super Mario Bros. is not and never has been a series where they crank out sequels. The people incessantly crying about getting one are only going to be disappointed.

Spoiler

Because i've said that, NSMB2 will be announced at E3.

Would making one really be "cranking out" though? If NSMB2 happens it'll probably be released in 2010. That's like a four year difference.

 

[AniHawk]

I think this proves that NINTENDO is recession proof.

Hell if it weren't for Nintendo I think we'd be reading some pretty fucking grim headlines in the tomorrows newspapers

"SONY KILLS INDUSTRY, SELF"

 

[Grampa Simpson]

Another great month.

Nintendo desecrates the corpses of the competition.

Teabagging at it's finest.

 

[Gaborn]

They very literally cannot afford not to.

In what sense? their goal isn't to sell a certain number of units, any reason that would have mattered (2nd or 1st place) is out the window. Nintendo has proven a console can come from third (and a distant third at that) the previous generation to 1st the next, so Sony is and SHOULD be focused on profitability right now. If they can make more money from a price drop then they should do it, if they can't they shouldn't.

 

[thechristoph]

PS2 is to PS3 as Atari 2600 is to Atari 5200.

 

[Strike]

http://gamasutra.com/php-bin/news_index.php?story=23635

NPD Responses: Microsoft Highlights Third-Party Strength
by Staff
Responding to Thursday's NPD U.S. game sales numbers for April 2009, Microsoft highlighted third-party game sales of $98 million for the month, "a key measure of platform health" and beating the Wii and PlayStation 3.

Overall, the company conceded that Xbox 360 U.S. retail sales were 175,000 units, a dip of 7 percent compared with a year earlier. However, it argued that "April 2008 saw the release of the blockbuster Grand Theft Auto IV, significantly boosting Xbox 360 sales this time last year."

The company noted that Xbox 360 sales were up 28 percent year-on-year in the first four months of 2009, "the highest growth of any console this year", as Xbox 360 games claimed four of the top 10 console titles, including The Godfather II, Resident Evil 5, Guitar Hero: Aerosmith and Guitar Hero: Metallica.

Continuing its war with Sony on Metacritic, Microsoft commented that "Xbox 360 is also home to the most top-rated games of any current-generation console, with 139 titles earning a score of 80 or above on Metacritic, while no other console has even 100 such titles."

Finally, the firm offered no major additions to its Xbox Live statistics, but did note that popular game add-ons in April included the Halo 3 Mythic Map Pack and Resident Evil 5 Versus Mode add-on.

 

[FtsH]

If MS do not force start another next-gen in 2 years to completely knock SONY out, they lose the best chance....

 

[kswiston]

I wonder if the PS2 and DS sales were helped out by Easter as well. $130 for a DSL and $99 for a PS2 are about as affordable an Easter present as video game systems get.

 

[DeaconKnowledge]

Damned Fucked if they do, fucked if they don't.

Well yeah, basically. Sony is gonna lose money no matter what. The gamble is how much: they can either slash the price of their console and move kit that isn't moving now at a lower price, losing money per unit but gaining more audience to buy the revenue generating games, or they can do nothing and have already accounted for stock rot on the shelves and lose millions in revenue (which is happening now).

In what sense? their goal isn't to sell a certain number of units, any reason that would have mattered (2nd or 1st place) is out the window. Nintendo has proven a console can come from third (and a distant third at that) the previous generation to 1st the next, so Sony is and SHOULD be focused on profitability right now. If they can make more money from a price drop then they should do it, if they can't they shouldn't.

Trust me, I am not talking about the hardware wars. Sony has very cleanly and decidedly lost that. I'm talking about not taking a bath on product that isn't moving. If Sony does nothing, they're going to continue to suffer heavy losses with the PS3 (which will in turn lower their stock exponentially). If they cut the price, they'll STILL lose money, but at least they'll be generating more revenue on kit that's already been accounted (read: paid) for. Sitting on their hands is not an option at this point.

 

[RBH]

Dude, I'm just saying it as it is, are you honestly not surprised that the PS2 (a 9 year old console) sales practically matched the 360 ?

And are you also not surprised at how low the 360 sales are considering it's price point ?

And also PS3 127k @ $399 (cheapest sku) vs 360 175k @ $199 (cheapest sku), and people think the PS3 is in trouble.

How do you feel about the PS2 outselling the PS3 then?

 

[MIMIC]

Too many unnecessary GIFs for such a shitty month.

 

[FrankT]

and people think the PS3 is in trouble.

It most definitly is.

The 360 has outsold the PS3 by 2 million since last September. The lead it has now is larger than it has ever been and continues to add to that lead. Sony continues to lose money in the division hand over fist while MS looks to be pulling in a second year of profits. PS3 is on it's 6th month of year over year losses with a sub 100k month looking very likely at this point.

Anyway you slice it you can't tell me MS would want to trade places in a million years.

 

[Stoney Mason]

My question still stands for those saying the 360 should be outselling the PS3 by a bigger margin. How much does the 360 need to outsell the PS3 to be considered good to them?

I'm not going to answer that and instead post a killzone gif...


They don't have a clue. The only thing they can hang onto is that Sony says they are going 10 years and the playstation 3 will explode in sales once it reaches the price of the 360. They are certainly entitled to that opinion and hell maybe they are right. Unfortunately we don't have a time machine to test out the theory.

