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So is Nintendo bundling a game w/ GC now?
- Thread starter Hollywood
- Start date
StrikerObi
Member
It's Metroid Prime right now.
Nintendo Ate My Children
Member
Yeah, there will be a Mario Kart bundle coming out later this year. I saw it on our computer at work (Best Buy), but I can't remember the exact date it's supposd to come out. I think it was around the middle of November.
Alcibiades
Member
I doubt they are doing more than 600,000 of those bundles...CVXFREAK said:
my guess is Nintendo is targeting 1 million in sales for November and December, with maybe 400,000-500,000 of those being bundles, the rest from normal Christmas sales...
Nintendo has been doing monthly numbers around 100,000, doing 10x that in November and December combined would be a sign that Cube sales are still healthy and can move into next year with a 8 million+ userbase... A bundle would help Nintendo do that, but they don't need to overdo the bundle IMO, last year during the Zelda bundle, Cubes still sold out because the price is really attractive as a Christmas present for a lot of families...
Last year Nintendo said they made 1 million Zelda discs, and I guess a good 800,000 were bundles, with the rest left over for subscritption and registration giveaways...
If Nintendo releases the Mario Kart bundle the same date as they did the Zelda bundle least year, it will be the 3rd week of November (last year it was Mario Kart release week, this year Echoes release week)...
Nintendo will sell around a million consoles between November and December, so I hope Nintendo gives healthy stock of the MKDD bundles. That, plus X-Mas sales can really raise the bar for MKDD's sales; it may even surpass SSBM if the bundles were widespread enough. Dropping to Player's Choice would help it even more.
Alcibiades
Member
I'm surprised they are even doing it with Mario Kart...
no doubt it will be a hit, but I'd rather they give away Pikmin and Smash Brothers (same combined value) or Pikmin and Metroid Prime 1...
At $100, I don't think parents are going to be choosy, when people see "2 free games", it attracts attention... It's worked for Microsoft during the holidays no matter what games they give away, the situation would be the same here IMO...
That said, Mario Kart is a very recognizable franchise, and it would accelarate sales for GCN more than any other game could, but during those final days before Christmas, chances are bundles of any sort are going to be sold out anyway, so why not include games that introduce gamers to new franchises (MP and Pikmin)... many people would likely buy Mario Kart and/or Smash Brothers along with the system or at some point...
no doubt it will be a hit, but I'd rather they give away Pikmin and Smash Brothers (same combined value) or Pikmin and Metroid Prime 1...
At $100, I don't think parents are going to be choosy, when people see "2 free games", it attracts attention... It's worked for Microsoft during the holidays no matter what games they give away, the situation would be the same here IMO...
That said, Mario Kart is a very recognizable franchise, and it would accelarate sales for GCN more than any other game could, but during those final days before Christmas, chances are bundles of any sort are going to be sold out anyway, so why not include games that introduce gamers to new franchises (MP and Pikmin)... many people would likely buy Mario Kart and/or Smash Brothers along with the system or at some point...
Alcibiades
Member
true about Smash Borther, Mario Kart is going to sell on it's own anyway during Christmas, even at $50, I'd expect sales to go over 100,000 for Nov./Dec. combined...
I think Nintendo is no longer shipping Pikmin 1 to stores (probably so that consumers will have to get part 2 which is $30 more), and Metroid Prime is doing well monthly anyway...
The image doesn't really matter IMO when you are talking about Christmas... Games like Donkey Konga and Paper Mario are giving the system the "Nintendo" image anway, when holiday consumers see "2 free games", that's probably convincing enough, and they'll likely sell-out before Christmas anyway, especially because of the $99 price point...
I think Nintendo is no longer shipping Pikmin 1 to stores (probably so that consumers will have to get part 2 which is $30 more), and Metroid Prime is doing well monthly anyway...
The image doesn't really matter IMO when you are talking about Christmas... Games like Donkey Konga and Paper Mario are giving the system the "Nintendo" image anway, when holiday consumers see "2 free games", that's probably convincing enough, and they'll likely sell-out before Christmas anyway, especially because of the $99 price point...
Alcibiades
Member
It's unlikely they have games just sitting somewhere that they need to get rid off, they can manufacture as needed, 1080 is probably sitting in store shelves and since retailers didn't re-order, Nintendo probably didn't do any more prints...Hollywood said:
True, new games may be alluring, but customers buying for gifts/children in the holidays probably won't care...
Last year, they not only sold out of Zelda bundles, but regular Gamecubes too...
The consumer-friendly price alone (no matter how many systems PS2/XBox sell) will guarantee a major spike in sales for Christmas since it works as a great gift/Christmas present...
I don't think the Metroid bundle in August was meant to get people to buy GCN's, so much as to get people that are buying GCN's to play Metroid and raise awareness about the series...
they should apply that concept during the holidays too, when a rise in sales in a sure thing no matter what...
a Mario Kart, Mario Sunshine, or Smash Brothers bundle (if they had manufactured a good 500,000 or so) would have good during the summer, cause that's when sales are slow and you want a recognizalbe figure or brand to catch people's attention and get them to take a look... During the holidays, people will be looking for GCN's anyway...
That said, the Mario Kart bundle is still a good idea and will no doubt help sales tremedously during Nov...