 

[Karma]

Dude, I'm just saying it as it is, are you honestly not surprised that the PS2 (a 9 year old console) sales practically matched the 360 ?

And are you also not surprised at how low the 360 sales are considering it's price point ?

And also PS3 127k @ $399 (cheapest sku) vs 360 175k @ $199 (cheapest sku), and people think the PS3 is in trouble.

I will ask you directly then. How much should the 360 be outselling the PS3 to be considered good to you?

 

[Majmun]

Wow at the Wii hw drop.

X360 and Ps3 hw sales are pathetic.

Ps3 still needs a pricedrop or two to come to the same price level as its competition, though.
But the question is: Is it too late?

 

[legend166]

Overall, the company conceded that Xbox 360 U.S. retail sales were 175,000 units, a dip of 7 percent compared with a year earlier. However, it argued that "April 2008 saw the release of the blockbuster Grand Theft Auto IV, significantly boosting Xbox 360 sales this time last year."

Funny, I remember how surprised everyone was when it didn't have that effect at all.

 

[MWS Natural]

Dude, I'm just saying it as it is, are you honestly not surprised that the PS2 (a 9 year old console) sales practically matched the 360 ?

And are you also not surprised at how low the 360 sales are considering it's price point ?

And also PS3 127k @ $399 (cheapest sku) vs 360 175k @ $199 (cheapest sku), and people think the PS3 is in trouble.

I remember when NPD used to be full of guys like you...man I miss those days. It seemed as though the joke posts and gif's would never end =/

 

[FtsH]

Dude, I'm just saying it as it is, are you honestly not surprised that the PS2 (a 9 year old console) sales practically matched the 360 ?

And are you also not surprised at how low the 360 sales are considering it's price point ?

And also PS3 127k @ $399 (cheapest sku) vs 360 175k @ $199 (cheapest sku), and people think the PS3 is in trouble.

didn't PS2 just get a price cut boost?

 

[brain_stew]

Dude, I'm just saying it as it is, are you honestly not surprised that the PS2 (a 9 year old console) sales practically matched the 360 ?

And are you also not surprised at how low the 360 sales are considering it's price point ?

And also PS3 127k @ $399 (cheapest sku) vs 360 175k @ $199 (cheapest sku), and people think the PS3 is in trouble.

You spin me right round, baby right round, like a record player, round, round, round, round.......

 

[Sadist]

Wow at the Wii hw drop.

X360 and Ps3 hw sales are pathetic.

Ps3 still needs a pricedrop or two to come to the same price level as its competition, though.
But the question is: Is it too late?

What for America? Yes. I mean, the distance between the 360 and PS3 is a rough 8 million. And at the current sales level of PS3 dropping every month, it won't be catched.

 

[GSG Flash]

I don't understand the "holy shit lol PS3 fail" comments, it's not as if the 360 tore up the charts. So if PS3 fails, then the 360 does as well, or certainly comes very close to it.

 

[mujun]

Dude, I'm just saying it as it is, are you honestly not surprised that the PS2 (a 9 year old console) sales practically matched the 360 ?

And are you also not surprised at how low the 360 sales are considering it's price point ?

And also PS3 127k @ $399 (cheapest sku) vs 360 175k @ $199 (cheapest sku), and people think the PS3 is in trouble.

one day we will figure out the best way to compare these type of things.

you might be right, it might be more of an achievement to sell slightly less at double the price.

then again it might be a case of ms is selling more at a bigger margin while sony is selling less at a smaller margin.

 

[Rolf NB]

Dude, I'm just saying it as it is, are you honestly not surprised that the PS2 (a 9 year old console) sales practically matched the 360 ?

And are you also not surprised at how low the 360 sales are considering it's price point ?

And also PS3 127k @ $399 (cheapest sku) vs 360 175k @ $199 (cheapest sku), and people think the PS3 is in trouble.

The PS2 just had a price drop, we're seeing a spike. Not that I expected it to stimulate sales nearly as much (thought it was pretty much done for, no matter the price), but that's a pretty easy explanation. Ditto for DS: I didn't expect the DSi to kick it up like that, but some kind of increase was to be expected.

Now the weird part is what the fuck happened with the other consoles. Is April actually supposed to be this weak, but last year was masked by GTA IV (then deemed to not have moved any hardware at all)? What happened to Wii demand?

The fuck.

 

[iceatcs]

I will ask you directly then. How much should the 360 be outselling the PS3 to be considered good to you?

Should be almost double all the way. Wii done lot of times.

 

[B-Rad Lascelle]

It was selling for $9.99 at many retailers in April. I picked it up myself.

Also, many places had the guitar bundle on clearance.

I believe Activision indirectly stuck a dagger in all future band-focused Guitar Hero/Rock Band releases. Apart from diehard fans of any band, everyone else will now just wait it out for the inevitable $10 retail firesale that we saw from Guitar Hero: Aerosmith.

It set a horrible precedent. May even impact DLC sales given that 3 dozen or so tracks for $10 makes all of those Marketplace/PSN tracks seem like highway robbery.

I was going to pick up GH: Metallica but I'm certainly in no hurry now.